Datamax-O'Neil Launches Next Generation MP Compact4 Mark II Printer Line

Datamax-O'Neil, part of Dover Corporation's Product Identification Platform and global provider of label and receipt printing solutions, introduces a new generation of its MP Compact printer family, now designated the MP Compact4 Mark II and the MP Compact4 Mobile Mark II. The new models, which will be available in April, incorporate the following features.
The rugged printers are constructed on a solid cast metal frame and protected with metal die cast covers. The printer is ideal at the front desk of a hospital or in the box office of a movie theatre.
The Compact4 Mobile Mark II is designed for installation on forklift trucks and mobile stations. It can operate from a connection to a forklift's battery. Its vibration-proof design makes it the perfect choice for warehousing logistics.

Dell Puts Laser Focus on Printer Speed, Substance and Value

Following the successful launch of the world's fastest single function A4 color office laser printer, the Dell 5130cdn, it's clear that businesses of all sizes are looking for printers that provide excellent print speed, quality and reliability. With the launch of eight black and white printers, Dell's printer portfolio provides comprehensive solutions for document management and printing for growing businesses. These performance-packed multifunction and single-function devices deliver fast, high quality printouts with extremely low printing costs.
Reliable technology enables growing businesses to focus on the projects that differentiate their company from the competition and increase customer loyalty. All Dell printers are available with an excellent warranty and support options such as 'next business day' service and access to printer service specialists.

Multifunction for Mid-sized Moguls: Dell's multifunction printers are aimed at mid-sized businesses looking for productive, feature-rich devices. These new multifunction devices meet all their printing, scanning, and copying needs at competitive running costs. The printers launched include:

3333dn -- Can print and copy up to 40 LTR-sized pages per minute (ppm) (actual print speed will vary with use), capable of high resolution (up to 1200x1200 dpi), offers duplex scanning of up to Legal-sized sheets and offers print costs as low as 1.65c (US$) per page with a high yield cartridge(1).
3335dn -- Includes all the functionality and low print costs of the 3333dn, with the additional fax capabilities including color fax (send function only), fax broadcasting, and fax forwarding. Both the 3333dn and the 3335dn can print up to 80,000 pages per month (max.) in one duty cycle.
5535dn -- For even faster printing (55 LTR-sized PPM, actual speed will vary with use), capable of printing at higher resolution (up to 1200x1200 dpi), the 5535dn can print at a cost as low as 1.1 cents (US$) per page with an extra high yield cartridge(2) and is extremely reliable with a duty cycle of up to 275,000 pages per month (max.).

Seiko Instruments Smart Label Printers Cleaned Quickly

Consistently printing clear and crisp labels requires the proper cleaning maintenance of any thermal printer. KICTeam's introduction of the Seiko Instruments Smart Label Printer Cleaning Card which features Waffletechnology will maintain that clarity on Seiko Instruments thermal printers. This new product was designed specifically for the SLP family of thermal printers through a joint effort of Seiko Instruments USA, Inc. and KICTeam. This new cleaning card is a quick and almost effortless means of removing any leftover adhesive residue or paper dust that can deteriorate the legibility of the print.

First Epson proofing install

Packaging repro and design house Matthews Brand Solutions has scored a UK first with the installation of a new proofing set-up. The group, which counts drinks brands Smirnoff and Captain Morgan among its clients, has installed an Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 inkjet printer with GMG FlexoProof software to create halftone proofs for flexo and packaging applications.

The State of Washington Extends Office Supplies Contract with Office Depot

Office Depots contract for office supplies with the State of Washington has once again been extended. The one-year extension, which started in March, lets Office Depot continue to deliver office products at incredible savings to thousands of public agency customers and, in turn, state taxpayers. Office Depot further boosted the state's sustainability efforts by assuming responsibility for the state's bulk paper program and agreeing to offer on contract 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper from Grays Harbor Paper, a locally-owned and operated paper mill in Hoquiam, Washington.

All in one portable office tool

GRETA’s portable fax machine also throws in a printer and scanner and is compatible with a GSM SIM card. So no matter where you are, if you have a strong enough signal you can send or receive faxes.

Canon Printer Drivers 2.3 for Snow Leopard

Apple has released the Canon Printer Drivers 2.3 update for Snow Leopard via their Software Update utilty and website. According to the company, this update includes the latest Canon printing and scanning software for Snow Leopard.

Brand Keys Names Konica Minolta First on Customer Loyalty Engagement Index

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. was awarded first place in the 2010 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index in the "MFP Office Copier" category for the third straight year. Each year New York-based marketing consultancy Brand Keys publishes its Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, which surveys more than 33,500 adult Americans to determine how brands rank in customer loyalty. The 2010 Index examined customers' relationships with 518 brands in 71 categories. Other winning brands for 2010 include Apple, Google, JetBlue, and McDonald's.
The 2010 Brand Keys research paints a detailed picture of the category drivers that engage customers, engender loyalty, and drive real profits. The Brand Keys methodology, which considered several competitors, asked customers to characterize their perfect product in the MFP Office Copier category, setting the standard for excellence. The 2010 Brand Keys research once again identified Konica Minolta as a leading brand for customer loyalty in the "MFP Office Copier" category when measured against the "Ideal" office copier.

Datamax-O'Neil Unveils New Website

Product Identification Platform and global provider of label and receipt printing solutions, this week unveiled its new website that now combines its stationary and portable printers as well as printer supplies into one easy-to-use resource for partners and customers. The website will be available in eight languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Chinese.
The website provides specifications, features and benefits; options and accessories; and software for each printer, as well as a list of the supplies that are best suited for the printer. A list of the ideal solutions and applications for each printer makes it easier for customers to find the right printer for their requirements. The Knowledge Library brings added value by offering all the latest case studies, videos, white papers and newsletters to help customers make the most of their Datamax-O'Neil investment.

European Book Printer CPI Completes HP T300 Web Press Purchase

HP announced that it completed its first HP T300 Inkjet Web Press sale in Europe to leading book printer CPI, a company that is taking advantage of the press's breakthrough productivity to gain a competitive advantage in mass-market publishing. CPI installed the press at its Firmin-Didot subsidiary in late 2009, operating the press for a trial period that began last November. The company also installed finishing solutions for the press from HP partners, as well as a sheetfed HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press that can be used to print covers, creating an integrated system that manages the complete production process from blank paper to printed, bound books. CPI executives selected the HP T300 to meet a broader range of publishers' run-length needs. The press's high productivity, high reliability and low operating costs, as well as its ability to print on virtually any standard uncoated publishing media, easily justified the investment, according to CPI.

Canon U.S.A. Ranked Number-One in Total Copier Market Share in 2009

Canon U.S.A., Inc has earned the top position for total U.S. copier/MFP market share for 2009 with 18.4 percent of the market, according to Gartner's Printer, Copier and MFP Quarterly Statistics Database for fourth quarter 2009. "Canon's commitment to developing advanced digital imaging solutions has made the Company the preferred choice of businesses seeking to improve productivity," said Junichi Yoshitake, senior vice president and general manager, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A. "Through innovative technologies that enhance end-user performance and extraordinary customer service, Canon continues to move business forward and help end-users navigate the changing economic landscape."

Printer Ink Firms Collaborate On Recycling Venture

Brother, Canon, Dell Epson, HP Japan and Lexmark announced that they would begin making donations to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as part of an effort to collect used consumer ink cartridges.
The Ink Cartridge Homecoming Project was started in April 2009 with the belief that firms have a social responsibility to recycle used ink cartridges and should work towards the creation of a "recycling-based society through conservation efforts". In a statement, the firms said: "Representing a new facet of the Ink Cartridge Homecoming Project, the six companies will provide UNEP with donations to support its various activities targeting such global environmental issues as global warming. "By providing indirect assistance to UNEP activities, including forest protection and biodiversity conservation, the project will attain a higher level of social significance and take an increasingly active approach in global environmental protection."

Duplo DF-1000 Auto Air Paper Folder Released

Duplos state-of-the-art fully automatic DF-1000 airsuction folder is all you need for fast and easy folding of digitally printed and offset documents. Designed to be the ideal folding solution for the color digital printer, this high performance folder incorporates Duplos renowned suction technology and tackles common problems,such as static build-up, faced by digital printers when finishing color work. Unique in design, the DF-1000 does not require an additional, separate pump making it the quietest machine in its class.

3D printer to create the first 'printed' human veins

It sounds like science fiction, but researchers from the University of Missouri have a 3D printer that could one day recreate human organs by using a cocktail made from human cells. If your liver was failing, for instance, cells from your liver could be used to print a healthy one, or cells from your heart could be used to create a new heart, and so on. Right now, all of that is still a long way off. What has been done, however, is recreate a human vein using "bio-ink," or the liquid sludge that's produced using human cells and printed onto "bio-paper." This paper slowly dissolves as the layers of ink bind and start to take on the shape us humans would recognize.

Challenge Center collecting cartridges

The Challenge Center of North (South Carolina) will be collecting recyclable items over the next several months, both as a fund-raiser and to provide a service for the community. The center will collect the following items: ink jet printer cartridges, laser jet printing cartridges and copier toner cartridges, name brand or reused. Also being collected by the Challenge Center are used cell phones, Mp3 players, laptop computers and aluminum cans. “Most people are unaware that more than 75 percent of all inkjet cartridges used in North America are thrown away when empty,” said Sandy Sigmon of the Challenge Center. “That means more than 450 million of these cartridges are thrown away each year. Similarly, more than 130 million cell phones are discarded annually, according to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. If all of these items end up in the land fill, they will be there for hundreds of years.”

HP Resolves Ink Cartridge Patent Infringement Complaint

HP has reached substantial resolution on the investigation by the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) into the importation and sale of patent infringing HP 02 inkjet ink cartridges. InkPlusToner.com and Comptree Ink have agreed that HP’s patents are valid and infringed and, further, that each company will cease and desist from selling the cartridges in question. These parties also have paid HP an undisclosed sum of money. HP anticipates completion of a settlement with SmartOne Services consistent with the terms above. The Administrative Law Judge has approved Zhuhai Gree Magneto-Electric Co. Ltd.’s motion to terminate the investigation as to Zhuhai Gree based on entry of a consent order in which it agrees not to engage in the future importation of the relevant products. "HP is pleased with the outcome on these matters, and remains committed to vigorously pursuing legal enforcement against practices that do not respect HP’s IP rights," said Stephen Nigro, senior vice president, Inkjet and Web Services Business, Imaging and Printing Group, HP.

Lexmark's new all-in-one printer, wins Award

Lexmark International introduced a new addition, Pinnacle, to its line of professional all-in-one (AIO) inkjet printers at the Fifth Annual Small Business Summit 2010, where it was immediately awarded a 2010 Hot Tech Demo Award. Pinnacle, like the other Professional Series AIOs in the line, is designed to help small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) increase productivity while saving them time and valuable resources. Additionally, Pinnacle features 4-in-1 capability, a Web-connected1, easy-to-navigate 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen, and the world's lowest-cost black ink2.

GMG and Canon bring new proofing systems to market

GMG has announced the launch of a highly innovative proofing system comprising Canon's brand-new imagePROGRAF iPF8300/iPF6350/iPF6300 inkjet printers, and supported by GMG ColorProof, GMG FlexoProof XG and GMG DotProof XG contone and halftone proofing solutions. To ensure the highest production reliability and finest quality proofing results, the printer has been optimised for GMG's superior inkjet proofing substrates.

Apple printer driver updates

Apple has released a series of printer driver updates. Brother Printer Drivers for Mac OS X v10.6 and Samsung Printer Drivers for Mac OS X v10.6. The drivers are also available via Software Update.

Sierra Trading Post Cuts Catalog Production Time

Sierra Trading Post has taken an innovative step toward bringing its newest products to customers via catalog. Through increased efficiencies and a shortened printing schedule, Sierra Trading Post expects to mail approximately 27 million catalogs to consumers this year with up to 50 percent more new product than last year's titles. To keep pace with today's ever-evolving catalog and online retail market, Sierra Trading Post has changed several key production processes in house and through their catalog printing company, Quad Graphics. In house, Sierra Trading Post's catalog production schedule has been reduced from five weeks to three weeks, allowing for nearly 50 percent more time to buy new product and get it into upcoming catalogs. Externally, Sierra Trading Post has moved from a typical catalog printing process to a process schedule that resembles that of a periodical. A recent move to Quad Graphics' Georgia-based printing location allows Sierra Trading Post to print catalogs on a weekly basis, making it possible for catalogs to get to customers in almost half the time as before. Like all Quad printing facilities, the Georgia-based location is equipped for quick-turn production. Quad Graphics is one of the world's largest privately held printers of magazines, catalogs and other commercial products, and the third-largest printer--public or private--in the Western Hemisphere. Sierra Trading Post's nine catalogs--Shoes, Etc., Outdoors, Adventure Edge, Home & Gift, Active Women, Women's Classics, Men's Classics, Core and Hot Deals--now print alongside publications such as Newsweek, People, Time and Entertainment Weekly.

Green Remanufactured HP Cartridges

InkCartridges.com is ahead of the online green ink cartridge revolution with its new HP ink cartridge product offer. Reacting to consumers wanting high-quality printer cartridges that are both environmentally friendly and budget-friendly, InkCartridges.com has pioneered a new remanufacturing process that delivers quality and environmentalism, all at a low cost.
When remanufactured cartridges were initially introduced, the process was not always executed correctly. Often, the cartridges were refilled without being cleaned properly, and then they were sent back to the consumer. The industry soon earned a bad reputation, because low quality remanufacturing lead to print head clogs, which lead to routine equipment failure. The economical, environmentally safer process used by InkCartridges.com solves this problem. Even the term rigorous, though, seems a bit tame. Each ink cartridge is extensively cleaned, as is the print head nozzle. Then, it is filled with the exact same formula the manufacturer uses, and carefully checked to make certain the internal pressure settings are correct. From there, the shell is hand-inspected, and the electrical circuitry is tested for optimal operation. Finally, it must pass an actual print test in the manufacturing facility. Once it has passed inspection at every level, it can be sent out to customers.
It has been estimated that 350 million ink cartridge products end up in landfills each year. Every time a remanufactured cartridge is bought, there is a chance to save up to three and a half pounds of solid waste from a landfill. With remanufactured cartridges, environmental savings don’t have to come at the expense of higher prices.

Ricoh Introduces Aficio GX e5550N GelSprinter Color Printer

Ricoh Americas Corporation, a leading provider of digital office equipment, today introduced the new Ricoh Aficio GX e5550N, the latest installment in its GelSprinter line of color-inkjet printers. Designed for business environments, the GX e5550N replaces the previous Aficio GX 5050N to provide a high-quality and affordable alternative to laser printing where speed and duplexing are required to meet high-volume demands.  With Ricoh's GelSprinter technology, the GX e5550N utilizes an enhanced viscous gel ink formula for better performance in dry environments.  With fast drying, waterproof properties, this improved ink meets the realization of published yields while eliminating smudging, bleed-through and page curling.
In high-volume settings, keeping up with demand while maintaining high-quality results is critical.  The network-ready GX e5550N supports workgroups with 30 pages-per-minute print speeds in both full-color and black and white modes, a fast 40-second warm-up time, and first print speeds of five seconds or less with the ability to print up to 999 sets per job. Print jobs flow seamlessly through a standard 250-Sheet paper supply that can be expanded by up to two 500-Sheet Paper Feed Units.  Standard automatic duplexing further enhances productivity while saving paper as users can print double-sided at high speed on plain paper.
A key enhancement of the GX e5550N over the previous model is the use of bi-directional, motorized ink pumps, offering improved reliability and ink yields.  Other essential features of the GX e5550N include a tilting LCD control panel for improved operability, the ability to capture counter data remotely with the option of Ricoh's intelligent remote management solution Remote, and support for the latest networking standards including Macintosh, host-based and PCL 5c/6 printing support.
The Ricoh Aficio GX e5550N not only addresses many users' printing needs, but helps businesses to meet their environmental goals.  An improved Economy Color Mode produces crisp text and graphics that increase the longevity of supplies. ENERGY STAR Version 1.1 compliant, the GX e5550N does not require heat to operate, using just 38 watts during normal printing and roughly 3.5 watts in Energy Saver Mode.  Additionally, the system is manufactured free of hazardous materials and produces zero ozone emissions, resulting in a low carbon footprint with minimal impact on the environment.

Courier Corp adopts T300 Color Web Press

Courier Corporation, North America’s third-largest book manufacturer, recently installed an HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press to expand its service offerings to include digital printing. Industry leaders like Courier are using the HP T300 to create a new category in high-productivity printing as they shift digital technology into mainstream manufacturing environments. With the press installation at Courier’s North Chelmsford, Mass., headquarters facility and another installation at French firm CPI, the HP T300 now produces books for two of the world’s largest book manufacturers.
With the HP T300, print service providers can drive profitable growth by offering addressable 1,200 x 600 dots per inch (dpi) imaging in a speed and size combination that produces 2,600 letter-size pages per minute. The press also delivers image quality and durability on any low-cost, uncoated paper, as well as on a range of coated media. Designed to deliver high productivity at a breakthrough cost, the press enables users to purchase consumables as needed without pay-per-impression click charges.

35mm Slide Scanner with a Bonus: No Computer Required

A new 35mm slide scanner featured by catalog and online marketer firstSTREET offers a unique benefit sure to be appreciated by those who want to convert negatives and slides to digital format: With this scanner, no computer is required for the process. That particular feature means that more people can use the device and memories can be preserved more easily—basically, with the push of a button. Digital copies can be scanned directly to an SD memory card for instant viewing on any digital photo frame—or, for those who prefer, images can also be uploaded to a PC, using the USB cord that comes with the scanner. The scanner can use the USB or AC for power.
The firstSTREET stand-alone scanner scans 35mm mounted slides, as well as monochrome or color film. It allows the user to create digital copies with images scanned at 5 megapixels, and the quality of the scanned image is amazingly good, says Tim Hoerrner, firstSTREET’s Vice President for Catalog and Internet. Mr. Hoerrner characterizes the conversion as a quick and simple process, and firstSTREET promotes the device as easy to use and easy to understand. A visual assessment reveals a simple exterior design: an SD/MMC card slot and a cartridge slot on the sides, and a card status indicator and a scan button on the front. Three white LEDs serve as the light source.
The scanner is lightweight and compact, taking up only a small amount of space on a crowded desk, a coffee table, or a shelf when it’s not in use. It’s also convenient to take along for a slide show on a beach vacation, a family get-together, or a class reunion. For 35mm slide and negative scanning, there is basically a three-step process: 1) Insert slides or film into one of the trays that come with the scanner. 2) Insert the tray into the scanner. 3) Press the scan button. Editing is easier, too, because the scanner features automatic color balancing and exposure controls. After the slides are converted, the user can then set up his or her own slide show and view it on the 2.4-inch color display, or connect to a computer or a TV and invite the whole family in. The scanner comes with a slide cartridge, photo-editing software, a USB cable, a User Guide, and a Quick Start Guide.

eCopy PaperWorks Hits a Home Run

Nuance Communications, Inc announced that the Boston Red Sox have selected eCopy PaperWorks PDF and network scanning desktop software to drive paper out of their accounting department, creating faster and more efficient invoice processing. Using eCopy PaperWorks, Red Sox accounting personnel turn scanned paper documents into text-searchable and secure PDF files, and move them seamlessly into electronic invoice processing workflows. The software has helped the Red Sox replace time-consuming manual invoice processing with an automated electronic workflow process, saving time and eliminating the costs associated with paper filing and searching for lost paper invoices.
The Red Sox organization works with hundreds of vendors and receives thousands of pages of invoices every month. These invoices range from a 1,000 page telephone statement to single-page, handwritten bills from small vendors. Now, invoices are scanned to PDF files when they enter the accounting department with personnel accessing and acting on them using eCopy PaperWorks software at their desktops. eCopy PaperWorks has built-in integration with Microsoft SharePoint, which the Red Sox utilize as a central location for employees to find information and to drive business applications. The software's SharePoint Connector allows Red Sox personnel to add scanned documents easily into a SharePoint repository and check them out of SharePoint as part of everyday accounts payable workflows. The eCopy PaperWorks and Microsoft SharePoint workflow is also integrated with the organization's Solomon Software accounting application to generate a daily update on invoice processing into the general ledger system.

Fujitsu Releases Compact OEM Thermal Printer Mechanism

Fujitsu Components America added an ultra high-speed, compact, 3-inch thermal printer mechanism for embedded OEM designs. The new printer enhances throughput in applications that demand fast and reliable ticket and label output, such as kiosks, label and ticket-issuing machines, and medical instrumentation.
The new FTP-63AMCL101/111/301/311 printer series delivers a 250mm/sec print speed, which is among the highest in the industry. Its operating life is rated for a minimum of 150km total printing and 150 million pulses to ensure long-term reliability. The available, full-cut rotary cutter has a life of 1.5 million cuts. Measuring 118.4W x 54D x 30H mm, the printer with the cutter has a compact form factor that addresses shrinking product designs. The printer accommodates thick paper stock ranging from 80-85mm wide and 60-220 micrometers thick. It is capable of printing a variety of text, characters, graphics, international fonts, and 2D barcodes such as QR, Maxi and PDF417. Compatible Windows® drivers are available for download from the website. Designed to function reliably in both indoor and outdoor applications, the printer has an extended operating temperature range of -20 to +70 degrees C. Additionally, its die-cast frame provides durability, support, protects against ESD, shock and vibration, and also functions as a heat sink. The printer features Fujitsu’s patented, Easy Load Mechanism platen release to simplify paper roll loading. It also gives full access to the print head for maintenance or to clear paper jams. Integrated sensors detect paper out/black mark, abnormal head temperatures and motor over-current protection to minimize interruptions and maximize printer uptime. The RoHS-compliant FTP-63AMCL101/111/301/311-R printer series is available immediately. It is priced at $96 in 1,000-piece quantities for a printer mechanism. With cutter configuration the price is $176.. Delivery is stock to 14 weeks ARO. USB 2.0 and Serial RS-232C interface boards are also available.

Beware: Private Info Stored on Copy Machines

Your tax preparer, your mortgage broker, your doctor, chances are they have all made copies of documents containing your personal information. That means your social security number; your bank accounts and credit card information could all be sitting on a hard drive in an office copy machine.

Epson Releases Two High Volume Business Inkjet Printers

Epson has announced the release of two high volume business ink jet printers to the market: the Epson B-310N and the B-510DN.  These printers fit seamlessly into any office with easy networking built in.
The printers are specifically designed for small to medium sized businesses that need high volume color prints.  These new printers offer a high-yield DURABrite Ultra ink cartridges that keep a lower ink costs per print.

UniPrint 7.0 adds new printer driver

UniPrint has launched UniPrint 7.0, intended for Mac network printing in server-centric physical or virtual desktop situations. It works in both 64- and 32-bit environments using a PDF-based universal printer driver, which in turn is designed for Citrix, Microsoft Remote Desktop Services, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure and other non-Windows host system servers. It allows administrators to manage a single universal print driver and, through the use of PDF conversion and compression, in theory save up to 90 percent of the network bandwidth consumed by other direct printing methods.

Epson Announces Color Ink Jet Printers

Epson America announced a pair of powerful, compact business color ink jet printers – the Epson B-310N and B-510DN. Designed for workgroups and small to medium size businesses, the B-310N and B-510DN provide high-volume color network printing with exceptional performance, reliability and productivity. Easy to own and operate, the B-310N and B-510DN printers offer high-yield ink cartridges, a high-capacity front loading paper cassette and an affordable ink cost per color page. "There is a big demand for fast, economical color network printing in a variety of business environments ranging from real estate offices to medical clinics and the Epson B-510DN and B-310N more than fill this gap," said Anna Jen, director of new business development, Epson America, Inc. "Businesses that print a lot of color documents or wishing to print more in color will benefit most from the new Epson B-Series printers."
Both models feature high-capacity front paper cassettes that hold up to 500 sheets to facilitate high-volume, uninterrupted printing; the B-510DN holds letter or legal-size paper and the B-310N holds letter-size paper with an optional legal-size paper cassette. In addition, both the B-310N and B-510DN provide networkability, fast print speeds and high yield ink cartridges. They also offer hassle-free operation and maintenance to help users get back to the business of producing printed color documents that help enhance productivity and communication.

HP sues cartridge companies

HP sues four printer ink cartridge companies for patent infringement, Businessweek reported today. HP alleged  that all four companies "converted more than 300,000 genuine HP printheads from HP facilities in Asia", then sold them as products manufactured by another company, Mipo Technology.

Cartridge World expanding in the UK

Retailer Cartridge World is to open three north west stores in the UK this month. It is adding Shaw, near Oldham, Burnley and Liverpool to its 42 outlets already operating in the region. Cartridge World sells refilled and remanufactured cartridges to commercial and domestic users which it says reduces the amount of landfill waste and helps customers to cut costs.

New Roll-to-Roll UV Printer

Teckwin International has unveiled the TeckPro UV3200. This new roll-to-roll UV printer has a maximum printing width of 130 inches, visible resolution up to 800 dpi and production speeds up to 990 square feet per hour. The TeckPro UV3200 was designed to perform extremely well on a variety of flexible materials. Its media handling system supports rolls up to 750 pounds, meanwhile TeckPro UV3200 is capable of simultaneous printing on multiple rolls and true double-sided backlit printing.

EMEA printer, copier and MFP market 18% in decline

The combined printer, copier and multifunctional product (MFP) market in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) totalled 39.6m shipments in 2009, a decline of 17.8% from 2008, according to research house Gartner, Inc.
Principal analyst Sharon McNee confirmed: "2009 remained another low performing year in EMEA as printing devices sales declined every quarter this year. Overall end-user spending also declined by 21% from €14.4bn in 2008 to €11.3bn in 2009, as a result of tighter credit controls by banks and cuts in IT spending by businesses as well as consumers.
"Many organisations are still delaying the purchase of new products as cost containment policies remain intact with a focus on cost reduction. However, colour devices registered a five per cent growth in 2009 as A4 colour MFPs continued to do well. The decline in A3 copiers/printers was steeper when compared to A4, as organisations continued to further balance their printing needs with the capacity of the printing device. However, A4 MFPs will continue to be the preferred device for distributed printing needs."
According to Gartner, each of the top five vendors saw a decline in 2009. HP remained the market leader in the EMEA printer, copier and MFP market, but registered the worst decline at 21% year-on-year. Canon, ranked number two, continued to perform well in the A4 segment. Samsung Electronics posted the lowest market decline at two per cent in 2009, which helped it maintain its number two position in the page market, led by HP.
Gartner does not expect the EMEA printer, copier and MFP market to return to growth in 2010. "The printer, copier and MFPs market is competing for scarce disposable income, coupled with a relatively low demand from businesses and consumers to replace existing devices," said McNee. "Although the economic recession has accelerated interest in managed print services (MPS) for organisations that seek long-term cost savings, MPS are mainly adopted by large organisations. Vendors also need to educate small and midsize businesses in bringing their print environments up-to-date with their MPS offerings and associated long-term benefits."

Solution signals the end of printer drivers on desktop PCs

ThinPrint introduces the beta version of its latest solution, .print V-Layer Basic. With the newest ThinPrint product, printer driver management in companies with print servers will be significantly simplified. Printer drivers need only be installed once on the print server, eliminating the need to install them individually on each PC. Printing issues are something that system administrators try to avoid. One of the reasons behind this is that in order to enable users access to the correct printer close to their work location, the relevant drivers had to be installed on each individual PC. ThinPrint’s .print V-Layer Basic solution relieves this costly and time-consuming process. The core of the new print solution is ThinPrint’s V-Layer technology. With one click, the original printer drivers on the print server are transformed into V-Layer drivers. Installation or administration on the desktops is eliminated. The original printer drivers need to be installed only once on the print server. A further benefit for employees is that a standardized print dialog (15 languages are supported) is available for each printer.

Epson WorkForce Prints Credentials for 82nd Annual Academy Awards

For 11 years in a row, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected Epson printers to speedily print thousands of high-quality, borderless credentials for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards Ceremony airing on Sunday, March 7. "I rely on Epson printers to produce thousands of credentials for high-profile events every year," said Deborah Cahn, manager of Credential Operations for the Academy.  "Epson printers cater to unique and demanding printing needs like ours.  Instant-dry and smudge-resistant inks are a necessity to quickly print credentials as people wait in line, and the WorkForce 40s have been flawlessly churning out color badges for years."
The WorkForce 40 is a compact, single function printer designed for high-volume printing, with speeds up to twice as fast as competitive models. The WorkForce 40 offers sharp laser-quality black text at speeds of 15 black/9.3 color ISO pages per minute. The new ISO/IEC 24734 industry speed standard was created to provide an unbiased comparison of specifications across manufacturers to help individuals, small business owners and corporate buyers make smarter purchasing decisions.  In addition, it offers built-in Wi-Fi and wired networking to share and print files from virtually anywhere in an office area.

Ultra-Compact Barcode Printers

SATO, a pioneer in the Automatic Identification and Data Collection (AIDC) industry and a leader in barcode printing, labeling, and EPC/RFID solutions, announced the introduction of its new, CG Series of compact, multi-purpose desktop printers.
Ideal for on-demand, low to mid-range volume label or wristband printing applications such as retail shelf and product labeling to layaway and price markdown printing, as well as healthcare wristband printing and office shipping labels, compliance labeling, product identification labels and/or tags, and much more.
The CG Series direct thermal and thermal transfer versions with emulation available are a perfect fit for a variety of applications in healthcare, retail, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, office administration, education and libraries, hospitality, travel and leisure and any other industry where a small footprint combined with value pricing and dependability are a must.
The CG Series are available in 203 dots per inch (dpi) and 305 print resolutions and feature the latest in on-board linear and two dimensional (2D) barcode symbologies, including the latest GS1 DataBar. The flexible connectivity of LAN and USB, Serial or IEEE 1284 Parallel Port enables the CG Series to deliver the best in advanced technology at affordable prices. Easy to use and maintain by even the novice user, the CG Series printers are light weight, yet extremely durable, designed for simple media loading, and conserve critical counter/desktop space.

Contex and Promark Together at ITEX 2010

Contex Americas and US distributor Promark Technology, Inc. will exhibit together at this year's ITEX 2010 conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center March 3rd - 4th 2010. This is ITEX's tenth year of putting on the largest dealer-only event in North America serving the copier, printer, document technology and office product channels and Contex is excited to be a part of this event. Contex has experienced significant dealer sales growth over the past two years within the ITEX market space and is looking to add to this growth by offering additional wide format products and services to this market.
Contex and Promark will feature the new Contex light-weight but powerful 24 inch wide format scanner - the XD2490. Scanner experts will be on site to demo equipment and answer questions. The XD2490 is the first 24" wide format scanner in its class to enter the market and is the perfect solution for all large format document requirements. This scanner will add additional revenue opportunities to existing document management solutions offerings. In addition, this scanner can be bundled with a large format printer to create a large format MFP for large format copying, scanning, printing, emailing and faxing. The Contex XD2490 has made an immediate impact allowing new markets to take advantage of the benefits wide format scanning can offer their businesses.

Beware of Chinese cartridges

Statistics show that nearly 80% of all of the compatible ink cartridges come out of China and while this does not mean that they will not properly work, their quality may not be as high as the original name brand will, according to the webblog If It Prints, I'll Let You Know. Standards in China are typically lower and as a result, your ink cartridge may not function as well as it should.

EFI and Xerox Deliver High-Quality Color

EFI began shipping the Fiery Network Controller for the Xerox WorkCentre(R) 7700 Series of color multifunction printers (MFPs) to meet the demanding requirements of office environments where maximum productivity, ease of use, and high-quality color are essential. The WorkCentre 7700 Series MFPs are one of the first to support Fiery VUE, the desktop application that makes publishing of professional-looking finished documents fast and simple for all office workers.
With speeds up to 50 pages per minute (ppm) in color and up to 75 ppm in black and white, the WorkCentre 7700 Series handle everything from general office documents to high-volume color print jobs. These MFPs also manage multiple printing, copying, scanning and faxing tasks simultaneously without interruption for quick turnarounds.

New Partnership for Cartridge World

Cartridge World will offer 100% new build color toners and solid inks manufactured by Media Sciences, Inc. This covers supplies for over 70 different printers and MFPs from Dell, Epson, Konica Minolta, OKI, Ricoh, Samsung, and Xerox. This co-branded partnership provides Cartridge World a significant growth opportunity in the color laser supplies market for its growing base of small and medium business customers and provides Media Sciences a significant retail presence. Cartridge World claims to be the the world's fastest growing ink and toner refilling retailer and franchisor in the $80 billion printer cartridge industry.

The boom in printing on demand

About 6% of books in America are now printed on toner-based or inkjet machines—a rough proxy for print-on-demand (POD)—as opposed to on offset presses, estimates InterQuest, a market-research firm. Over the next five years, it predicts, this figure will increase to 15%. The Economist predicts new technology will prolong the life of the book