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One-stop convenience
The latest multifunctionals are fast and compact
By Lisa Wichmann
Speed is one of the main selling points for the latest slew of multifunctional printers on the market. New releases from Xerox, Hewlett-Packard and Lexmark have boosted page-per-minute (ppm) outputs and added a few new twists.
Xerox Canada is marketing its WorkCentre Pro 165 and 175, which handle 65 and 75 ppm respectively. Designed for large office workgroups and light-production areas, the systems combine copying, printing, scanning and faxing in one device.
“This segment is comprised of workhorse products that drive tremendous page volume and represents a substantial portion of the office printing market,” said Brian Bissett, industry analyst and editor of The MFP Report, in a Xerox press release.
The Pro 165 and 175 have a 30 per cent smaller footprint than other Xerox products in the speed range, making them ideal for space-limited areas, such as schools and hospitals.
The two models are the first available with Xerox’s FreeFlow SMARTsend software, which converts, distributes and routes scanned documents in any format to locations such as e-mail, desktop, fax, or network file server. Options include two- and three-hole punching, booklet-making and multi-position stapling. Resolution is the standard 1200 x 1200 dpi print. The WorkCentre price tag starts at $20,575.
Hewlett-Packard Canada Co. has unveiled what it calls a “groundbreaking” multifunction printer—the HP LaserJet 4345mfp.
It delivers similar performance to mainstream copiers—up to 45 ppm—at a third of the cost ($3,199). It also incorporates printing, copying, scanning and faxing, and is small enough for a desktop.
For large workgroups, HP has unveiled the HP LaserJet 9040mfp and 9050mfp, offering high-resolution prints and copies at 40 and 50 ppm respectively. They also handle faxing and digital sending. Estimated street price starts at $12,349.
For colour, HP is offering the LaserJet 9500mfp, suited to networked groups and departments. It provides colour printing, copying, scan to e-mail, analog faxing and document finishing, starting at $14,799.
Lexmark Canada Inc. brings the new X832e to the multifunction party. It can copy, fax, scan and print at page volumes up to a “blazing” 45ppm.
Features include scan-to-e-mail and faxing with one-touch icons highlighted on the colour display. New authentication and encryption features help ensure document security.
The X832e has a 30,000-page yield toner cartridge, and a duty cycle that’s 25 per cent higher than the nearest competitor in its class, according to Lexmark. The Canadian list price is $19,699.
Printer market didn't beat 2003 boom
The huge spike in printer shipments in 2003—driven by photo printers and inkjet MFPs—appears to have cooled, according to Evans Research Corp. (ERC), a market research and services firm in Toronto.
ERC had expected the printer boom to continue for a few more years, albeit with much lower growth rates. But the data for 2004 reveals a downturn from the banner year of 2003.
Vendors shipped approximately 2.53 million units in 2004, down from the 2.7 million units sold in 2003. ERC is expecting a “flat market” for the next few years, said senior analyst of printer products, Bill Fournier, in an interview with Pb2b. He also expects a continued decline in inkjets.
But there is a possibility the colour laser market will “explode,” driven by sub-$500 products and maybe even sub-$500 colour laser-based MFP units. These products would likely drive another huge spike such as that experienced in 2003.
Oki printer takes top award
San Francisco—PC World magazine, a consumer electronics and technology publication, has ranked the OKI B6300n as the number one monochrome laser printer, in the workgroup category. The ranking earned the printer the PC World Best Buy recognition and a 4.5 out of five-star rating. The printer was referred to as the “fastest printer on the chart for graphics,” according to Oki Data Americas Inc. in Mississauga, Ont. The B6300n prints at 25 ppm, and offers a monthly duty cycle of 75,000 pages. It also has a 266-MHz processor, 128 MB standard upgradable RAM, and standard paper capacity of 400 sheets, expandable to 1,500 sheets with options. The price is $1,249.
New network printers
Kyocera Mita Canada has launched a new colour and monochrome network printer. The FS-C8026N is a full-colour workgroup unit handling 26 ppm. It incorporates Kyocera Mita’s ECOSYS printer technology, which allows toner to be replenished in the unit without disposal of the print drum. The system cuts waste and reduces toner replacement costs by two-thirds, compared to other printers, according to Kyocera Mita.
Users can design the FS-C8026N with either of two paper configurations (both of which hold up to 11 x 17-inch paper)—3,000 sheets or three 500-sheet drawers. The printer produces text up to 600 x 600 dpi resolution, and is powered by a standard 512 MB RAM, and standard 20 GB hard disk drive. The suggested retail price is $9,710.
Ricoh Canada Inc. expects its new network printers, the Aficio AP410/ AP410N, to be available in Canada by the end of March. The new system delivers high-speed collated and duplexed black and white documents, with standard input capacity of 600 sheets. It also has 300/372 MHz processors and a duty cycle of 150,000 prints per month. The price is $1,400 networked, and $1,150 non-networked. os
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