7-Eleven Scoops Up Windows CE .NET

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.symbol.com/news/pressreleases/mobility_solution_for_7-11.html' target='_blank'>http://www.symbol.com/news/pressrel...n_for_7-11.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"7-Eleven will take advantage of the breadth of capability provided by the Symbol MC3000 to enhance the mobile management of thousands of products that regularly move through its stores. The convenience store pioneer will deploy Symbol's new Microsoft Windows CE .NET mobile solution to handle merchandise inventory, price verification and shipping and receiving applications, among others. The new Symbol wireless handheld will enable real-time visibility of product stock levels to best meet customer demand and reduce costs."</i><br /><br />The <a href="http://www.symbol.com/products/mobile_computers/mc3000_kb_mobile_cmptr.html">Symbol MC3000</a>. What about it? It seems like 7-Eleven are planning a mass migration from DOS to these .NET-based mobile devices <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=36706">I posted on a little earlier</a>. I like seeing mobile device application in practice. Your thoughts on this one?

[ricksfiona]

Here in San Francisco, they've been opening a slew of new 7-11s. These aren't the stereotypical 7-11s of the past where you get a little nervous approaching them.. They are clean, well organized with very helpful employees. They even have some pretty healthy food if you can believe that.

It doesn't surprise me that they are upgrading their technology infrastructure considering how nice these new stores are... I think they must have hired someone new at the top who wants to change 7-11's image and make some real profits.

[ctmagnus]

Here in San Francisco, they've been opening a slew of new 7-11s. These aren't the stereotypical 7-11s of the past where you get a little nervous approaching them.. They are clean, well organized with very helpful employees. They even have some pretty healthy food if you can believe that.

Imo, that's how ours has been for years.

[ricksfiona]

Here in San Francisco, they've been opening a slew of new 7-11s. These aren't the stereotypical 7-11s of the past where you get a little nervous approaching them.. They are clean, well organized with very helpful employees. They even have some pretty healthy food if you can believe that.

Imo, that's how ours has been for years.

Yeah, I remember that about Canada... Nice 7-11's :wink:

Ours are usually grungy with some pretty weird/nasty customers.

[cscullion]

I am unimpressed with this device for several reasons. It's big... it has the square screen, and it's CE 4.2. Compare it to Symbol's PPT 8800 series. The 8800 is much more compact, with similar features, but with the normal 320x200 screen. Keep in mind that almost all software for these devices (in the retail vertical especially) is a port of an existing application. For this new Symbol, all of the existing CE 2.11 and CE 3.00 software must be modified to fit the new screen. The older software is often Windows-based, but packs tons of information into every square mm of screen real estate. This software won't port easily to 320x320.

If I needed to upgrade my enterprise wireless handheld devices, I'd go with the PPT8800 instead of the MC3000.

[Jonathan1]

Slightly off topic but pertinent to alternate windows based systems.
Does anyone else think it’s an unbelievably stupid idea to use Windows in an ATM machine? Never mind that fact that since I moved to US Bank I’ve seen two crashed ATMS with a Windows mouse pointer on screen. Before then on non-Windows systems I have NEVER seen a crashed ATM. Ever. Then there is the whole potential security issue of using Windows on a ATM network. One compromise anywhere along the network with unpatched systems and say goodnight. Sorry but important venues like banking and such should be left to less robust OS’s.

7-11 is another matter. Its cool that they are using Windows solutions but to be honest I think Microsoft is doing some serious kiss up to 7-11. Wasn’t 7-11 also the first, almost right out of the gate, to use tablet PCs in their environment. Yah I’m betting Microsoft is kicking in a pretty penny when it comes to rolling out these solutions.

[davea0511]

Slightly off topic but pertinent to alternate windows based systems.
Does anyone else think it?s an unbelievably stupid idea to use Windows in an ATM machine? Never mind that fact that since I moved to US Bank I?ve seen two crashed ATMS with a Windows mouse pointer on screen. Before then on non-Windows systems I have NEVER seen a crashed ATM. Ever. Then there is the whole potential security issue of using Windows on a ATM network. One compromise anywhere along the network with unpatched systems and say goodnight. Sorry but important venues like banking and such should be left to less robust OS?s.

7-11 is another matter. Its cool that they are using Windows solutions but to be honest I think Microsoft is doing some serious kiss up to 7-11. Wasn?t 7-11 also the first, almost right out of the gate, to use tablet PCs in their environment. Yah I?m betting Microsoft is kicking in a pretty penny when it comes to rolling out these solutions.

The term "foolhardy" comes to mind. With Linux growing at such an incredible rate, and with so many tools making it so easy to develop in (DESPITE WHAT REDMOND SAYS) it's amazing to me that anyone continues to use windows for appliance devices that must be secure and reliable.

(okay CE lovers, blast away).