NEWSLETTER: 6-9-2005
This edition of the Flic Newsletter presents you with:
Flic Developer "Yet to be Named" Newsletter Name the Newsletter Contest
Events: Rose Festivals 2005 year - Bulgaria Microsoft Worldwide Partner Summit July 8-10
Flicware Pro provides:
Customize the setup and provide an initialization file for your customers to use, pre-configured. Application examples using Flicware Pro: Kawasaki uses Flicware Pro and the Flic Cordless Scanner for receiving packages. Boxes arrive approximately 20 feet from the PC that runs their receiving application. Mounted speakers use the audio prompting to alert the user to scan a bar code. Flicware Pro qualifies that the correct bar code was scanned (packages usually have more than one bar code on them). When the correct bar code is scanned the user is prompted to scan the next package. If the wrong bar code is scanned, the user is prompted to try again. By using the audio prompts, the user avoids having to visit the PC for confirmation. Another creative use of Flicware Pro is at a hospital group that uses Flic Cordless Scanner and Flicware Pro to adapt their incoming data to their McKesson patient and pharmaceutical tracking software. McKesson has integrated an expensive tethered scanner in their application, but this hospital group preferred the Simple and Affordable Flic Cordless Scanner. With the Flicware Pro software, they are able to emulate the tethered scanner by inserting characters at the beginning or end of the bar codes. They also automatically launch Flicware Pro from the Startup folder so the nurses can remain focused on patient care and administration of medication. Learn more about Flicware Pro at: http://www.buyflic.com/index.cfm?pa=prodDetail&productID=13&categoryID=3
Flic Tip You can use the Flic native commands and create your interface. Or, you can use Microvision's Flic SDK and let the SDK do much of the work. The SDK handles the communications details, data buffering, date/time stamp formatting, and lots of other stuff. We even provide demo projects with full source code, project files, technical manual, and SDK DLL. You can cut and paste our source into your applications to make integration even easier. The SDK and demo projects are royalty free and available in various flavors: VB6, VB.NET, C#.NET, Visual C++ 6, and C#.NET for Pocket PC. Contact Microvision Technical Support at FlicSupport@Microvision.com for instructions on downloading our SDK and demo projects. See our next newsletter for more details on our demo projects and SDK.
Flic Developer Spotlight Ask Distribution provides Secure Mobile Data Solutions. They have two modules: one for Pocket PC and one for Symbian. The Symbian version runs on Nokia / Sony mobile phones, reads data from the Flic Cordless Scanner, and uses a GPRS data link to connect to the host SQL database. A typical application would allow a sales person to scan bar coded items that need restocking and process an order for those items using the Flic Cordless Scanner (in hand) and mobile phone (in pocket). Mobile Barcode Reader Version 1.2 allows users to send data from the Flic Cordless Scanner to a Bluetooth enabled Nokia / Sony mobile phone and then to a corporate database via GPRS. End users can scan and update in real time from anywhere in the world. Ask Distribution's main business is software integration of Microsoft CRM (Customer Relationship Management), which includes Mobile Employee integration. Ask Distribution's mobile modules are available for other developers to view and download at http://www.main-lobby.com/Lobby/mainlobby/downloadPage.asp. For more information contact Gideon Ellis at ged@ask-distribution.com.au
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You Ask, We Answer By Tony Cataldo Can you explain Auto and Manual download modes? Before integrating Flic into an application you must decide whether to configure the Flic for Automatic or Manual download mode. With Automatic Download mode (or Auto Download) you plug in the cable and the Flic sends its data. The host application must be ready to receive the data. Normally you configure the Flic to delete the sent data after the host sends an acknowledgement (ACK) character. You can also configure the Flic to delete all data after it is sent. We refer to the send and automatic delete configuration as the "Send and Pray Protocol" (pray that the application is ready). With Manual Download mode the host sends a download command to the Flic. The Flic receives the command and sends the data. You can configure the Flic to delete the sent data or wait for a host acknowledgement. Normally your application has a button or menu item that the user selects to start the download. Which Mode to Use? Programming Notify me of the System Tray Demo
Flic Developer Resources Take advantage of this Special Coupon to Evaluate Flic Scanner for your Application.
Testimonials This testimonial came to Microvision from Dave Boydston of Serialio.com:
Serialio.com is a Microvision Premier Partner. Serialio.com recently added several features to SerialMagic Professional for Palm OS that provide unmatched ease of use to integrate Flic (aka LaserChamp) bar code scanning on the Palm OS devices. SerialMagic can launch Palm applications when a barcode is scanned, arrange scans in columns in SheetToGo/Excel, initiate Palm OS Commands and much more. The SerialMagic API allows 3rd party Palm and BlackBerry developers to quickly and easily integrate SerialMagic with their applications.
Partner with Microvision Wizard Business Solutions, Inc. becomes a FlicMate™ Certified Partner
Wizard Business Solutions, Inc. is an authorized Peachtree Resource Center and developer of custom software accounting programs. Since 1986, Wizard has served over 14,000 customers worldwide with superior computerized accounting needs. With over 100 years of cumulative Peachtree technical support experience, Wizard's knowledgeable staff is well qualified to meet the specific accounting needs of a wide variety of businesses. Wizard's extensive line of Custom Peachtree Enhancement Products is a complete accounting needs resource center for all business customers. Additionally, Wizard provides enhancement modules for Quickbooks, Abra and Microsoft Small Business Accounting. We encourage ISVs, SIs, and resellers to apply for the FlicMate Partner Program to take advantage of all the benefits that will help us to collectively deliver great solutions to a broad community of enterprises, small and medium sized businesses and households.
Flic Fact View the latest compatibility matrix.
We recently released a beta of the FlicWare Cordless for Pocket PC Software to increase device support as well as support for new Bluetooth stack revisions. If you already use FlicWare Cordless for Pocket PC and you would like to evaluate the beta prior to release please send a request to flic_info@microvision.com.
Flic Beat The Flic Scanner Marketing Team recently appeared in Las Vegas at the Microsoft Mobile and Embedded Developer Conference (MEDC). This shot depicts follow-up with one of the Blue Men from Blue Man Group who was reported to have a killer application.
Blue Man Contagion
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