Funai Acquiring Lexmark's Inkjet-Related Technology

Funai Electric Company Ltd. announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Lexmark International Inc.'s inkjet-related technology and assets for approximately $100 million.

Upon closing of the transaction, Funai will acquire more than 1,500 inkjet patents, Lexmark's inkjet-related research and development assets and tools, all outstanding shares and the manufacturing facility of Lexmark International (Philippines), Inc., and other inkjet-related technologies and assets. Through this transaction, Funai will acquire the capabilities to develop, manufacture and sell inkjet hardware as well as inkjet supplies. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close within the first half of 2013.

As an OEM manufacturer, Funai has manufactured inkjet hardware for Lexmark since 1997 and the companies have established a strong relationship over that time.

The acquisition of the inkjet-related technology and assets will enable Funai to launch new inkjet hardware and supplies under Funai's own brands. Funai has established a strategy to develop and grow its inkjet printer business by introducing Funai's own inkjet printers and supplies into the market. With the inkjet patents, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and comprehensive R&D capabilities, Funai will be able to accelerate the expansion of its inkjet business.

For Lexmark customers and distributors, there will not be a disruption of service or support as they continue to work directly with Lexmark. Funai will become a manufacturer of Lexmark's aftermarket inkjet supplies. Lexmark will continue to support its installed base of customers in the sale of aftermarket inkjet supplies and will continue to provide customer technical and warranty support.

"This transaction provides us with a crucial and tremendous opportunity to enhance our office solution business," said Funai president and chief executive officer, Tomonori Hayashi. "Funai and Lexmark have developed a great partnership, and we are glad to take over Lexmark's inkjet-related technology and assets. The acquisition of the inkjet-related technology and assets enables Funai to start and grow our own inkjet business. Funai will benefit from the strong inkjet business platform that Lexmark has established."

"As we continue our transition to becoming a leading end-to-end solutions provider, this transaction essentially completes our exit from the ownership of inkjet-related assets, although we will continue to support our existing customer base with the sale of inkjet supplies," said Paul Rooke, Lexmark chairman and chief executive officer. "Funai has been a trusted partner of Lexmark's since 1997, and I am fully confident in Funai's ability to deliver high-quality inkjet supplies for Lexmark."

Get your Lexmark printer supplies at our webstore

Source: Funai Acquiring Lexmark's Inkjet-Related Technology and Assets

Océ is now wholly owned Canon subsidiary

A few days ago (March 26, 2013) Canon Inc. announced that its consolidated subsidiary Océ N.V. which was delisted from NYSE Euronext Amsterdam in February 2012, became a wholly owned Canon subsidiary on March 8, 2013, following the conclusion of formal statutory buyout proceedings under Dutch law ("squeeze out procedure").

Canon announced it would acquire Océ in 2009, but the Japanese company did not immediately acquire 100% of the company's shares. As of the end of 2011, Canon had a 98.83% stake in Océ. Under Dutch law, the Japanese firm had to begin a so-called squeeze-out procedure at the start of 2012 to acquire the remaining shares.

Océ's integration into Canon has meant reducing the company’s workforce. DutchNews.nl reports that Océ has cut 300 workers from its staff of 2,400 at its headquarter in Venlo. Last fall, various Connecticut news outlets reported that Océ North America would cut 135 jobs in the state before December 31, 2013.

Since joining forces, Canon and Océ have jointly developed new products and worked to strengthen their marketing and service capabilities. Now that Océ has become a wholly owned subsidiary, both companies will work to maximize synergies with the aim of creating the overall #1 presence in the printing industry.

For Canon / Océ printer supplies visit our web store
Source: Océ becomes wholly owned Canon subsidiary, integration proceeds apace

Happy Easter! Happy Passover!

Your printer may be running out of ink!

HP and Samsung partner on a new mobile print offering

Off the heels of the big Samsung smartphone launch in New York, Hewlett Packard / HP unveiled a new print offering built within select Samsung devices to provide users a way to print directly to more than 180 HP network printers.

The partnership with Samsung is part of HP’s investment in mobile and on-demand printing that started with HP’s ePrint. The Palo Alto, California-based technology giant said that this new print offering differs from current mobile printing apps on the market because the new embedded solution from HP and Samsung requires no setup, tools, drivers or network configurations to adjust on the phone.

The HP/Samsung mobile printing app also offers printer settings and options that you would find inside an office such as duplex printing, color, orientation and paper type.

Print functionality is supported with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and will be available later this year as a firmware upgrade to the Galaxy S III and Note II, enabling built-in, wireless printing compatibility.

According to HP, users can print by automatically connecting the Samsung mobile device and HP printer on the same local network or through Wi-Fi, or by using HP’s wireless direct print solution.

Stephen Nigro, senior vice president, Inkjet and Printing Solutions and Graphics Solutions Business, Printing and Personal Systems Group at HP, said this partnership with Samsung is the latest example of how HP is making it easy to print what you want from wherever you are.

The built-in print solution works in three steps: first choose a document, photo or Web page; select a printer (either on Wi-Fi or directly); and hit print. The embedded solution also offers additional print options including number of copies, paper size, paper type, color mode and job completion status.

The print solution is compatible with nearly 200 HP printer models across the HP inkjet and HP LaserJet printers.

The built-in print button will be available on many applications of the Samsung mobile devices, including: Email Client, Android Browser, Photo Gallery, Contacts, S Note and Polaris Office.

Source: HP and Samsung partner on a new mobile print offering

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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