RIS Executive News Brief - April 25, 2006

4/25/2006

JDA Software to Acquire Manugistics
JDA Software announces a definitive agreement to purchase Manugistics for $211 million in cash, or $2.50 per share. The announcement was made late yesterday, April 24, 2006.
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Rooms to Go Keeps Sales Rolling
Rooms to Go, one of the largest furniture stores, has invested $1.4 million in Dell retail hardware and services to help manage growth at its more than 100 stores. Rooms to Go sales have increased to more than 4,000 rooms of furniture delivered daily.
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Roots Unveils Gift Card Program
Roots, a North American lifestyle brand, announces the availability of an electronic gift card program in 130 retail locations across the United States and Canada.
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Advance Auto Parts Lowers Hiring Costs
Advance Auto Parts, retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance items, selects Unicru Retail Solution to lower hiring costs and improve the level of experience, competence and productivity of its workforce.
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Hypercom Unveils a Contactless Handheld Pin Pad
Hypercom unveils the P4000 PIN Pad, a universal RF-enabled multi-application PIN entry device designed to meet new PCI (Payment Card Industry) security standards.
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SATO Delivers Barcode Printer
SATO America's MB200i is a high speed, 32-bit CPU printer with high throughput printing speeds up to 4 inches per second.
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MarCole Interactive Introduces CatalogWorks
MarCole Interactive Systems, a provider of gift registry solutions for multi-channel retailers introduces CatalogWorks, an online shopping application for retailers and manufacturers.
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Intermec Releases PD41 Printer
Intermec's EasyCoder PD41 bar code printer can produce variable data labels continuously at 150 m, /s (6 ips).
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Industry Events
May 21 - 24 Retail Systems 2006
Produced by Retail Systems Alert Group, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. For more information: www.retailsystems.com

Vendor Viewpoint
All-In-One Standalone Single Source Provider for Multi-Channel Retailers
Ecometry, Blue Martini and Nextor offer the key to sharing customer information throughout your entire enterprise and offer unparalleled product functionality in a single-source provider. The solution enables retailers, catalogers and e-commerce companies to maintain a central view of the customer across every purchasing channel. We empower over 500 companies including Nordstrom, Brookstone, Coach, Coldwater Creek and Brooks Brothers, to name a few. If you would like more information please click on the following link: http://www.ecometrysystems.com/ or call our Inside Sales Department at 561-265-2700, ext. 4233.

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and Support. For $4000 more, get the training and support with the ALR-9800

Developers Kit.

Go to http://www.alientechnology.com/reader_promo/ or Phone 800-524-2455

Industry White Papers
Transforming Legacy Systems: What Retailers Need to Know to Pick the Right Path

Retailers large and small are realizing that many of their legacy IT systems, while workable, are inadequate to support the fast-changing needs of today's marketplace. In fact, such systems may actually be a drain on resources, due to rising maintenance costs and the need to maintain out-of-date tools and skill sets. Transforming legacy systems has become a high priority in many retail organizations, with retailers seeking the best ways to gain new functionality along with stability and scalability---all while protecting razor thin profit margins. To learn more about how your retail organization can benefit from legacy transformation initiatives, download Transforming Legacy Systems: What Retailers Need to Know to Pick the Right Path, an executive whitepaper brought to you by RIS News and Cognizant.

Executive Intelligence
Master Data Management -- to Buy or to Build?
By Prasad Vuyyuru, Abhijit Upadhye, Alex Farcasiu and Venkata Velugubanti, Infosys

It is now well recognized that effective Master Data Management consisting of accurate master data and responsive master data processes provides a spring board for success of strategic initiatives such as Global Data Synchronization, RFID, supply chain effectiveness and 360^o customer view.

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Electrolux Powers Innovation Processes
As part of a broad initiative to change the way it develops new products, Electrolux selects Sopheon's Accolade as its innovation process and product portfolio management solution.
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San Carlo Group Guarantee Product Freshness
To ensure its products' availability and freshness throughout its distribution network, San Carlo Group, a provider in the potato chips and snacks, chooses ToolsGroup's DPM inventory optimization technology.
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NCR and Matthias Partner to Offer On-Demand Coupons
NCR and Matthias MoneyBoard partner to offer a self-service coupon dispensing system using NCR EasyPoint touch-screen kiosks.
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BEA Systems and HP Team Up to Provide RFID
BEA Systems, a vendor of infrastructure software, and HP team up to offer RFID options focusing on four key areas.
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WebCollage and GSI Commerce Align to Expand Content
WebCollage, a provider of Web content integration solutions for retailers, announces a strategic alliance with GSI Commerce to offer product marketing syndication services to GSI Commerce partners.
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bigg's Names Steve Kaczynski President
Steve Kaczynski, will serve as president of bigg's a 13-store chain in Cincinnati.
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Toys 'R' Us Announces Creasey as CFO
Toys 'R' Us will hire F. Clay Creasey as chief financial officer.
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OATSystems Appoints New CEO
OATsystems, RFID framework vendor, announces the appointment of Michael George as the company's chief executive officer.
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Walgreen Announces Executive Promotions
Don Hounker, has been promoted from vice president of pharmacy services to corporate vice president of pharmacy services at Walgreen, a drugstore chain.
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