The "Internet of Things" (IoT) is one of those terms that many in the tech community have been talking about for some time, but it is just know making its way into popular lexicon. IoT refers to a trend where many gadgets and systems will be connected through wireless technology. For example, a grill thermometer could send an alert to your tablet that your steak is ready or you could access security camera footage on your smartphone.

A recent article from TabTimes examined the IoT through the lens of the retail sector. While the idea has been around since 1999, the technology has only recently evolved to the point that it is financially feasible for any organization to adopt it successfully. On top of that, there are service providers out there that can help any company make this possible.

"When devices communicate instantaneously with each other, businesses can eliminate some of the manual, error-intensive work that goes on every day," the article reads. "[For instance] in a restaurant, the process of taking a customer's order and pushing it to the kitchen and back to the customer is one such clunky process."

The article goes on to lay out a number of scenarios in which merchants can benefit from using a tablet POS system and related applications. They include:

• Customers pre-ordering food while in line
• Barcode scanner peripheral on devices speeding up checkouts
• Receiving inventory numbers automatically updating to front of house.

With the help of a payment solution provider, any merchant can deploy a new point of sale system that is centered on mobile devices.