priceless-inkjet.com provides buySAFE Guaranteed Shopping

Priceless-Inkjet.com Improves Website Conversion by 7.0% with the buySAFE Program

Arlington, VA and Port Charlotte, FL (February 19th, 2014) -buySAFE, Inc., a leading provider of Guaranteed Shopping programs for "Online Merchants" to increase customer satisfaction and overall profitability from a greater conversion percentage Priceless-Inkjet.com, , a major online retailer of inkjet cartridges, laser toner cartridges and printer imaging supplies, determined during an A/B test that buySAFE 3-in-1 Guarantee materially increased website visitor conversion and sales while also improving the overall customer purchase experience.

Priceless-Inkjet.com utilized a split A/B testing methodology to objectively measure the conversion, sales and profit impact of using the buySAFE program. The results were convincing. By utilizing buySAFE, Priceless-Inkjet.com increased its order conversion rate by 7.0%. The test was conducted over a month period. The results were highly statistically significant with tens of thousands of unique visitors included in the test.

"By partnering with buySAFE 3-in-1 Guaranteed Shopping program we wanted to make our customer even more protected and satisfied with their shopping experience." said Elena Slipatchuk, CEO of Priceless-Inkjet.com. "We have experienced the positive effect of our partnership with buySAFE and are anticipating a greater success and conversion rate as our customers become more familiar with the 3-in-1 Guarantee."

About buySAFE
buySAFE, Inc. provides a Guaranteed Shopping program for online merchants to increase profits and customer satisfaction. buySAFE is partnered with Liberty Mutual and Assurant Specialty Property. With over 5 billion online impressions of buySAFE each year and 25 million guaranteed purchases, buySAFE is widely recognized as an industry leader in providing its unique guaranteed shopping programs. buySAFE's investors include Grotech Ventures, Core Capital Partners, Symantec Corporation and The Hartford Financial Services Group.

About Priceless-Inkjet.com
Priceless-Inkjet.com is a major printer / copier / fax supplies retailer since 1999. They offer OEM and Earth Friendly compatible and remanufactured printing supplies for all major brands and models printing machines. The company's multi-language customer support is always ready to help and provide the best customer experience. For more information, visit: Priceless-Inkjet.com

Media Contact:

buySAFE, Inc.
Hans Dreyer - 703-778-4445
hdreyer@buysafe.com

Priceless-Inkjet.com
Ray Slipatchuk
Business Development
CS@Priceless-Inkjet.com

Source: Priceless-Inkjet.com Improves Website Conversion by 7.0% with the buySAFE Program

Paperless office -- far from reality

IT Web reported on DCC's OKI Product Specialist Heinrich Pretorius, who spoke with the news outlet to discuss how the paperless office is "far from a reality", despite the growing global trend "towards reducing printing in order to become more environmentally friendly and work towards a lower carbon footprint".

Pretorius stated that there are still many "essential documents" as well as contracts and business cards that still need to be physically printed, adding that "the printer remains a vital piece of office equipment", and that companies wishing to be environmentally conscious can utilize eco-friendly printer features such as duplexing and high-yield printer cartridges, as well as power saving modes.

He also told the site that people "purchasing a printer based on pricing alone and not workload requirements" can experience "premature failure of the printer", with printing volumes overlooked in favor of "focusing on the cost alone", when businesses can save money instead of "far exceeding the initial savings" on a cheaper machine.

Pretorius commented: "Choosing a business printer requires careful consideration and a number of areas should be examined to ensure maximum value, productivity and efficiency. Choosing the right printer requires an understanding of business needs and requirements. The first and foremost consideration is the volume of printing."

"If high print volumes are required, it is essential to purchase a printer that can cope with this need. A good way of gauging this is to look at the duty cycle of the printer, which gives an indication of the volumes the printer can handle on a monthly basis. Workhorse printers can often handle up to 200,000 pages per month, which will ensure the printer does not fail due to overuse."

He added: "Print speeds are also important since large documents can take a long time to print at low speeds. Enterprise-class printers can offer time to first print at five seconds, as well as up to 52 ppm, ensuring that large volumes of documents can be printed quickly and efficiently. It is important to have encryption functionality as well as secure networking."

"In addition, PIN codes to release print jobs can ensure that unauthorized personnel cannot simply walk past the printer and pick up documents that are not theirs."

Pretorius concluded by noting that all these factors must be taken into account when purchasing devices, and that they are still vital: "Printers are an essential piece of office equipment in many businesses, and need to fit the business and its requirements if they are to deliver value. By taking into account print volumes, print speeds, networking, security and the features of the printer, organizations can ensure they purchase the right device for their needs, increasing value and lowering the total cost of ownership while maximizing productivity and efficiency."

Source: Paperless office "far from reality"

New mobile and NFC-enabled multifunction printer from HP

The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M476 features mobile and NFC connectivity.

Hewlett Packard / HP stated that the newest addition to "the world"s best-selling MFP family" features mobile print capabilities aimed at small-to-medium businesses (SMBs), including NFC (near-field communications) technology, adding that the "simple, secured" technologies allow users to "print or access content, anytime, anywhere, from any device".

HP noted that by 2015 around half of smartphones and about 58% of tablets will be used by owners to print, and states that it "continues to build out a line-up of devices" that "simplify the way customers can securely print", with its ePrint and AirPrint mobile applications, along with the NFC technology, making the M476 the first "Mopria-certified" device, with the OEM one of the members of the global mobile printing alliance.

Other features of the machine include its productivity and workflow utilities, including "access to cloud business applications" and single-pass two-sided scanning, which HP notes “enable users to accelerate efficiency in a hybrid paper-and-digital world". The OEM previously released a USB NFC box that would allow older machines to utilize NFC technology.

Brian Schmitz, Director of Future Product Marketing for HP’s LaserJet and Enterprise Solutions, commented: "The expectation of today’s business customer is to print securely from any location or device. HP remains committed to delivering simple, secured mobile print solutions aimed to help customers solve the mobility challenge of working while in the office or on-the-go."

"With the addition of these new enterprise-grade mobility offerings, HP is helping small-to-medium businesses increase productivity and workflow solutions like never before."

Visit Priceless Ink & Toner store for HP ink and toner supplies.

Source: HP launches new mobile and NFC-enabled MFP

Funai Electric Open Facility After Buying Lexmark Inkjet Side

The Japanese company will employ 50 people after acquiring the inkjet technology of the Lemxmark's last year.

Lane Report reported on the move by Funai Electric to the Lexmark campus in Lexington, which will see the company employ up to 50 staff with an average salary of $100,000. The company based at the site will be called Funai Lexington Technology Corporation, and will be a subsidiary of the global technology company.

The company purchased Lexmark’s inkjet technology assets in April last year, and the site will "support research and development in the inkjet and microfluidic technologies", with an investment said to be worth around $4.2 million to the state of Kentucky.

In return, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority "preliminarily" approved tax incentives for Funai worth around $1.2 million through its Kentucky Business Investment program, a performance-based incentive that allows companies to "keep a portion of their investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credit and wage assessments".

Kentucky Governer Stever Beshear stated: "This is a prime example of an innovative company teaming up with an innovative and high-tech workforce. Kentucky’s reputation for employing educated and skilled workers is gaining the attention of companies around the world. We are very excited to welcome Funai to the commonwealth, and we look forward to seeing Funai Lexington Technology Corp. grow into a global leader."

Kiyoshi Chinzei, Officer and General Manager of Funai Electrics' Office Solution Business Unit, added: "Funai Lexington Technology Corp. is a critical development resource for the Funai Electric Company Limited. This new company will continue research and development in the inkjet and microfluidic technologies."

"We expect this company will lead great success for us to be one of global leaders in the new business opportunities. We are pleased with the technology resources available in Lexington and the support of the Commonwealth of Kentucky."

In turn, Bob Quick, President and CEO of Commerce Lexington Inc. noted: "Lexington is excited to welcome Funai Lexington Technology Corp. to our technology community. Lexington was recently ranked in the top 25 high-tech hotspots in America, and Funai's decision to locate in our city is a testament to our educated workforce, low cost of doing business and innovative spirit."

Visit www.priceless-inkjet.com for OEM and Earth-Friendly compatible and remanufactured printer supplies

Source: Funai Electric to open facility in Lexington after buying Lexmark inkjet technology

Printer on Water Instead of Ink Invented

Like any ordinary printer, this machine ingests a blank page and spits it out covered in print. But instead of ink, it uses only water, and the used paper fades back to white within a day, enabling it to be reused.

A team of chemists claims their "water-jet" technology allows each page to be reprinted dozens of times, a money-saving and tree-saving option in a digital world that still relies heavily on hard copy.

"Several international statistics indicate that about 40% of office printouts are taken to the waste paper basket after a single reading," said Sean Xiao-An Zhang, a chemistry professor at Jilin University in China, who oversaw the work.

The trick lies in the paper, which is treated with an invisible dye that colors when exposed to water, then disappears. The print fades away within about 22 hours at temperatures below 35 degrees as the water evaporates – quicker if exposed to high heat, Zhang and a team wrote in a paper describing their invention in the journal Nature Communications.

The print is clear, claim the designers, and the technology cheap.

"Based on 50 times of rewriting, the cost is only about 1% of the inkjet prints," Zhang said in a video on the Nature website. Even if each page was re-used only a dozen times, the cost would still be about one-seventeenth of the inkjet version. Sean said dye-treating the paper, of the type generally used for printing, added about 5% to its price, but this is more than compensated for by the saving on ink.

Crucially, the new method does not require a change of printer but merely replacing the ink in the cartridge with water, using a syringe. "Water is a renewable resource and obviously poses no risk to the environment," said the study.

Previous work in the quest for a disappearing ink has tended to yield a low-contrast print, often at a high cost, and sometimes using hazardous chemicals. Zhang and his team used a previously little-studied dye compound called oxazolidine, which yielded a clear, blue print in less than a second after water was applied. They have managed to create four water-printed colors so far – blue, magenta, gold and purple – but can only print in one hue at a time, for now.

The next step is to improve both the resolution and the duration of the print. They are also working on a machine that will heat pre-printed sheets of paper as they are fed into the machine, fading the pages instantaneously for re-printing.

At 70 degrees, the color disappears within about 30 seconds.

Zhang said the dyed paper was "very safe" but toxicity tests are underway to be sure.

Source: Scientists create printer that uses water instead of ink

OfficeMax Misused Customer’s Personal Information

NBC Chicago reported on the letter sent to Mike Seay, whose 17 year old daughter Ashley died in a car crash in April 2013 in Antioch, Illinois, and to whom the office products retailer sent marketing material addressed to Mike Seay and "Daughter Killed in Car Crash" on the address label of the envelope.

The letter was received by Seay last Thursday, and he asked friends how to handle the situation, eventually deciding to contact the company"s call center, who told him "it was impossible" and that "this can't be happening", before NBC contacted OfficeMax, who have "blamed it on a third-party mailing list provider".

Seay stated to NBC: "Why would they have that type of information? Why would they need that? What purpose does it serve anybody to know that? And how many other types of information do they have if they have that on me, or anyone else? And how do they use that, what do they use that for?"

OfficeMax later sent a statement out from its corporate affairs office, saying: "We are deeply sorry that Mr. Seay and his family received this mailing from us, and we are reaching out to Mr. Seay to convey our sincerest apologies on this unfortunate matter. This mailing is a result of a mailing list rented through a third-party provider. We have reached out to the third-party mailing list provider to research what happened. Based on a preliminary investigation today we believe this to be an inadvertent error; and we are continuing the investigation."

Entrepreneur.com in turn discussed how the company had "failed on the PR front … twice" by having "mishandled customer service" by meeting Seay’s queries with "incredulity rather than an apology, let alone sympathy", and by then "immediately blaming a third-party vendor"; in this site’s view, the fact is that "the letter bore OfficeMax’s brand, so the public does not care who erred".

The site went on to note that customer service is the "front line of public relations", and that "by failing to manage and assure quality" in terms of the third-party company, OfficeMax "fumbled its brand protection … blaming the vendor does nothing to absolve OfficeMax of that responsibility". It also dismissed privacy concerns by stating that the error "was more mundane", and that it was "not the existence of this data that was a problem, but rather its use" by the company.

Source: The Recycler, NBC Chicago, Entrepreneur.com

We at Priceless Inkjet Cartridge Company are committed to protecting your privacy. We use the information we collect about you to process orders and to provide a more personalized shopping experience. Your personal information will never be, under any circumstances, released, sold or rented to any third party. Guaranteed!

Mobile Printer Market is Expected to be Worth $11 billion

A new market report from Reportlinker, titled Global Mobile Printers Market Forecast & Opportunities 2018, discusses the mobile printing market's future growth, with expectations that it will reach a value of $11.87 billion by 2018 across the globe.

The site states that the mobile and portable printer market "came into existence in 1985", and that by 1990 the machines were "widely available and were being extensively used in retail, transportation and hospitality" industries, with "initial adoption" seen in the North American and European markets.

The industry started with dot-matrix machines, but with "various technological advancements" inkjet and thermal machines are "widely used", with the thermal-based devices using a "special type of thermal paper instead of ribbon or cartridges", which "reduces the replacement or refilling costs" of the devices.

In terms of regional markets, Reportlinker believes that the Asia-Pacific market will be the "highest revenue generator" before Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa, as with the "growth of online retailing, the need for a mobile workforce has increased exponentially", in turn resulting in a growth in demand for such devices.

Source: Mobile printer market to be worth $11 billion worldwide by 2018

“There is No Reason to Not Use” Remanufactured Printer Cartridges

Wiles Greenworld’s Tony Robins noted that remanufactured cartridges are a "stand-out" opportunity for businesses to save the environment.

An interview with E2B Pulse saw Robins, Sustainable Development Director at office supplies and services company Wiles Greenworld, discuss the options businesses based in London have to cut down their environmental impact, with remanufactured cartridges among the options he believes are obvious for London-based businesses to take up, and one of the "most popular" green products that the company provides to businesses.

Robins stated that toner cartridges "are the other opportunity within offices that stands out", as "frankly, there is no reason to not use remanufactured toner cartridges. All the relevant parts, the selenium drums and springs are replaced and it's just reusing the plastic case".

He also mentioned that "sometimes there's an issue with brand awareness and confidence and a default to thinking that an HP brand or a Canon brand is a guarantee that the product will work", but in terms of cost savings "it’s very significant to move to remanufactured cartridges and quality-wise, there is no reason for there to be an impact".

Robins notes that the company's attitude has "been to promote and supply products with the least environmental impact as the preferred option”, and that many companies in office supplies "might put out a global tender" asking for the "cheapest place [they] can buy" recycled products, which is often said to be China, but in Wiles Greenworld’s case, Robins believes that "if it's for the UK and that product is then shipped 5,000 miles, a product from a sustainable source provided locally may well have a lower environmental impact".

Source: Environmental office company claims “there is no reason to not use” remanufactured cartridges

The price of Gas versus Printer Ink

The price of Gas versus Printer Ink
All these examples do NOT imply that gasoline is cheap, it just illustrates how outrageous some prices are. You will be really shocked by the last one! (At least, I was...) Compared with Gasoline... Think a gallon of gas is expensive? This makes one think, and also puts things in perspective.
Diet Snapple 16 oz $1.29 - $10.32 per gallon	Lipton Ice Tea 16 oz $1.19 - $9.52 per gallon
Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 - $10.17 per gallon	Ocean Spray 16 oz $1.25 - $10.00 per gallon
Brake Fluid 12 oz $3.15 - $33.60 per gallon	Vick's Nyquil 6 oz $8.35 - $178.13 per gallon
Pepto Bismol 4 oz $3.85 - $123.20 per gallon	Scope 15 oz $0.99 - $84.48 per gallon
And this is the REAL KICKER...
Evian water 9 oz $1.49 - $21.19 per gallon for WATER and the buyers don't even know the source! (Evian spelled backwards is Naive.)
Ever wonder why printers are so cheap? So they have you hooked for the ink. Someone calculated the cost of the ink at (you won't believe it... but it is true!!!) $5,200 a gallon (five thousand two hundred dollars)
So, the next time you're at the pump, be glad your car doesn't run on water, Scope, or Whiteout, Pepto Bismol, Nyquil or God forbid, Printer Ink!

Save Money Using MPS

Mike Stately told of how his company was over-spending on printer ink, explaining that while it prints its "fair share" of documents, it was "not nearly enough to warrant what we were spending. We had to find a new way to do business".

As a result, Stately turned to MPS provider Pacific Office Automation, which he said shared "very revealing" information, particularly that printers use up ink for maintenance purposes even when not engaged in printing. Pacific Office Automation’s Doug Pitassi explained: "There had been an investigation done by Consumer Reports that showed how inefficient most ink brands are […] so when Mike Stately called, we let him know this information and made some suggestions as to how to alleviate his concerns."

Stately decided to invest in an MFP to help save on the cost of printer ink, with the device able to provide data on who is printing and how much to further manage the costs of printing. Using an MFP also means that many documents no longer need to be printed as the device allows documents to be shared via the network database.

Commenting on the new printing strategy, Stately said: "It has been incredibly helpful. Our printing costs are down, and we are spending so much less on ink. It is much more efficient than anything else we have used in the past. Our employees save time and unnecessary effort, and we save on costs. It’s a win-win for everyone involved."

You can also save on printer supplies by purchasing Earth Friendly remanufactured ink and toner cartridges. Visit www.priceless-inkjet.com and start saving.

Source: Company saves money with MPS

Smartphone Instant Printer from Fujifilm

Fujifilm's Instax Share SP-1 device will be able to print photos from phones on the spot.

Gizmodo reported that the machine, the latest in the company's range of Instax instant printers, can "approximate that level of satisfaction" and "wonderful feel" of photos "a Polaroid used to spit out", with the machine's built-in Wi-Fi radio allowing it to become a hotspot as well as a printer.

The machine works through the Instax Share iOS and Android applications on smartphones, with a connection made to the printer and the photo produced on a two-by-three inch film sheet. Gizmodo added that the printer also has a "print again button" for those who've "taken a photo of a group and would like a souvenir", with dates and times added to photos if chosen as an option.

The site also noted that it "loves the idea that you can turn your photo into a memory" with the machine, which is also battery-powered for mobile and on-the-go use, and will be available in the US market in April for $200.

Source: Fujifilm launches mobile phone instant printer

Make Your Office Greener

It's much easier being greener at home, but what about in your work place? There are a few tips to make your office greener and help saving the environment.

Remanufactured inkjet cartridges and laser toner supplies
Each year more than 375 million empty ink and toner cartridges are thrown away, with most of them ending up in landfills or in incinerators. You can help to reduce this harmful waste by recycling your toner and ink cartridges and by purchasing re-manufactured ones. We at Priceless Ink & Toner offer Earth friendly recycled printer supplies for almost all printer brands and models.
According to recent statistics from major supplies' retailers, using a remanufactured toner cartridge can keep about two pounds of metal and plastic out of landfills and save nearly a half-gallon of oil. Many retail stores offer incentive programs if you bring in your empty inkjet cartridges and toner cartridges for recycling. Consider refilling your old ink and toner cartridges yourself to realize substantial savings.

Reduce paper usage
According to The Economist's article from 1980, the average American uses the paper equivalent of nearly six 40-foot trees each year. Despite the increased use of electronic communication, the average American office worker goes 10,000 sheets of paper every year, according to statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency.
You can reduce paper usage by using online office tools to share documents. Or if you need to print your document, make double-sided copies or print on the back of old documents. Recycle unused backs of paper that come to your office in the mail or as flyers for use as notepaper for your office.
Guide books and manuals could be e-mailed to the employees instead of printing a copy to each of them. You can also cut down on paper bills and junk mail.

Reuse products and supplies packages
Most packaging can be re-used several times. When you get a package delivery, save the box, bubble-wrap and cardboard to use in your next shipment. What can't be reused -- recycle

Save on electricity
Use laptops instead of desktop computers whenever practical. Laptops consume five times less electricity. When you set desktop computers to go into automatic sleep mode during short breaks, it can cut their energy use by about 70%.
Shut off lights when you leave a room. Shut off all lights when leaving the building. Purchase Energy Star-rated light bulbs and fixtures which use less energy and last up to 10 times longer before burning out. Consider installing motion sensors or timers on entrance ways.
Make use of natural light whenever you can by opening curtains and blinds during the day.

Get rid of the plastic cups and plates
Encourage staff members to bring their own water bottles and coffee mugs instead of the disposable ones. Provide filtered drinking water for employee use.
Place recycling bins in high-traffic areas of your office and post clear instructions about what can and cannot be recycled in them.

Save on transportation
Think about ways you can cut down on the environmental impact of transportation costs for your staff members -- encourage car-pooling.
Use teleconferencing to reduce travel expenses. Help employees to arrange carpooling or offer incentives for using public transportation to and from work.

Source: Practical Steps for a Greener Office

With the End Comes a New Beginning

Merry Christmas and Happy, Healthy and Safe Holiday Season

Wide-format Market grows in Fourth Quarter

IDC’s latest overview saw the sector grow by 6.2% , with 77,000 units shipped in 3Q 2013.

The latest version of the Worldwide Quarterly Large Format Printer Tracker presented the market's growth, which is the first growth period "since the first quarter of 2011 where both units and shipments achieved year-over-year gains", according to the analysts.

The total market value for the third quarter of 2013 came to $802.8 million, which was an increase of 6.2% from the third quarter in 2012, with growth said to have been "fueled" by "solid demand" from both the United States and Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) (APeJ) markets, with the USA seeing a unit increase of 16.5% and value increase of 8.4%, and the APeJ region seeing a 20.9% unit increase and 8.4% value increase as well.

Breaking down the wide-format industry into technical and graphic applications, the former segment grew by 5.7% to 45,900 units shipped, with a 59.1% share of the total market, "unchanged" from the previous year. Seven of eight regions saw growth in technical printing, with the MEA (Middle East and Africa) first with 23.8%, followed by the USA with 15.4% and Japan with 12.7%.

The graphics application segment also saw a unit increase of 6.9% to 31,800 units, a 40.9% share of the total market, with the APeJ and US markets among the four regions that saw growth in comparison to 2012, with 19.8% and 18% increases respectively. In turn, both Japan and the MEA saw increases over the results from 3Q 2012.

In terms of OEM share, HP remains first, with a share of 39.1% and 30,500 units shipped, a decline of 1.4%, though it saw growth in four regions, including the APeJ and US markets with 15% and 13.4% respectively. Epson ranked second, with a growth of 13.5% to 16,600 units shipped – a 21.4% market share, with double-digit growth in the US of 51.4%, the APeJ of 34.2%, Japan with 22.4%, and the MEA with 16.8%.

Canon placed third with unit increase of 12.4% to 16,400 units and a 21.1% share, with all regions growing except Western Europe, with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), APeJ and Canada each seeing an increase of 46.7%, 35.5 percent and 17.3% respectively. Roland held fourth place with 20.9% growth and 2,700 units shipped, with gains everywhere but Europe, including the MEA with 50 percent, APeJ with 45.7%, and Latin America with 45.1%.

Finally, Ricoh held fifth position, with two thousand units shipped for a share of 2.6%, with shipments increasing by 22.1% to make it the "best year-over-year performance", with growth in all regions except Latin America, including a growth of 3.8% in Japan, 45.1% in the US and 20.4% in the APeJ.

Phuong Hang, Programe Director for Worldwide Large Format Printer Tracker at IDC, stated: "Epson was one of the main growth engines in the APeJ market. The password encryption on Epson print heads benefited Epson itself, as well as Roland, Mimaki and Mutoh who OEM from Epson. The encryption was established in December 2012 and helped to prevent other Chinese brands from using Epson print heads to develop their own machines."

The Recycler previously reported that the global wide-format market is set to be worth $12.5 billion by 2016.

Source: Global wide-format market sees growth in final quarter

Epson Plans to Enter Ecommercial 3D Printing Market

President of OEM says Epson is to move beyond its traditional product range and is developing 3D printers for commercial applications.

The Age reported on an interview conducted by Fairfax Media in which Epson President Minoru Usui spoke of striving for originality and looking into new types of products, as he reportedly stated that other technology companies such as Apple and Samsung lack "originality".

Usui used the two companies' smartphone models as an example, commenting that "if you take them apart then you'll find that they're basically all using the same displays, they're using the same batteries, the same condensers, the same parts".

He then went on to assert that Epson plans to focus on "actual originality" and on creating "things that other companies simply cannot", listing wearable technology and 3D printing as areas of interest for the company.

In terms of 3D printers, Usui explained that Epson would be focused on commercial applications for large-scale production environments rather than models aimed at the consumer market, which he described as "niche" and "very limited" due to the types of materials they can use to create objects. He added that he did not expect the consumer 3D printing market to become "all that big" and believes that interest in the market would be "temporary", claiming that it had been encouraged by a speech made by US President Obama in February in which 3D printing was mentioned.

Usui also talked about Epson"s foray into the wearable technology market, which he said would be "a big area of expansion" for the company. "We’re aiming to create products that will be able to illustrate what’s happening inside your body […] so you can track changes over time," he said. "As far as I’m aware there are no products on the market today that can achieve this by simply just using sensors."

Lightweight, augmented reality headgear is another area that Epson is focused on, with Usui claiming that "the scope for products like this is immense in various applications".

Usui said: "I don’t want Epson to be just known as a printer maker or projector maker […] I want to take it to be a company [that] understands [what] people in different areas of the world want."

Source: Epson to enter commercial 3D printing market

"Dream Printer" for Children from Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta announced its "dream printer" project under the "Giving Shape to Ideas" concept. The new video features children telling a unique printer what they dream of becoming in the future. Magically these children are able to see what they could look like if they follow their dreams.

"We wanted to encourage children by showing them that the more you imagine, the more your dreams take shape," said Yuki Kobayashi, General Manager of Konica Minolta’s CSR, Corporate Communications & Branding Division. "Children dream about what they want to be when they grow up, but they eventually lose sight of those dreams. Konica Minolta believes that children can realize those ambitions by imagining their dreams and focusing on them specifically, so we decided to help children shape their dreams, based on the idea "The more you imagine, the more your dreams take shape." We are happy to celebrate children, and to take it a step further to help them visualize their dreams with the "dream printer."

In the video, filmed in Gantry Plaza State Park in New York, while children run around and play, the children meet with the "dream printer." Watch the surprised faces of the children, as the printer asks them what they imagine themselves being in the future. Within minutes of telling the printer their dream, the children receive an illustration that depicts this, showing them that their dream can come true. As night falls, the printer"s true self is revealed.

Konica Minolta has implemented a variety of projects that embody the concept of "Giving Shape to Ideas," with the "dream printer" and accompanying video as the newest initiative. The Group understands the problems customers face from the customer's perspective and creates new values by bringing ideas into shape. Konica Minolta will continue to create innovative products, services and solutions that bring joy, give surprise and stir emotions for businesses and everyday lives across the world.

Source: Konica Announces ‘Dream Printer’ Project for Children

Printers Were Sent from Hell!

Epson releases Google-linked device

Consumer Electronics Net reported first on the US release of the Epson Expression Premium XP-610, a "small-in-one" inkjet machine that can wirelessly connect to Google Chromebook laptops for printing, scanning and other functions. The machine, set to be exclusively available at US retailer Best Buy, also offers cloud functionality.

The printer is the "first […] to integrate" with Chromebooks in such a way, with Epson America’s Patrick Chen, Product Manager of Mobile Connectivity, stating: "Working closely with Google, we've made it easier than ever to setup and then print from your Chromebook no matter where you are. Chromebooks are one of the fastest growing segments of the PC industry and expanding wireless printing convenience directly enhances creativity and productivity for home, school and business users."

Manila Standard Today meanwhile reported on the launch of two Epson wide-format sign printers in the Philippines, both of which utilize 1.5 litre high-capacity ink tanks. The SureColor SC-B6070 and SCB7070 feature sizes of 44 inches and 64 inches respectively, and are said by the OEM to be used for "high quality indoor signage printing" using its dye-based inks.

The tanks "can be refilled even while the printers are in operation", Epson notes, and "represent a superior solution to third-party ink tanks that are not made by the original printer manufacturer". The OEM has also noted that "there is no warranty coverage for their installation or else when non-original inks cause damage", with both machines utilizing Epson’s Micro Piezo thin film printhead.

Other features included in the two machines are a print resolution of 1440 x 1400 dpi, as well as print speeds of up to 69.5 square metres per hour. The ink tanks also feature filters "to prevent contamination of the printhead", and the machines also utilize a "low ink level warning system" to prevent misprints. The SC-B6070 and SC-B7070 are available for Php 340,900 ($7,793) and Php 799,900 ($18,270) respectively.

Source: Epson releases Google-linked device and new wide-format machines

Okay, let's see who got it right this time?