Filed under: Macworld, Retail, Video, TUAW Interview
Macworld 2009: Xsilva Lightspeed
With the Mac platform reaching 10% market share, there's a lot of interest in more vertical applications. For owners of retail businesses, point-of-sale systems are one area where the Mac is making impressive inroads. While there have been other Mac-based point-of-sale systems, the most impressive is Xsilva's Lightspeed.Lightspeed is a powerful POS system with a beautiful interface, compatibility with a plethora of devices (cash drawers, touch screens, receipt printers, card authorization units, etc...), and ties to other Mac heavyweights such as Marketcircle Daylite and QuickBooks.
I spoke with Xsilva founder, CEO, and vice-president Dax Dasilva on January 7th about the product, and we have some video for you showing some of the features of both Lightspeed and its companion Web Store application. The video is after the break!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jash Sayani said 4:34PM on 1-09-2009
Light Speed is truly an amazing piece of software!!
BTW, Steve should seriously think about the iMac with a touch-screen!
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Nirav said 5:37PM on 1-09-2009
This is destined to fail. SMBs can't afford such expensive POS system (Mac + xsilva). Also, there is no touch screen. Anyone who has worked on POS system knows how handy it is to have touch screen instead of searching for mouse or use keyboard. The product looks promising but, Mac is not yet ready for POS systems. At least, not till touch screen version is released.
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scott said 5:51PM on 1-09-2009
i am now assuming that you can not read...the article says it is compatible with touch screens...doesnt have to be a mac touch screen...since there are none...but they can have one attached to a mac mini...
i think that would be a great idea...and there are touch screen layovers that have been out there for sometime for imacs...
so you should really check on ur views before you spew them...my 2 cents
jean said 2:45AM on 1-10-2009
Lightspeed is NOT expensive, you should check the POS market.
I've been searching for a POS (MAC or PC) last year and I did good amout of research, I tested many of them and I finally bought Lightspeed.
After 1 year, I'm really satisfied with the product, it's not perfect but at the best system for this price range (lets say 200-1000$ for one licence). The software have many fonction you didn't think about it...
And for the touchscreen, it's compatible.
But there is not so many retailers who can (or should) use it. Any serious retailer takes many infos about theirs customers and have you even try to take the name/address/email of a customer with a touchscreen !? Without this infos, how do you manage to have a good marketing plan !?
Coffee said 7:59PM on 1-26-2009
Nirav you are correct. Apple doesn't offer a touch screen, and the screen overlay does not make your system touch screen. Its just a mouse click overlay.
Scott wants you to look into your comments before posting, but he needs to do the same... When using a touchscreen system you need to be able to do everything needed from that touch screen. Tell me how you add an item description or vender name with a screen overlay if the software isn't programed with a pop up keyboard?? Not only the screen overlay, if you have a true touch screen hooked to a Mac mini it still needs the full function. With touch screen you eliminate the key board, and you still have to use a keyboard and mouse with this software.
These guys offer a ton of features like this that are half produced. Their Multi Store solution is full of flaws, they finally rewrote their quickbooks interface, and the same with E-commerce. Its like they produce a feature with minimal value to it so they can say they have it, and wait a year to rewrite it correctly.
I use them, I know allot of the issues they have. I bought them for the cheap price, but you kind of get what you pay for. They are heading in the right direction, but I truly feel I was over sold by everything they said they could offer. Its not as feature rich as they make it out to be...
bjojade said 6:19PM on 1-09-2009
SMB's can't afford expensive POS systems?? Lightspeed is CHEAPER than many of the alternatives out there.
Having used Lightspeed for almost 3 years now, I can say that my business wouldn't have grown as much as it had without this piece of software.
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scott said 6:28PM on 1-09-2009
now that i have watched the video
i love it more...great program...great idea...
and he says in the video about the company that makes overlays for the imac to make them touch screens...
its amazing how people dont pay attention but always want to criticize others...
it just amazes me...later
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Richard. said 1:09AM on 1-10-2009
Personally, I love http://checkoutapp.com/
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Tim said 10:36PM on 1-13-2009
Checkoutapp?
Slow development, lacking features, poor support, weak interface.
What's to like?