IBM goes green

IBM unveiled technologies and services that are uniquely able to improve energy and operational efficiency across a retailer's entire IT operation, reports Kauppalehti.

The IBM "Green Retail Store" portfolio includes point-of-sale systems, IBM blade servers, and system management software that allow retailers to deploy end-to-end solutions from the front of the store to the back-office that benefit the environment.

"Retailers are looking for ways to differentiate and build customer loyalty in a fiercely competitive environment, and consumers are increasingly showing preference for retailers who are environmentally responsible," said Steve Ladwig, GM of IBM Retail Store Solutions.

Comstar Interactive, a provider of secure point-of-sale (POS) solutions and electronic payment services, was recently awarded the "Designed for Palm Products" designation for the company's Charge Anywhere v2.0 Mobile Point of Sale Software solution, according to PR.com.

Charge Anywhere allows secure processing of electronic payments in the field and transforms Palm Treo smartphones into complete mobile POS terminals.

"Comstar Interactive's Charge Anywhere v2.0 Mobile POS software is very timely. The electronic payments industry is quickly evolving, and for many of our customers, having access to a POS application that enables payment processing from their Treo smartphones will prove to be an invaluable tool," said Mike Rank, director of Palm Developer Relations.

Xsilva Systems demonstrated LightSpeed 2.5 at the Macworld Expo this week, showing users how the software works with touch screen computers, states MacNN.

CEO Dax Dasilva went through the workings of LightSpeed, pointing out the iPhone-like functionality of Cover Flow integration.

Users can browse through products or customers using Cover Flow, giving retailers a visual overview of their database.