Panasonic Highlights Android Applications at National Retail Federation Convention & Expo 2012

Panasonic, an industry leader in retail technology solutions designed to enhance customer and employee experiences, today announced it will highlight a host of Android™-based retail applications optimized to run on the Panasonic Toughpad™ A1 tablet computer at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Convention & Expo in New York City (booth #2239). Solutions to be showcased at the event, which runs from January 16-17, include retail management and communications applications from Stratix, RBM Technologies, Data Capture Solutions and MagTek.

Panasonic’s Android-powered tablet has the potential change the way stores do business and enhance the shopping experience for customers. The Toughpad A1 is designed with enhanced security, long battery life and device management in mind. The device can also be used as a tool to optimize business processes as a cost effective pen / paper replacement. The Toughpad A1 features a stylus and active digitizer for signature capture and handwriting recognition functionalities – ideal for sales, customer service and mobile point-of-service environments.

“According to global research and advisory firm, IHL Group, more than four million tablets will be used in retail by 2015,” said Ed McCabe, National Sales Manager, Panasonic Solutions Company. “Unfortunately, the vast majority of tablets on the market today have been designed with consumer use in mind. Our Android-powered Toughpad A1 is an exception to this rule. Since it is designed with the durability, functionality and security needed for enterprise use, it allows retailers to create a reliable, collaborative mobile computing experience – customer facing, in the back office or warehouse – that will improve business processes.”

Stratix Field Service, available from Stratix Corporation, is an end-to-end field service application. The system provides back office capabilities for asset management, inventory, dispatch and scheduling, along with a mobile client that automates the data collection process for field personnel. Stratix Field Service can be used in a standalone fashion or integrated with existing back office scheduling/ERP systems.

RBM Technologies offers a retail communications platform designed for the Toughpad A1 that ensures store compliance with fixture-based planograms and localized execution. RBM’s web-based visual merchandising management solution cuts the cost of in-store merchandising and promotions and drives revenue with localized campaign planning and compliance reporting.

The Retail Mobile Manager from Data Capture Solutions integrates with industry leading back-office applications for labor costing, workforce management, merchandising, point-of-sale and warehouse management. The Retail Mobile Manager can also be used by sales associates to integrate multiple sales channels and provide fast and easy price and inventory checks without leaving the customer’s side.

MagTek is a leading manufacturer of electronic devices and systems for the reliable issuance, reading, transmission and security of cards, checks, PINs and other identification documents. Its products for the Toughpad A1 include secure card readers, check scanners, PIN pads and distributed credential issuing systems. These products are used worldwide by retailers other organizations to provide secure and efficient electronic payment and identification transactions.

Availability

The Toughpad A1 will be available in the spring of 2012 from authorized Panasonic resellers. Retail applications, optimized to run on the Android-powered Toughpad A1, are available from Stratix Corporation, RBM Technologies, Data Capture Solutions and MagTek.

Follow the Toughpad™ Brand

The Panasonic Toughpad brand can be followed on various social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Toughbloggers.com.

Sales inquiries for Panasonic’s Toughpad family of Android-powered tablets should be directed to sales.psc@us.panasonic.com or 877-803-8492.

More information on the Toughpad tablets can be found at www.PanasonicToughpad.com

Panasonic Solutions for Business

Through its broad range of integrated business technology solutions, Panasonic empowers professionals to do their best work. Customers in government, healthcare, production, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises, large and small, depend on integrated solutions from Panasonic to reach their full potential, achieve competitive advantage and improve outcomes. The complete suite of Panasonic solutions addresses unified business communications, mobile computing, security and surveillance systems, retail information systems, office productivity solutions, high definition visual conferencing, projectors, professional displays and HD and 3D video production. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic engineers reliable and long-lasting solutions as a partner for continuous improvement. Panasonic solutions for business are delivered by Panasonic System Communications Company of North America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC).

All brand and company/product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Information on Panasonic solutions for business can be obtained by calling 877-803-8492 or at www.panasonic.com.

About Panasonic Corporation of North America

Based in Secaucus, NJ, Panasonic Corporation of North America provides a broad line of digital and other electronics products and services for consumer, business and industrial use. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC), and the hub of Panasonic’s U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic was the only Consumer Electronics company to be listed in the top ten brands on the Interbrand Best Global Green Brands 2011 ranking (http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/Best-Global-Green-Brands/2011-Report/BestGlobalGreenBrandsTable-2011.aspx). As part of its continuing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, Panasonic Corporation of North America will relocate its operations to a new eco-efficient office tower adjacent to a mass transit hub in Newark, NJ in 2013. Information about Panasonic Eco Ideas initiatives is available at http://panasonic.net/eco/ecoideas/. Information about Panasonic and its products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is also available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

Android is a trademark of Google, Inc.