News | April 27, 2009

ThingMagic RFID Engine Powers Zebra Technologies' RP4T Mobile RFID Printer

ThingMagic, Inc., a leading developer of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, recently announced the integration of ThingMagic M5e-Compact embedded RFID reader module into Zebra's RP4T mobile RFID printer. Leveraging ThingMagic's market leading RFID reader module performance and form factor, the mobile and lightweight Zebra RP4T printer is ideal for producing long-lasting RFID tags and labels and identifying and tracking business critical assets across a variety of markets including government, healthcare, manufacturing, mobile field service, and transportation and logistics.

ThingMagic's M5e-Compact was specifically designed for mobile, portable and handheld RFID applications that require economy of power and space. The M5e-Compact is EPCglobal Generation 2 DRM compliant, and is optimized for Generation 2 RFID tags. Based on ThingMagic's Mercury5e embedded reader module, the M5e-Compact consumes one third of the power and is half the size (56 mm L x 36 mm W x 5 mm H) of the Mercury5e, enabling a variety of RFID applications for asset tracking, warehouse and inventory management, location awareness, and other use-cases that require a powerful, customizable, yet very small RFID reader solution.

"Zebra Technologies has been a valued and longstanding customer of ThingMagic embedded RFID reader modules, recognizing their performance and form factor advantages for stationary and mobile RFID printers," said Yael Maguire, ThingMagic co-founder and CTO. "Zebra selected the M5e-Compact to extend RFID capabilities to this innovative line of printers, and this powerful combination allows users to leverage RFID where and when they need it, offering a significant opportunity for improved workforce efficiency."

"Rising demand for point-of-application RFID print encoding has driven the development of the Zebra RP4T printer and we are confident that the M5e-Compact RFID reader module will enhance Zebra's RIFD solution," said Carolyn Ricci, senior product manager, RFID, Zebra Technologies.

In addition to enabling printing of EPC-compliant, passive UHF RFID Class 1, Generation 2 labels at any location, the Zebra RP4T printer offers unique capabilities for enhanced connectivity and productivity including:

  • Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11g wireless connectivity options, and state-of-the-art WPA2 security for enhanced data protection and user authentication
  • Dual print methods (direct thermal and thermal transfer) in a single printer
  • Long-lasting, element-resistant thermal transfer labels, tags and receipts and RFID labels that can be printed where and when customers need them, providing enhanced data and asset tracking accuracy and improved workforce efficiency

Zebra and the RP4T mobile RFID label printer-encoder have been nominated for an RFID Journal LIVE! 2009 Best in Show award. For more information, visit www.zebra.com/RP4T.

ThingMagic will be attending the RFID Journal LIVE! Conference April 27 – 29 in Orlando, Florida. If you are interested in meeting with ThingMagic at RFID Journal LIVE!, please email salesteam@thingmagic.com. Inquiries about ThingMagic embedded RFID modules should be directed to 1-866-833-4069 (+1 617-499-4090 for callers from outside the U.S. and Canada) or salesteam@thingmagic.com.

About Zebra Technologies
Zebra Technologies Corporation helps companies identify, track and manage assets, transactions and people with on-demand specialty digital printing and automatic identification solutions. In more than 100 countries around the world, more than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use innovative and reliable Zebra printers, supplies, RFID products and software to increase productivity, improve quality, lower costs, and deliver better customer service. For more information, visit http://www.zebra.com.

About ThingMagic, Inc.
ThingMagic is a leading developer of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, with broad experience in applying RFID in a wide range of industrial and consumer applications. ThingMagic's customers include some of the world's largest retailers, consumer companies, automotive firms, manufact" http://www.thingmagic.com.

SOURCE: ThingMagic, Inc.