Ricoh Price Increase

Dear Priceless Customers,

We regret to inform you that Ricoh has issued a price increase. Effective on January 3, 2012, Ricoh A3 printer models and associated accessories will reflect a 5% increase from the current suggested retail price and distribution price. A4 laser and Gel printers will have no change. All consumable parts and supplies will reflect a 3% increase without exception.

According to Ricoh, the increase is due to the ongoing appreciation of the Japanese Yen.

We would like to thank you for your continued business and look forward continuing to serve you needs.

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Worldwide Printer, MFP Shipments Up 1.6 Percent in Third Quarter

Market-research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) reports that the worldwide hardcopy peripherals market grew 1.6 percent in the third-quarter 2011 versus third-quarter 2010. According to IDC, over 31.3 million units were shipped in third-quarter 2011, versus 29 million units shipped in second-quarter 2011. MFPs continued to dominate the market, accounting for 66 percent of units shipped. Color-laser MFPs saw the biggest growth rates with year-over-year growth of 24.1 percent.

According to IDC’s Phuong Hang, program manager for the firm’s Worldwide Hardcopy Peripheral Trackers, most vendors’ production has recovered from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. However, Hang expects the market to remain flat for the remainder of the year due to growing concerns about the economy.

Technology Highlights
- The ink-jet market, and more specifically the color inkjet MFP market, is still the technology that holds the majority share of the hardcopy peripherals market, with over 19.6 million units shipped worldwide in the third-quarter, 16.1 million of which were color ink-jet MFP units.
- Monochrome laser devices continued to rank second in units shipped (8.6 million units), with 29 percent share of the hardcopy peripherals market. All regions except Western Europe and Middle East and Africa saw year-over-year growth in monochrome shipments.
- Color laser devices retained 6 percent share of the hardcopy market in third-quarter 2011 with 1.8 million units shipped. The MFP penetration at 51 percent and year-over-year growth of 24 percent for the color-laser market beats these same metrics for the monochrome-laser market, which are 43 percent and 17 percent respectively.

Vendor Highlights
- Hewlett-Packard / HP remained the number-one ranked vendor in third-quarter 2011 with worldwide market share of 42.9 percent and 13.5 million units shipped. The Americas region was strongest for HP in terms of unit growth, with 21 percent year-over-year growth, followed by the EMEA and Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) (APeJ) regions with 13 percent and 9 percent growth respectively. HP’s worldwide year-over-year shipment growth was 0.8 percent.
- Canon maintained its position as the second-ranked vendor, with worldwide year-over-year growth of 5.2 percent. This performance was driven by 8 percent year-over-year growth in the APeJ region.
- Epson held onto the number-three position worldwide. Despite seeing year-over-year increase in the Americas, EMEA, and APeJ, Epson had a decline of 9.4 percent year-over-year in the worldwide hardcopy market, and lost one point share from a year ago to 12.6 percent share in third-quarter 2011.
- Samsung strengthened its position as the number-four vendor in the worldwide hardcopy market with 5.7 percent share, up one point from a year ago. Samsung’s worldwide shipments grew 8.3 percent year-over-year and it recorded shipments of 1.8 million units during the third quarter.
- Brother rounds out the top-five worldwide vendors with more than 1.7 million units shipped and 5.5 percent market share, unchanged from a year ago. The vendor's shipments grew 7.5 percent year-over-year and it posted positive shipment growth in all regions except for the United State.

Original source: Worldwide Printer, MFP Shipments Up 1.6 Percent in Third Quarter, Reports IDC

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Hewlett Packard and Lexmark Price Increases

Dear Priceless Customers,

Please be aware that Hewlett Packard / HP and Lexmark recently announced price increases effective January 1st, 2012. Priceless Ink & Toner Company must react accordingly with a price increase effective January 1st, 2012.

Hewlett Packard:
HP will increase the price of toner cartridges by approximately 2%. In addition to the 2% increase, HP will increase list prices on twenty-seven (27) select HP legacy toner cartridges from 12-17%. This announced increase does not include ink. Additionally, HP is increasing the price on select parts, drums, and maintenance kits. According to HP, these price increases are in response to global economic conditions, including currency volatility.

Lexmark:
Lexmark is announcing an inkjet and laser supplies price increase of 3-7% across the majority of their product line. According to Lexmark, they experienced a higher than expected increase in supplies product costs, specifically materials and transportation.

You can always consider buying our Earth Friendly alternative printer products. We at Priceless Ink & Toner Company are prepared to discuss your specific needs and as always, we appreciate your business.

Visit our web store for high quality Earth Friendly compatible and remanufactured inkjet cartridges and laser toner cartridges

HP Scores Highest in Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics

Hewlett-Packard was the top scorer in Greenpeace’s 2011 Guide to Greener Electronics, scoring 5.9 out of 10, and displacing Nokia, which had scored the highest for the last three years. Overall, Greenpeace, an environmental advocate organization, noted that HP is the “strongest on sustainable operations and energy criteria.” Nokia came in second, followed by Apple.

Now in its 17th edition, the Greenpeace Guide ranks 15 leading mobile phone, TV, and PC manufacturers on their environmental policies and practices for reducing their impact on the climate, producing greener products, and making their operations more environmentally sustainable. Greenpeace ranked the companies in three areas: Energy & Climate, Greener Products, and Sustainable Operations.

In the printer category, Greenpeace noted HP’s recycling of depleted ink cartridges, noting that HP has used more than 20,000 tons of recycled plastic resin in 760 million ink print cartridges from 2005 to 2009. HP’s goal is to use a total of 100 million pounds (45,000 tons) of recycled plastic in printers, including ink cartridges, between 2007 and 2011. Greenpeace’s Report Card on HP’s environmental initiatives and programs can be downloaded here.

HP was followed by Dell, which scored 5.1 out of 10. Samsung came in seventh, scoring 4.1 out of 10, while Panasonic came in ninth, and Sharp came in 11th. The Greenpeace Guide can be accessed here.

Original source: HP Scores Highest in Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics

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Free iPhone app: Scan Pages

Ricoh Innovations, Inc. (RII), Ricoh's R&D subsidiary in Silicon Valley, California released a new free iPhone application called Scan Pages. Scan Pages application turns your smartphone into a mobile scanner. It organizes and cleans your mobile images using RII’s advance mobile image processing technology, and allows you to combine scanned pages in a PDF file and store in Google Docs, Evernote, Dropbox or share via E-mail.

Since its release in September, 2011, Scan Pages application has gained 110,000+ users with very positive comments, such as “Simply the Best. Just tested paid apps, this one way better by quality and is easy to use”. The application has also ranked in the top 100 business apps lists of over 40 countries in the Apple App Store.

Dr. Berna Erol, the Research Manager of Advanced Personal Technologies group at RII said that “Our previous mobile applications ‘Whiteboard Share’ has exceeded 100,000 users and ‘Image To Text’ has exceeded 150,000 users. We are very happy to create yet another popular mobile imaging application for users.”

If you have any question about Scan Pages, send an e-mail to betas@rii.ricoh.com

Original source: Free iPhone app: Scan Pages

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How the Olympics gave birth to the desktop printer

Japanese OEM Epson created its first portable printer for the 1964 Olympic Games.

With the 2012 Olympic Games fast approaching, millions of fans around the world are looking forward to cheering their athletes on for the gold. It’s probably a safe bet that none of them are thinking about desktop printers.

But as the LA Times sports blog recounts, the Olympics may have had a crucial role in the creation of the desktop printer in Japan over 50 years ago by Seiko Epson.

At the 1964 Tokyo Games Suwa Seikosha Co. was given the prestigious task of becoming official timekeeper for the event, thanks to the reputation of its famous Seiko watches. A subsidiary called Shinshu Seiki Co was charged with handling the games, and debuted both new quartz timing technology and advanced LCD displays at the event.

A more unexpected innovation was the creation of their first portable printer. With some scores recorded electronically, the team realized they needed a way to quickly get them onto paper, leading to the creation of a small electronic printer.

While companies such as Xerox had already debuted printers, Shinshu Seiki’s machine was much smaller and easier to transport. Realizing the potential, they set about manufacturing a compact printer for wider use, resulting in the Ep-101 in 1968.

The EP (Electronic Printer) proved successful, and in 1975 Epson (the “son of EP”) was born, releasing its first dot-matrix printer in 1978.

Today Seiko Epson Corporation has continued in the spirit of its 1964 forbearers, as evidenced by the recent release of its “small-in-one” NX420 inkjet, one of the most compact in the market.

Visit our renewed online store for high quality inkjet cartridges and printer ink supplies.

Lexmark’s new app supports mobile printing

Lexmark International, Inc. (NYSE: LXK) announced availability for its Lexmark Mobile Printing App for both Android and Apple iOS.

* The Lexmark Mobile Printing App, which is designed for Android and Apple iOS smartphones and tablets, allows you to print from virtually anywhere directly to the Lexmark Pro715 or Pro915 all-in-one (AIO) inkjets or most Lexmark laser printers introduced since 2005.

* The App makes it easy to “locate” a print device, add it to your list of preferred printers, and send pdf, tiff, or jpeg file formats for quick, on-demand printing.

* Apps for Android and Apple are available for free and easy download from the Android App Store or the iTunes Store.

Tablets, smartphones and cloud-based technology are changing the way small businesses and enterprises manage their day-to-day activities. For those on the go, moving between locations requires a greater need to access and produce documents anytime, anywhere with ease.

In today’s unwired world, mobile technology to quickly complete tasks is a new prerequisite to doing business. The new Lexmark Mobile Printing App, which works on both Lexmark inkjet and laser compatible products, has simplified wireless printing to meet the needs of any size business.

This new mobile print capability for Lexmark’s latest AIO inkjet technology, along with the Lexmark cloud-based Print Release solution announced in October, are among many Lexmark solutions designed to help small and medium businesses and enterprises be more efficient, saving them time and money.

Original source: Lexmark’s new app supports mobile printing

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Ricoh Named as Leader in Magic Quadrant for MFPs and Printers

Ricoh Americas Corporation announced that Gartner placed Ricoh as a Leader in its Magic Quadrant for multifunction products (MFPs) and printers worldwide. Gartner's Magic Quadrant serves as a guide for midsize to large organizations to identify and evaluate technology providers that can match their global footprint, become their partners in helping them reduce costs and gain control of their printer fleets and help them reduce the environmental impact of the organization's print environment.

According to Gartner, "Leaders are the most capable in providing MFPs (including SMFPs), printers and the associated printing solutions and services, regardless of customer location. Providers in the Leaders quadrant offer the most extensive product portfolio relative to their peers, and they have the broad channel capability to deliver the products to customers where they want to procure them. Thus, Leaders hold consistently high market share worldwide and are capable of delivering consistent service levels in the regions where Gartner customers are located. Leaders tend to have the deepest global capability and the inventiveness and resources, skills and vision to deliver superior levels of support to existing and future customers globally. Leaders have a proven track record of channeling R&D initiatives into products and solutions that customers need."

Ricoh offers a complete line of network-capable MFPs and printers that print in black and white, color, or both. Ricoh multifunction products offer scanning, fax and copier options as well as advanced finishing capabilities. From small offices to centralized production printing environments, Ricoh MFPs and printers can help customers be more efficient and enhance productivity.

"We believe Ricoh's recognition by Gartner as a Leader in the 2011 MFP Magic Quadrant continues to affirm not only the strength of our products but our genuine commitment to customers and partners around the globe who share our vision," said Shun Sato, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "We are also very proud to be recognized for our environmental track record which is so vital to sustaining our world as well as our ability to provide the global services needed to satisfy our customers."

Original source: Ricoh Named as Leader in Magic Quadrant for MFPs and Printers

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Canon Ranks Among Top 100 Global Brands For 2011

For the eleventh consecutive year, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, announced its parent company, Canon Inc., has been ranked among the top 50 of the 100 Best Global Brands for 2011 by Interbrand, the leading brand consultancy. The Company, which placed 33 for the third year running and enjoyed a two-percent increase in brand value from 2010, is ranked as one of the top electronics manufacturers and the number three overall Japanese company on the list.

"This prestigious distinction reaffirms Canon's position as an innovative industry leader, dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of our customers throughout the world," said Bunji Yano, senior director and general manager, Corporate Communications, Canon U.S.A. "The Canon brand is recognized for its rich 70+ year heritage of delivering rich technology while continuing to strive to be an environmentally conscious organization."

According to Interbrand, "Canon continues its leadership position in the consumer digital camera market with a stable of innovative products and a loyal customer base. In a fiercely contested category, the brand is setting itself apart from the pack through its devotion to corporate citizenship." The consultancy also recognized Canon for its environmental sustainability initiatives and product recycling programs, as guided by the Company's corporate philosophy of Kyosei.

Interbrand's ranking method looks at the ongoing investment and management of a brand as a business asset, meaning its method takes into account the many ways in which a brand touches and benefits its organization. The three key aspects that contribute to the brand assessment are: the financial performance of the branded products or services; the role of the brand in a consumers' purchasing decision process; and the strength of the brand.

Original source: Canon Ranks Among Top 100 Global Brands For 2011

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GreenPrint Advisor Moves Print Jobs to More Cost-Effective Printers

GreenPrint Technologies LLC is introducing a public beta version of GreenPrint Advisor software that helps users redirect print jobs from costly or inefficient printers to more cost-effective ones. GreenPrint, which is headquartered in Portland, OR, and also has an office in Bangalore, India, makes software that enable enterprises to measure, manage, and reduce their overall print volumes and costs.

Advisor is designed for use with GreenPrint Analytics software. GreenPrint Analytics is used to track print volumes and print costs. Cost per page data for the enterprise’s print fleet is imported into Advisor from Analytics’ administrative console, and allows administrators to group printers into Green, Yellow, and Red categories based on the printer's cost and efficiency attributes.

Whenever a user sends a print job, Advisor pops up with a message showing a more cost-effective or efficient alternative and shows the savings possible if the job is transferred to the green printer. The user can opt to print with the green printer, or can continue printing to their inititally selected printer.

GreenPrint Technologies also says Advisor can identify locally connected printers not on the network and not easily detectable by administrators.

GreenPrint also markets GreenPrint preView+ software, which helps users eliminate unnecessary pages, images, and text—such as a URL printed on the last page of a document downloaded from the Web—and print selected pages in grayscale, not color. It also shows print costs for each job (cost data is provided by GreenPrint Analytics), and provides detailed individual print reports that track costs and savings over time.

For more information, visit GreenPrint at PrintGreener.com

Original source: GreenPrint Advisor Designed to Move Print Jobs to More Cost-Effective Printers

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Artefact Unveils “Radically Simple” Ink-Jet Concept Printer

Design group Artefact of Seattle, WA, introduced what it’s calling a “radically simple” color ink-jet printer, the See What You Print (SWYP) concept printer that provides a 1:1 editable preview of your print job on a large color touch screen. Using the touch screen, you can crop and adjust margins using your fingers – for instance, “pinch” the image to zoom in on it - and the touch screen is calibrated to show the effects of adjusting color image quality. The result, says Artefact, is that the touch screen displays nearly exactly how printed output will appear.

Artefact says it designed the SWYP concept printer to make it as easy as possible to get printouts from multiple sources, including wirelessly direct from digital cameras, mobile devices, and directly from Facebook photo streams and Flickr.

The overall design focus was “a printer as a box” (it’s about the size of a ream of paper) and providing essentials only, with easy access to the paper tray and ink cartridges. The the paper tray is covered in fabric, relying on the fabric’s material properties to create a hinge; when unfolded, it becomes a rigid tray, and it folds to stow on top of the printer. There’s also no power button. Instead, closing the paper tray shuts down the printer, while opening the paper tray turns it on.



Artefact won’t be manufacturing the printer – it says basically this concept printer was an exercise to show show how to innovate in very mature markets, “By re-thinking the product and focusing on core issues it is possible to revitalize a product that has lost its consumer appeal.”

Original source: Artefact Unveils “Radically Simple” Ink-Jet Concept Printer

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Epson Ink Cartridge Packaging Made of 100% Recycled Paperboard

Epson America, Inc., a leading provider of superior performing desktop printing solutions, announced that it will save thousands of trees annually, decrease air pollution and eliminate nearly one million pounds of solid waste per year in its recent transition to 100 percent recycled paperboard ink cartridge boxes now available where Epson inks are sold in the U.S. and Canada.

“Epson is committed to environmental conservation, from our product recycling and donation programs to our recognized global sustainability efforts,” said Ron Mateas, corporate manager, Environmental Programs, Epson America, Inc. “Epson strives to be a socially responsible corporate citizen, and for the third year in a row has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an indicator for leading companies in economic, environmental and social criteria.”

All Epson packaging for consumer retail ink cartridges in the U.S. and Canada will consist of 100 percent recycled paperboard that can also be recycled when empty. By converting to recycled paperboard instead of virgin paperboard, less solid waste will be produced. In addition, by diverting fiber that would otherwise go into a landfill, the CO2 that would be emitted from decomposition of the material in a landfill is avoided, resulting in nearly one million pounds of solid waste eliminated per year. This move also eliminates the production of waste water equivalent to over 17 Olympic size swimming pools per year.

Recycled paperboard is made from 100 percent recovered paper that has been diverted from the solid waste stream and collected, separated, cleaned and recycled for use. Production of the recycled paperboard uses 50 percent less energy than converting virgin grades of paperboard, resulting in a significant reduction in greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.

For more information on Epson and the Environment, visit Epson.com

Original source: Epson Ink Cartridge Packaging Made of 100 Percent Recycled Paperboard

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Xerox CiPress, World’s Only High-Speed Waterless Inkjet System

The Xerox CiPress™ 500 Production Inkjet System, the world’s only high-speed waterless inkjet device, is making its North American debut at Graph Expo 2011. The supercharged system has earned high praise from a test customer, who calls it a “revolutionary, industry-changing solution.”

Printing 500 feet or 2,180 full-color pages per minute, the twin-engine device from Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) efficiently creates personalized marketing, transpromo and publishing pieces.

The inkjet system was tested by dmh Marketing Partners, a direct-mail company that creates more than 800 million pieces annually. By using the Xerox CiPress 500, dmh achieved consistent quality from page to page, spending less time on recalibrating the printing press and more time maximizing profitable revenue opportunities.

“We are constantly looking for cutting-edge technology to drive the manufacturing process and we believe the CiPress 500 is the best technology for high-volume production,” said Randy Seberg, chief technology officer, dmh Marketing Partners.

Waterless technology
Building from its patented solid ink technology, Xerox CiPress 500 enables printing on low-cost, plain paper without ink soaking through. This – together with self-monitoring and auto-correcting production controls – results in a workhorse device reliable enough to print tens of millions of pages every month. Xerox’s FreeFlow® Print Server enhances productivity by handling complex variable jobs without sacrificing print speed.

“The predictability and consistency is very high – the first sheet looks the same as sheet 500,000, which I could never say of an offset press,” added Seberg.

Drive more jobs, reduce costs with Xerox’s IntegratedPlus
Printers can be even more productive and efficient with Xerox’s IntegratedPlus – a new program that takes advantage of the open standards platform of Xerox FreeFlow Print Server and various industry-leading partner software solutions.

The first such offering – Xerox GMC IntegratedPlus – uses custom-designed software for the Xerox FreeFlow Print Server and CiPress 500, which delivers an extra boost of productivity. The results: consistent quality, two-way data communication, reduced labor costs and fewer opportunities for errors in a print run – all of which drive volume and revenue growth.

“As the demand for color pages continues to grow, inkjet devices such as the Xerox CiPress 500 become a strategic installation – positioning printers to capture more profitable jobs and produce them in the most productive, economical way,” said Eric Armour, president, Graphic Communications Business Group, Xerox Corporation.

Pricing and availability
The list price for Xerox CiPress 500 Production Inkjet System, including the Xerox FreeFlow Print Server, is $3.8 million for the base twin-engine duplex. Order taking begins immediately with installs slated for later this year.

Original source: Xerox CiPress, World’s Only High-Speed Waterless Inkjet System, Opens New Revenue Streams with Lucrative, High-Volume Pages

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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HP Announces Drivers for Apple Mac OS X Lion

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

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

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

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New Epson Artisan All-in-Ones

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Saving Toner and Ink with Pixel Optimization Software

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Lexmark Releases Print Drivers for New Apple Mac OS X Lion

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

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

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

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