HP: New Touch-Screen POS Offering

Everyone is looking to integrate touch these days, and HP is no slacker. Their new AP5000 is looking to be an all-in-one point of sale device. But is it the right move for VARs that promote POS offerings? Read on for the details on the new system and a little speculation about the future of computerized sales.

The AP5000 is essentially a computer with a touch-screen monitor. Of course, all the retail accoutrements are there: a receipt printer and a barcode scanner, along with a customer-facing LED display. The hardware is a slim-formactor computer, minus beefy hardware — oddly, HP’s site says it comes with 800MHz RAM but it’ll only run at 667MHz. A Celeron on a Dual Core is your choice, along with Windows 7 Embedded “POS Ready 2009” (FreeDOS and Windows 7 Pro with option to XP downgrade are also available.) Nothing crazy, it is, after all, a register.

But HP is pushing the touch screen. Here’s the site techincal specs about the screen:

With Apple potentially making moves, along with Mophie, you might think HP is into innovating their POS line. Even the Microsoft store is using handheld devices to perform transactions. But HP is churning out a little bit more of the same. So what’s the deal? Is this a case of bucking the trend, or refusing to get on board with a new one? HP’s POS page seems to suggest that this is more for high volume retail and less for the quick casual electronics shopper. It includes a money tray and a plethora of other features. The price tag? This specific device is coming soon, but similar HP devices are floating under $800.  Not a terrible investment for a startup or a retail shop working with a local VAR.

Customers also get the benefit of centralizing their transactions, versus dealing with a secure WiFi cloud for all those floating credit card numbers. I suppose these things are obvious, but none the less– it still seems slightly odd that HP is introducing such a bulky introduction, despite the low-tech advantages. But you be the judge: where do VARs see the POS trend going?