"Tired of picking up and putting down a
scanner every time you need to scan a bar code?" reads the copy for Socket's new Cordless Ring Scanner Series 9,
and it's like they've totally been reading our minds. Seriously, even though we haven't done the bar code thing since
our
pre-Engadget days at the
corner grocery, we definitely see the advantages of a light, wearable, Bluetooth scanner for the repetitive drudgery of
inventory management. The CRS Series 9, which will available through direct channels next month, is made of ruggedized
LiquidMetal (since it's trademarked it must be good tech)
and consists of a small Class 2 laser tacked to a finger ring and tethered to a wrist-mounted Bluetooth transmitter.
Included keyboard emulation software allows the bar code data to be directed into empty fields of any PC application,
and even lets the user remotely enter carriage returns and tabs. If this product's non-consumer status wasn't obvious
to you already, the $1200 price tag should help clear things up.
Update: Frankly we're kind
of shocked that no one has picked up on this yet, but this CRS is the exact same one that we brought you
here
several months back, with the addition of a pic. Luckily for us, the "Mike" mentioned below tipped us on the
official release. In completely unrelated news, the "Mike" mentioned below as well as commenters from this
post and two others calling themselves "Liza Mazredes," "Matt Guiler," and "joe mama" all
share the same email address. And in more unrelated news, the previously-mentioned commenters have all left comments
(since deleted) touting the wonders of a technology from a certain company that we won't mention because they don't
deserve any more PR. That is all. Now back to your regular programming...
[Thanks, Mike]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
higman.schmidt @ Jan 16th 2006 3:02PM
Damn thats cool... i want one... not that i know what id use it for... but thats pretty cool!
Jason @ Jan 16th 2006 3:04PM
I've seen these used at Seattle Mariners baseball games for almost two years. They may not have been BT, but definitely finger scanners that went to some sort of hip pack. Very convenient. AND you get to keep the entire ticket, not just a stub.
mb @ Jan 16th 2006 3:27PM
When I worked a crappy job at UPS as a loader, we had these, except made by Symbol. They really suck though, the bluetooth would crap out all of the time. The finger thing would connect via bluetooth to a little PDA thing that would connect via 802.11b to the UPS network.
mb @ Jan 16th 2006 3:31PM
Also, the Symbol one wasn't "tethered to a Class 1 Bluetooth device that is strapped to the wrist" boy would that have sucked. It was just bluetooth in the ring thing.
boss sauce @ Jan 16th 2006 3:42PM
This thing is called a "cordless" ring scanner... but... isn't that a cord in the photo? Oh wait, I get it-- it's not a cord-- it's a "tether"...
macstibs @ Jan 16th 2006 7:19PM
Liquidtech was used IIRC to create the OQO enclosure.
Me @ Jan 17th 2006 12:30AM
I used to sell cordless ring scanners by Symbol Technologies about 10 years ago. They are so not new it's sad to even see the hype here the first OR second time.
Jeff Bridges @ Jan 17th 2006 11:15AM
Looks like someone got busted!!!
Chris @ Jan 18th 2006 3:43PM
I've had a pre-prod model of this scanner for about a month now. It's rock solid. I've not seen one problem with the bluetooth. The "tethered" part is the battery and transmission piece. It comes with a wrist strap to hold that part.
The symbol ring scanner has its own controlling unit. This scanner is open to anything with BT. I use it with a tablet pc and an axim.
Chuck Ramsey @ Apr 6th 2006 1:07PM
I like what I see and read. ?-How would you complete the loop in the food delivery industry? I would like to be able to scan product loaded onto our trucks, off loaded at a delivery point and rconciled against the warehouse scan and credits issued against any mis-picks or short-loss.
Jimbo @ May 2nd 2008 5:01PM
Problem with this scanner is that it is extremely consumer-oriented and not industrialized (hardened) in any way