Zebra Technologies Introduces Next Generation QLn™ Mobile Printer For Retail And Healthcare Industries
Industry-first Ethernet device management and Zebra-exclusive smart battery technology enable customers to reduce operational expenses and improve efficiencies
Zebra Technologies Corporation a recognized global leader in bar code, kiosk, card and RFID printers as well as real-time location solutions, today announced the release of its new QLn ™ mobile printer family. According to research released by VDC in 2011, the mobile worker population exceeded one billion in 2010 and with an increasingly mobile and distributed workforce, is expected to grow by over 10% over the next three years. Zebra addresses this growing workforce with the QLn, the third generation of the QL printer, Zebra's all-time best selling direct thermal mobile line.
The QLn builds off of the success of over 700,000 QL printers shipped to date by squarely addressing the primary request made by Zebra's customers: lower the cost of operation. The QLn does this by including the industry's first Ethernet connection for mobile printers. By enabling remote status collection and better device management, the printer helps reduce service time and maximizes printer uptime, delivering a greater return-on-investment.
"Demand for mobile printers continues to scale," says Tom Wimmer, Director of the AutoID and Transaction Processing Practice at VDC. "At the same time, total cost of ownership has become a leading purchase consideration for enterprises evaluating mobile devices. Knowledgeable users are increasingly focused on reducing productivity losses associated with hardware failure, and managing spiraling IT support costs. Leading mobile device suppliers like Zebra understand these requirements and are responding with smarter products designed to address them."
The QLn is also the first printer with Zebra's new Power Smart Print Technology™. This new feature delivers faster processing and throughput with lower power drain, giving mobile workers better quality printing and more uptime on the job. Zebra's ‘smart battery' technology on the QLn displays charge and overall battery health, which minimizes downtime due to older, poor-performing batteries that don't last entire shifts.
"Historically the QL printer line has provided our customers with the productivity and durability required to keep their businesses functioning efficiently," said Scott Lane, product manager, Zebra Technologies. "The innovation and expanded features of the QLn are a result of Zebra's deep industry understanding. We have worked with our customers to identify their pain points and meet their evolving needs as the mobility market changes."
The QLn also improves on the previous QL models by offering:
- Easier Integration: Backwards compatibility with the QL and QL Plus printers lets users upgrade to the QLn without changing media or label formats, network and other infrastructure.
- Global reach: Zebra's Unicode ™ UTF-16-compliant Global Printing Solution offers right-to-left printing capabilities, giving companies around the world the option to print in many languages. (available August, 2011)
- Improved user interface: Larger, easier to read display with 5-way navigation, help menus and alerts gives users greater control, enables faster operation.
The QLn320™ for 3-inch-wide printing is now available in the United States and will be available in Europe later this month, Asia Pacific in July and in Latin America later this year. The QLn220 ™ for 2-inch-wide printing will be available in Q3 of this year. For more information www.zebra.com.
About Zebra Technologies
Zebra Technologies Corporation gives customers visibility of critical assets, people and transactions through a broad range of printing and location technologies. Our bar code, card, kiosk and RFID printers as well as real-time location solutions have made us a recognized global leader in providing enabling solutions that identify, track, and manage critical assets, people and transactions for improved business efficiencies. For more information, visit http://www.zebra.com.
SOURCE: Zebra Technologies Corporation