CipherLab Introduces AIDC Industry's First Seamless Replacement For Aging Acoustic Data Capture Systems; Eliminates Costly Maintenance of Obsolete Terminals and Creates Economical Upgrade Path.

LAS VEGAS & GIG HARBOR, Wash. -- CipherLab, a leading innovator in Automated Identification and Data Capture (AIDC), today announced the first seamless replacement solution for the retail industry's aging Telxon acoustic data capture infrastructure. The new CipherLab 8020, unveiled at the National Association of Convenience Stores show in Las Vegas (Booth 7300), enables retailers and distributors to painlessly adopt the latest data capture technology for the same cost as a few simple repairs to their existing Telxon field units. With the new product, customers can simultaneously update their current data capture technology and better position themselves for future business requirements without having to replace or reconfigure existing infrastructure and systems.

"Even though Telxon devices and parts are no longer manufactured, they're still integral to some of the most broadly deployed data capture systems in the field," noted Robert Hossary, Vice President, Americas for CipherLab. "These old units are prone to breakdown and expensive to fix, but until now retailers haven't had an alternative other than to rip and replace their whole infrastructure. At CipherLab, we view this as an opportunity: allow customers to cut maintenance costs, adopt the latest technology and position themselves to take advantage of new business opportunities. Our exclusive terminal and software allow instant replacement without having to touch the backend systems until they're ready. That's what we're offering with the new 8020."

Telxon 610, 701 and 710 devices, once the market's dominant data capture solutions, are designed around decades-old acoustic communications standards that are generally no longer used, meaning the associated POS/inventory tracking system is not compatible with the latest Bluetooth, 802.11 or batch data capture devices. The user is faced with choosing between overhauling the entire back-end system or constantly paying to rebuild obsolete acoustic terminals.

The CipherLab 8020 hardware and software supports the same acoustic capabilities as the old Telxon units, allowing the units to fit seamlessly into the customer's business systems without requiring additional changes. More importantly, it allows a solid migration path for the future, eliminating maintenance today while opening up a wealth of new opportunities for custom application development, eventual system migration, and greatly enhanced capabilities.

The pocket sized 8020, part of CipherLab's popular 8000 portable terminal family, runs for more than 100 hours on a lithium Ion rechargeable battery pack and also has an alkaline battery option. In conjunction with its acoustic communication software, it offers built-in programmability thanks to its Basic, C and Application Generator support, enabling easy custom application development. Beyond its acoustic (Telxon) communication, it also supports IrDA, IR, RS232 and USB connectivity.

The product is available immediately from $480 MSRP through CipherLab and authorized resellers.

ABOUT CIPHERLAB

CipherLab, a subsidiary of publicly traded Syntech Information Company Ltd. (Taiwan OTC), is a world leader in the design, manufacture, marketing and support of AIDC (Automatic Identification and Data Capture/Collection) products and systems. The company's fixed and wireless data terminals and scanners are used throughout retail and related industries worldwide to enhance the operational efficiency and competitiveness of product distribution, inventory, warehousing, point-of-sale and similar applications. The company has operations in Europe, America, Australia and Asia, and more can be found on the web at http://www.cipherlab.com.