PALO ALTO, Calif., June 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, in conjunction with NRF’s Retail Converge 2021, HP Inc. expanded its Engage portfolio with the new HP Engage Go 10, a convertible system built to thrive on-the-go and serve customers from anywhere, and HP Engage Flex Mini, a powerhouse mini designed to meet the demands of customer applications across verticals.

Over the last decade, businesses of all sizes have had to adapt and become more agile as consumer behavior has evolved, including an expectation for anytime, anywhere access to their content, to businesses, and to brands. In a recent study, 76% of U.S. apparel executives said they plan to improve omnichannel integration in stores¹ to adapt to changing market conditions and consumer behavior. For many retailers, the global pandemic was an accelerant for omnichannel initiatives such as curbside pick-up and ship from store.

HP is designing technology to help businesses create experiences that consumers expect with reliable performance and the agility needed for convenient, secure, and personalized shopping experiences. Many of the new shopping and engagement habits that consumers have adopted during the pandemic will become their new normal. It is no longer about online vs. in-store shopping, it is about creating seamless, integrated experiences that blend across the various channels to meet customer needs. Brick-and-mortar stores play a vital role in the customer journey by providing the immediacy and hands-on experience that consumers value.

“As consumer behaviors and shopping habits continue to evolve, businesses need to remain laser-focused on connecting with consumers in new and exciting ways,” said Cory McElroy, vice president and general manager, Retail Solutions, HP Inc. “The new HP Engage Go 10 and HP Engage Flex Mini reflects HP’s commitment to delivering technology solutions to retailers and hospitality operators that combine sleek designs, expanded capabilities, and the reliability and security needed to run a wide range of operations throughout their business - whether fixed in store or mobile for curbside pickups.”

Integrated Payment, Infinite Possibilities
According to National Retail Federation, convenience is increasingly being defined by contactless shopping, on-demand fulfillment, and inventory availability with retailers that offer convenience driving maximum market growth. To help businesses deliver enhanced, seamless, and contactless interactions with consumers, HP is collaborating with Ingenico, a Worldline brand, a global leader in payments, to integrate payment capabilities into the HP Engage products. With the initial integration option on the Engage Go 10 tablet, enabling businesses to accept most major payment card methods in the U.S and complete transactions on-the-go.

“To keep with evolving consumer expectations, merchants need to be flexible with where they can provide assistance and accept payment – whether at the counter, in the aisle, at the curb or anywhere else they interact with the customer – to provide a superior customer experience,” said Skip Hinshaw, head of customer engagement, North America for Ingenico, a Worldline brand. “Together with HP, we’re ensuring that their customers are able to foster a strong customer experience that is not only quick and efficient, but also helps drive revenue and stronger loyalty.”

“Powered by 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processors, the new HP Engage Go and Engage Flex products will help retail and hospitality meet the rapidly evolving needs of consumers, by facilitating new transaction and fulfillment capabilities that have evolved from niche offerings to mainstream channels in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Joe Jensen, VP, Internet of Things Group and General Manager, Retail, Banking, Hospitality, and Education at Intel.

Elevating Experiences with HP Engage Technology
The HP Engage Go 10”, a tablet-based convertible solution, allows sales associates to easily transition between fixed and mobile operations. Starting at 1.6 pounds³, the mobile and light weight device is designed to integrate key accessories such as a barcode scanner and fingerprint reader directly into the tablet, providing users with greater on-the-go portability. The option to integrate the Ingenico Moby 5500M payment device into the tablet allows businesses to accept a variety of electronic payment methods, no matter where the customer is located, inside or outside the store. HP Engage Go 10” also utilizes the new HP Engage Link software, providing even greater mobile capabilities by bringing remote connectivity to peripherals stations throughout the store allowing them to reduce customer wait times and provide a more frictionless experience.

Additional HP Engage Go 10” features include:

• Powerful performance, operational simplicity: Power through shifts with up to 11^th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor⁵ and get up to 9-hours of battery life⁶ alongside HP Fast Charge Technology.
• Industry- leading security for hardware and data: HP Wolf Security for Business creates a hardware-enforced, always-on, resilient defense. From the BIOS to the browser, above, in, and below the OS, these constantly evolving solutions help protect your PC from modern threats⁷ and have peace-of-mind with HP Smart Dock⁸ to customize, unlock procedures, and track and manage permissions.
• Built to last: Rest easy with a system that undergoes MIL-STD⁹ testing, resists dust and liquid intrusion (IP54 rated)¹⁰, and withstands frequent disinfecting¹¹. The rugged Corning® Gorilla® Glass touch display stands up to daily use.

The HP Engage Flex Mini is the next generation of the HP MP9, which provides businesses with the ability to drive a wide range of operations from a compact device that fits almost anywhere. The power and performance of the Engage Flex Mini in such a small footprint brings versatility to fit the right applications across multiple verticals – retail, hospitality as well as healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation. The flexibility of the design and increased performance from the previous generations enables businesses to maximize valuable real-estate, as well as operations. Businesses can now drive both front-of-store and back-of-house operations, including point-of-sale, digital signage, surveillance systems as well as edge computing workflows.

Additional HP Engage Flex Mini features include:

• Performance and expandability: With up to 10^th Gen Intel® Core™ i9 processors, 64GB memory and 2 flex port options, including a 2^nd NIC flex port option that offers fast transfer rates and reliability, customers can future-proof their fleet.
• Ready for edge: Deploy with HP Engage Edge, the first product in retail powered by the EdgeX Foundry™ from the LF Edge™ and hosted by the Linux® Foundation, designed to help ISVs accelerate the deployment of on-premise, sensor-based solutions developed to improve the business metrics of Retail and Hospitality customers.

Additionally, the HP Engage One Pro, the world’s most powerful point-of-sale system¹², will now be available with Android or Windows options, providing customers with even more versatility in their configuration options. Engage One Pro combines a sleek yet durable design with powerhouse computing and offers an abundance of deployment options so customers can tailor it to their specific needs.

Availability¹³:

• HP Engage Go 10 is expected to be available at hp.com/engagego10 in September 2021.
• HP Engage Flex Mini expected to be available at hp.com/engageflexmini in June 2021.

About HP
HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our product and service portfolio of personal systems, printers, and 3D printing solutions, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at http://www.hp.com.

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