Have you just bought a smart card reader off Amazon such as the Identiv 3310 V2 Smart Card Reader and found a sticker pointing to middleware?

You may have also been perplexed that the smart card reader came safely wrapped in a drop-resistant bubble-wrapped bag with a sticker from Tx Systems?

As for that pink packaging, well, you would be surprised to hear that the original manufacturer, Identiv, actually sends us those readers in that very packaging. Now, it is not because they like pink per se. They just know that that packaging will hold up during shipment because smart card readers similar to the 3310 V2 are built to last with features such as short circuit protection, thermal protection and automatic power off when that box hits some rough points. So, do not be fooled by bubble wrap.

Well, these features are internal you might say, but that is not all, the exterior casing of smart card readers from ACS, HID, Identiv are built from sturdy and rigid plastic. Cleanup is a breeze too with a wet nap and some paper towels.

Did you see a Tx Systems’ sticker for middleware when you bought the Identiv 3310 V2 Smart Card Reader? You probably thought it was a scam of sorts, but you would be greatly mistaken if you passed up this great deal for Windows 10 smart card reader software. The discount for both these software programs is a steal especially if you consider that the full price is $68 for ActivClient and $49.95 for PKard. The code allows you to save up to $34 on ActivClient and $25 on PKard! So make sure to keep that packaging because that discount can save you some big bucks and will help you securely login to Windows 10 with your smart card.

See, smart card readers do not do a lot by themselves but instead need software in order to utilize them to their fullest potential such as Active Directory integration. This is where software such as HID ActivClient and Thursby PKard come into play and will allow you to use your smart card reader to login into your Windows 10 PC, networks and various types of applications whether on your desktop or in the cloud. If you are looking to protect individual files then these also have you covered with file encryption and document signing. Both these middleware programs are well trusted with 4,000,000+ million users of ActivClient and tens of thousands of PKard users in extremely secure environments and are in use by large enterprises and even the federal government, so you can safely conclude that they would be able to serve even the simplest of authentication applications.

So, it all depends on the use case that you want to do with your smart card. Many of you who buy smart card readers do so because it is required by your employer. Many companies use smart cards in order to protect not only their physical assets such as their buildings and specific rooms but their digital ones such as their computers and the files stored on them. This is what is known as smart card authentication. That might sound overtly protective, but if you had some extremely sensitive financials and proprietary products, you would not want them to be leaked to your competitors. That would spell massive trouble for your own standing in the marketplace. You may not be required to do that and rather are simply interested in the technology and want to test out smart cards at home. That is great too! We need more people to see the benefits of smart card technology over traditional, hackable passwords.

If you are curious to know who Tx Systems is, we are a licensed and official distributor for smart card readers, so if you bought products from ACS, HID Global, Identiv and Thursby (whose parent company is Identiv), you know that we are the most trusted source of these smart card readers. We have been in the business of smart cards since 2001 and have expanded to biometric readers, security tokens and NFC tags. Be wary of companies who claim to be genuine partners of these manufacturers as they may be in the grey market. It is as easy as reaching out to the manufacturer to see the status of that relationship. To find out who the company truly is on Amazon or eBay, take a look at the seller profile. There, you can see who is really selling the product. As for Tx Systems and our website, our name can be found on both the HID Global and Identiv manufacturers’ sites. (We are working on including our name on all of our partner’s sites, so be sure to check in in the future.) We want to be as transparent as possible, so you as the consumer know that you are getting not only a great deal but genuine product that will serve your security needs. As for grey market buyers, you never know if the product you are buying is going to work or be DOA.

Different companies have their own channels of selling their products meaning that they have to decide where to put their product for customers to find them. For example, when you go to the grocery store, you are essentially visiting a reseller of manufacturer’s goods. You are not buying directly from P&G, Horizon, Kellogg’s or Hunts but rather doing so indirectly. This is all in an effort for the manufacturer to focus on what they are best at which is making the actual product whereas companies such as Albertsons, Kroeger and Safeway can focus on what they are good at which is providing the shelves and the space to reach customers. Each of these different channel members work together in an effort to deliver the product to you, the customer. The actual product such as that box of Triscuits Avocado, Cilantro and Lime is no less legitimate because you bought it from Albertsons rather than buying it directly from the manufacturer who is Mondelez International. It just went through a middleman that is trusted with distributing the product.

So similar to us in a different industry and product, we are the trusted reseller for manufacturers such as HID Global and Identiv. We are the Albertsons selling Mondelez International’s Triscuits.

Still a little bit confused, the images below show on both the HID Global and Identiv manufacturers’ sites that we are trusted and respected distributors, so rest assured that we are selling genuine, working products.

If you have trouble installing your smart card reader then we are always available through our tech support channels to assist you with your smart card needs. You can reach out to us at 858.622.2004 or if calls aren’t your thing, we have a Contact Us form for those wordy types. We are also coming up with new blog articles that will answer ALL your technical questions , so this is going to be your ONLY stop for trying to answer your smart card questions. You will not have to dig for hours through product forums and sit on hold for customer support. One article will touch on everything that you need!

So when you see a Tx Systems’ middleware sticker, think of the trusted, reputable and licensed source that is Tx Systems. We have your back through every stage of your smart card implementation, and we look forward to getting you up and running to start securing your data.