Lexmark Adds New SmartSolutions to Color Ink-Jet All-in-Ones

Lexmark has added a number of new SmartSolutions to its color ink-jet All-in-One series, the latter of which it had introduced two years ago. The firm’s color ink-jet All-in-Ones are designed for users in small and mid-size businesses, and is led by the flagship Platinum Pro905. SmartSolutions include touch-screen shortcuts for making everyday printing tasks—such as scanning to e-mail addresses—easier. They also provide access to Web content at the touch screen when the All-in-One is connected to the Web, so that, for instance, users can print Web content without using a PC or print driver.

The latest SmartSolutions are from Legal Zoom, an online, fee-based legal-services firm that provides legal forms and filing of legal documents such as wills, patents, and incorporations. The LegalZoom SmartSolutions are for accessing and printing legal forms, such as employee applications, bills of sale, etc., at the touch screen. The advantage is that you only print forms when needed, eliminating waste and having to store hardcopy forms in filing cabinets, desks, etc. The LegalZoom SmartSolutions include:

* Employment Forms ($29.95) – Includes employment application, offer letter, review, written warning, and termination letter.
* Bill of Sales Forms ($39.95) – Includes Automobile Bill of Sale, Automobile Bill of Sale with Promissory Note, Boat Bill of Sale, Motorcycle Bill of Sale, and Bill of Sale with Warranty.
* Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) Forms ($37.95) – Includes Mutual NDA, Employee NDA, Unilateral NDA, Business NDA, and Extension of NDA.
* Landlord and Tenant Forms ($39.95) - Includes Residential Rent Application, Commercial Rent Application, Termination of Lease, Move In/Move Out Checklist, Late Payment Collection Letter, and Rent Receipt.
* Business-Agreement Forms ($34.95) - Includes General Agreement, Consulting Services Agreement, Extension of Agreement, Amendment of Agreement, and Independent Contractor Agreement.

All of the LegalZoom SmartSolutions are designed for compliance with U.S. laws, and are only available in the United States.

Wirth Consulting evaluated the Platinum Pro905 when it was first introduced. At the touch screen, they customized two SmartSolutions, Scan and Copy. For instance, with the "Scan Expense Forms To Kathy" solution, files are scanned using pre-configured settings and automatically routed to a specified user, which is very useful for processing frequent scan jobs. With the Copy SmartSolution, you can create a one-touch key that activates a collection of pre-defined copy-job settings, such as draft, duplex, portrait orientation, etc.

Easier Envelope Printing
A new free SmartSolution is Envelope Wizard, which greatly simplifies the typically tricky task of printing on envelopes. At the Lexmark All-in-One’s touch screen, select the Envelope Wizard icon, specify the size of the envelope you’re printing on, and then enter the destination address and return address. The system remembers your return address, so you won’t have to re-enter it in the future.

Scan to Xambox with OCR
With the free Xambox SmartSolution, select the Xambox icon on the touch screen, then scan your documents to your free account on Xambox, a Cloud-based document storage site. The Xambox app also adds OCRing, so that your document will be converted into editable text, and indexed for easy retrieval by keyword.

Monitor Twitter, Facebook Feeds
For those addicted to Twitter feeds, the free Twitter SmartSolution enables you to view real-time Tweets from people you follow on Twitter on the Lexmark All-in-One’s touch screen. If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can use Twitter Search to search for any subject or term and then see what others are saying about it on Twitter.
Similarly, the free Facebook SmartSolution allows you to view Facebook news feeds, wall posts, comments and pictures on the touch screen. Users can also print pictures from their albums and feeds directly from the touch screen, without using a PC and print driver.
SmartSolutions can be accessed and purchased at Lexmark’s SmartSolution Center.

Original source: Lexmark Adds New LegalZoom, Envelope-Printing SmartSolutions to Color Ink-Jet All-in-Ones

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HP Announces Drivers for Apple Mac OS X Lion

Hewlett-Packard / HP has announced printer driver support for OS X Lion, Apple’s new operating system for the Mac. The firm says it worked with Apple to provide Mac users with support for more than 1,300 HP peripherals, as well as and scan-driver support for most of its newer All-in-Ones.

For Mac users upgrading to Lion, current HP drivers will continue to work. Users with a new Mac running Lion can automatically download HP’s latest print, scan and utility software through Apple Software Update. More information is available here and here.

Original source: HP Announces Drivers for Apple Mac OS X Lion

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New Epson Artisan All-in-Ones

Epson has just introduced the first two members of its fall product lineup, the Artisan 837 and 730 color ink-jet All-in-Ones for home and home-office users. Earlier in July, Wirth Consulting visited with Epson executives at a midtown-Manhattan analyst and press event to preview the new All-in-Ones, as well as other not-yet-announced ink-jet systems. While the other new members of Epson’s fall product line are still under non-disclosure, one bit of information we can share is that the firm will definitely be expanding to play in the higher-volume ink-jet segment.

Upgrades to the new Artisan 836 and 730 include a much brighter green touch panel panel with 2.5” color LCD; the brighter LEDs make it operate the touch panel. And, in a departure from the black that seems to have become the norm, the units feature a midnight-blue chassis; both re-designs make for a striking appearance.

The Artisan 837 and 730 also incorporate wireless connectivity and Epson Connect for printing from mobile devices without connecting with cables to the printer or downloading print drivers:

* The free Epson iPrint app is for mobile printing from Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPad touch mobile devices. Users can print Web pages, Microsoft Office documents, photos, and Adobe PDFs. They can also use the Artisan to scan to their Apple mobile devices, and then e-mail the document, upload it to a Cloud document-storage and sharing site such Dropbox or Google Docs, etc.

* The free PrintJinni for Epson app also for Apple devices is compatible with iWork and Microsoft Office, and is for printing photos and PDFs. It also provides full-page print previews

* The PriApps Mobile Print app is $9.99 and is for printing from BlackBerry smartphones.

Both Artisans are the same except that the flagship Artisan 837 ($299.99) also provides color fax, PC fax, and 30-sheet automatic document feeder. The Artisan 730 provides flatbed platen scanning only (no document feeder).

Specifications are still limited for the new Artisan 837 and 730, both of which use Epson’s MicroPiezo ink-jet technology and Claria Ultra Hi-Definition inks, but available information is as follows:
* Wireless Wi-Fi Certified n2 and Ethernet networking.
* Rated ISO print speeds of 9.6 (black)/9.1 color. Duplex ISO print speed is at 4.9 (black)/4.7 (color) ppm color. Print 4"x6" photos in as fast as 10 seconds.
* Automatic duplex printing, and two paper trays. Print on ink-jet printable CDs/DVDs.
* Auto Photo Correction software.
* Individual ink cartridges that are available in both standard and high-capacity sizes.
* Both units are Energy Star-qualified and comply with RoHS standards.

The Artisan 837 and Artisan 730 will ship in September through major computer, office and electronic superstores, a variety of retail stores nationwide and at Epson's retail site

Original source: New Epson Artisan All-in-Ones Start at $199.99, Feature Epson Connect Mobile-Print Apps

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Xerox’s Global Imaging Steps Up Acquisitions, Adds Sixth Acquisition for 2011

Xerox’s Global Imaging Systems has acquired another independent reseller, Bennett’s Business Systems, Inc., of Jacksonville, FL, which is an independent distributor of Canon and Hewlett-Packard digital copiers, printers, and MFPs. Bennett’s Business Systems will immediately begin offering Xerox’s full range of office-imaging systems. Bennett’s, which has locations in Jacksonville, Orlando and Tallahassee, will also become part of Saxon Business Systems, Inc. a Global Imaging Systems company that’s headquartered in Miami Lakes, FL.

In 2011 alone, Global Imaging, which operates as an office-technology dealer, has made the following acquisitions:
* In July, acquired Xerographic Solutions, Inc., which in based in Rochester, NY, and provides managed print and network services.
* Also in July, acquired Miller Technology Solutions, Inc., which is based in Virginia, and is a managed services company specializing in financial IT services.
* In May, acquired Midwest Business Solutions, Inc. of Des Moines, IO, and is an independent distributor of copiers, printers and MFPs, and which now markets Xerox office-imaging systems.
* In April acquired Premier Office Equipment, Inc., one of Iowa’s largest office-equipment dealers.
* Also in April, acquired the assets of United Business Solutions of Addison, IL. United Business Solutions is an independent distributor of copiers, printers and MFPs, and provides document-management and software solutions to businesses in the Chicago area.

Altogether, since Global Imaging was acquired by Xerox in 2007 as a wholly owned subsidiary, it has acquired some 18 independent office-imaging providers as part of Xerox’s strategy to create a nationwide network of locally based providers of imaging systems and network-integration services for small and mid-size businesses.

Original source: Xerox’s Global Imaging Steps Up Acquisitions, Adds Sixth Acquisition for 2011

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Saving Toner and Ink with Pixel Optimization Software

The promise is that you can cut your toner and ink costs without affecting your printed image quality. While virtually anyone can do this just by using their print-driver’s draft mode, the problem with draft mode is that because less toner or ink is used, text and images appear lighter and less distinct—essentially because the printer’s dpi resolution has been dropped, typically from 600 to just 300 dots per inch (dpi). While draft mode is a good way to cut costs when used for in-house and draft documents, draft-mode image quality may not be acceptable for finals and documents sent outside the enterprise.

Enter Preton Ltd., an Israeli-based company that promises its toner-save software reduces the amount of toner or ink applied to the document, but without degrading image quality, and saving up to 25 to 50 percent in toner costs. The company recently announced a partnership with Pharos Systems, a Rochester, NY, firm that markets its Blueprint Enterprise software for managing printers and reducing print costs. Under the partnership, Pharos is incorporating Preton’s toner-save technology and printer-management software, called PretonSaver, into Pharos’ BluePrint Enterprise software. PretonSaver provides the toner-saving software, as well as device identification and monitoring across the enterprise, usage reports, and page coverage, as well print policies, the last of which, for instance, enables administrators to enforce cost-saving print rules, such as forcing users to print in two-sided duplex mode.

Controlling Toner and Ink Applied to the Page
How does Preton’s toner-save technology—called Pixel Optimizer—work? Preton says that the software, using advanced mathematical algorithms, is able to identify unnecessary use of toner or ink, and then stops it from being applied to the paper. Because the software prevents only application of unnecessary toner, image quality is said to be unaffected.

Specifically, the software addresses a fact of computer printing: images and text displayed on the computer monitor are composed of pixels that are square. However, in order to describe this date on a page, the printer must use circular pixels (dots) of toner or ink, not squares. Because the printer forms a circle, it applies the dot of toner or ink outside of the square, resulting in toner or ink waste, as the figure to the right shows. What Pixel Optimizer software does is identify overlapped pixels, and prevents the printer from applying more ink or toner. Preton says the spaces left by the removed pixels are covered by excess toner or ink from adjacent pixels.

Elements Identifier
Preton says its technology goes further by identifying different elements on a page such as text, pictures, or graphics, which it says are affected differently by the removal of pixels. Text image quality is effected the least for up to 50-percent savings according to Preton. However, pixel-removal can more negatively affect graphics and photographs’ image quality. Consequently, the software is programmed to intelligently identify graphics and photos and removes fewer pixels, so that toner or ink saved when printing graphics and photos is less—from 20 to 30 percent.

Preton is offering a free trial download of its toner/ink-saving software for home users is available here. Pharos’ Blueprint software bundled with the Pixel Optimizer technology is available through Pharos Systems’ worldwide network of sales personnel.

Original source: A Look at “Toner-Save” Software: Saving Toner and Ink with Pixel Optimization Software

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New Service from Konica Minolta for Locking-Down bizhub MFP Hard Drives

Konica Minolta is introducing bizhub Secure Service for locking down its bizhub MFPs’ hard drives, so that unauthorized users can’t access temporary and stored information in the MFP’s internal hard drive. Secure Service is enabled by a Konica Minolta field engineer, and is available for purchase from Konica Minolta representatives. All bizhub MFPs are compatible with the service, which provides:

* Hard-Drive Encryption - The hard drive encryption setting is a 20-character alphanumeric key that encrypts the entire contents of the hard drive. This feature uses real-time 128-bit AES encryption algorithms and provides the highest level of protection if the hard drive is removed from a bizhub MFP and an unauthorized user attempts to extract its data.

* Hard-Drive Lock Password – Electronically locks password-protection to the hard drive via a 20-digit alphanumeric password. The password is applied directly to the BIOS of the hard drive, and prevents access to data stored in the hard drive. This also protects the hard drive from unauthorized access if it’s removed or switched to another bizhub MFP.

* Automatic Deletion of Temporary Image Data – With this feature, files stored in both private and public User Boxes in hard-drive memory are automatically deleted according to a pre-set schedule. Files stored in system boxes, such as a secure print box or encrypted Adobe PDF print box, can also be automatically deleted based on a pre-set schedule. The customer selects how long files remain in User Boxes before they are automatically deleted.

* Data Overwrite of Electronic Documents on a Timed Basis – Customers can also erase the temporary data recorded by the hard drive every time a job is processed by enabling Temporary Data Overwrite. This feature automatically overwrites each completed job, deleting it from the hard drive and leaving no trace of its data anywhere in the system. It uses either one-time overwrite or three-time overwrite in compliance with U.S. Department of Defense standards.

According to Konica Minolta, bizhub MFP security systems are independently certified to the ISO 15408 Data security standard established by the Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation, and the entire system architecture of the MFP is certified, not just particular components.

Original source: New Service from Konica Minolta for Locking-Down bizhub MFP Hard Drives

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Lexmark Releases Print Drivers for New Apple Mac OS X Lion

Lexmark has released print drivers for use with Apple’s latest operating system, Mac OS X Lion, which has just been released. More than 150 Lexmark printer drivers are available for download via Apple’s Software Update utility.

The Lexmark compatibility page lists all Lexmark printer that support Mac OS X Lion, and also shows users where they can find drivers for their specific printer model. Set up on Mac OS X Lion requires two basic steps: Install Mac OS X 10.7 printer drivers and Set up print/fax queue.

Original source: Lexmark Releases Print Drivers for New Apple Mac OS X Lion

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