Ink Cartridge News and Advice

Epson Targets Counterfeit Cartridges In Australia & NZ

2006-12-20T14:17:00.000+11:00

Here is another country where Epson is trying to get rit off competition.

"Epson Australia is following through strongly on Epson's global push to deter counterfeit copies and patent infringements of the ink and cartridge technology used in Epson inkjet printers.

In Australia and New Zealand Epson employs private investigators to trace sales of possible counterfeit cartridges and help prosecute offenders. They are also looking at imported non-genuine cartridges being sold as compatible with Epson printers to see if they violate any of Epson’s patents. This follows Epson’s successful actions on patent infringements internationally."

(read entire article)

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Epson PM250 printer

2006-11-23T18:46:00.000+11:00

TERRY LANE
November 23, 2006
LiveWire

Epson PM250 printer, Price: $330, Highly Recommended

Lowdown: This printer is a dedicated postcard (10x15 cm) portable printer. It is intended as a stand-alone printer for use without a computer and has both a carry handle and optional battery to enhance portability. The printer has Pictbridge for direct connection to a camera and slots for every type of memory card. There is also a USB socket for computer connection and provision for Bluetooth transmission. To keep the operation really simple, the ink and paper come in a "picture pack", which includes 150 sheets of paper and a single ink cartridge containing all the colours (rrp $42.50). There is a small LCD screen through which photos can be selected and marked for printing and that provides for some rudimentary quality adjustments. Print speed is not fast but is acceptable.

(read entire article)

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Lexmark working hard to right itself

2006-10-24T16:38:00.000+10:00

Lexmark working hard to right itself

Stock recovers, but challenges remain
By Scott Sloan
HERALD-LEADER BUSINESS WRITER

A year ago, Lexmark International began a protracted slump when executives cut their third-quarter earnings forecast, sending shares of the company into a tailspin that saw the stock lose almost 30 percent of its value in a single day.

Now, as the company prepares to announce its third-quarter earnings on Tuesday, industry observers say the Lexington-based printer maker continues to face a series of challenges in its quest to turn the business around.

The company has acted quickly in the past year, cutting or transferring hundreds of jobs, closing an inkjet cartridge production plant and focusing its printer introductions on high-growth product segments.

The company also significantly reduced the number of inkjet printers it sells in bundles, printers that executives have said were not producing enough profit.

Investors have rewarded the company's strategy. Before last year's slashed forecast, the company's stock traded in the $60 range, but dropped almost $20 on Oct. 4, 2005. It's recovered throughout the year and is now trading higher than it was before the fall.

But the share price has approached or exceeded the target set by some analysts who, along with industry observers, caution that the company still has a gradual recovery ahead.

"It's hard to turn the battleship around quickly," said Larry Jamieson, director of the Hard Copy Industry Advisory Service at Lyra Research.

Inkjet issues

Among Lexmark's biggest changes in the past year was its decision to withdraw from about 20 percent of its inkjet sales, a group that includes a number of bundling agreements, where purchasers of a computer would receive a free or heavily discounted printer.

The company called some of those agreements bad deals, as consumers fail to buy enough ink cartridges and supplies over the products' lifetimes to offset low profit margins on the initial piece of hardware.

The move has helped Lexmark's gross margin in recent quarters because the inkjets in that group typically had lower margins on hardware sales than inkjet all-in-ones or laser printers.

The tradeoff, said analyst Shannon Cross, is a smaller installed base of customers.

That installed base is relied upon in the long term for sales of supplies like ink and toner. With fewer owners of its inkjet printers Ð albeit owners who didn't print an overwhelming amount Ð the company could face earnings pressures at a time when it needs to be "more aggressive in terms of their investment in the business," said Cross, managing director at Cross Research.

Lexmark is in a quiet period before the announcement and declined to comment for this story.

Part of the company's ongoing strategy is to develop more printers for high-growth product segments.

On the inkjet side, those segments are 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 products, typically referred to as all-in-one printers that include copying, scanning and sometimes faxing functions.

For lasers, the company has focused on color lasers, laser all-in-ones and low-end monochrome laser printers.

In the past year, the company introduced a spate of products in the categories, and continued to invest more money into research and development.

But the research and development budgets pale in comparison to industry behemoth Hewlett-Packard.

"The giant in the industry does about as nice a job as anybody in touching all the bases," Jamieson said. "It's almost like how can the other guys do about the same thing on a more limited budget."

Advertising

Building up brand awareness has been another goal for the company in the past year. It recently launched an advertising campaign that touted how its printers go to work for some of the world's largest businesses.

Jamieson said the company should also consider using its marketing to point out more of the features of Lexmark printers.

"They have some really good feature-rich products," he said, noting the company's progress in reducing the time it takes for a printer to start printing and its inclusion of duplexing features on more models. Duplexing allows printing on both sides of a page.

"You don't have to carry as many papers in your briefcase or you have fewer filing cabinets. The benefit is you're using less space in your office," he said.

Going forward

The company has said it expects third-quarter earnings per share to be 65 cents to 75 cents.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expect 79 cents a share.

Lexmark's forecast amount excludes a charge of 16 cents a share related to a restructuring announced in January that included the closing of an inkjet cartridge manufacturing plant in Scotland.

As part of the plan, the company is eliminating or transferring 1,350 jobs, including up to 200 in Lexington, to countries where wages are lower.

Looking forward, Jamieson said he expects the next year may "still be a tough one to get rolling" for Lexington's largest private employer. "It's a tough battle."

Reach Scott Sloan at (859) 231-1447 or 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 1447, or ssloan@herald-leader.com.

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How to achieve the best refilling results using ink jet cartridge refills

2006-10-09T18:06:00.000+10:00

By: Marek Petynka

Recently I come across enquiry regarding the inkjet cartridge not working after refilling.

The person enquiring had a problem because couldn’t utilise his ink cartridges. Didn’t have much luck with refilling his Epson ink cartridge so he decided to purchase another printer and this time choose the Lexmark printer.

Due to very sporadic use of his printer the Lexmark ink jet cartridge dried out before he had a chance to use all the ink in his cartridge. After refilling his ink cartridges the colour Lexmark ink jet cartridge worked well but the black was dead.

This is the common problem with inkjet catridges that have built in print head such as some of the Canon printer ink cartridge eg. PG-40 / 50, CL-41 / 51, most of the HP cartridges, Lexmark and Dell. All these recent inkjet catridges are using pigment based black ink and dye based colour ink with tendency towards pigment based colour inks as well. Pigment based ink is water soluble as long as is wet, similar to the water based paint. As long as the paint is wet the brushes can be washed with water.

Pigment based inks are better compare to dye based inks when it comes to print quality. Printouts are smudge proof and colourfast. These are good qualities as long as one doesn’t intend to refill these cartridges and has a chance to use all the ink before they dry out.

What should we do if we want to refill them?

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New Epson 210 & 250 Photo Printers

2006-10-04T17:34:00.000+10:00

Epson PictureMate 250 & 210 Photo Printers

Epson’s new PictureMate 250 and PictureMate 210 4x6 portable home photo lab printers with a host of new features make printing high quality and long lasting photos beautifully simple and affordable for just over 28 cents per print.

The PictureMate 250 and PictureMate 210 use Epson’s photo optimised Claria (tm) Photographic ink with Epson’s PictureMate Glossy Photo Paper to print vibrant photos that have a print life longer than photos printed at a lab.

Epson’s PhotoEnhance software in the PictureMate 250 and PictureMate 210 takes the time and worry out of photo printing by automatically resolving image problems to ensure the finished photo shows the full advantages of the wide colour gamut and superior brilliance of Claria Photographic ink.

PhotoEnhance is a powerful tool that analyses images and corrects common problems encountered by amateur photographers like shadowed faces, backlit images and dull colouring, allowing anyone to create images to admire and share with family and friends.

The large colour LCD screen on the PictureMate 250 allows full PC-free editing of images such as red-eye removal and image cropping, and the creative framing and clip art software allows personalised printing of a single image, a selection of images, or a range of stored images with ease and speed.

With card slots for most digital storage cards, support for PictBridge and a print time of just 42 seconds for a 4x6 BorderFree (tm) photo on the PictureMate 250, the PC-free PictureMates are beautifully simple to operate.

And with the optional Bluetooth module for connections to phones or other portable devices, and an optional rechargeable battery [PictureMate 250 only], the PictureMate is the perfect print-anywhere anytime home photo lab.

Claria photographic ink is the result of decades of research by Epson on ink and paper to produce long print life and brilliant colour that exceeds that available from silver halide and lab photo prints.

Colour photos used to fade because light and gases in the air break the bonds in the dye colour molecules on the print. Now with Claria Photographic ink the dye molecules contain more atoms with tighter bonding, and Epson has aggregated these stronger molecules into clusters and equipped them with atomic shields to reduce the likelihood of breakdown due to light or oxidation, thus giving longer print life of up to 200 years when stored in an album.

Epson has also released a new PicturePack for the PictureMate 210 and PictureMate 250 with a Claria Photographic ink cartridge and 150 sheets of Epson’s PictureMate Glossy Photo Paper that retails for around $42.49 RRP inc GST, making home printing extremely affordable at just over 28 cents per print.

The Epson PictureMate 210 is AUD$249 RRP including GST and is available for purchase at consumer electronics retailers, computer superstores, mass merchandisers, office superstores and selected photo specialty stores.

The Epson PictureMate 250 is AUD$329 RRP including GST and is available through selected retail outlets only.

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New HP All-in-Ones Give Home Users New Standards

2006-08-18T11:45:00.000+10:00

New HP All-in-Ones Give Home Users New Standards in Usability Along With True-to-Life Photos and CD/DVD Tattooing

HP today unveiled the HP Photosmart C3183 and HP Photosmart C4183 All-in-One printer, scanner and copiers. The HP All-in-Ones include new HP Photosmart Express software to enable users to access photos quickly and simply, then easily view, organise, share and print them. Four-ink printing with HP Vivera Inks produces rich and realistic photos that resist fading for generations.(1) HP Real-Life Technologies provide features such as red-eye removal, slimming and easy creation of panoramic pictures as well as automatically adjusting lighting to produce the best image possible.

HP’s new CD/DVD tattooing on ultra-thin, highly durable plastic labels creates personalised photo, music and data CDs that look professional.
The HP Photosmart C3183 and C4183 provide:

• Four-ink (six-ink optional) printing with HP Vivera Inks to produce rich and realistic photos that resist fading for generations(1)
• HP Photosmart Express button to make completing your digital photography experience fast and easy – view, print, share and save
• HP Real Life technologies, which automatically removes red-eye and enhances photos with adaptive lighting for professional quality photos at home
• CD tattooing for personalisation of photo, music or data CDs
• Colour and black & white copies and photo reprints without a computer
• Effortless printing of landscapes or other panoramic images with HP panorama photo printing in any size up to 210mmx594mm(2) with or without borders
• HP auto paper type sensor to optimise print and copy quality for various papers
• Intuitive control panel and convenient one-touch buttons that are easy to use

In addition, the HP Photosmart C3183 includes the HP Photosmart Essentials software and the HP Photosmart C4183 includes the HP Photosmart Premier software. This allows users to edit, organise, print, share, archive and create photo projects.

The HP Photosmart C4183 also provides:

• Walk-up and print using the 6.1cm colour image display -- adjusts for optimal viewing from any angle and allows user to select, rotate, crop, zoom and remove red-eye directly from the display without using a computer
• Storable 10x15cm tray for dedicated photo printing
• The HP Document Viewer to easily view, manage and annotate photos and documents

HP offers a wide variety of papers ranging from everyday multipurpose papers to photo and professional brochure and flyer papers. HP recommends the following media (selection):

• HP Superior Inkjet Paper 180g Glossy, A4
• HP Professional Inkjet Paper 120 Matt, A4
• HP Labels 70x36mm, A4
• HP Bright White Inkjet Paper 90, A4
• HP Premium Glossy Photo Paper 240, 10x15cm

HP CD/DVD Tattoos

HP’s new CD/DVD Tattoos are ideal for anyone who burns discs of music, photos, video or other digital information, and wants to add a personal touch. They are ultra-thin, highly durable plastic labels that provide the world’s glossiest, water-resistant finish that will not delaminate. Innovative anti-curl technology prevents the tattoos from wrinkling, curling or warping. Personalised CD/DVD labels are easy to create with text and exclusive designs from HP’s collection, or by adding your own photos and graphics to make truly unique discs at www.hp.com/eur/tattoos.

Pricing and availability
• HP Photosmart C3183 – estimated price - $106
• HP Photosmart C4183 – estimated price - $161

About HP

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2006, HP revenue totalled $88.9 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.

(1) Based on WillhelmResearch.com light-fade testing under glass (January 2005) using the HP Vivera Inks on HP Premium Plus Photo Papers. For more information on additional permanence testing factors, visit http://hp.com/go/premiumplusphoto.
(2) Borderless printing up to 210mmx594mm using brochure and photo papers.
((3) 6-ink printing available with purchase of optional HP 58 Photo Inkjet Cartridge; not included; sold separately.
(4) Up to 4800x1200-optimised dpi colour when printing from a computer and 1200-input dpi.
(5 Using 4x6-inch HP photo papers plus tab.
(6) Based on paper industry predictions for acid-free testing papers; colourant stability data at room temperature based on similar systems tested as per ISO 11798 and ISO 18909.
(7) For information on page yield please go to www.hp.com/go/pageyield.
(8) EMEA Manufacturer’s Recommended Selling Price (MRSP) including VAT and is subject to change – actual price may vary by country.

© 2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

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Throwaway Printers

2006-08-11T11:15:00.000+10:00

Moneycontrol Tech Blog > Disposable Printers: "Disposable Printers

Thursday August 10th 2006, 1:00 pm

By: Gagan Gupta

Use ‘em, Dump ‘em!

The concept of Disposable printers has been brought in by the throwaway price-tags attached to the low-end printer these days. The thing with these printers is that their cartridge prices are almost as high as the price of the printer itself.Of course that doesn’t mean that you should throw away these printers once you run out of cartridges (the chances of you running out of both the ink cartridges at the same time are pretty narrow). The theory aims more towards the idea that these are the printers you can well afford to throw away without feeling a pinch in your pocket.

Instead of carrying a printer along with you, when going on a business trip, you can simply pick one of these up from a local vendor, use it as much as you like, and simply discard it once you’re done. Or even if you’re a home user, and you encounter a problem with one of these printers, and it’s out of the warranty period; you can simply dump it and get a new one.

These printers are perfect for regular document printing or simple home printing needs, where one doesn’t expect too much quality. If you want great quality and features like pict-bridge support, wireless printing, direct memory card printing, then these little entry-level models just won’t do.

If you’re in the market for a disposable printer then now comes the good part for you. We’ve listed out some great options in disposable printers that are currently available in the market these days, to help your buying decision.

HP Deskjet 3940

HP’s starter-level printer, the Deskjet 3940, is absolutely the cutest one in its segment. It’s quite tiny in its 16.6 x 13.6 x 5.6 inch body, and weighs only 4.5lbs. It may not be a highly recommended photo printer out there but it will definitely satisfy a home user who wants to simply print out his vacation photos, cards or stationary.

Available at the street price of Rs 2,999, the HP 3940 is the most expensive printer on this list, but that’s not so bad, considering that it does have the cheapest cartridge costs on this list too(Rs 702 for black and Rs 810 for color). Rest assured, the printer will look great on your desk and give you more than satisfactory print quality for your everyday printing needs. If you’re looking for better speeds and higher quality in photo printing, then maybe you should check out this next model below.

Canon PIXMA iP1200

The Canon PIXMA iP1200 is not too good to look at, in fact we can safely go as far as saying that it would probably look better hidden somewhere in your computer cabinet than out open on the desktop. But once you shoot a print command at it, your perception seriously changes.

The prints you get from the iP1200 are the best among the printers listed here, and its definitely faster than the HP 3940. The price of the printer is 2750, which is lesser than the HP 3940 too but the cartridge prices are n the higher side (Rs. 1,000 for black and Rs. 1,200 for color).

If performance holds a higher value over looks, for you, then the PIXMA iP1200 is just right for you. Otherwise the HP Deskjet 3940 will definitely look a lot better on your desk. However, if you’re only looking at saving money then move on to the printer below.

Lexmark Z615

The Lexmark Z615 defines the disposable printer category with its extremely affordable price tag of Rs 2,250. Since the cartridges cost only Rs. 812 for black and Rs. 884 for color, you aren’t exactly left for broke by the recurring cartridge costs.

The printer is nowhere as sleek as the HP 3940, but it’s curvaceous build keeps it from being unattractivelike the PIXMA iP1200. However the build of this budget printer seems pretty flimsy and the parts don’t really seem the type that would last too long. Even the print quality leaves a lot to be desired. Though the above printers costed a bit more than the Z615, their print quality was way better. The good thing is that at its price you really have nothing to lose.

Technorati Tags: Lexmark, Z615, Canon, iP1200, HP, Deskjet, 3940, printers, inkjet, disposable, budget"

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Guide to Buying Printers

2006-08-10T16:43:00.000+10:00

Buying Guide to Printers - Associated Content: "Buying Guide to Printers Facts About the Way Printers Work, and Which You Should Purchase for the Job You Have

By Tabitha McKinney

First of all, when purchasing a new printer, you must first know what you want the printer to do, for instance, would you like a printer to print your digital photos on, or do you need a printer mostly for black and white text documents? Maybe you would like a multifunctional printer that ‘has it all’ (Fax, Printer, Digital Camera Dock, and Scanner).

There are so many different types of printers it is easy to feel discouraged, or confused when trying to purchase a new one.
Sizes of printers are another thing you need to keep in mind, when purchasing a new printer you need to take in to consideration where you plan to have this particular printer set up at, if you don’t have room for a big bulky printer there are plenty of other styles to choose from, quite like the decision when buying most any household items, there is always the drawback of size.

HP printers are a very highly respectable brand of printer, they come in so many different sizes and styles that you can spend hours just browsing their very impressive selection of printers.

HP printers are also excellent for business printers, such as those you would need in offices and such, also many selections perfect for the home office.

Another huge thing to consider when purchasing your new printer is do you want an ink printer or a laser printer? It may seem like an odd question, or more commonly just wondering what the difference is, well, the difference is the way the printers transfer the ink to the paper, with an ink printer, the printer uses ink cartridges with liquid ink inside and through the printer the ink is squirted onto the paper from the printer head.

Now with a laser printer the ink is in a powder form stored in what they call a “Toner Cartridge”, the printer heats the media areas that need to be printed, then the powder from the toner cartridge is attached to the paper.

Now if you want to print more often, it is a lot cheaper to purchase a laser printer, just because you won’t have to buy the ink as often as you would with an inkjet printer.

But if price is not too much of an issue for you, and you are looking to print more images than text, then you should check out a dye-sub printer. There is a major difference between inkjet, laser and dye sublimation printers, with dye-sub printers, instead of the color being transferred as an individual ‘dot’ or ‘smear’ of color on to the paper’s surface, there is a roll of cellophane looking sheets with dye imbedded in to it, as the print head heats up passing over the film it causes the dyes to vaporize and permeate onto the glossy surface of the paper before returning to solid form, this causes the ink to almost blur together with each passing of the print head creating a more real and natural look to your photos that are being printed. "

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Epson settles fake inkjet cartridge suit

2006-08-08T16:40:00.000+10:00

Macworld UK - Epson settles fake inkjet cartridge suit: "Epson settles fake inkjet cartridge suit

By Macworld staff

Epson has agreed a settlement with UK internet retailer Recharge Inkjet Technologies (CartridgeMonkey.com) over the sale of ink cartridges for Epson printers.

Recharge has agreed not to infringe Epson's patents and registered designs in future, and to pay a substantial settlement to Epson. The full terms of the settlement are confidential.

Mr Scott, director of Recharge said: 'Following discussions with Epson, we have discontinued our range of ink cartridges compatible with Epson branded printers because of concerns that they may infringe Epson's intellectual property rights. CartridgeMonkey.com will continue to stock the full range of Epson original inks and Epson multi-packs, so our customers continue to benefit from the many significant long-term benefits when using ink cartridges manufactured by Epson.'

Nick Butler, managing director, Epson UK said: 'Genuine Epson ink is the highest quality ink you can use for your Epson printer. Our investment into research and development has ensured that we are providing premium quality output for our customers and that both our ink and our printers work in harmony together. We welcome CartridgeMonkey.com's decision to remove the cartridges complained of and its recognition of the importance of respecting Epson's intellectual property rights.'"

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New Lexmark X2470

2006-08-07T12:13:00.000+10:00

Lexmark X2470 - PC Advisor: "Lexmark X2470

by: Robin Morris

Sixty quid for a device that prints, scans and copies sounds like an irresistible deal. As is often the case with peripherals, things aren't quite what they seem.

The ink cartridge, for a start, is something of an oddity. We've become used to printers replacing the universal colour cartridge with individual tanks – if one colour runs out, you can replace just that colour's tank rather than having to junk the entire cartridge.

The X2470, however, goes for the opposite philosophy: you don't even get individual colour and black versions. Everything is built into a single cartridge and, because this is so small, you can expect to be replacing it very frequently. We think Lexmark's running-cost estimates may be quite conservative – this could work out as a rather expensive model.

In most other respects, though, the X2470 is a solid, if uninspired, MFD (multifunction device). Its cream casing is rather striking, even if the lack of heft suggests that it won't be the most robust of machines. The one-touch buttons make it a very user-friendly device and, while the print resolutions are very much the standard for sub-�100 MFDs – as, for that matter, is the 100-page input tray – the inclusion of a PictBridge port is a nice thought.

We weren't too impressed by the speeds. The quoted figures proved wildly optimistic. It turned out that the X2470 could manage only 4.4ppm (pages per minute) when generating colour prints, and you'll need to be satisfied with just 1.7ppm if you're going to get decent quality. Even its highest quality mode was no more than adequate.

Neither was the Lexmark particularly impressive at text. Even at the top setting, characters were thick and lacked finesse. Scanning facilities were adequate given the price, but the low optical scanning resolution means that such features are always going to be rather limited.
Verdict

The X2470 is cheap on paper, but its running costs will stack up in the long run. Add to this average speed and final quality that fails to match that of the similarly priced HP PSC 1410, and this is an MFD that will struggle to establish itself as the best buy."

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New All-In-One InkJet Printer Brother MFC-5440CN

2006-08-02T15:18:00.000+10:00

Brother just released a new flatbed, full colour Printer, Fax, Copier, and Scanner. MFC-5440CN delivers fast inkjet printing up to 20ppm black and 15ppm colour.

For an exceptional colour output users can select photo-quality printing resolution up to 6000 x 1200 dpi.

Printer doesn't require a PC for faxing or copying. Adaptable flatbed design easily handles bound documents. The 16MB memory stores up to 200 pages so faxes can be scanned in while sending or receiving.

Includes USB 2.0 Full Speed and Ethernet interfaces. Front-loading 100-sheet paper capacity and 35-page ADF. Compatible with Windows® and Macintosh® operating systems.
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Review of the HP Deskjet 460cb

2006-08-01T10:10:00.000+10:00

Moneycontrol Tech Blog > HP Deskjet 460cb review: "HP Deskjet 460cb review

Monday July 31st 2006, 3:00 pm

Filed under: Reviews, Printing and Imaging

By: Gagan Gupta

With portable printers you come to expect a slight lack of quality and functionality. It’s a small compromise considering that it features a small form factor, light weight and the fact that it’s built to be lugged around by you without taking much damage. Even as reviewers we tend to cut portable technology a little slack.

The HP Deskjet 460cb, however, completely busts that myth with it’s great performance, portable size, and a plethora of practical functionality that eliminates the need for you to have a separate printer for some ‘serious printing’.

Sized at 340.2 x 184.8 x 80.5mm, the printer is not exactly small enough to fit into your briefcase, and may even require a separate bag for it, but it’s light weight of around 2kgs doesn’t make it much of a burden.

If you’re not on a long trip you can even leave behind all the cables and the adapter and run the printer wirelessly using the included Li-Ion battery for power and WiFi or Bluetooth for printing. The printer also comes with memory card slots (SD/MMC/CF) and PictBridge , so it’s also an ideal printer for the photographer on the move.

In our tests the printer performed pretty well when it came to printing at full quality (1200�1200 dpi). The colors were vivid as anticipated, thanks to HP’s Vivera ink technology.

The black however had a slight bluish tinge to it, and not as deep s we would ideally like. The 460cb also showed some great results when it came to speed. It took a little over six and a half minutes when printing our A4-sized tests at the highest quality, which is a pretty good speed at 1200dpi. For a single sheet black and white document print in normal mode it took 10.8 seconds. In short, most users will be more than satisfied with the printer’s performance."

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Another ink cartridge maker hit by Epson

2006-07-29T17:05:00.000+10:00

Epson hits another ink cartridge maker - ENGLISH NEWS - NEWS - PC-Welt - pcwelt.de: "Epson hits another ink cartridge maker

For the second time this week a manufacturer of Epson-compatible ink cartridges is taking its products off the market as a result of legal action by Seiko Epson Corp., the Japanese company said Friday.

For the second time this week a manufacturer of Epson-compatible ink cartridges is taking its products off the market as a result of legal action by Seiko Epson Corp., the Japanese company said Friday.

Environmental Business Products Ltd. has stopped importing and supplying Epson-compatible printer cartridges as a result of an out of court settlement between the two companies, Epson said in a statement. Epson had brought proceedings against the London company in the U.K. High Court for infringement of a number of patents and registered designs owned by Epson, the statement said.

The company and others like it offer ink cartridges or refills that can be used in Epson printers and are typically cheaper than those from Epson. For printer makers the sale of replacement ink is a major source of profit.

The action couldn't immediately be confirmed with the U.K. company, which has operations in the U.K., France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Spain. The Epson statement included a quote from Environmental Business Products' managing director, saying sales of Epson-compatible cartridges were stopped because the company isn't confident its products would be found not to infringe on Epson's patents.

In addition to the halt in sales, Environmental Business Products will also have to pay legal costs and 'a substantial payment' for damages, Epson said. The amounts involved were not disclosed.

Earlier this week Epson reached a settlement with Hong Kong-based Multi-Union Trading Co. Ltd. as part of a patent infringement lawsuit brought in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon in Portland. That will see 75 of Multi-Union's cartridge models barred from being imported and sold in the U.S., Epson said. The cartridges are sold under the PrintRite brand and other names."

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New Lexmark X3480 Multi-Function Printer

2006-07-26T11:03:00.000+10:00

TrustedReviews - Lexmark X3480 Multi-Function Printer: "

By Simon Williams

Lexmark X3480 Multi-Function Printer

Some people might think Lexmark makes too many all-in-one devices for its own good. It currently has 14 showing on its web site under Home Products and while some of these may be end-of-life machines, it does makes choices in this crowded market trickier.

The X3480 employs a very similar design to the X2470, reviewed recently, though with a couple of important extras. The square-cut block with the cutaway corner now has a small sloping control panel projecting from its front and a series of slots and sockets at the right for plugging in cards and cameras.

Three memory card slots provide for all the major types, including xD and Microdrive. There’s also a PictBridge socket to connect a compatible camera and this is probably a better option than using cards, as you can use your camera’s display to select images.

Printing from a memory card is a bit tricky without an LCD monitor, though Lexmark makes the best of it by printing a proof sheet, where you can select images, number and size of prints and the type of paper, by filling in little circles and scanning. Instructions appear on the LCD strip and the process is pretty straightforward, if a bit wasteful of ink."

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Today’s printers do far more than churn out letters.

2006-07-25T11:13:00.000+10:00

Extra hands for busy families - Doors - Times Online: "Extra hands for busy families
Today’s printers do far more than churn out letters. Rod Lawton finds that clever devices that can scan, copy and bring photos to life are in the ascendant
All that talk of the “paperless world” was nonsense, wasn’t it? Paper is still the cheapest and most flexible means of passing round information. We need printers as much as ever, but perhaps of a different kind. Once, a printer was simply a box that churned out largely text-based documents. That’s not enough any more. Today, families crave flexible devices, able to wear many hats.

Michele Langdon, a designer from south London, says that a multifunction printer has eased the dramas of family life. “We have five people in our household, each of whom frequently wants to perform different tasks, for work and play. A smart printer costs little more than normal models, yet offers far more features, so it was an obvious choice.”

The Langdons’ routine is typical. It starts at 3.30pm with homework. Your offspring need to scan some artwork, print off a few web pages and create coursework that mixes text, diagrams and, often, full-colour photos. Before dinner, you might want to copy a bank statement, print a letter to the manager and address an envelope. Later, once everyone has gathered to watch Dr Who, you might find time to print some digital photos of your last weekend in the country, or burn them to a CD with a neatly printed label."

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Did you noticed how soon your start-up cartridges ran out?

2006-07-18T14:57:00.000+10:00

Printing money at PC World - vnunet.com:

"Clive Akass,

Personal Computer World 20 Jul 2006

If you have bought a personal laser or inkjet printer in the past few years, the chances are that you have been shocked by how soon your first cartridge ran out. Manufacturers often include only sample quantities of ink or toner in new machines to keep prices down and ensure that buyers will soon need an expensive refill.

It is an example of how competition can work against the buyer. If one company cuts down on the ink or toner to undercut its rivals, the others will follow suit.

PCW readers may be knowledgeable enough to expect this kind of thing, but a large proportion of buyers will be deceived on the real cost of the printer, for which the consumables will soon cost more than the machine itself."

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Buying printer - Find out How to Choose

2006-07-14T10:46:00.000+10:00

How to buy printers: The big picture: "How to buy printers: The big picture

Author
PC World Canada
July 13, 2006

The Big Picture

For most people, choosing a printer entails balancing price, speed and print quality. But, as models improve, manufacturers differentiate them in other ways. Inkjet printers, along with digital cameras, are changing the way we print photographs. When loaded with special photo inks and paper, inkjet printers are one of the best options for transforming a digital image into a photograph.

For monochrome lasers--whose text quality is so good and uniform that models' output samples are almost indistinguishable from each other--breadth of features is a major selling point. This is good news for busy offices: for example, thanks to extra paper trays and more memory, lasers can print more efficiently; they also come with more capable drivers, and permit easier remote management. And, as colour lasers drop in price, more users can afford to add colour to their workplace documents.

Key Features
Speed: The marketing war among printer vendors has escalated so much that it has yielded utterly meaningless print-speed ratings. Vendors frequently cite ratings based on printing only the simplest text documents, or printing in draft mode, and some don't include the time it takes for the PC to send a job to the printer. In any case, claimed speeds are frequently two, three or more times faster than the speeds you'll see in real-world printing.

In our most recent Top 10 roundup of inkjet printers, the rated text speeds ranged from 5 to 30 pages per minute (ppm)-but, in our tests, the actual text speeds ranged from just 3.8 to 6.9 ppm. Similarly, vendors claimed graphics speeds ranging from 2 to 24 ppm, while our tested speeds ranged from 0.8 to 2.6 ppm.

For a ranked list of all recent inkjet models we've seen, consult our Reviews and Rankings index page.

Though you'll get similarly misleading promises from monochrome and colour laser vendors, you will find faster speeds. In our most recent tests, monochrome lasers printed text at 15.0 to 25.1 ppm; colour lasers printed text somewhat slower, at 6.8 to 18.7 ppm. For graphics, colour lasers' printing speeds ranged from 1.1 to 5.6 ppm--much slower than advertised."

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Seven New Printers from Canon

2006-07-12T10:57:00.000+10:00

Canon Announces Seven New Printers: "Canon Announces Seven New Printers

M. David Stone - PC Magazine

July 11

It's been a big week for Canon printers: the company announced three new inkjet printers and four inkjet all-in-one (AIO) printers.

The three printer-only inkjets range from $49 to $199. Like most recent new printers, they represent an evolutionary improvement over last year's models, claiming better performance, and offering additional features for any given price. Canon says they will also print long-lasting photos, with a touted 100-year lifetime if kept in dark storage (such as a photo album), and a 30-year lifetime for photos framed behind glass.

The most basic, and least expensive, printer in this group is the Pixma iP1700 Photo Printer, which measures 6.5 by 17.2 by 10.0 inches (HWD), and weighs just 6.6 pounds. The iP1700 uses two ink cartridges to print in four colors—cyan, yellow, magenta, and black, with a maximum resolution of 600 by 600 dots per inch (dpi) for black and 1200 by 4800 dpi for color.

Canon says the iP1700 can print a 4-by-6 borderless print in about 55 seconds, and it rates the printer at 22 pages per minute (ppm) for black and 17 ppm for color. (Ink jet speed claims have very little to do with reality, but you can use them to compare the relative speeds of different printers, particularly with printers from the same manufacturer.)

Although Canon calls all three of these printers photo printers, the Pixma iP6310D and Pixma iP6700D are more clearly focused on photos than the iP1700.

Offering 1200-by-4800-dpi maximum resolution for both black and color, the iP6310D adds more nozzles (2304 compared with 1472 in the iP1700). It takes either two color cartridges, with cyan, yellow, and magenta ink in each, or one color cartridge and one photo cartridge, using black, light cyan, and light magenta ink. Canon doesn't even bother giving a page-per-minute rating for the printer, but folks at the company say the iP6310D can print a borderless 4-by-6 snapshot in 60 seconds, and an 8-by-10 photo in 1 minute 47 seconds.

The iP6700D is the high-end choice here, with a maximum 2400-by-9600-dpi resolution for both black and color, 3072 nozzles. It also has a smaller minimum drop size—at 1 picoliter rather than the 2-picoliter minimum size for the iP1700 and iP6310D—providing more precise control over the dots on the page."

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Replacing ink cartridges can get costly

2006-07-06T11:49:00.000+10:00

Computer printers need ink, lots of it - Orlando Sentinel : Business: "Computer printers need ink, lots of it

Replacing cartridges can get costly, but they don't have to soak your budget.

Gregory Karp | The (Allentown) Morning Call

The price of ink for home printers may be the only price besides that of gasoline that so infuriates consumers. It doesn't take long for the cost of ink-cartridge replacements to exceed the price of the printer.

So it makes sense for consumers to search for ink bargains, especially if you print many photos from your digital camera.

The bad news is, it's somewhat complicated. Even so, the decision is based on an age-old trade-off: price versus quality.

Studies show the printer's manufacturer makes the best-quality inks. But think about what quality you need. A child's grade-school project printed on regular copy paper doesn't need high-quality ink.

If you're worried about a printed photo fading after a few years, ask yourself whether that's a big deal. If it fades, you could print it again from the digital image on your computer.

If you seldom need superior quality, you could use cheap ink at home and just pay for commercial photo finishing for those few important photos. For snapshots, a commercial photo finisher online or at a retail store such as Wal-Mart may be cheaper than doing it yourself anyway."

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Free Photo Paper with the HP 2-pack ink set

2006-06-28T10:34:00.000+10:00

HP adds to its 2-pack ink sets and Photo Paper Packs news story in Printers & scanners - Pocket-lint.co.uk: "

Posted by Amber Maitland

27 June 2006 - HP is updating their range of 2-pack inkjet print cartridges and HP Photo Packs.

The existing four 2-packs of ink cartridges have been updated with Vivera Inks, and HP has added the HP 338 Black Inkjet Print Cartridge 2-pack for 21.99 and the HP 343 Tri-colour Inkjet Print Cartridge 2-pack for 27.99.

Vincent Venderpoel, vice president and general manager for HP's Supplies Imaging and Printing Group says, 'HP has recognised different types of printing customers, each with distinct and clearly-defined printing needs. HP 2-packs are a simple, cost-effective way for customers who need to print in large volumes to print crisp text documents using original HP supplies'."

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Buying Lexmark Inkjet Cartridges with Certainty
Lexmark inkjet cartridges are some of the best sellers in
the entire industry. This is because Lexmark not only
sells branded Lexmark cartridges for their printers, they
also sell cartridges for IBM printers and copiers, and a
line of compatible cartridges for use in Hewlett-Packard
printers.
View Article

Ink-refilling stations tackled by HP

2006-06-22T11:26:00.000+10:00

HP tackles ink-refilling stations at Walgreens, Office Max | TG Daily: "

Wolfgang Gruener

June 21, 2006 14:59

Palo Alto (CA) - Simply refilling your ink cartridges at one of the increasingly popular 'refilling service stations' in retail stores is a cheaper alternative to buying actual replacement cartridges. However, HP today announced that it has 'discovered' patent infringements by Walgreens and Office Max and is working with the companies to 'resolve' the issue.

It's no secret that printer manufacturers today make little money with printer sales, but rather with sales of so-called consumables such as ink. Third-party ink suppliers always have been a target of original printer and ink suppliers and at least in that light it comes as little surprise that Hewlett-Packard (HP) is going after ink refilling stations in retail stores.

HP said that 'inks found in both Walgreens and Office Max refilling service stations [in multiple stores] infringe HP patents.' According to a statement, HP is in contact with both retail chains and is 'working toward resolution.'"

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Buying Lexmark Ink

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Purse-friendly printer ink cartridges

2006-06-20T13:00:00.000+10:00

The Hindu : National : Now, purse-friendly printer ink cartridges: "

Anand Parthasarathy

Customers offered option of two different ones for a wide range of budget printers

Bangalore: Customer resistance can sometimes make even powerful corporations change their marketing ways.

Hewlett Packard, makers of the biggest selling computer printers in the country, has shrewdly read the inky message from lakhs of its customers:

``We like your inkjet products; we just can't afford the high cost of a replacement ink cartridge, for which you charge almost half the price of the printer itself. So we will go for local refills, even if the quality is not too good.''"

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Buying Bulk Ink Carelessly

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Conspiracy theories about the printer industry - The paper chase

2006-06-15T11:14:00.000+10:00

Australian IT - The paper chase : "The paper chase

Angus Kidman

JUNE 13, 2006

IF Dan Brown is seeking an even more ludicrous plot for his follow-up novel than the one that drives The Da Vinci Code, he need look no further than the myth of the paperless office.

Since the birth of the personal computer 25 years ago, the prospect that we will move into an entirely digital universe and ditch printed documents is proving more and more remote.

Evidence for the stupidity of this proposition abounds, from the preponderance of paper supplies that can be found even in supermarkets to the healthy profits posted by printer manufacturers.

There are plenty of conspiracy theories about the printer industry, some of which contain a glimmer of truth, most notably the idea that companies make their money flogging overpriced supplies rather than the machines themselves.

So it can only be a matter of time before Tom Hanks is being asked to pose as a paper expert in the follow-up movie, which might be titled Robert Langdon and the Cartridge of Fire, and deal with a secret conspiracy by printer manufacturers to conceal Leonardo da Vinci's long-lost formula for a self-replenishing ink cartridge."

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Buying Ink Refills

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All-in-ones make printing photos, Web content easy

2006-06-09T12:03:00.000+10:00

Choosing a printer depends on your plans:

"Choosing a printer depends on your plans All-in-ones make printing photos, Web content easy
But they're too costly to run for serious printing

Jun. 8, 2006. 01:00 AM

PETER KRIVEL
STAFF REPORTER

It's not unusual to get a Christmas card from your father.

But what if it's from the father of your dog?

Last year, Anita Oliveira printed some cards of Obie, a Yorkshire terrier at her Kingcreek Kennel in Sundridge, just north of Huntsville (http://www.kingcreek.net).

Using cards with a design around the edges and a blank centre, Oliveira inserted a picture of Obie and the words 'Happy New Year from Kingcreek and puppies and people.'

'Then, on the back, I put the dog's name, so that it went to the family and the dog.

'People thought it was so cute to receive a card at Christmastime from the father of their dog.'

So what does this have to do with choosing the best way to print your photographs?"
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Recycling Your Own Canon Inkjet Cartridges

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Vivera Inkjet print cartridge from HP

2006-06-07T10:40:00.000+10:00

HP Vivera Inkjet print cartridge : "

Nic Rossmuller : June 6th 2006 - 13:06 CET

HP Vivera Inkjet print cartridge : When used with HP Advanced Photo Paper, HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet Print Cartridge inks allow customers to produce vibrant, long-lasting, water-resistant prints.

New HP Vivera dye-based inks are formulated to pass key water resistance tests developed by HP: Full Immersion, Standing Water, Evaporation, Standing Water Blotted, Water Spray, Water Drip, and Wet Smudge.

The new ink and paper combination is HP’s first solution for compact photo printers rated as ‘water resistant’ based on HP testing criteria. New dye-based HP Vivera Inks are formulated for superior handling. When printing on instant-dry HP Advanced Photo Paper, prints can be handled immediately from the printer without smudging."
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The Major Advantages of New Printer Cartridges

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