FlicWatch Developer Newsletter

April 29th, 2006

Events

Flic Tip: Improved Timestamps Capability

Flic Product Spotlight: Microvision Connectivity Software Beta Update

You Ask, We Answer: Configuration Bar Codes

Flic Developer Resources

Partner with Microvision – Show Debrief for CTIA Wireless and PubCon

Flic Beat: Flic Scanner featured in Fashion Show

Events:

MEDC - Microsoft Mobile and Embedded Developer Conference
May 8-11, 2006 The Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas
Visit us at Booth #320 near the Microsoft Booth

BlackBerry Partner Summit
May 14 – 15, Orlando, Florida
If you are going and would like to meet, please let us know

RIM Wireless Enterprise Symposium 2006
May 16 – 18, Orlando, Florida
Visit us in the Solutions Showcase

Bike New York - The 5 Boro Bike Tour
The largest mass cycling event in the USA
May 7, 2006 Begins in Manhattan, New York
Celebrate the joy of cycling with 30,000 other riders

Are there other events you think we should know about? Events you should know about?

Timestamps are a feature supported by the Flic Laser Bar Code Scanner. Developers use this feature for task tracking, security applications, time and attendance, and other applications where capturing time is useful. Capturing time helps document actual costs, establish liability, and ensure adherence to processes and procedures.

With the current Flic Scanner timestamp function, if the batteries are removed (known as a battery event), the timestamps can be lost or difficult to recover. Some developers have created a work around, but even this work around requires that the scans be downloaded immediately after the battery event.

An upcoming firmware release greatly improves the timestamp functionality. The first change stores all timestamp related data in EEPROM rather than in RAM. This way, no data should be lost. The only impact of a battery event is that time will stand still from the point the batteries are removed until they are replaced. The second change is that the battery event is flagged in the scanner. This flag allows the programmer to determine what time reference to use when calculating the actual time. For scans before the battery event, the internal time reference in the scanner is used. For scans after the battery event, the current system time is used and time is calculated backwards.

If the details aren’t completely clear, don’t worry, we will help. Suffice it to say that all timestamps can be completely recovered after a single battery event whether the scans are before or after the event.

This firmware is currently in beta and nearly complete. Look for this product bulletin to be added to http://www.flicscanner.com/support/bulletins.html

We will also announce this in the next issue of the FlicWatch Developer Newsletter.

Microvision’s Scanner Wedge is connectivity software at its best! The Scanner Wedge software converts information from a Flic Scanner into keyboard output (bar codes) and inserts it into any application. Both the Flic Tethered/Batch and Cordless Scanners are supported. In addition to this, it offers the user a multitude of functions – auto-reconnect, prefix and suffix characters (such as enter or tab), auto-launch and many more. This software allows the user to take advantage of bar code scanning with any off-the-shelf productivity software!

Microvision Scanner Wedge software is currently in beta testing and we are hungry for more feedback! The Wedge is currently available on two platforms – PC and Windows Mobile devices. For this beta program, you will need a Flic Scanner (batch/tethered scanners will require a serial or USB cable) and a PC or Windows Mobile Device. If you satisfy these requirements, read on!

PC Users – Click the link below and include your personal information so we can contact you regarding the beta program.

I would like to participate in the Microvision’s Beta - Scanner Wedge for PC!

Windows Mobile Users – We are looking for users with (but certainly not limited to!) the following devices:

HP iPAQ hx4700 family	HP iPAQ 2215	Siemens SX66
HP iPAQ hx2400 family	HP iPAQ 4155 / 4355	Audiovox SMT 5600
HP iPAQ hx2700 family	Cingular 8125	Dell Axim x50
HP iPAQ hx2100 family	Palm Treo 700W	Dell Axim x51
i-mate K-JAM	i-mate SP5m

Click the link below and include your personal information so we can contact you regarding the beta program.

I would like to participate in Microvision’s Beta - Scanner Wedge Software for Windows Mobile!

As an incentive, participants will receive a care package to show our gratitude. It’s nothing super expensive, but it includes some neat stuff (hint: one of the items starts with a‘t’ and ends with ‘ravel mug’).

BlackBerry® users feeling left out?

Not to worry – Microvision is currently developing the Scanner Wedge software and a Software Development Kit for the BlackBerry platform allowing for scanning into software or integrating the Flic Scanner into your application natively! If you would like to be informed and become participants in future BlackBerry beta programs, click the link below and include your personal information so we can contract you regarding upcoming beta release dates!

I would like to participate in Microvision’s Beta – Scanner Wedge for BlackBerry!

By Tony Cataldo

Question: How can I configure my Flic Scanner to use additional cool capabilities?

One very cool feature of the Flic Scanner is its configurability. The Flic Scanner is not an average “dumb” scanner that just reads a bar code and blindly transmits it. The Flic Scanner can read bar codes and send them, store the bar codes, download stored bar codes when the cable is connected (or only in response to a host command), use various acknowledgement protocols, include date/time stamps, include bar code symbology identifier codes, and lots more. When the Flic Scanner comes out of the box it is configured to be a very basic “scan and send” device. So, the question becomes, “how do I configure the Flic Scanner to use some of its cool capabilities.” Well, that very question is the subject of this article.

Configuration Bar Codes

There are a number of ways to configure the Flic Scanner. One way is to scan configuration bar codes. Some developers provide a Getting Started guide with their application and include appropriate Flic Scanner configuration bar codes in the guide. JPG images of configuration bar codes are available from Microvision so that they can be added to your system documentation. Normally you print the configuration bar codes in a vertical column and have users scan them from top to bottom. If you want to use configuration bar codes to configure your Flic Scanner, here are some suggestions:

The first bar code that the user scans should be the “Factory Default” bar code. Scanning this bar code puts the Flic Scanner into a known initial state. From this initial state you can scan any other configuration bar codes that you require.
Scan the configuration bar codes required for your application. You may want to disable the bar code symbologies that are not used by your application. For example, if you only use Code-39 in your application then you may want to disable the other bar code symbologies. This eliminates possible errors caused by users scanning incorrect bar codes (such as UPC labels, etc.).
Test your configuration. Test your configuration (this is worth repeating). Be sure to take a new, out of the box scanner and scan your configuration bar codes to be absolutely sure that you set your configuration properly and remember to include all the configuration bar codes required.

The interactive version of the technical manual (FlicTechnicalManual.chm) has the configuration bar codes arranged in an easy-to-print format. To find the configuration bar codes, open the Contents tab, select the Reference section, and then select Configuration Bar Codes. Note that you must print these pages and you cannot scan the bar codes on your computer screen.

Configuration by Application

Your application can configure your Flic Scanner. Remember that each scanner must be configured once. It must be configured properly first to ensure that it will operate with your system. Many problems have been caused by scanners not being configured properly. When configuring the Flic Scanner using an application, consider the following:

Include a button or some other control that forces the application to configure the scanner. You should include instructions telling the user that each new scanner must be configured. Be sure to include instructions for using this “Initialization” control.
When using Microvision’s SDK you normally try to open a connection using FlicConnectionOpen. If that fails, then you create the connection using FlicConnectionConfigure. Note that the first time you run your application the FlicConnectionOpen call fails because you have not created the connection and there are no connection details stored in the system registry. Put the FlicConnectionConfigure and the supporting code (message boxes, error checking, etc.) in its own function that I will call (for the sake of this article) CreateFlicConnectionAndInitializeFlic. This can be used when normally opening a connection and can also be used to configure a Flic. FlicConnectionConfigure both configures the communications port and it initializes the Flic. The Flic must be connected in order for this function to work since FlicConnectionConfigure looks for the Flic on the COM port (so it can figure out which COM port to use). To initialize the Flic just call the CreateFlicConnectionAndInitializeFlic function (be sure the port is closed first).
Test your configuration. Test your configuration (this is worth repeating, again). Be sure to take a new, out of the box scanner and scan your configuration bar codes to be absolutely sure that you set your configuration properly.

Future Flic Configuration

Microvision is now testing a more comprehensive configuration system for our next generation of scanners. In the future you will be able to connect to a website and select your scanner configuration from a very comprehensive set of menus. This configuration utility will then generate a single bar code that contains all of those configuration settings. You can then scan this single bar code to configure your Flic Scanner. More details on this configuration utility will be discussed in a future newsletter.

Developer FAQ

App Note

Case Studies

Take advantage of this Special Coupon to Evaluate the Flic Scanner for your Application.

Integrate the Flic Scanner into your application. Request the SDK

Check out the Compatibility Matrix.

Report device compatibility issues or successes.

Flic Support. Need Help?

Company Information

Newsletter Archives

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Microvision exhibited at CTIA Wireless in Las Vegas from April 5-7 and attended the WebMaster World Pubcon in Boston from April 18-20. Thanks to those of you who visited with us at our booth at CTIA. For those that were unable to make either show, we wanted to share some of our findings.

CTIA Wireless 2006

With more than 1000 exhibitors and over 35,000 attendees from over 90 countries, CTIA Wireless is one of the largest technology conferences in the US. CTIA featured numerous technology seminars, including the SmartPhone Summit, the VOIP Mobility Conference, Wireless University, Location Based Services education tracks, and Mobile Data Services education tracks, to mention but a few. Needless to say, there was much to see and do.

Key Takeaways

Wireless devices have made their first clear inroads into mobile convergence, combining digital photography and video, digital music, extended memory and broadcast television capabilities. The unifying theme here is that 3G services and network infrastructure deployment are now a reality, paving the way for content rich services and mobile enterprise data-centric services.

Mobile content is now center stage, as consumers are beginning to subscribe to data and other non-voice services being offered by a variety of mobile carriers. As such, mobile content publishers and aggregators have started announcing and delivering content, including music, gaming, video programming and mobile search.

At the show, Walt Disney launched its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service, focusing on the communications needs of families on the go.

Nokia and Samsung used CTIA to demonstrate Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology platforms, which are designed to allow consumers on GSM networks to roam effortlessly between cellular and Wi-Fi infrastructure.

Last, but certainly not least, many US based carriers announced plans to introduce 3G networks and services this year, including Sprint’s announced plans to introduce EV-DO Revision A technology.

While voice still reigns supreme, all indications are that data services for both the enterprise and consumer markets will continue to see significant growth as worldwide mobile markets mature.

The Flic Cordless Scanner enables data applications providing carriers and application developers tools to push data services. Device manufacturers like RIM are taking data to the next level, beyond email. Mobile inventory, assets, point-of-sale, market research, field service, and many other applications can merge the benefits of bar code data capture with WAN to provide more accurate, real-time data to enhance services, shorten billing cycles and improve the bottom line.

WebMasterWorld Pubcon 2006

Pubcon is a gathering of the web literati, allowing leaders in the field of search engine advertising, pay per click advertising, organic search, affiliate sites, and web marketing to teach, share and learn in what has become the premier event for those doing business on the web. What became immediately obvious during the show is that the web is indeed a very lucrative and fertile market that holds tremendous promise for those who understand how to leverage it.

Key Takeaways

Yahoo, Google, eBay, MSN and others are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their online service offerings. Each of these companies strives to offer a balance of tools, content, services and advertising. Yahoo, Google and MSN are serving up more and more content and services, resulting in increased page views. The outcome is that online portals and search engines increase the number of ads served up, generating significant profits. Take, for example, Google’s last quarterly earnings update – the company grew revenues by 79% year-over-year and surpassed $2 billion quarterly earnings for the first time in its history! The stars of the Internet have figured out how to make money and leverage services and content to drive a viable service and business model on the Internet.

Web enabling compelling applications for the online consumer or business user is something developers should seriously consider. As you know, the web is a great equalizer – small businesses, large enterprises, and household consumers alike are using the web to source content and services. Using the Simple and Affordable Flic Scanner as an input device to a web-based application allows users to gather, manage and share large amounts of data. The simple UPC label, which adorns over 98% of North American GDP is well established infrastructure. The Flic Scanner is the gateway to leverage this infrastructure.

Once data is organized from the billions of pages on the web, it can be shared with others you choose to invite. Here are a few not so far fetched ideas for you to consider:

Shopping applications – manage your kitchen inventory by scanning products in your kitchen into a home grocery application. As you throw items away, scan them to create a shopping list. Using affiliate advertising opportunities, application developers can tie web enabled applications to online coupon services to print coupons for your next visit to your local grocery store. Imagine that the application can manage expiration dates on the products in your kitchen, and recommend recipes for items that are about to go bad! What about the portability of the shopping list with mobile alerts. The possibilities are almost endless!

Television programming convergence with online content – imagine that you’re watching a cooking show on a television that is connected to Yahoo! Tivo Services and the food looks too good not to try at home for dinner tomorrow. You decide to forward the recipe to your web shopping application portal. The portal compares your current kitchen inventory with the required ingredients and sends an updated shopping list to your mobile phone. You now have a full shopping list, including the recipe ingredients for tomorrow’s dinner, all served up through the wonders of Tivo Services, the Internet, and your mobile phone service.

Other application ideas for the web include media tracking, gift registry and power shopping combined with Location Based Services (LBS). The sky’s the limit – imagination is the only limiting factor!

Should you be web enabling your applications? WebMasterWorld Pubcon returns to Las Vegas November 2006. We’ll be attending, so drop us a line if you’d like to discuss this or web enabling your applications. I’m going to PubCon and I’d like to talk

Flic Beat

The Flic Scanner was recently featured in the Fashion in Motion wireless show at CTIA Wireless. Similar to the 2005 show, this year a Flic Scanner was wearing a lanyard attached to a model carrying a BlackBerry handheld. See the 2005 image in the April 05 Newsletter.

Also on display was this cool programmable jacket from Los Angeles based Nyx. The jacket features illuminated text or patterns that scroll across the chest, arms, and back. Text is entered using a Palm mobile device and beamed directly to the jacket display screens. With the cell phone capabilities of the Palm device text messages, emails, and internet information can be downloaded right to the jacket. This jacket is Cool and Connected!

Click the video image to see the message scroll across the jacket. As you watch the video please repeat “I will develop more cool applications for the Flic Scanner.”

If you have some interest please contact John Bell at Nyx Illuminated Clothing - niccollc@earthlink.net

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