Monday, November 26, 2007

Office Print Service, Russia

The Russian company Office Print Service launched two nice videos about its products and service center.





Source: www.kopi.ru

Interesting "informecial" - HP printers on teleshop

I've seen plenty of teleshop ads circulated on a couple of channels. But I have come across an informacial featuring HP printers for the first time.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Samsung scandal

Corruption has always haunted South Korea. But now the country’s most resprected company and its president Roh Moo Hyun are engulfed in scandal. On Nov. 14. three liberal parties in Korea proposed a bill in Parliament, which requires an independent prosecutor to probe allegations of bribery by Samsung. Samsung is accused of regular bribes to government officials. Samsung denies all charges.

Source: BusinessWeek Magazine

Xerox Spreads Wealth

Doling out money to shareholders is generally a sign of good fiscal health, and in this case it's a wondrous recovery from a desperate illness. Xerox announced on Nov. 19 that it's reinstating its dividend, which it hasn't paid in more than six years. True, it's not a thumping sum—0.0425 cents a share—but CEO Anne Mulcahy called the move and recent stock repurchases a sign of the "long-term value we're creating." The dividend goes into effect in January for shareholders of record as of Dec. 31. Xerox' financial woes date back to 2002, when it suffered a cash crunch, restated five years of revenue, and erased 43% of earnings.

Source: BusinessWeek Magazine

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Memjet is the most important breakthrough in printing in 2007 according to PC Magazine

The PC Magazine announced the most important breakthroughs of the ending year of 2007. In printing the top was given to the Australian Silverbrook Research and their Memjet printing technology.



Memjet, announced early in the year, takes its name from MEMS (microelectromechanical system) technology in its nozzles. But the new print head is the major innovation. The printing is done across the entire width of the sheet at once. This is due to an array of individual microchip segments, with 6,400 nozzles in each chip.

Source: PC Magazine

4 Questions with Arnald Ho, Print-Rite

Reprinted in the blog from www.rechargermag.com:

Author: Craig Berosh · Recharger Magazine · November 1, 2007.

1) You are often a speaker at industry events. Why have you decided to take this leadership role? What is your main message when presenting in front of industry members?

There are a couple of reasons behind my decision to take on this leadership role. The key one is that I really love this industry in which I have spent 25 years of my life as an active participant. I believe the sharing of my personal experience and viewpoints could be helpful to our peers, which could eventually be beneficial to the long-term development of this industry. As I have repeatedly mentioned, the aftermarket is never a competitive rival to the OEMs. To a certain extent, we are their complement, as we help to promote the popularity of printers. In reality, however, some of our peers may have been over-aggressive, causing some OEMs to feel threatened and overreact. From what I’ve read, it is all about your attitude. That’s why I feel the need to make use of every opportunity I can to promote the proper attitude of living with the OEMs, so that we can all work together to promote growth for the entire industry.

2) You recently proposed a “1 Percent Initiative.” What is the proposal? What objectives do you hope to accomplish?

We are suggesting an industry foundation for which all remanufacturers shall contribute 0.1 percent of their annual turnover. With the funding, the foundation will work to promote the remanufacturing industry as an environmentally friendly agent. The objectives of the foundation are to: 1) Inform consumers of the benefits of remanufactured consumables; 2) Research and publish the findings of environmentally friendly printers; 3) Cooperate with government agencies to implement environmental initiatives that focus on digital printing output; and 4) Participate in setting up ISO standards and certifications for the remanufacturing industry. Through this foundation, I believe we can contribute a part in protecting our environment.

3) There seems to be increased litigation from the OEMs in recent years targeting ink cartridges, especially cartridges being imported into the U.S. and Germany. What has been the overall effect on companies such Print-Rite?

Print-Rite is one of the pioneers, first realizing the growing importance of intellectual property rights dated back to about a decade ago when we started the development of our own patented design products. To date, we have registered about 700 patents in PRC and 80 more worldwide on our product line. To be frank, we do not see much pressure on our own product line. Despite recent lawsuits on other’s ink cartridges, we are confident that our 86T series of ink cartridge does not infringe any of the OEM patents. We see this as our added value to the customer, which ultimately causes a price difference between our 86T with other compatible cartridges. However, given the rising legal concerns in the market, we see a big potential for our 86T series.

4) What should all importers and potential customers of cartridges from a Chinese source know about the industry there?

On one hand, you may find a factory of 10 people doing simple refilling without any specialized quality checking. In the same neighborhood, there may be a factory with a couple of thousand people working under international quality assurance standards.

Print-Rite does not have major operations in the Asia market outside of the PRC. As such, we do not really have much insider news to share. As far as we know, many of the players in the region are now remanufacturing in China. Of course, more would be buying remanufactured products from China except that some countries like Vietnam and India have a competitive edge on labor costs in the short term or a protective import duty. In the PRC, the total number of factories is huge, with the range of the factory sizes just as big. On one hand, you may find a factory of 10 people doing simple refilling without any specialized quality checking. In the same neighborhood, there may be a factory with a couple of thousand people working under international quality assurance standards. This certainly explains the price differences and the deviating quality. To further complicate this, the products we are working on nowadays are a lot more complex, with numerous components and sources — toners, OPC drums, rollers, blades, etc. A slightly different mix would create differences in product quality as well as price. In my opinion, anyone who is considering buying from China needs to consider both product quality and price. There is no free lunch in this world. When you decide to go to China and pay a price for a "remanufactured" cartridge that is just a portion of its empties cost, you should be aware of the type of product and quality you should expect. It is up to each individual to decide whether or not to take on the associated risks that comes along with buying solely on price.

Source: http://www.rechargermag.com/articles/52754/

Friday, November 09, 2007

Toner Filling Machines from Farbax / Hungary

Introduction to toner filling machines from Farbax:

R3 Solutions Group Ltd – Joint-venture of RechargEast, Recharge India and Manufacturer Magazines

Varna, Bulgaria / Bangalore, India - November 7, 2007 – RechargEast Magazine (CEE; Russia/CIS) and Recharge India Magazine (India, SE Asia) are pleased to announce that the two companies have set up a new joint enterprise under the name of R3 Solutions Group Ltd. The new joint group will administer and cater for the new magazine named Manufacturer.

Manufacturer Magazine is a new specialized publication, reinforced by the material base, expertise and experience of the two magazines (RechargEast Magazine in Europe and Recharge India Magazine in Asia). The new magazine is 100% dedicated to all aftermarket raw materials (toner, ink, OPC and parts) manufacturers.



We are glad to start a new ambitious project with our Indian friends and colleagues, admits Dr. Aydan Bekirov, the Publisher of RechargEast Magazine. Aftermarket companies will only benefit from this union. Publishing is only part of the new R3 Group’s business activities. Actually our goal is to offer complete marketing solutions, not just advertising in three magazines. All Asian companies will surely have more ways to reach destinations in Europe via the widespread project, including three industrial magazines and three trade exhibitions.

We are proud to start such a unique international magazine based on the experience of two respected publications in the industry, says Prashanth Kumar Makam, Publisher of Recharge India Magazine. We have received a lot of inquiries from local companies about how they could promote their products far beyond the boarders of the country. Now they have this opportunity. By contacting us in India, their word will be heard equally in China, Russia, Eastern and Western Europe.

In order to find more details about the new magazine, please visit www.r3publications.com or contact either RechargEast Magazine or Recharge India Magazine.

The media kit of the magazines is available upon request.

About RechargEast Magazine:
RechargEast Magazine is a Bulgaria-based publication dedicated to the aftermarket of imaging supplies in Eastern Europe and Russia. The magazine is a monthly publication published in English and Russian. RechargEast Magazine is the organizer of the RechargEast Trade Show in Moscow, Russia, and the co-organizer of ReEurope Expo in Prague, Czech Republic.
Details: www.rechargeast.com

About RechargeIndia Magazine:
Recharge India Magazine is a monthly trade magazine committed to create awareness about the Imaging Industry Aftermarket in India and Southern Asia. The magazine is published in English and in four other widely spread languages: Pakistani, Indian and Bengali.
Details: www.rechargeindia.com

About Manufacturer Magazine:
Manufacturer Magazine is a monthly publication 100% dedicated to the manufacturers of toner, ink, OPC and parts. The magazine is published in English. Details: www.manufacturermag.com

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Kodak to open a new facility in China

On a landmark day for Eastman Kodak Company in China, Kodak customers, distributors, industry leaders, and government representatives joined the company to celebrate the grand opening of the world’s newest printing plate manufacturing facility in Xiamen, China. The state-of-the-art Kodak facility will produce both digital and conventional printing plates for the growing China market and Asia Pacific region.

Kodak is another OEM company entering the Chinese market with its own facility in the country supposed to manufacture for the local market and not internationally.

Source: www.rechargermag.com

TruColor Chemical Toner For Color HP Printers

The American company Imaging Resources introduced TruColor Chemical Toner for color HP printers. Imaging Resources’ TruColor Toner matches performance and physical properties of the OEM toners including print performance, particle spheroidicity, particle size and distribution, even and uniform fusing, color matching and high-gloss printing.

TruColor Chemical Toner is available for the HP 1600/2600/2605/CM1015 /CM1017, 1500/2500/2550/2820/2840, 3000/3600/3800, 3500/3700, 4600, 4700/4730/CP4005 and 5500.

Source: www.ir-usa.com

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Polygraphinter 2007 was held in Moscow

Last week a new edition of the popular exhibition Polygraphinter was held in Moscow. The exhibition is organized once in 2 years and is fully dedicated to polygraphic and widescale printing technologies.

At Polygraphinter-2007 there were exhibitors from local Russian companies as well as companies from abroad. Publishing and printing technologies were in the main focus. New products from the leading companies developing and manufacturing publishing and printing equipment were present during the 3 exhibition days.

RechargEast Magazine also took part in the exhibition. The advertisement of the magazine is on Page 22 on the show guide of the exhibition.





Katun introduces Katun Performance Toner Cartridge for Use in Samsung ML-1510/1710/1750 AND SCX 4016/4116/4216F

Katun Corporation, the world’s leading alternative supplier to the office equipment industry, introduces Katun Performance toner cartridges for use in Samsung ML-1510/1710/1750 and SCX 4016/4116/4216F printers and multi-functional devices.

These cartridges are a convenient, universal product that replaces two OEM toner cartridges: the Samsung SCX 4016/4116/4216 F, and SF 560/565 P/SF 755 P toner cartridge (OEM part number SCX-4216D3) and the Samsung ML 1510/1710/1750 toner cartridge (OEM part number ML-1710D3). In addition, this cartridge works in a variety of other Lexmark, Lanier, Ricoh and Xerox applications. It is designed to fit and function like the OEM cartridge for these machines, ensuring easy installation for end-users with no additional steps.



Source: www.katun.com

US Trade Commission Issues a Final Determination Finding All Accused Cartridges Infringe Epson's Patents

The U.S. International Trade Commission ("ITC") issued a Final Determination upholding, with slight modifications, the Initial Determination issued by the ITC Administrative Law Judge on March 30, 2007 that found all 11 patents belonging to Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson") to be valid and all ink cartridges at issue to infringe one or more of the patents. The modifications to the Initial Determination do not significantly change the outcome, and under the Final Determination, all of Epson's 11 patents were found valid and all accused cartridges still infringe one or more of the patents.

The ITC also issued a General Exclusion Order that prohibits all importation of infringing cartridges into the U.S., and also issued a Limited Exclusion Order that prohibits all importation of infringing cartridges by defaulting respondents. In addition, the ITC also issued Cease and Desist Orders that prohibit the sale and distribution of infringing cartridges in the U.S. by certain domestic respondents.

Source: http://www.epson.co.jp

Lexmark makes its wireless printers popular via magazines

In the November issue of the well known magazine FHM targeting men the authors of the magazine published a vast material about the new trend of making printers cordless. The article went out under the name "Lexmark Popular. Revolution in wireless printing".

Lexmark is depicted to be the first to offer Wi-Fi technology for printing. Actually, the number of Wi-Fi printers offered at the market is over 16, the good half of which belonging to Lexmark.

In fact, the launch of a new line of Wi-Fi models of MFUs and printers is an idea from Lexmark to try to get over the difficult times the company is going through. The company losing lots of money and getting in the red really needed something new to remedy the situation. Wi-Fi printers seem to be such a remedy. Still, Lexmark must deploy a lot of effort and funds for an advertising campaign for these products.





A new Lexmark x4850

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

ReChina 2007

Today ReChina trade show opens in Shanghai.
RechargEast Magazine will be present there together with RechargeIndia Magazine.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The famous 5% coverage

Sometimes people ask what the "5% coverage" looks like. The 5% coverage that is loved by OEM manufacturers when describing the technical specs of cartridges looks like this:

http://www.new-tex.ru/images/stories/info/iso19752.pdf

/click on the link and a 5% covered document will open/

NV Print cartridges in air packs.

The Russian company NV Print changed the packaging of its cartridges. From August 2007 all the cartridges under the brand NV print are packed in air packs.



Cartridges packed in this way have special lables on the boxes. The said label is a real warranty the cartridge will never be damaged duruing transportation.



Source: Company Printeco

HP 2600

Again a how-to instruction for HP 2600 cartridges.

ReChina 2007

World Expo in Las Vegas is on these days.
ReChina is the next stop this autumn.

Why to use compatible cartridges...

Aside the advertising message, the video proves very clearly why it is better to use compatible cartridges.



Good for the Australians.

Xerox Named Top Color Printer Vendor

For the fifth time in six years, Xerox Corporation was named the top workgroup office color printer vendor by VARBusiness magazine, a leading industry publication for value-added resellers who market high-technology products, solutions and services. The honor was based on the publication's annual survey of more than 5,400 solution providers.

Source: www.xerox.com

HP To Report Third Quarter 2007 Results

HP announced financial results for its third fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2007, with net revenue of $25.4 billion. During the quarter, on a year-over-year basis, revenue in the Americas grew 14% to $11.1 billion, revenue in Europe, the Middle East and Africa grew 16% to $9.7 billion, and revenue in Asia Pacific grew 22% to $4.6 billion. Revenue from outside of the United States was 65%, with revenue in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) growing 35% over the prior year in the third quarter and now accounting for more than 8% of revenue.

Imaging and Printing Group

Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) revenue grew 8% year over year to $6.8 billion. On a year-over-year basis, supplies revenue grew 9%, commercial hardware revenue grew 6% and consumer hardware revenue grew 10%. Printer unit shipments increased 10% year over year, with consumer printer hardware units up 8% and commercial printer hardware units up 17%. Momentum in key growth initiatives continued, with printer-based multi-function devices up 76%. Operating profit was $981 million, or 14.5% of revenue, up from $884 million, or 14.2% of revenue, in the prior-year period.

Source: www.hp.com

Monday, August 13, 2007

Xerox financial results in the second quarter of 2007

Xerox announced its financial results for the 2nd quarter of 2007. The overall turnover of the company grew by 6 % and was USD 4,2 billion. The turnover coming from maintenance and sales of consumables grew by 7%.

From the beginning of 2007, Xerox lauched 28 new devices, including 10 color devices. This is twice as many as in 2006. Over 2/3 of the turnover of the company belongs to the sales of the equipment launched during the last two years.

The turnover coming from the sales of color devices grew by 12% in the second quarter of 2007 and is now 38% of all the turnover of the company. This is by 4% higher than in 2006.

Source: www.xerox.ru

Digg!

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Xerox to leave Ireland

Xerox Europe is planning to outsource some of its activities in the EU countries with lower work costs like Bulgaria and Romania. This means that over 900 workers at Xerox Europe in Ireland will have to leave their jobs.

Xerox Europe will also outsource some of its operations to IBM.

Source: www.independent.ie


Digg!

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Printer manufacturers reject health risk claim as stated by Australian scientists.

After the results of the Australian scientists' study were out, the OEM manufacturers were quick to respond.

HP rejected claims by Australian scientists that office laser printers emit ultra-fine particles, which can infiltrate the lungs and cause lasting health problems, including cancer. 12 HP printers were named in the list of the 13 highest emitters, but in a statement, HP said more testing in the area was needed.

"After a preliminary review of the Queensland University of Technology research on particle emission characteristics of office printers, HP does not agree with its conclusion or some of the bold claims the authors have made recently in press reports," HP said.

The university's report, led by Professor Lidia Morawska, concluded some printers released almost as many ultra-fine particles as a cigarette, and inhaling such particles could cause respiratory irritation, cardiovascular problems and even cancer.

HP said it stood by the safety of its products, that testing of ultra-fine particles was still "a very new scientific discipline" and that there were "no indications that ultra-fine particle emissions from laser printing systems are associated with special health risks".

Canon, whose products were also mentioned in the report, said it was reviewing its findings but said Canon printers had passed toxicity tests and posed no health risks to customers.

Epson printers were not covered by the research but a spokesman refused to comment, saying: "These claims have been around for years and years and people still buy laser printers."

HP also said "the nature and chemical composition of such particles - whether from a laser printer or from a toaster - cannot be accurately characterised by analytical technology", but Morawska said this was not true either.

Of the 62 printers tested in an office building and a particle-free chamber, 37 were found to be non-emitters, six were low, two were medium and 17 were high.

Source: The Sydney Herald Morning


Digg!

Thursday, August 09, 2007

New laserjet printers from HP: HP LJ P2014 and LJ CP3505

HP has released two new laser printers on to Eastern European market. The two devices add up to the Laser Jet streamline of HP laser printers.The two printers are supplied with up-to-date software, which ensures higher printing efficiency for small work groups and SOHO companies.

HP LaserJet P2014
The compact monochrome HP LaserJet P2014 Printer features a 264 MHz processor and 32 MB memory. Its print speed is up to 23 ppm. Instant-on Technology delivers a first page out in less than 8.5 seconds. The printer is equipped with a HP 250-sheet Accessory Tray.



The printer uses HP LaserJet Q7553A Black Print Cartridge (yield: 3000 pages / 5% coverage) and HP LaserJet Q7553X Black Print Cartridge (7000 pages / 5% coverage).

The price for HP LaserJet P2014 is from 260 USD to 300 USD in online shops in Eastern Europe and Russia.

HP Color Laserjet CP3505
This new series of printers is supposed to replace the HP Color LJ 3800 series.
The HP LJ CP 3505 printer produces both color and black-and-white pages at speeds up to 22 pages per minute (ppm). The printer delivers in 17 seconds from Sleep mode or less than 12.5 seconds from Ready mode with HP Instant-on Technology.



The new flexible printer management tools from HP feature such capabilities as convenient supplies reordering, color and device usage reporting, and helpful alerts. HP Web Jetadmin helps manage fleets of printers. HP Easy Printer Care Software helps smaller businesses manage up to 15 HP printers.



As mentioned in the picture above:
1. Intuitive, two-line display with a built-in help function.
2. 250-sheet top output bin with long paper extension.
3. One-door access to the preinstalled, easy-to-replace print cartridges.
4. 100-sheet multipurpose tray enables automatic and manual feeding for specialty papers.
5. 250-sheet and 500-sheet input trays for an 850-sheet total input capacity.
6. Built-in automatic two-sided printing.
7. On/off switch.
8. Two available internal Flash memory slots for font cards or third-party solutions.
9. EIO expansion slot for optional networking, storage, and connectivity options.
10. Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port provides simple connections.
11. A powerful 450 MHz processor and up to 384 MB memory, upgradeable to 1024 MB.
12. HP Jetdirect Fast Ethernet embedded print server for easy network sharing.

The HP LJ CP3505 uses:
Print cartridges with HP ColorSphere toner:
--> HP Color LaserJet Black Print Cartridge (6,000 pages) Q6470A
--> HP Color LaserJet Cyan Print Cartridge (6,000 pages) Q7581A
--> HP Color LaserJet Yellow Print Cartridge (6,000 pages) Q7582A
--> HP Color LaserJet Magenta Print Cartridge (6,000 pages) Q7583A

The price for HP LaserJet CP3505 is from 850 USD to 900 USD in online shops in Eastern Europe and Russia.

Source: www.hp.com


Digg!

Monday, August 06, 2007

HP Resolves Ink Patent Infringement Suit Against Pelikan

On August 02, 2007, HP announced that Germany-based Pelikan Hardcopy Deutschland GmbH and the Swiss Pelikan Hardcopy (International) AG have admitted claims asserted by HP in an action for patent infringement filed with the Düsseldorf Regional Court in Germany.

Based on this admission, the court issued a judgment ordering Pelikan to stop importing and distributing the infringing cartridges and to pay damages to HP. Pelikan also was ordered to recall all infringing products that might still be in the distribution channel.

In May, HP alleged that Pelikan infringed multiple HP patents related to the print cartridges and the ink formulation found in Pelikan products. Pelikan has admitted HP’s claims regarding all patents.

The accused Pelikan products were new cartridges, as opposed to remanufactured, and had been sourced from a third party and imported into Germany. They were sold under the Pelikan brand and designated as H06 and H08 color cartridges.

Source: www.hp.com

Digg!

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Particle emissions from laser printers might pose health concern

According to www.vnunet.com, laser printers may cause health disorders...

In an article published on July 31, 2007, the authors point out the main dangers laser printers can bring.

Some laser printers release tiny particles of toner-like material into the air that people can inhale deep into their lungs where they may pose a health hazard, scientists have warned.

Australian specialists classified 17 out of 62 printers in a recent study as “high particle emitters” because they released relatively high quantities of particles, which the researchers believe to be toner.

Thirty-seven of the 62 printers, on the other hand, released no particles that diminished air quality. Six released only low levels, and two medium levels. All printers were monitored in an open office and the researchers recorded data on three laser printers in an experimental chamber. The study included popular models in the US and Australia sold internationally under the Canon, HP Color Laserjet, Ricoh and Toshiba brand names.

Most of the printer-generated particles detected were ultrafine and such contaminants are easily inhaled into the smallest passageways of the lungs where they could pose “a significant health threat”.

The study found that indoor particle levels in the office air increased fivefold during work hours due to printer use. Printers emitted more particles when operating with new toner cartridges and when printing graphics and images that require greater quantities of toner.

As a result of the study, the scientists are calling on government officials to consider regulating emission levels from laser printers. The research is scheduled for publication in the 1 August online issue of the American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T).

Source: www.vnunet.com

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

News from companies in Russia and Ukraine

RUSSIA:

The Russian company Teko starts distributing the following Katun's products in Russia:
• TC-CAN-IR3570-KAT - Toner cartroidge Canon iR3530/3570/4570 typeCEXV12 (Katun) 1219g/tube PN15031787
• DRUM-SHA-AR163-KAT - Drum Sharp AR163/205/5015/5316 (Katun) PN45031947
• DCB-TOS-ES230L-KAT - Cleaner Blade Toshiba e-Studio 163/203/230L/232 typeBL2320D (Katun) PN43028558

Source: www.teko.ru

The Moscow-based company Salute announce the "beer" promotion for its products. Any distributer or reseller of the company, who buys 500 compatible Salute ink cartridges from July 1 to August 31, 2007, receives 5 liters of beer as bonus.

Source: www.salute-ink.ru

The Russian company OPS (Office Print Service) became Xerox authorised reseller for office printing devices.

Source: www.kopi.ru

UKRAINE:

WWM released compatible inks to replace Epson UltraChrome K3 (supposed for wide scale printing). The ink goes under the number of E56.

Source: www.wwm.com.ua

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

HP Resolves Ink Cartridge Patent Infringement Dispute

HP today announced that it has resolved a patent infringement lawsuit against German-based InkTec GmbH Zentrale and PCE Group regarding inks used in the refilling of certain HP inkjet cartridges.

The settlement also included resolution with Korea-based InkTec Ltd., the manufacturer and distributor of the infringing products.

As part of the settlement, both InkTec entities and the PCE Group acknowledged the validity of the HP patents in suit and admitted to infringement. In addition, they agreed to pay HP an undisclosed sum, to stop selling infringing inks in Germany and other countries where such patents are held, and to withdraw infringing products from the market in those countries.

In October 2006, HP filed suit against InkTec GmbH Zentrale and the PCE Group in the District Court of Düsseldorf, Germany, after HP discovered that certain ink refill kits sold under the InkTec brand and distributed by InkTec and PCE Group contained infringing ink. HP asserted two patents relating to ink formulations and specifically accused InkTec refill kits used for refilling certain HP inkjet printer cartridges.

"HP will continue to invest in technology that benefits customers and to vigorously protect this investment," said Michael Hoffmann, senior vice president, Supplies, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. "We're pleased to have resolved this matter quickly without extensive litigation and will continue to monitor InkTec and others for possible patent infringement as part of our ongoing worldwide testing and enforcement efforts."

Source: www.hp.com

Xerox Phaser 3200MFP

Xerox's resellers and distributors started offering the new Phaser 3200MFP in Russia and CIS from July 2007.



The Phaser 3200MFP targets home users with high-end needs. The device can be also used by small work groups. The multifunctional product has the following characteristics:

Printer:

Print speed — 24 ppm (А4);
First page out time — under 10 sec;
Processor - 300 MHz;
Memory — 64Mb;

Copier:

Copying speed — 24 ppm (A4);

Scanner:

TWAIN, WAI compatible color scanner;

Fax:

Receive/print — 3 sec per page.

Source: www.xerox.ru

Canon stimulates sales of its photo printers SELPHY in Russia

To stimulate sales of its new photo printers SELPHY, Canon (Canon Nort-East Oy) started a competition for buyers of Canon photo printers in July and August, 2007.



The rules are as follows:

>> to buy a SELPHY photo printer in July and August;
>> to get registered at the web site: www.competition.canon.ru;
>> to present the numbers of the warranty document for the product;
>> to comment or give an original name for the above picture (each month the picture is changed)

The prize is USD 500.

Source: www.competition.canon.ru

Canon installed the biggest outdoor ad in Moscow.

Canon installed one of the biggest outdoor ads in the world. This ad was installed in Moscow, at Street Kalujskaia 1. The height of the letters is from 11.55 m to 9.27 m and the whole length of the construction is 55.3 m.



People from Canon Europe expect this ad to be seen by over 6 million people per month.

This is not the first large outdoor ad campaing of the company in the Russian market.
Canon is also one of the primary sponsors of the Russian football premier league from 2006. Canon's logos are placed in 16 Russian stadiums and the authorities of the company say the logo placed in the stadiums are seen by 38 million people per year.

These actions tell again about the increasing interest of Canon to become the leading brand in Russia.

The vice president of Canon Europe, Akio Ito, proves it by saying the company is interested very much in the Russian market and has a lot of plans for it.

In 2006 the overall growth of sales of Canon branded products in Russia increased by 27,2% as compared with 2005. Quite a large portion of the sold Canon products belongs to printing devices.

Source: www.canon.ru

Monday, July 23, 2007

Stylus D92 from Epson

Epson announced it launched a new color inkjet printer for home users. The new Stylus D92 is a low-end product meant for home users willing to print photos (up to A4) at home. The new device works on 4 cartridges filled with Epson DURABrite Ultra inks.



The printer uses Epson Micro Piezo technology and is supplied with Epson PhotoEnhance function to automatically correct image defects. The printer makes 25 prints per minute in b/w mode and up to 13 pages in color mode. The max resolution is 5760 x 1440 dpi.

The printer is in sale in the CIS from July, 2007.

Source: www.epson.ru

Friday, July 20, 2007

Pelikan releases new HP2600 toner

Pelikan Hardcopy has launched the aftermarket HP 2600 toner with success! The main problem on HP 2600 was background. This toner is very sensitive and difficult to manufacture and also to recycle. Pelikan's toner is as good as the OEM toner.

Pelikan also offers "Brillianza" ink. There is a complete new technology behind this Brillianza ink, which it fit's very well into the market needs of our customers. This ink is for use in in HP 17 / 23 / 41 / 57 / 57+ / 78 / 78+ / 343 / 344 cartridges.

www.pelikan-industry.com

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Kyocera holds a meeting for its distributors

On June 18-21, 2007, Kyocera held a conference for its distributors. The meeting was organized in Kyoto, Japan. Kyocera distributors from Russia and Ukraine were also present at the conference.

During the conference the top management of Kyocera Mita informed they were satisfied by the results of Kyocera Mita Europe. Over 48% of all Kyocera printing products distributed in the world were sold in Europe in 2006.

The management of the company has also informed about its plan to build a new factory for manufacturing color toner for Kyocera printers and MFPs. Kyocera will also build a 30-storied R&D center for its own needs. The R&D center will be built in Japan.

Source: Veta - Kyocera distributor in Ukraine

New Colotech+ paper from Xerox

Xerox Russia announced the expansion of the streamline of Colotech+ paper for digital color printing sold in the Russian Federation and CIS countries.



The structure (increased g and new position of fibres) of the new paper helps preserve the printed text and images for a longer period.

www.xerox.ru

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Xerox, HP and Samsung to receive Buyers Lab's awards

Kicking off its prestigious Spring 2007 “Pick” awards, Buyers Lab announced that HP, Samsung and Xerox products received recognition in the important multifunction printer category.

Each year, BLI puts hundreds of products through a rigorous battery of in-depth lab tests, during which the company evaluates all critical performance areas, including reliability, multitasking, image quality, productivity, print drivers, feedback to workstations, administrative utilities, ease of use, network setup, toner yield and more. Then, twice yearly, BLI awards its “Pick of the Year” honors to the products that have given the best overall performance in their respective categories.

The 2007 Spring Picks are:

HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY



HP LaserJet M3027
Outstanding Small Workgroup Monochrome Multifunction Printer



HP LaserJet M4345xs
Outstanding Large Workgroup Monochrome Multifunction Printer

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS



Samsung SCX-5530FN
Outstanding Small Workgroup Monochrome Multifunction Printer



Samsung SCX-6322DN
Outstanding Mid-Size Workgroup Monochrome Multifunction Printer

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
XEROX CORPORATION



Xerox Phaser 8560 MFP/D
Outstanding Small Workgroup Color Multifunction Printer

Friday, July 13, 2007

New paper from Skyhorse

Skyhorse's exclusive distributor in Russia and CIS, the Russian company Megatron, started selling new photo paper under the Skyhorse brand name.



The paper is sold in packs for 500, 100 and 50 sheets.

Source: www.skyhorse.ru

Epson's strategy now and in future

During its press conference held in June in Spain, Epson informed about a new launch of inkjet printers to be done in August 2007.

As it is well known, after HP, Epson grew interested for the market of color ink printing. All the efforts are done to replace low-end monochrome laser printers with cheaper color inkjet all-in-ones. Within this framework, Epson makes an emphasis on inkjet devices. The main benefits of inkjets pointed out by the company are:
>> their lower price;
>> less energy consumed;
>> more environmentally friendly.

From these it is quite clear that the interest for and profitability of inkjets will be the moving force for the research in the area and we can expect a lot of new printing devices based on inkjet engines. Laser seems to reach its peak in terms of technology and development. Constant price slumps for laser devices and high prices of components make the production of laser devices not quite a profitable enterprise. This is the answer why the OEMs like HP and Epson look at inkjets as a good opportunity to earn the big buck.

Working with inkjets has a number of advantages:
First, new models with improved properties are released at the same price;
Second, developments in inkjet printing technology allow to have the same print speeds as in laserjets...

So, there is no mistaking that inkjets will slowly replace all low-end laser printers.

This is what, probably, people from Epson think.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

He who pays the piper, calls the tune...

I have always belived in the truthful meaning of the saying "He who pays the piper, calls the music", when reading and analyzing results of ordered surveys. The first question coming into my head is "who is behind the research?". If there is some company, it is 100% sure that the results of the survey or research will fully reflect the standpoint of the customer. Yes, it is logical since "how on earth would dare I present the information, which tells about drawbacks of my customer, read the one who pays for the research?"...

Here comes an interesting example from Epson.

On June 12-15, 2007, Epson held a press meeting in Spain. The company presented its strategy and developement plan. It also gave an insight into the range of new products to be launched in August. I will write about it tomorrow. Today, I would like to show the presentation made to prove Epson inks are less harmful for the environment and more efficient in printing.

In the presentation independent experts from Germany "proved" Epson's inks are way better than similar products of the closest rivals Canon and HP and much much more efficient than the inks of the newly comer into the market - Kodak.

To have a look at the presentation click this link. The document is a powerpoint presentation wrapped into a pdf document.

The main stream inkjet printers from Brother, Canon, Epson, HP, Lexmark and Kodak are in the focus. The quality of the inks is compared. The authors also claims the
multicolor cartridges are less efficient and are already "yesterday's" technology.

Epson is the winner throughout the presentation. I wonder who would have been the winner if the survey had been done for some other OEM company?

He who pays the piper, calls the tune...

How to assemble a CISS

CISS = Constant Ink Supply System...

This is the way they advise the CISS should be assembled.



First, mark and cut the pipes at 2,5 cm distance.
Second, the distance should be 1,5 cm.

Source: www.ink-system.ru

Epson released a new inkjet all-in-one in Russia and Ukraine: Stylus CX4300.

The new product from Epson: Stylus CX4300 was released on the CIS market in July'07. The device's speed is 25 ppm (pages per minute) for A4 paper and 89 sec. for one 10x15 photo.



The printer uses a system of separated cartridges and waterproof inks Epson DURABrite Ultra. The printer prints well on both special and normal pape. The maximal resolution is 5760 dpi.

The in-built technology Epson Easy Photo Fix allows repairing old and faded photos.
The printer is sold in Russia and Ukraine at the price of 115 USD.

Source: www.epson.ru

Two new all-in-ones from Canon: Canon PIXMA MP470 and MP210

Canon announced the launch of two new all-in-one printers: the Canon PIXMA MP470 and MP210 Photo All-In-One (AIO) printers. The devices boast approximately 46-second 4" x 6" borderless photo printing speeds, and offer functionality in a stylish, compact package. Both the PIXMA MP470 and PIXMA MP210 Photo AIOs will be the first products to utilize the new "AutoImage Fix" and "Quick Start" features from Canon. AutoImage Fix includes a function that automatically analyzes and categorizes the scenes in photographs to ensure that each individual scene is optimized in accordance with the scene types such as Portrait, Scenery, Snapshot etc.- These latest AIO's make sure that the entire photo printing process from editing to printing is easier.



CANON MP470 PHOTO ALL-IN-ONE PRINTER

Consumers interested in printing beautiful photos will enjoy the 1.8" flip-up LCD panel, as well as the two-cartridge, four-color printing system. With a minimum two-picoliter droplet size and up to 4800 x 1200 dpi color resolution2 and text print speeds of up to 22 ppm in black and up to 17 ppm in color, this printer will continue to strengthen Canon's reputation for building high quality and fast multifunction printers. The LCD panel is especially helpful for users printing directly from compatible memory cards because it allows them to view and choose the pictures to print right on the screen. The MP470 Photo All-In-One will also feature direct photo printing capabilities, a high-speed USB 2.0 connection, memory card slots, PictBridge connection and an optional Bluetooth wireless connection. The estimated selling price for the PIXMA MP470 Photo All-In-One is $99.99, and the BU-20 Bluetooth adapter has an estimated selling price of $49.99.



CANON MP210 PHOTO ALL-IN-ONE PRINTER

Aimed at the college student and home photo printing customer, the PIXMA MP210 Photo All-In-One features a maximum of 4800 x 1200 dpi color resolution2, and a minimum two-picoliter droplet size to deliver outstanding photo quality. Text printing speeds are up to 22 pages per minute (ppm) for black and up to 17 ppm for color1, providing users with high speed to go along with high quality. Additional features include the Advanced Z-Lid expansion top to help scan bulkier items and high-speed USB 2.0 and PictBridge connections. The Advanced Z-Lid expansion top allows the user to place large notebooks or materials for scanning on the platen glass and holds them down for a more clear copy or scan. The estimated selling price for the Canon MP210 Photo All-In-One is $79.99.

ChromaLife 100 System

The PIXMA MP470 and MP210 Photo All-In-One printers use the Canon's ChromaLife100 system, along with FINE print head technology for long-lasting photo prints. When using select genuine Canon photo papers, prints can resist fading for up to 100 years when stored in an archival quality photo album. The 100-year-lifespan rivals that of many traditional film-based photos, long considered by consumers to be the benchmark for image permanence. Prints produced on Canon Photo Paper Pro with ChromaLife100 have up to a ten-year gas fastness when exposed to open air. ChromaLife100 prints when created using Canon Photo Paper Pro or Photo Paper Plus Glossy, have up to a 30-year light fastness when displayed under glass.6

Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE)

Launched globally by Canon in 1999, the Canon FINE advanced print head technology is one of the keys to the impressive speed and high photo quality in PIXMA photo all-in-one printers. FINE technology uses a ground-breaking high-performance multi-nozzle print engine that ejects consistent and microscopic ink droplets. The results are high-re

There is no information provided when the printers will be available in the CEE and Russia markets.

Source: www.canon.com

Friday, July 06, 2007

3 printers in the 100 top products for 2007

PC World made an interesting top list of the most outstanding technologies in 2007.



Along with the mastodonts like Apple iPhone and Google Maps, three printers entered the list. These are:







Source: PC World

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

SCC Launches Free On-line Remanufacturing Instruction Videos

Static Control Components now offers free on-line remanufacturing instructional videos for the most popular colour cartridges.

The first remanufacturing instructions in video format to be put on the website of the company are for the HP2600. Now remanufacturers have access to instructions covering the HP3000/3600/3800 cartridge. Each month another video will be completed and posted to the website including the HP4700/4730, the HP4600/4610/4650, the HP3500/3700 and the HP5500/5550.



To access the free on-line video instructions go to Static Control’s website at www.scc-inc.com, and click on the Remanufacturing Video icon on the home page. SCC customers then enter their password for instant access.

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Oasis gives away an iPod shuffle

At this year’s ReEurope expo Oasis Imaging Products appeared with their new mascot, a very large camel. Since they still haven’t been able to find a nice name for it they need your help. Please send the best name you can think of to:
j.vzuijlen(a)oasis-imaging.nl.

The person who suggests the most original name will be rewarded with an iPod shuffle.

This prize question closes on August 1st, therefore any suggestions received after this date will be excluded from participation.

Extra toner for Toshiba e-Studio 163 / 203 into the bargain...

In order to stimulate sales in Russia for its e-Studio 163/203, Toshiba gives out T-1640E-5K toner (yield: 5000 copies) as a bonuse for each bueyr of the copier. The toner is given out in the IT supermarkets distributing Toshiba's products.

The promotion is valid until September 30, 2007.



e-Studio 163

New printing devices from Toshiba

Toshiba Tec launched a number of new monochrome multifunctionals on to the CIS market.

The new products are e-STUDIO167, e-STUDIO207, e-STUDIO237, e-STUDIO166 and e-STUDIO206.

The products are available in Russia and CIS since June 2007.

Canon launches a new photo printer.

Canon SELPHY CP740 is a new photo printer of very small dimensions. As the manufacturer says, it can be places on a palm. The device is supplied with a LCD screen and in-built eye reduction function.

This printer, like many others from the family of newly born and toddling-age photo printers, allows to print photos without a PC. It also offers basic functions for editting photos.

The printer is a sublimation printing device supposed to print 10x15 mm photos. It takes around 1 minutes to print 1 photo.



It works with almost all known memory cards.

SELPHY CP740 Compact Photo Printer will cost 100 USD in the US beginning with this summer. In Europe it will be sold from 2008.

Source: www.canon.com

Monday, July 02, 2007

Xerox to offer refill kits for Xerox Work Center 3119

Xerox Russia offers brand-new refill kits for its multifunctional Xerox WorkCentre 3119.



The kits are supposed for the devices with 4.01 drivers. In case the device is older the company offers to download the necessary driver and update the device.

Source: www.xerox.com

"Consumer Reports" about photo printers

The US based magazine ConsumerReports made up an interesting list of things to consider before buying a photo printer in its July issue.

These guidelines do point out what shoudl be considered before buying!

ConsumerReport, July'07, p.37:

"Weigh ink costs.
High ink costs can make a bargain-priced printer a bad deal in the long run. With many tested models, a4 x 6 cost 30 or 35cents; on others, it was 45 or 50 cents -up to twice what you might pay at a photo lab. For 8xlOs, costs ranged from 75 cents to $1.45, a huge difference.

Don't choose a printer solely because of low cartridge costs, though. Kodak is touting the low cost of cartridges for its new EasyShare 5300, a $200 all-in-one, but our tests showed that photo costs were comparable to those of other printers- 35cents for 4x6 photos and $1 for 8xlOs - and print quality was middling.

Look for convenience features.
If you’ll be printing snapshots as well as 8xlOs and text pages, a second tray for 4x6 paper is handy. And make sure you don't have to swap out black to use photo ink. A few models still require that.

Take claims with a grain of salt.
Advertised speeds are often higher than you'll get in normal use. Our tests yield realistic speeds you can compare across brands. A printer's resolution, in dots per inch (dpi) can be confusing as well. All things being equal, the more ink dots a printer puts on the paper, the more detailed the image. But dot size, shape, and placement affect quality. So don't focus only on resolution. The same holds true for ink colors. Some inkjets use up to eight photo inks. Theoretically, a wider range of colors can improve a printer's flesh tones and color gradations, but that hasn't always been the case in our tests."

Very insteresting observations and advice...

Source: www.consumerreports.org

Friday, June 29, 2007

Canon laser printer

Laser printer from Canon:



Source: www.canon.com

Canon inkjet technology

Here it is a detailed exlanation of the structure of a Canon Pixma printer...



Source: www.canon.com

Epson gives a pack of paper into the bargain...



If you buy an Epson A3 inkjet printer in Russia or CIS between May 1 and June 30, 2007, a pack of A3 paper is given as a bonus.

Source: www.epson.ru

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Xerox Launches a New Desktop Multifunction Printer for Small Business

Xerox introduced its most affordable black-and-white multifunction printer, starting at $399 and designed for small businesses.

The Xerox Phaser™ 3200MFP packs print, copy, fax and color-scanning features into a compact device that is inexpensive and easy to use.

Starting at $399, Phaser 3200MFP prints/copies up to 24 ppm. It has true 1200 dpi resolution for crisp text and fine detail. Including 64MB of memory, the device has a 300MHz processor and print and copy speeds up to 24 pages per minute. It has a 4MB of fax memory and a monthly duty cycle of 10,000 prints.



To help offices become more environmentally friendly, the Phaser 3200MFP comes with features designed to cut down on paper use. PC Fax Send lets users send a fax right from their computer, eliminating the need to print out a hard copy for faxing. The Phaser 3200MFP is Microsoft Vista compatible, ENERGY STAR® compliant and part of Xerox's Green World Alliance supplies recycling program.

Source: www.xerox.com

Xerox improves the properties of its paper

Xerox Russia informed it would start distributing printing paper with improved properties supposed for monochrome prints.

The representatives of Xerox point out the change of the raw material for the paper allowed to change the whiteness of the paper from 150 to 164 CIE and thickness from 97 to 100 microns. Xerox says the improvements will not affect the price of the Xerox paper.

Source: www.xerox.ru

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

3D printer for $4,995 USD!

3D printers have been around for industrial use roughly a decade, but they have been matched with outrageous price tags. The first models to hit the market were priced at about the same as a fully loaded Mercedes S-Class, while models today can be bought for about the price of a Honda Civic. The price erosion is expected to continue in the next few years with prices dropping below $5,000 USD by the end of 2007.



Desktop Factory is aiming to bring to market a consumer-oriented 3D printer this year for $4,995 USD while the cost of materials is expected to be $0.50 per cubic inch.

Details are available here.

HP and waterproof printing paper

HP Russia announced that HP is going to start selling a new type of printing paper for its inkjet printers.

Until now, HP paper was of lower quality and the paper offered by Epson and compatible manufacturers like Skyhorse and Lomond formed no smears when printed on HP inkjets. The HP paper would form smears if a water drop fell on it.

The HP authorities promised in June the paper thing will be corected and new paper will be in sale from July'07.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

PRINT & COPY CONTROL MODULES FROM RICOH

Ricoh introduced a new version of its Print & Copy Control (PCC v3) software solution embedded in its multifunction products (MFPs). Print & Copy Control creates a secure environment where only authenticated users can release their documents through a PIN code, user ID/password or an identification card. As Ricoh says, by allowing the user to manage all account information and reporting from one central location, Print & Copy Control saves both time and money by eliminating the need to install, configure and service external copy control terminals. All transactions are processed for centralized accounting and reporting, helping organizations define a document output. The software is simply installed on the hard drive of the MFP and is controlled on the built-in front panel touch-screen display.

In my opinion, the drawback of such software is that it is only compatible with Ricoh devices...

HP 4300 Wiper Blade Replacement

Below you can see the replacement procedure for HP 4300 Wiper Blade.



The instructions were elaborated by Oasis Imaging.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Static Control vs. Lexmark

Interesting news came from the US today:
Lexmark lost a court battle against the aftermarket leader: Static Control Components...

...Lexmark International lost a court battle on Friday, June 22, when a jury ruled that it failed to prove that Static Control Components induced toner-cartridge remanufacturers to violate Lexmark patents.

Lexmark had alleged that Static Control, by making a chip that bypassed a Lexmark patent-enforcement mechanism, had encouraged some of its customers to directly infringe on Lexmark’s patents.

And while Friday’s verdict in U.S. District Court was decidedly in Static Control’s favor, it does not nullify the Lexmark program at the center of the case. The judge in the case earlier ruled the program is valid, as well as ruling in Lexmark’s favor on several key issues before and during the trial...


Continuation here

Flat printer...Why not?

Flat printer? Why not? :)



Here is the full information:
http://www.theyshoulddothat.com/printers/

New inkjet printers from HP

HP released three new inkjet printers within its "summer collection" of printers. These printers come along with the new 9 photo cameras from HP.


HP Photosmart C5280

HP Photosmart C5280:

Supports: A4, A5, A6, B5, C6, DL;
Tray: 125 sheets;
Monochrome printing: 32 ppm;
Color printing: 24 ppm;
Inks used: HP Vivera (HP 74 and 75);
Dimensions: 452 x 385 x 216 mm
Weight: 7,13 kg.
Recommended price: 150 USD

Photosmart D7260 & Photosmart D7460

Monochrome printing: 34 ppm;
Color printing: 33 ppm;
Inks used: HP Vivera (HP 02);
Dimensions: 459 x 391 x 238 mm
Weight: 7,98 kg.
Recommended price: 149 USD and 179 USD respectively


Photosmart D7260

The above printers are available in Eastern Europe from June, 2007.

Source: www.hp.com

HP’s investments in imaging supplies

Some interesting facts:

Every year HP invests over 1 billion USD in R&D of imaging and printing technologies. HP registers over 12000 patents yearly in the world. Over 4000 patents are registered in the area of consumables.

To develop a new formula for inks HP needs over 12000 working hours and around 22000 liters of inks for testing and optimization purposes.

Source: www.hp.com

Friday, June 22, 2007

A Real Warranty? - Part 3

PRICES:

The price of the printer itself varies from 500USD to 650 USD in Moscow, Kiev and Minsk. The included cartridges have the resource of 1500 pages/each (again if the coverage is 5%!). So, after 1 week of ownership we will already need to buy new cartridges.

Here we go:

Cartridges: With 5% coverage we will need to change all 4 cartridges (in average) once in 6 weeks, or 8,5 times per year.


Cyan cartridge for Aculaser 1100.

OPC: With the above number of prints per month, we will have to change the OPC two times yearly.





ORIGINAL SUPPLIES:

CARTRIDGES:
Moscow/Kiev for June 20, 2007:

Epson Aculaser C1100 - black ~ USD80
Epson Aculaser C1100 - color ~ USD150

OPC:
Moscow/Kiev for June 20, 2007:

Epson Aculaser C1100 OPC drum: USD200-220

The total price for the supplies during one year is:

Cartridges=(80+3*150)*8.5= USD3655
Drum: 200*2= USD400

Total price: USD 4055

COMPATIBLE SUPPLIES:

CARTRIDGES:
Moscow/Kiev for June 20, 2007:

Epson Aculaser C1100 - black ~ USD55
Epson Aculaser C1100 - color ~ USD70

OPC:
Moscow/Kiev for June 20, 2007:

Epson Aculaser C1100 OPC drum: USD50

The total price for the supplies during one year is:

Cartridges=(55+3*70)*8.5= USD2250
Drum: 50*2= USD100 + chips (~USD50) = USD150

Total price: USD 2400

The difference is USD1655!!! Quite a fortune for a small company!!!

The replacement of a laser unit costs maximally 150 USD! Besides, the laser unit is the device, which fall out of function very very rarely...

These calculations, which do not pretend to be extremely exact, show again why it is worth having a war against the aftermarket. If the corporate customer dips deep enough in the figures they will see how much money is wasted down the drain under the umbrella of good marketing moves performed by OEMs.

A nice day to you all!

A real warranty? - Part 2

In order to have a look at the new Epson's warranty for free replacement the laser unit in all its printers for life, let us take a look at one of Epson's old and working well color laser printer: the popular Aculaser C1100. This very popular color printer, extensively used in the CIS countries, can serve as a perfect example and will allow to see whether the new warranty seems as attractive as it is described in the IT news sources.


Aculaser C1100

I will take into consideration just one single criteria: the overall price of ownership. For such a price-driven market as the CIS is, this is the best and most reliable criteria.

I will have a look at the price of ownership during one year beginning with the buy of the printer.

Aculaser 1100 profile:

The printer (Aculaser 1100) was first released in 2004.

The printer uses 4 cartridges: black and CMY
The printer can use 4 black cartridges to increase the output.


Cartridges

The print speed is 25 b/w ppm and 5 color ppm.

Here come the most interesting details:

Recommended monthly volume: under 45000 pages
Black cartridge resource: 4000 pages (5% coverage)
CMY cartridges: 4000 pages/each (5% coverage)

Lifespan of the drum: 42 000 pages/black ; 10 500 page/color printing.

Here it is necessary to make a paranthesis: the above specifications are given for the famous 5% coverage of the page. But who prints with BIG LETTERS with the size "24" or even bigger without graphics just to cover only 5%? Therefore, the resource should be reduced by around 10-15% to reflect the true state of matters. So, the actual coverage should be around 8% in average. But let us not be too
picky! :) Let us not consider the fact that in an office the staff might print photos and other stuff with even over 50% coverage, either.

The premise is that we print 7000 b/w pages and 3500 color pages per month on our Aculaser 1100.


The "guts" of an Aculaser 1000, Aculaser1100's elder brother.