Hewlett Packard / HP and Xerox Raise Prices on Selected Supplies

Hewlett Packard /HP and Xerox recently announced price hikes on selected consumables.

As of April 1, HP will be increasing prices on 67 large-format inkjet supplies by 5%. A letter from HP states that the increases are "part of HP’s normal portfolio management process," which is essentially what the manufacturer says every time it raises prices on products.

Pricing is increasing on the HP 80 ink tanks and print heads, the HP 82 ink tanks, the HP 90 tanks and print heads, the HP 72 ink tanks and print heads, the HP 70 tanks and heads, the HP 82 cartridges, and a handful of other selected SKUs. This latest increase follows a similar pricing action on September 3, when HP increased pricing on over 80 Designjet ink inks by 2.5% to 20%.

Xerox is also raising their prices on selected legacy supplies as of April 1, 2013. Xerox is raising prices on approximately 80 consumables, including toner cartridges and solid ink sticks for Phaser and some WorkCentre printer models that are several years old. The price increases we saw ranged from approximately 2.9% to 5.6%.

Both rounds of price increases are good news for the aftermarket and risky for the OEMs now that high-quality third-party solutions are widely available. Of course, the aftermarket is not immune to pricing pressure of its own. It is generally reluctant to take such pricing actions, however, because of the relentless price competition in this market.

2013 Price Increases Are Narrower, More Targeted

In 2012, almost every printer OEM raised supplies pricing. Hewlett Packard / HP and Lexmark kicked off the charge in December 2011, with announcements that they would each raise supplies prices as of January 1. Where these firms tread, many followed. Many of the price increases were broad, although some OEMs raised prices more sharply on legacy SKUs.

So, when HP and Lexmark closed 2012 by telling partners once again that they would raise consumables prices starting in the new year, we felt a sense of déjà vu and speculated that others would soon follow. Now that appears to be happening.

Thus far, this year’s increases have been more selective. For example, HP raised pricing only on 49 LaserJet accessories and long-life consumables such as fusers. Lexmark’s price increases were broader, affecting its entire lineup of inkjet supplies, with the lone exception of the high-yield 105XL tank. Lexmark’s decision, however, was undoubtedly driven by its decision to exit the inkjet space and its need to capitalize on its failed investment in this business while it still can.

Now, HP and Xerox are increasing selected inkjet cartridges, toner cartridge and ink stick pricing for legacy printers.

OEMs’ profit margins decrease over time on legacy supplies as the installed base of hardware dwindles, demand plummets, and the aftermarket increases its share of the replacement supplies market. Meanwhile economies of scale are harder to maintain and production costs increase as cartridges for legacy products are needed in smaller volumes. It seems that not only OEMs but aftermarket suppliers felt the need to adjust pricing to compensate for flagging margins on supplies for older hardware.

Source: Actionable Intelligence

HP Inkjet's Technology Aids Drugs Produciton

PopSci discusses the Hewlett Packard's work on transferring inkjet technology into a pharmaceutical arena, with its Direct Digital Dispenser, or HP D300. The machine, 10 years in the making, utilises printhead technology from the HP's inkjet machines to help scientists and researchers create new medications for use in healthcare.

Noting that scientists at Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and SIGA Technologies have already been using the machine, PopSci adds that the latter company has already developed an experimental medication to be given to people diagnosed with smallpox "too late for a vaccine to help".

The technology stems from the Officejet Pro X’s printhead, which contains 42,240 nozzles that jet out inkjet drops of six picoliters each. HP realised that the technology could be adapted, and wanted to aid the pharmaceutical processes used to make new medicines. Joe Dody, Business Manager of Speciality Printing Systems for HP, stated that the company "imagined the application and we worked with customers to convince ourselves and the industry that we were creating value in doing it".

Dody added that his department "gained support from HP to make a business out of it", and thus research began, with the process of titration – whereby droplets of chemical compounds are dropped onto slides with pipettes – the area in which the machine comes into operation. Such a process requires "weeks and months of painstaking repetition and recording" as well as a large "margin for human error", which the D300 aims to prevent.

Dody added: "A researcher applies between 200,000 to a million drops of the compound to test against the disease target and they hope that 10,000 are actually hits. Then they can determine what’s common between molecules and what’s the dose at which these drug molecules are causing a positive interaction with disease."

This process means that 95% of the work can end up wasted, take up 10-15 years and cost billions of dollars, and Dody adds "that is where we come in", with the D300 allowing biologists to place drops of compound into the machine, which deposits it as it would ink onto a page. With 13 picoliter droplets, the machine can help scientists figure out “which concentration works” with a high degree of accuracy".

The article notes that much trial and error was experienced before the D300 was able to be used in a laboratory, with a silicon treatment needed to stop the compounds "drooling", a job a sponge would often do in an inkjet cartridge. Two solutions were found, with one finally used that utilises an "inert firing chamber" and prevents "cross contamination".

Dody stated that "it took us about a year to figure it out" and that "if you did not find a solution you would have to make a hard business decision or scrap the project […] the stakes were high". He added: "The scale of our core printing business allows us to make a refined tool at a cost that is cheap to (drug companies). This is the first time the world has a reliable way to dispense at the picoliter level."

Source: HP uses inkjet tech to aid medication production

Happy Women's Day!

How OEMs are "squeezing" money from consumers

In an article featured by British newspaper the Guardian, the issue of OEMs "squeezing ever-increasing amounts of cash out of the poor consumer" is highlighted, particularly the complaint from many that OEM-branded ink cartridges run out of ink too quickly.

The article investigates the two Epson cartridges – the T032 color cartridge released in 2002 and the T089 released in 2008, and points out that the amount of ink in the cartridges has reduced from 0.54 oz to just 0.12 oz due to a reduction in the size of the ink tank. Similarly, when observing the insides of HP ink cartridges it appears that the sponge holding the ink has reduced in size, meaning that many of the newer cartridges consist of mostly empty space, as found by HPinkcartridges.co.uk in May last year.

Commenting on the issue, The Recycler’s David Connett said: "The strategy has been to nudge the consumer towards a high frequency of purchases. The big printer manufacturers have reduced the amount of ink in a cartridge, encrypted the chip technology, and used aggressive marketing tactics to discourage refills."

The Technical Director of UKCRA Chris Brooks agreed, adding that "the big printer companies do all they can to squeeze ever-increasing amounts of cash out of the poor consumer in exchange for less ink".

Color cartridges in particular are said to be poor value for money, with Martin Dyckhoff, Store Owner of Cartridge World in Aylesbury, explaining: "They’re very bad value because when one of the three colors runs out the entire cartridge stops working. We always recommend people buy a printer with a separate cartridge for each color."

The article goes on to cover the emergence of a new size of cartridge, labelled by OEMs as "XL", which appear to be the same size as regular cartridges but hold significantly more ink and can cost almost twice as much. However, it is noted that "some makers’ XL cartridges may contain less ink than standard cartridges issued a few years ago", with Environmental Business Products’ Patrick Stead commenting deeming them an "insult" to the consumer: "HP sells half-full cartridges, then sticks an XL on, fills them up, and sells them for even more money. The difference in manufacturing costs is pennies. It’s a shocking rip-off."

It is thought that these OEM tactics are a result of them losing market share over the years, with competition from remanufacturers, which have won a nearly third of all sales, as well as Asian clones contributing to falls in OEM sales and Brooks commenting that "the big three [OEMs] have seen a year-on-year erosion of their market share. They had to do something drastic."

However, the OEMs deny that they are doing any wrong, with a statement from HP claiming that "focusing on any single factor such as the point of purchase, the up-front cost of the cartridge or printer, the cost per page, or the ounces of ink in a given cartridge is not an accurate way to measure the cost of printing", adding that the cost per page of printing should be focused on. Epson meanwhile argues that advancement in technology has meant that print heads have become more efficient over the years and that consequently "they are able to produce a greater number of pages with an equivalent amount of ink".

However, Brooks responded to this by noting: "These improvements cannot justify a five-fold decrease in the amount of ink in a cartridge. The cost of printer ink is the lowest it’s ever been, a few dollars for a gallon. Many cartridges cost less than $0.80 to make. The mark-up is enormous. The consumer is paying far more pro-rata today than a decade ago for cartridges containing very little ink."

If you need any remanufactured / compatible printer supplies, visit our web store

Source: British newspaper discusses OEM money-saving tactics

Epson Signs on for EPEAT Eco-Friendly Registry

Joining the ranks of Canon, Xerox, Ricoh, Dell, and Lexmark, Epson has signed on to register for the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), for EPEAT’s newly created category for digital-imaging devices.

The EPEAT registry now includes printers, scanners, copiers and MFPs to help companies, governments and consumers compare and purchase greener imaging equipment. The expanded registry now includes a number of Epson MFPs and large format printers, with Epson stating it will add more devices as EPEAT deems them compliant with its environmental requirements, which take into account numerous eco-friendly criteria, including energy consumption, product packaging, materials usage, and more.

"Epson’s inclusion in the EPEAT registry underscores a longstanding commitment to environmental responsibility and performance," commented Colin Donahoe, director of business imaging at Epson America. "We have already registered a number of devices with EPEAT based on their environmental criteria, and Epson worldwide is working to continually expand the number of devices on the EPEAT registry to make it easier for consumers and organizations to identify and purchase greener printers."

To be added to the EPEAT registry, an imaging device must meet at least 33 required environmental performance criteria that were developed during a four-year stakeholder consensus process that involved hundreds of representatives from the environmental, research, governmental, and manufacturing sectors. EPEAT rates products on a life-cycle basis, addressing the elimination of toxic substances, the use of recycled and recyclable materials, their design for recycling, product longevity, energy efficiency, corporate performance and packaging, among other criteria. More information is available at www.epeat.net.

"I’m pleased to count Epson among the pioneers of EPEAT’s new Imaging Equipment category," commented Robert Frisbee, EPEAT CEO. "As a founding manufacturer, Epson is forging a path toward a world filled with greener options for imaging equipment and multifunction devices."

More than 533 million EPEAT-registered products have been purchased since the original PC/Display rating system debuted in July 2006. According to EPEAT, the availability of these products has contributed to the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 11 million U.S. vehicles' annual impact, reducing more than 394,000 metric tons of hazardous waste and solid waste by nearly 167,000 metric tons. This reduction is equivalent to nearly 86,000 U.S. households' annual waste.

EPEAT is a global registry for greener electronics, and is headquarter in Portland, Oregon. The registry includes the products from a broad range of manufacturers and wide array of countries. EPEAT combines comprehensive criteria for design, production, energy use and recycling with ongoing independent verification of manufacturer claims. More than 533 million EPEAT-registered products have been sold worldwide since 2006, resulting in significant environmental benefits. EPEAT was developed through a stakeholder consensus process and is managed by the Green Electronics Council, a non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon.

For green Epson printer cartridges visit our webstore.

Source: Epson Signs on for EPEAT Eco-Friendly Registry

Trends for Printing Supplies Remanufacturing industry in 2013

PowerVip has drawn up a list of predictions for the remanufacturing industry over the coming year, based on the evolvement of economic variables, the views of suppliers and customers and the company’s own perception; with the company claiming that after enduring a number of difficult transitions, those in the remanufacturing business "will become stronger".

The revenues downfall of OEMs due to the outbreak of new technologies causing a decrease in printing demand will have a “proportional and direct influence” on the remanufacturing industry, predicts PowerVip, with the economic crisis also expected to speed up the reduction in traditional printing demand due to more unemployment and "less general activity".

However, the company suggests that even if the economic crisis had not emerged, a decline in the remanufacturing industry would have been likely as part of a natural process following its geometric growth during the 2000 decade; and predicts that "between 2% and 5% of the remanufacturing enterprises will disappear".

Also predicted by the company is that OEMs will continue to undertake legal actions during the business drop process, with their objectives changing according to their financial position: "In the good times, their purpose was selling and acquiring more market share. In the crisis times, their objective is to cushion the falls".

The importation of clones by recyclers is estimated to continue in order to gain better profits "or just for survival", despite increasing OEM legal action, causing more industry distortion. PowerVip also says that cartridge quality problems will continue, although to a lesser degree than the past decade.

PowerVip concludes that as a result of these issues, investment in the remanufacturing industry is likely to be discouraged, and many businesses will merge or even close, particularly as bank loans are unable to be paid. However, should businesses learn to deal with the issues, PowerVip says that they should emerge from the year in a stronger position.

Visit our web store for OEM or remanufactured printer supplies.

Source: PowerVip predicts trends for remanufacturing industry in 2013

Better Buys for Business Award received by Toshiba

Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc., a managed document services (MDS) provider and business printing solutions innovator, has received Better Buys for Business’ 2012 Innovative Product of the Year award for its e-STUDIO2550c and e-STUDIO2551c multi-function products (MFPs).

Better Buys for Business is one of the nation’s leading independent authorities on document imaging equipment and presents its annual Innovative Product of the Year to the best products within a respective product category. All of last year’s Better Buys for Business’ Editor’s Choice award winners were considered for the 2012 Innovative Product of the Year award.

Toshiba’s e-STUDIO2550c and e-STUDIO2551c MFPs are recognized for producing vibrant documents with an up to 600 x 1,200 dots-per-inch resolution and superior performance within a compact and lightweight design ideal for small to medium-size businesses. In addition to its exceptional image quality, paper handling, finishing options and ease-of-use, the MFPs’ low-impact and eco-conscious design is sure to reduce users’ power bills by consuming a mere watt while in energy savings mode.
"We are certainly honored to have such a respected organization as Better Buys for Business recognize our e-STUDIO2550c and e-STUDIO2551c series as the Innovative Product of the Year," said Joseph Contreras, director of product and solutions marketing for Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc.

"Our intent with the launch of the e-STUDIO2550c and e-STUDIO2551c was to provide smaller businesses with the image quality and high-performance levels found in higher-priced MFPs at a fraction of the cost that is more in line with many of today’s technology budgets."

"While our staff received many exceptional products, we were impressed with the image quality and high-performance levels available within the e-STUDIO2550c and e-STUDIO2551c," said Melissa Pardo-Bunte, editor at Better Buys for Business. "Such functionality is traditionally only available in an enterprise-level device. However with the availability of the e-STUDIO2550c and e-STUDIO2551c, Toshiba is now outfitting smaller businesses with full-featured MFPs within a compact – yet sturdy design, all at an affordable price."

Visit Priceless Ink & Toner for high quality Toshiba Printing Supplies

Source: Toshiba’s e-Studio Color Series Receives Better Buys for Business Award

Epson Ink Technology DURABrite Ultra & UltraChrome K3

Why OEM inks cost so much?
How to make you printouts look PRO?
Listen to Andrew Patrick of Epson answering these questions.

The video is an old one, but it still answers some questions.

Visit Priceless Ink & Toner web store if you need OEM or Compatible Epson printer cartridges

HP and Walgreens - Mobile Printing Partners

Customers now able to print from mobile devices in 8,000 Walgreens pharmacies in US.

Hewlett Packard / HP has announced that it has increased the opportunity for customers to print using their smartphones or tablets by adding 8,000 Walgreens stores in the US to its HP Public Print Locations (PPL) network, bringing the total PPL sites to 30,000 worldwide.

Users can download the free HP ePrint Service iPhone app and use it to order prints of their photos, which can then be collected from their nearest Walgreens store "in as little as an hour". It is expected that future versions of the ePrint app will also be compatible with Android and Blackberry devices.

According to the OEM, the number of HP ePrint mobile printing apps downloads reached more than six million, with the number of people printing to the HP PPL network doubling every six months. HP also states that it has recently improved its ePrint app to feature more cloud service content, including direct integration with Dropbox and Facebook.

Commenting on the partnership, Jasbir Patel, Senior Director and General Merchandise Manager for Photo and E-commerce at Walgreens said: "Providing HP ePrint users with access to more than 8,000 Walgreens locations makes their printing experiences easy and convenient. HP’s integration of the Walgreens QuickPrints technology gives customers expanded access and provides another level of valuable engagement."

Meanwhile, John Tomesco, Vice President of Worldwide Enterprise Business Development, Printing and Personal Systems at HP added: "As we extend the HP Public Print Location network to include Walgreens, customers and partners will have greater access to convenient and flexible printing solutions as they need it."

Nevertheless if you need any HP printer supplies or any other printing supplies, visit www.priceless-inkjet.com!

Source: HP partners with Walgreens stores to increase mobile printing

93-Point Certification Process by Copiers Refurbished

Copiers Refurbished is an accomplished and well-established company that provides customers with quality copy machines at affordable prices. The certification process used to refurbish the used copiers sold to customers consists of an award winning 93-point inspection to ensure the best possible product.

Copiers Refurbished takes copy machines that are used for less than three months according to the manufacturer's standards, and restores them to their original condition. These copiers can be short term rentals, sales demos, off lease contracts, or even repossessions. The company restores the copiers to like-new conditions, and makes these copiers available to the public for 50%-75% off MSRP.

The award winning refurbishing process includes a 93-point inspection, which ensures that every copy machine is in perfect working condition, as if it came straight from the factory. Not only can customers be assured of the quality of the copy machines, but can also enjoy peace of mind with knowing Copiers Refurbished offers guarantees on all restored copiers. These warranties include a complete 90-day parts and labor warranty, as well as an extended two-year warranty on specific items such as major circuit boards, panels, and LCD units.

Customers can find their preferred Canon copy machines at discount prices with Copiers Refurbished, and can rest easy knowing the machine is guaranteed to be in the best possible condition thanks to the Copiers Refurbished inspection process. Not only are the machines in top quality condition, but they are available for delivery within 3-5 business days to any street-level address in the contiguous United States.

Copiers Refurbished carries a variety of brands, including Ricoh copy machines and Toshiba copy machines. Whether customers are looking for black and white copiers, color copiers, or financing options on a quality machine, Copiers Refurbished provides exceptional customer service. The 93-point inspection process is just another way Copiers Refurbished goes above and beyond to give customers high quality machines.

Copiers Refurbished is a Minnesota based company that is proud to provide customers with high quality machines for affordable prices. Contact Copiers Refurbished at www.copiersrefurbished.com

For a high quality remanufactured copier supplies visit www.priceless-inkjet.com

Source: Copiers Refurbished Uses 93-Point Certification Process to Refurbish Used Copiers

HP Introduces Envy 120 e-All-in-One

Hewlett-Packard / HP introduced its latest color inkjet All-in-One for consumers, the Envy 120 e-All-in-One ($249.99), with wireless connectivity, smaller footprint, and larger, adjustable 4.33″ color touch screen that retracts after printing.

HP rates the Envy 120 at ISO 7 (black)/4 (color) ppm with draft print speeds up to 28 (black)/23 (color) ppm, and print resolution up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi (optimized). It uses a black ink cartridge and a tri-color ink cartridge containing cyan, yellow, and magenta inks, and includes 80-sheet paper input tray, and automatic duplex printing. There’s a flatbed platen (no automatic document feeder) for copying and 24-bit scanning originals up to 8.5″ x 11.69″ in size (optical scan resolution is 1,200 dpi). A USB 2.0 local port and WiFi 802.11n wireless interface are standard. There’s also a slot for printing from memory cards, and borderless printing up to 8.5″x11″, as well as HP apps for printing content from the Web, such as greeting-card templates, recipes, etc.

The HP 60 black ink cartridge yields 200 pages, while the HP 60 Tri-Color ink cartridge yields 165 pages, for a black cost per page of 7.4 cents, and a CYMK color cost per page of 19.5 cents.

One thing that’s especially noteworthy about the Envy 120 is its compact dimensions – it stands just 4.33″ high, and measures 16.88″ wide x 13.23″ deep.

The new All-in-One also features HP’s ePrint remote printing (print files attached to email messages), support for Apple AirPrint mobile printing, and wireless direct mobile printing. With wireless direct printing, users can print from Wi-Fi-enabled devices (including smartphones, tablet PCs, and computers) and make a wireless network connection directly to the printer without having to use a wireless router or access point.

For HP ink and toner cartridges, visit our web store

Source: HP Introduces Envy 120 e-All-in-One with Wireless Connectivity and Smaller Footprint, New Photo Products

Happy New Year!

Erasable Ink Technology in Toshiba MFP

Visions & Trends has reported on the forthcoming release of Toshiba’s first MFP that can erase printed images and text, due for release in Japan from February 2013 with a worldwide launch planned shortly after.

The e-STUDIO 306LP MFP, combined with the e-STUDIO RD30, is described as able to "[remove] the toner color from the printed documents. The instantly erasable toner is a special toner whose color is removed by passing the paper through the RD30 [component] at high temperature".

Noting that each sheet of paper used five times over constitutes a 57% reduction in the device’s total CO2 emissions, the RD30 component is also able to arrange paper into reusable and non-reusable sheets.

Toshiba states that the reusable paper solution "opens a window to a new work style in the office environment by encouraging users to re-use paper through the new system".

Erasable ink technology

Toshiba has developed a unique toner that can be removed from ordinary paper for reuse, reports Geek.

The process utilizes a heated friction technique known as "FriXion Ball" which can remove the toner up to five times. The removal process is yet to be perfected, with very feint markings still visible on the paper although Geek states that "it’s good enough that further print outs are possible".

The printer is also capable of scanning and saving digital copies of pages before deleting the toner, and on detection of a sheet that can no longer be used, the page will be moved to a different tray.

Although the technology for reusable printer paper has previously been developed by the Industrial Technology Research Institute called i2R e-paper, the technology is comparatively expensive, with each individual sheet of compatible paper costing $2.

Toshiba notes that the new printer and ink is set for release in late 2012. While the only toner color available initially will be blue, Toshiba plan for other colors. Geek speculates that a full color version may eventually be released and, more pertinently, with the toner making the erasing procedure possible, multiple printer manufacturers may produce compatible hardware.

Check our web-store for Toshiba ink and toner, we may have what you need!

Source: Toshiba unveils erasable ink MFP

Backdoor access in Samsung printers

A researcher has alerted the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) that Samsung printer firmware contains a hardcoded backdoor administrator account that could allow remote network access exploitation and device control.

The admin account does not require verification, opening up the devices and users' networks to potentially serious remote attacks.

At the time of making the vulnerability note public US-CERT reported:

Samsung has stated that models released after October 31, 2012 are not affected by this vulnerability.
Samsung has also indicated that they will be releasing a patch tool later this year to address vulnerable devices.

When asked for comment Samsung's Public Relations Manager told:

Samsung is committed to releasing updated firmware for all current models by November 30, with all other models receiving an update by the end of the year.

Security researcher Neil Smith reported the discovery to US-CERT on November 26. Mr. Smith has since published details of the Samsung Printer SNMP Backdoor to his Tumblr.

So if you have a Samsung printer that isn't one month old, until Samsung releases its patch US-CERT tells us that some printer owners might be vulnerable to:

A remote, unauthenticated attacker could access an affected device with administrative privileges. Secondary impacts include: the ability to make changes to the device configuration, access to sensitive information (e.g., device and network information, credentials, and information passed to the printer), and the ability to leverage further attacks through arbitrary code execution.

A successful attacker could almost certainly read print jobs. People assume that what's going to their printer is private - such as payroll data, tax forms, contracts, etc.

At this time, Samsung appears to have pulled all of its printer firmware from its support pages.

Samsung printers contain a hardcoded SNMP full read-write community string. According to US-CERT. it remains active even when SNMP is disabled in the printer management utility.

This runs counter to what Samsung's Public Relations Manager announced via email saying, "The issue affects devices only when SNMP is enabled, and is resolved by disabling SNMP. However, for customers that are concerned, we encourage them to disable SNMPv1,2 or use the secure SNMPv3 mode until the firmware updates are made."

Some Dell printers manufactured by Samsung also have the admin account backdoor access.

In case you're not familiar, SNMP is an Internet-standard protocol that network administrators use to manage connected devices such as routers, servers, printers, hubs and more.

Smith tweeted, "This isn't remote code execution. But it allows for remote firmware update over the wire."

US-CERT recommends users implement general security prophylactics until the issue is resolved: namely, restricted device access and to "only allow connections from trusted hosts and networks."

Samsung's full statement:

Samsung is aware of and has resolved the security issue affecting Samsung network printers and multifunction devices.

The issue affects devices only when SNMP is enabled, and is resolved by disabling SNMP.

We take all matters of security very seriously and we are not aware of any customers who have been affected by this vulnerability.

Samsung is committed to releasing updated firmware for all current models by November 30, with all other models receiving an update by the end of the year.

However, for customers that are concerned, we encourage them to disable SNMPv1,2 or use the secure SNMPv3 mode until the firmware updates are made.

For further information, customers may contact Samsung customer service at 1-866-SAM4BIZ for business customers or 1-800-SAMSUNG for consumers.

Visit priceless-inkjet.com if you need ink or toner for your printer.

Source: Researcher reveals backdoor access in Samsung printers

How much ink does your printer waste?

If you only use your printer occasionally, you could be using more than six times as much ink as you would printing the same number of pages in one go.

Ink is wasted when a printer runs a cleaning cycle, often as it is switched on, which means that less of the ink you buy ends up on the page.

The result is that you’ll need to replace your ink cartridges more frequently, paying high prices for ink that you’ll never even get to use.

Which? tests uncover the scale of ink waste

Which?'s tests have found a dramatic difference between the amount of ink your printer gets through when it’s printing occasionally over a period of weeks, either switched off in between or left in standby, and when it’s printing the same amount all in one go.

The results below show just some of the shocking differences in ink use Which? have encountered in their lab tests. The figures show the difference between printing 50 sheets of color graphics continuously (all in one go) versus occasionally (over a period of weeks, with the printer either switched off or left on in between prints).

Prices are based on typical cartridge costs for each brand.

As the graphic above shows, there are huge differences in the amount of ink you’ll get through depending on whether you’re a frequent or occasional printer, and whether you leave your printer off or on between jobs.

How can you save on your printer ink?

Nobody wants to store up all their printing to do it in one go just because it’s more efficient. So what’s the best alternative – leaving a printer on or off between prints?

Which?'s tests found that it’s not always the case that leaving a printer in standby is a better option than switching it off altogether.

The HP printer we tested wasted less ink if you did not switch it off between prints. The Canon and Epson printers wasted less ink when we turned the printers off in between, instead of leaving them in standby.

If your printer sounds like it’s cleaning its heads every time you turn it on from cold, it may be cheaper to leave it switched on permanently and let it power down itself into sleep mode.

How much energy is wasted leaving a printer on?

Leaving any device on around the clock may seem like a waste of electricity, which is why Which? measure the energy use of printers in their lab.

If you left the HP Officejet Pro 8500a Plus eAIO in its sleep mode after printing, rather than turning it fully off, it would cost you roughly $4.08 a year in electricity. This can work out cheaper than having the printer waste ink when you switch the printer on, given the cost of buying new cartridges.

Every time you run out of ink, feel free to visit Priceless Ink & Toner and resupply.

Source: How much ink does your printer waste?

Printers Rage

3D Printing... it will change the World!

3D printing is going to change the world. How? There is more than one answer to this question...

3D printing is also known as "additive manufacturing" and is the process of creating objects by laying down successive layers of materials according to a digital blueprint. The materials than can be used vary wildly, and modern 3D printers can also lay down layers with different materials in virtually any shape, making it a wildly attractive technique for a huge variety of industries.

Another benefit of this new method is the ability of companies and individuals to economically produce small runs of a concept or prototype – as opposed to traditional subtractive manufacturing which is only economically viable when dealing with huge numbers of products. This reduction in costs means that even solo designers can create a prototype cost-effectively – opening up the doors to innovation in the manufacturing space.

While at first the concept of 3D printing may not seem to be revolutionary, below are listed a few of the applications of the technique that are really making waves:
· Medicine - Doctors are now able to print out exact replicas of a patient’s body in order to practice or run over complicated surgery routines in advance. Beyond that, scientists are working on being able to actually print out new body parts and organs, opening up a whole new world of rejuvenating therapies.
· Art - In addition to being able to produce one-off runs of a design, 3D printing has enabled artists to create objects that would have been virtually impossible in the past – such as these mind-bending sculptures from Bathsheba Grossman
· Hearing Aids - With 3D printers and scanning technology, a scan of the hearing canal is taken and can be used to print out personalized hearing aids that conform perfectly to the individual, increasing comfort and clarity.
· Prototyping - The low-cost associated with producing a one-off prototype of a design means that more risks can be taken, flaws corrected and adjustments made without running out of time or money. The gains in productivity and innovation are just beginning to be seen around the world.
· Component Manufacturing - Picture this – a manufacturer realises that they’re missing a small part necessary for the completion of a project. In the past, they had one option – send in an order and wait for the part to be sent by physical post. Now, with 3D printing, a scan of the part can be sent electronically, and the necessary part printed out immediately.
· Spare Parts - These days, if say, your printer at home breaks down due to a broken part, you’re likely to either throw it away and buy a new one or have to wait several weeks while you wait for a new part to be sent out. With 3D printing, it won’t be long before you’ll be able to print out the part at home using a personal 3D printer, saving time and money.

These are just some of the possibilities that have been opened up by advancements in 3d printing, and over the next few years we will start to see it make its way into our daily lives.

But if you are still using an inkjet printer or laser toner printer, visit our e-store for the printer supplies you need!

Source: How 3D Printing Will Change the World

Curious: Yellow Toner Linked to Counterfeit Money

Croatian scientists have discovered that counterfeit banknotes can be easily identified by testing for yellow toner by the Raman spectrum.

Spectroscopy Now has reported on the recent findings of Croatian scientists that links counterfeit banknotes with yellow toner, and potentially leading to a forensic spectral library of yellow toners in a bid to crack down on counterfeit banknotes.

Analysing 44 commercial cyan, magenta and yellow toners using 36 printers from 10 manufacturers, the tests were conducted using micro-Raman spectroscopy and an excitation wavelength of 514.5 nm, as reported in Forensic Science International.

The results revealed that, when subtracting the spectrum of the paper, the spectra of cyan toners were identical and magenta toners showed slight differences. However yellow toner often resulted in substantial differences, even in toners from the same manufacturer, between different cartridges and those intended to work in different printer models.

To determine whether the test would produce results on paper currency, two counterfeit Croatian banknotes that were suspected of originating from the same source were tested, and the Reman spectra of the magenta and yellow colors were stated as identical, pointing to a common origin. The results were backed up by conventional counterfeit protection code patterns.

The researchers state that this disparity between results allows tests to be conducted to determine the origins of suspected counterfeit toners, and only the yellow toners need to be examined. The study still requires further validation across a wider selection of toners, but researchers speculate that this could lead to a forensic spectral library of yellow toners.

And when you run out of printer supplies for your everyday printing needs, visit our web store.

Source: Yellow toner linked to counterfeit banknotes

Digitize the office with the HP New Printing Innovations

Couple a days ago HP announced new HP Officejet Pro and HP LaserJet printers and content management solutions designed to redefine business and government printing by enabling customers to reduce costs, increase efficiency and digitize the office.

The new offerings represent the largest upgrade to HP’s commercial printers in almost a decade, signifying the integration of intellectual property and innovation from across the organization.

“Our customers need innovative technology tailored to their workflow that is simple and effective, and helps them conduct business,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, HP Printing and Personal Systems. “HP is offering new ways to print that have not previously been possible—with superb speed and performance to drive a new level of office efficiency.”

HP Officejet Pro: Outstanding speed, quality, reliability and cost efficiency for SMBs
HP Officejet Pro X Series desktop printers and multifunction printers (MFP) deliver up to twice the speed at up to half the printing cost compared with color laser printers in their class. This new class of devices is powered by HP PageWide Technology, the next-generation inkjet platform that sets a new standard for small work team printing. It offers small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), remote offices and branch offices high-quality documents at up to 70 pages per minute.

HP LaserJet and cloud-based solutions digitize the office, simplify data access
The creation of vast amounts of business and government data means customers need a way to streamline how information is managed and accessed. The HP LaserJet Enterprise flow MFP M525c and HP LaserJet Enterprise color flow MFP M575c offer higher-performance document processing and sharing. This provides an ideal on-ramp to the digitized world with premium scanning and data entry that speed the transition from a paper to digital office.

The HP flow MFPs can be integrated with content management solutions based on software from Autonomy, an HP Company, either on-site or via the cloud. By pairing HP printing technology with Autonomy solutions, customers can access, organize and leverage information in documents, audio, video, email and web pages.

The HP Flow CM Professional brings enterprise-class content management to growing businesses, with security features that also support leading banks, legal firms and stock exchanges. The cloud-based offering increases collaboration and productivity by easily capturing, indexing, storing, searching and retrieving documents through a unique user-friendly interface designed with the customer in mind.

The HP Flow CM Enterprise is composed of a set of enterprise content management (ECM) offerings for large organizations that give instant access to vital information and help to integrate, simplify and automate processes to help reduce operating costs, improve employee productivity and assist with compliance efforts.

Office printing to increase productivity
Organizations of all sizes can address the need to increase productivity while reducing the complexity of their printing environment.

For SMBs looking to increase office efficiencies with fast, powerful prints, HP is offering two additional series of HP LaserJet Pro printers. HP also is introducing new and enhanced document workflow solutions along with HP LaserJet Enterprise series printers that simplify productivity in enterprise organizations. For workers on the go, HP now offers greater access to print from cloud-based applications, incorporating Google Apps mailbox support through its HP ePrint Enterprise.

For improving workflow through targeted customer communications across print and electronic channels, HP is offering HP Exstream LiveSite Connector and HP Claims Correspondence 2.0. HP Exstream LiveSite Connector combines solutions from Autonomy and HP Exstream to offer consistent, analytics-based, targeted customer communications. HP Claims Correspondence 2.0 reduces claims-settlement cycle time, provides faster correspondence processing and improves online awareness of claims status by uniting document content with people and processes.

For HP inkjet cartridges and HP toner cartridges visit Priceless Ink & Toner

Source: HP Unveils New Printing Innovations that Digitize the Office, Help Reduce Costs

Epson Enters Technical Printing Market

Epson America recently introduced a new line of large-format inkjet color plotters designed for engineering and scientific professionals – the SureColor T3000, T5000, and T7000. Marking Epson’s entry into the technical printing market, the SureColor T-Series provides architects, engineers and GIS professionals with what Epson’s calling the fastest plotting speeds in their class, as well as industry-leading plotting accuracy, and new Epson UltraChrome XD pigment inks.

Built from the ground up using all-Epson engineering, theSureColor T-Series delivers resolution of up to 2,880 x 1,440 dpi, and can produce presentation-quality D-size plot in as little as 25 seconds and up to 110 per hour. They also feature an output stacking basket that organizes up to 20 A1/D- or A0/E-sized plain-paper plots.

Epson says its new UltraChrome XD pigment inks provide crisp lines, brilliant color and photographic quality on virtually any paper type for accurate prints that are archival and smudge- and water-resistant. T-Series ink cartridges are available in 110 ml, 350 ml, as well as in a high-capacity 700 ml size. The plotters use cyan, magenta, yellow, photo black, and matte black inks.

Other specifications include:
· Three Plotter Widths: The SureColor T3000, T5000 and T7000 feature maximum print widths of 24″, 36″, and 44″ respectively.
· The new plotters use Epson’s MicroPiezo TFP inkjet print head that Epson says provide high-performance and consistency for precise plotting with highly accurate line placement and minimum line widths as thin as 0.018 mm.
· Includes Epson Precision XD printer language compatible with the latest applications and workflow software.
· An optional internal 250-GB hard drive releases workstations for unattended plotting, and features a Web server for print queue management and printer maintenance.
· Control panel incorporates a full-color LCD display as well as simple key layout for quick access to printer features and controls, as well as an intuitive help system for most frequent tasks.

The SureColor T3000, T5000 and T7000 will be available in this fall through authorized Epson Professional Imaging resellers for list prices of $2,995, $3,995 and $4,995 respectively.

Visit Priceless Ink & Toner for Epson printer supplies

Source: Epson Enters Technical Printing Market with New SureColor T-Series

Lexmark Introduces 18 "Smart" MFPs

In one of the most significant product launches in the company’s history, Lexmark International, Inc. announced a wide breadth of new laser printers and multifunction products (MFPs) built on an enhanced technology platform that delivers productivity-enhancing solutions.

Lexmark’s smart MFPs include an intuitive touch screen that provides access to many powerful applications that reduce the complexities of manual processes and improve productivity. This seamless integration of Lexmark’s smart MFPs with the Perceptive Software portfolio helps improve infrastructure efficiency and team performance to propel growth.

Some of the newest additions to Lexmark’s printer and MFPproduct families introduced today include:
· CX510 color laser MFP – Designed for mid-size workgroups, the Lexmark CX510 offers time-saving productivity solutions that are typically present on larger devices. This device produces professional-quality color worthy of branded marketing collateral thanks to Lexmark’s calibration technology for the PANTONE color system and Lexmark Named Color Replacement true color matching.
· MX812 monochrome laser MFP – This high-performance MFP features fast processor, print, copy and scan speeds. As the first A4 monochrome laser MFP to print and copy up to 70 pages per minute1, as well as to deliver the first page in as quickly as four seconds, this is the ideal device for large enterprise workgroups who need a workhorse in the office. It provides professional finishing and comes with pre-loaded business solutions that are quickly accessible through an intuitive 10.2-inch color touch screen. An extra high-yield 45,000-page Unison toner cartridge, the largest in its class, ensures fewer user interventions to replace toner.
· MX611 monochrome laser MFP – The Lexmark MX611 features a 7-inch color touch screen, providing access to pre-installed workflow solutions that enhance business productivity by automating tasks. It’s a workhorse equipped to print up to 50 pages per minute and prints or copies a first page in as quickly as seven seconds. The Lexmark MX611 is the only MFP in its class that offers an automatic inline stapler finishing option.
· MX410 monochrome laser MFP – The Lexmark MX410 introduces solutions capabilities on an MFP below the affordable $600 price point. The device saves time with fast processor, print, copy and scan speeds, and with powerful productivity solutions via the 4.3-inch color touch screen. It prints up to 10,000 pages per month, up to 40 pages per minute, and prints or copies a first page in as quickly as seven seconds.
· MS610 monochrome laser printer – Starting at $699, the Lexmark MS610 is impressive in its own right with duplex and built-in productivity solutions. As the fastest compact A4 monochrome laser printer, it prints up to 16,000 pages per month, up to 50 pages per minute, and a first page in as little as six-and-a-half seconds. The easy-to-use 4.3-inch color touch screen also enables users to manage jobs right at the device.

“The intelligence offered through Lexmark’s devices is a key differentiator, and when combined with our state-of-the-art imaging technology, we are able to provide our customers unmatched capabilities in a solutions portfolio,” said Marty Canning, Lexmark executive vice president and president of Imaging Solutions and Services. “Our innovative, smart MFPs are the backbone to the many workflow solutions we provide, and this close marriage between our hardware and software portfolios is what gives our customers access to unavailable information and improves customer satisfaction.”

Visit our e-shop for Lexmark laser toner cartridges and Lexmark inkjet cartridges

Source: Lexmark extends MFP leadership with new solutions-enabled laser products

Cybercrime Costs Rise Nearly 40%, Attack Frequency Doubles

Hewlett Packard / HP unveiled new research indicating that the cost and frequency of cybercrime have both continued to rise for the third straight year.

According to the third annual study of U.S. companies, the occurrence of cyberattacks has more than doubled over a three-year period, while the financial impact has increased by nearly 40%.

Conducted by the Ponemon Institute and sponsored by HP, the 2012 Cost of Cyber Crime Study found that the average annualized cost of cybercrime incurred by a benchmark sample of U.S. organizations was $8.9 million. This represents a 6% increase over the average cost reported in 2011, and a 38% increase over 2010. The 2012 study also revealed a 42% increase in the number of cyberattacks, with organizations experiencing an average of 102 successful attacks per week, compared to 72 attacks per week in 2011 and 50 attacks per week in 2010.

“Organizations are spending increasing amounts of time, money and energy responding to cyberattacks at levels that will soon become unsustainable,” said Michael Callahan, vice president, Worldwide Product and Solution Marketing, Enterprise Security Products, HP. “There is clear evidence to show that the deployment of advanced security intelligence solutions helps to substantially reduce the cost, frequency and impact of these attacks.”

The most costly cybercrimes continue to be those caused by malicious code, denial of service, stolen or hijacked devices, and malevolent insiders. When combined, these account for more than 78% of annual cybercrime costs per organization. Additional key findings include:
· Information theft and business disruption continue to represent the highest external costs. On an annual basis, information theft accounts for 44% of total external costs, up 4% from 2011. Disruption to business or lost productivity accounted for 30% of external costs, up 1 percent from 2011.
· Deploying advanced security intelligence solutions can mitigate the impact of cyberattacks. Organizations that deployed security information and event management (SIEM) solutions realized a cost savings of nearly $1.6 million per year. As a result, these organizations experienced a substantially lower cost of recovery, detection and containment than organizations that had not deployed SIEM solutions.
· Cyberattacks can be costly if not resolved quickly. The average time to resolve a cyberattack is 24 days, but it can take up to 50 days according to this year’s study. The average cost incurred during this 24-day period was $591,780, representing a 42% increase over last year’s estimated average cost of $415,748 during an 18-day average resolution period.
· Recovery and detection remain the most costly internal activities associated with cybercrime. On an annual basis, these activities account for almost half of the total internal cost, with operating expenses and labor representing the majority of the total.

“The purpose of this benchmark research is to quantify the economic impact of cyberattacks and observe cost trends over time,” said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder, Ponemon Institute. “We believe a better understanding of the cost of cybercrime will assist organizations in determining the appropriate amount of investment and resources needed to prevent or mitigate the devastating consequences of an attack.”

In conjunction with this third annual study of U.S. companies, cybercrime cost studies also were conducted in Australia, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. HP is hosting a series of webinars highlighting the findings from these studies, with the U.S.-focused webinar taking place Nov. 7.

HP is changing the enterprise security landscape with the HP Security Intelligence platform, which uniquely leverages advanced threat research and powerful correlation of security events and vulnerabilities to deliver security intelligence spanning IT operations, applications and infrastructure.

Source: HP Research: Cybercrime Costs Rise Nearly 40 Percent, Attack Frequency Doubles

An Apple a Day...

Keep the Apple away to enjoy an Hour a Day.

I have been anxiously awaiting the new generation Apple iPhone for six months (believe they'll call it version 5). Already found a buyer for my "4". Today I scoured Google for any new information that I have yet to devour. (elapsed time .. 55 minutes). Naturally there was a vast amount of knowledge to absorb. Spent 47 minutes reading articles and opinions. Some are even claiming that iPhone 5 will cure our Country's economic ills:
Higher Impact: QE3 or iPhone5

So, let me digest this. Somehow, if we all go out and buy a new phone (smart or not) all the economic pain will abruptly end.

Great the economic problem solved so let's get back to my "can't live without" new iPhone. I can just feel the sensation of that little gem in the palm of my hand. That slender firm larger body and slick brushed finish. An improved battery that will keep iphone 5 and me engaged for longer and more exciting times. What more can a man ask for?

Did I forget to mention my dream phone will now give me the intimate Facebook experience, I've always longed for while eating my lunch.

Wait ... there is something very wrong with the picture in my head. I asked myself, do I need an extra line of "Apps" on the screen? Do I need that slick body? Do I need a faster processor (iOS6) and longer battery, do I need "Do Not Disturb", since I learned simply to use the mute feature. Do I really need Passbook or do I need to find a "special hour" a day to spend with my wife. I don't have any little ones at home, unfortunately, wish we did.

I though seriously, how much better will my life be with #5. Soon I realized those new features would only make me a greater prisoner of the phone gadget.

I recalled my old Samsung (only phone .. no camera) devise. It called the people I need to talk to and then left me alone.

I had no Apps, no Music, no Email and no Twitter but I had TIME. I read more, I talked to my neighbors more, I walked more, I laughed more and I enjoyed my wife's company more. I was a happier "iPhoneless Person" .... can you image the wonderful events of life that may happen when you have that extra hour a day to spend it in a social way.

More than 5 million new iPhones and accompanying accessories will find their way into happy homes over the next few months. There will be many happy and engaged consumers exploring all the new bells and whistles the iPhone5 offers and with the new "Assistant" feature, you may just need one less friend.

Wow, did I just hear that the improved 5.5 version is in the final stages of development. Can't wait to read about it and just maybe consider my own upgrade. Yes, they have us hooked.

Looking on The Other Side

"Time is the most undefinable yet paradoxical of things; the past is gone, the future is not come, and the present becomes the past even while we attempt to define it, and, like the flash of lightning, at once exists and expires."
~Charles Caleb Colton

Wide Format Printing (at a glance)

According to SGIA's (Specialty Graphic Imaging Association) 2012 Market Trends and Product Specialties Benchmarking Report, digital imaging technology is the dominant technology for the graphics and sign community. Close to 70% of respondents indicated that they are exclusively digital or, are primarily digital printers.

Wide format technology has advanced in terms of quality, speed and applications because of increasing competition among OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) for their share of the rapidly growing Display Graphics market. Banners, posters and signs remain the leading large format applications, with photography gaining an increasing share. Drawings, proofs, flags and textiles are showing declines, with other applications remaining relatively stable. Quality, price and speed are the three key drivers for selection of a signage and display graphics print provider. Customers are more familiar with digital technology due to the proliferation of vehicle wraps and outdoor banners and are demanding higher quality output.

The key to providing the highest quality output at a competitive price is to use ColorMatch ink that eliminates any need to re-profile the equipment. Labor is a major cost component and re-profiling will cost more than any nominal "savings" from inferior ink. Sign shops, fine art printers and major equipment distributors use ColorMatch ink because its performance is true to its name.

One hundred percent of Priceless Ink & Toner cartridges undergo Quality Assurance testing that virtually eliminates "read errors" upon cartridge installation. A technical service specialist recently reported that he has experienced a significant increase in "read errors" among a major OEM’s ink cartridges which is likely due to a decrease in their QA sampling. Every ColorMatch wide format ink cartridge is machine installed twice to confirm chip function prior to packaging. Adhesion, image permanence, cure times are also significant factors to consider when purchasing wide format ink.

ColorMatch inks bought from our web store are fully guaranteed to be compatible with and provide performance equal to the equivalent OEM ink.

LG unveiled Pocket Photo Printer

LG unveiled a new accessory in its home market – Pocket Photo printer. The small device is about the size of the LG Optimus Vu only thicker, measuring 2.8 x 4.7 x 0.9 inches. Leveraging heat-activated Zink paper, the Pocket Photo makes 2 x 3 inch prints without relying on conventional ink / toner (though you will have to buy that special paper from time to time).

LG’s printer connects to Android-based smartphones via Bluetooth and/or NFC and a special app that allows users to tweak photos, apply filters, add QR codes and messages.

The LG Pocket Photo will soon be available in South Korea in orange, pink and silver accents for $169. No word whether it will be available in the Western hemisphere, as well.

Source: LG Pocket Photo is a small, Bluetooth-enabled mobile picture printer

Epson Adds Remote Print to its Epson Connect Mobile Printing Suite

Epson has expanded its Epson Connect suite of mobile-printing solutions with new Remote Print. Remote Print, which we previewed at Epson’s 2012 Fall Product Preview earlier this summer, allows users to print to an Epson e-mail enabled printer anywhere in the world directly from their computer or laptop, and works with any Windows software. Once the Epson Remote Print driver is installed and configured, the user just selects File/Print.

How is this different from Epson’s existing Email Print solution and what’s the benefit? With Epson’s Email Print solution, users can print to remote e-mail-enabled Epson printers by attaching a file and sending it to the Epson printer’s e-mail address. The printer or All-in-One then prints the attached file. However, only Microsoft Office, PDFs and image files can be printed. With Remote Print, files can be printed using any Microsoft Windows application – not just Microsoft Office – with formatting and fonts kept intact. For instance, an engineer might wish to send an AutoCad file to another user. However, if the recipient doesn’t have AutoCad application software installed on their PC workstation, they can’t view or print the file. With Remote Print, the simply sends the print job to the e-mailed-enabled Epson printer or All-in-One, and the user doesn’t have to have the source application (AutoCad) installed on their PC workstation.

Besides Email Print (which will soon include printing on ledger-size paper) and Remote Print, other Epson Connect solutions include Epson’s iPrint Mobile App. With this free app, users can print documents and photos from a smartphone or tablet, and it’s compatible with both Apple and Android devices. With the iPrint app, users can send Microsoft Office documents, photos, and PDFs over a wireless network to be printed by an Epson Connect-enabled printer or All-in-One. Users can also scan documents using an Epson Connect-enabled All-in-One’s scanning capability to their mobile device, where the scanned file can then be saved, e-mailed, uploaded to a cloud-based storage account, etc.

Epson’s newest printers and All-in-Ones also support Apple AirPrint (automatically connect Apple devices to AirPrint-enabled Epson printers over a Wi-Fi network and print e-mails, photos, Web pages, and documents) and Google Cloud Print (print from an Android smartphone or tablet with Gmail or Google Docs accounts, or from Chromebooks and Google Chrome browser)

If you need supplies for your Epson printer visit www.priceless-inkjet.com

Source: Epson Adds Remote Print to its Epson Connect Mobile Printing Suite

Thank Canada and PRINT For Your Day Off

In what is now Toronto on March 25 1872, the Typographical Society (Printer’s Union) went on strike against The Globe newspaper due to the long hours that were required of them to work six days a week. When George Brown, owner of the newspaper refused their request of a 9-hour day, the presses shut down at The Globe and at other papers as well. Almost a month later, with no agreement in sight, the Toronto Trades Assembly organized a march that included workers from other fields and headed to the government offices.

What started as a Printer’s strike ended up changing Canadian Law and the workers won their right to a 9-hour workday. A few years later the head of the American Federation of Labor was in Toronto speaking at a labor festival and came back to US and organized a Labor Parade which eventually the Central Labor Union turned into Labor Day on September 5, 1882 in New York. In 1894 it became a Federal Holiday.

So, if it weren’t for the PRINT INDUSTRY in another country, you wouldn’t be having this nice 3-day weekend.

Priceless Ink & Toner wishes you a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!

Source: This Labor Day Thank Canada and PRINT For Your Day Off