If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Cloud Cover: Toshiba Unveils eTAG, the Industry¡¯s First, Most Convenient and Affordable Way to Remotely Register Printers
Cloud Cover: Toshiba Unveils eTAG, the Industry¡¯s First, Most Convenient and Affordable Way to Remotely Register Printers
Toshiba America Business Solutions is simplifying the often tedious asset tag process by introducing its mobile and QR-enabled Encompass Tag & Assessment Generator (eTAG). Ushering print fleets online is now a breeze when using eTAG, the industry¡¯s first and currently only mobile, remote, self-service, printer registration technology.???? Scott Robinson, Toshiba¡¯s vice president of managed print services, and Matt Bull, the company¡¯s director of technical service programs, carved out some time with ENX Magazine to provide an overview of the OEM¡¯s newest innovation. Toshiba¡¯s patented innovation works by intelligently cataloging every printer¡¯s make, model and location in an organization¡¯s fleet while facilitating remote and QR-generated supply and service requests. eTAG further provides professionals with a clear and comprehensive look at their organization¡¯s printer landscape that¡¯s viewable via their mobile devices.?? According to Bull, the eTAG patent covers the automated deployment system that generates unique, device-specific QR codes on the fly, bypasses traditional print drivers for broad printer compatibility, and delivers dynamic pages containing these codes. It ensures deployment efficiency and enables QR codes to link users back to designated destinations. ¡°With more than 100 printers across our locations, the logistics to identify each one would have been daunting for our IT department,¡± says ERIK¡¯S Bike Board & Ski Vice President Digital & Information Technology Graeme Bloor. ¡°Instead, we leveraged Toshiba¡¯s eTAG solution to identify each printer remotely. Toshiba¡¯s solution provides simple instructions for our store staff to tag 100 percent of our printers quickly and efficiently. Beyond finding value in the accuracy of the process, the work, time, and cost savings are far greater than we expected. I would highly recommend Toshiba¡¯s eTAG for any organization!¡± ERIK¡¯S Bike Board & Ski employs more than 450 people with 35 locations across seven states in the Midwest. The company¡¯s selection of products and services includes bicycles, snowboards, downhill skis, skateboards, pro scooters and all the gear that goes with them. Erik Saltvold¡¯s original workshop was in the barn in his parents¡¯ backyard. A homemade sign brought business to his doorstep. Self-Service Support eTAG delivers asset tag labels directly to printers to quickly manage organizations¡¯ fleets online without the need for costly and time-consuming onsite visits. Toshiba¡¯s latest innovation¡¯s simplicity is its strength, as eTAG asset tag labels contain a QR code with instructions for enrolling each device. This means personnel may register print devices themselves at their convenience. Upon scanning eTAG¡¯s QR code, staff may also order supplies or schedule service when needed. Real-Time Asset Management eTAG additionally helps ensure real-time, round-the-clock operations by delivering up-to-the-minute supply and service updates. Providing such a centralized view better enables organizations¡¯ IT teams to track and manage their print fleets while ensuring maintenance and servicing are always up to date. ¡°Toshiba¡¯s eTAG technology is already helping many of our clients, including Graeme at ERIK¡¯S Bike Board & Ski, save time and money when registering, managing, as well as servicing their print fleet,¡± Robinson said. ¡°As the first and currently only manufacturer of remote asset management technology, we¡¯re looking forward to helping businesses facilitate this process.¡± Bull explained that a key challenge during eTAG testing (there were 70 beta sites covering 4,600 units) was printer formatting. Some models, especially older non-Toshiba devices, were highly sensitive to formatting, causing misaligned tags and faulty QR codes. The team adjusted the process to ensure compatibility with a wider range of printers. Another hurdle involved local device registration, which initially required email-generated codes but was later simplified so assets could be registered directly and print QR codes seamlessly. ### About Toshiba America Business SolutionsToshiba America Business Solutions is a leading innovator of solutions empowering people to perform efficiently and effectively in their work environment. Serving professionals across the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America, Toshiba delivers secure and sustainable systems, services, and subscriptions to better print, manage, and display information. Toshiba continuously focuses on its clients and communities, is committed to sustainability, and is recognized as a Wall Street Journal Top 100 Sustainable Company.? business.toshiba.com
