Hypercom Introduces High Speed Optimum Countertop and Handheld Wireless Card Payment Terminals for US Retailers
Global Payment Technology Leader Introduces Ultra Fast, High Performance, Multi-Application T4100 Countertop Terminal & ‘Always On’ M2100 Handheld, Wireless Payment Device
PHOENIX, April 15, 2004–Global payment technology leader Hypercom Corporation (NYSE: HYC) today introduced the Optimum T4100 and Optimum M2100, two compact, high speed and high performance Optimum card payment terminals designed to speed transactions and boost profits for retail stores and mobile merchants throughout the US. The countertop Optimum T4100 packs a powerful Intel processor based on Intel® Xscale® technology to deliver unprecedented, intelligently integrated multi-application performance and the industry’s fastest transaction speeds.
The handheld, wireless Optimum M2100 based on 32-bit technology delivers performance and price-efficiency for mobile merchants such as restaurants, delivery services, car rental companies, stadiums, medical facilities and others who want to bring the payment system directly to the consumer.
The new high speed, high performance terminals follow Hypercom’s recent introduction of the Optimum L4100 for multi-lane retailers, and bring to four the total number of powerful 32-bit Hypercom® Optimum point-of-transaction card payment terminals introduced within the last five months.
“We are listening closely to the market and we are introducing two high speed, profit-building card payment terminals designed to meet head on the challenges confronting our customers and the tens of thousands of retailers who want to differentiate and win in today’s highly competitive environment,” said Eric Duprat, senior vice president, Global Marketing and Product Development, Hypercom Corporation. “The technology behind Optimum is second-to-none. And that technology brings an entirely new smart, fast, easy-use dimension at the point-of-transaction.
“Integrating value is not simply integrating data with more data, it requires intelligent integration–a framework that leverages and combines today’s newer technologies, innovations and applications into complete solutions that provide a tangible benefit for customers, merchants and acquirers. Our advanced Hypercom Adaptive Application Environment increases ease-of-use for merchants, reduces certification time for processors, and gives ISOs enormous flexibility to deliver a unique value proposition,” said Duprat.
“The Optimum T4100 and M2100 deliver the power, performance, high security, profit-building features, functionality, reliability and easy-use that Independent Sales Organizations, retailers, processors and financial institutions are demanding,” said O.B. Rawls IV, president, Hypercom North America. “From fast and easy plug & play set-up, incredibly easy and intuitive operations to multiple profit-building applications and the industry’s fastest transactions speeds, these card payment terminals deliver the proverbial goods for our customers and theirs, faster, smarter and easier than ever before.”
Optimum T4100: Unprecedented Speed, Multi-Application Performance and Easy-Use for the Retail Countertop
Heralding Hypercom’s internationally-recognized payment technology innovation and leadership, the Optimum T4100 lets retailers build profits, intelligently integrating and bringing to the countertop a powerful combination of credit/debit card authorization and value-added, revenue-generating services such as gift cards, cash and promotion/loyalty cards, prepaid, age and/or ID verification, payroll or government check cashing, and more–more efficiently than ever before.
The PED and EMV certified T4100 incorporates all of the key features of the global payment technology leader’s highly-popular T7Plus and adds the power of Intel XScale technology leveraging Hypercom’s new multi-application architecture based on the payment leader’s Adaptive Application Environment and superior HyperWare® 32 development tools that are based on the latest C++ and UML technologies. As a result, application development time is reduced from months to weeks. This intelligent integration delivers industry-leading profit-building multi-application performance, easy of use and fast time to market.
The Optimum T4100 features magnetic stripe and smart card readers, a high contrast LED backlit display, One-Touch shortcut keys, a 35 key-full keyboard or optional 19 key keyboard, Ethernet connectivity to the Internet with built-in modem for dial back-up, standard 200 MHz processing speed and multiple high speed communications options. The new high performance terminal is equipped with a high-speed 18 lines per second virtually jam-proof printer with drop-in paper loading–a first for the card payment industry. Equally important, Hypercom’s Optimum T4100 supports the entire set of DES requirements, including 3DES Master Session and 3DES DUKPT.
Thanks to Hypercom’s powerful emulation mode technology, retailers who select Hypercom’s Optimum T4100 can run all of their current T7Plus series card payment terminal applications on the T4100–without having to write any new code.
Innovative in-mold decorating technology lets retailers quickly add their own distinctive branding and colors to the lens of the terminal, thereby generating repeat consumer impressions at the point-of-transaction. And that’s just the beginning.
Hypercom’s new high speed, high performance Optimum T4100 card payment terminal features the powerful Intel PXA255 processor for optimal low power consumption, high performance processing and industry-leading mW/MIPS performance. Intel technology enables retailers, consumer goods companies and others to deliver faster, crisper communications and vibrant screen graphics directly to the consumer.
“Intel XScale technology is ideally suited to meet the demands of multi-application devices like Hypercom’s Optimum T4100,” said Jon Stine, Intel Worldwide Industry Marketing Manager, Retail & Consumer Package Goods. “This architecture provides the intelligence and performance necessary to transform the shopping experience with faster check out, rich graphics and value-added customer service options that can provide retailers with a strong competitive advantage.”
Optimum M2100: High Speed, High Performance and Cost Efficient Wireless Payment Technology for Mobile Merchants
The global payment technology leader’s new handheld, wireless Optimum M2100 leverages the same design as the T4100 countertop device to simplify and speed electronic payment transactions for mobile merchants. The M2100 supports BluetoothR, GPRS and GSM. The GPRS version is designed with an ‘always online’ communication link that shortens transaction times to a fraction of the time of PSTN.
The high speed, high performance EMV and PED certified Optimum M2100 features 32-bit architecture, a vertical magnetic stripe reader, smart card reader and high contrast LED backlit display and function keys.
The innovative new wireless payment device also features a long-life battery enabling up to 100 transactions and an ‘always on’ GPRS wireless modem to ensure fast transaction turnarounds.
Hypercom’s Optimum M2100 is now in certification with all major gateways.
“Intel has its pulse on the computing and communications markets like no other company and Hypercom is ahead of all others in the world of electronic payments. Bringing their two technologies together is a brilliant stroke that can translate into unprecedented opportunities for retailers, consumers, and all of the ISOs and financial institutions who serve them,” said payment industry analyst Shalini Chowdhary, Frost & Sullivan.
“Hypercom continues to demonstrate why they are regarded as the leader in payment technology innovation. The introduction of these fast and powerful Optimum terminals rewrites the book when it comes to electronic payments. Once again, Hypercom is clearly setting the standard by which all other payment technology will be judged,” said payment industry veteran Dave Lott, Director at Collective Dynamics.
About Hypercom (http://www.hypercom.com)
Celebrating 26 years of technology excellence, innovation and leadership, Hypercom Corporation is a leading global provider of electronic payment solutions that add value at the point-of-sale for consumers, merchants and acquirers, and yield increased profitability for its customers.
Widely recognized as the global electronic payment technology innovator and leader, Hypercom delivers complete, revenue-generating card payment terminal, network and serve solutions that help merchants and financial institutions generate revenues and increase profits.
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Hypercom’s revenue-generating card payment terminal, network and server solutions are leading the transformation of electronic payments in more than 100 countries.
Hypercom and HyperWare are registered trademarks of Hypercom Corporation. Optimum and Design is a trademark of Hypercom Corporation. Intel and XScale are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. All other products or services mentioned in this document are trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks or registered service marks of their respective owners. Certain matters discussed within this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although Hypercom management believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include industry, competitive and technological changes; risks associated with international operations and foreign currency fluctuations; the composition, timing and size of orders from and shipments to major customers; inventory obsolescence; market acceptance of new products and other risks detailed from time to time in Hypercom’s SEC reports, including the company’s most recent 10-K and subsequent 10-Qs.