Visit our other websites:    On CE ... eSP ... Mobile Channels ... ECI news ... rAVe Europe ... Digital Signage News EMEA

Printers - Consumables

The Samsung IFA Printer Showcase

E-mail Print PDF
The Samsung IFA Printer Showcase

The Samsung IFA 2013 stand features more than just smartphones and smartwatches-- the company also shows off a trio of curious printer design concepts, the "Wave," "Indie" and "One & One."

Then again the company does want to accelerate its  "leadership in mobile printing," so perhaps its consideration of outlandish ideas ("what if a printer could double as a speaker?") comes as less of a surprise, seeing how Samsung printers already carry functionality of the app, Wifi Direct, Google Cloud Print and NFC variety...

The first Samsung concept printer we will look at is the Wave. It features a "minimal, organic design," doubles as a smartphone dock and prints saved material directly from the docked device.

Continue reading...

A "Stack" in Printer Concepts

E-mail Print PDF
A

Japanese designer Mugi Yamamoto has an interesting idea bringing back interest in the tired world of printers-- the Stack, a compact inkjet printer that "eats" its way down a stack of paper.

The concept eliminates the paper tray, the bulkiest element in most printers, and allows for a simplified, compact design the size of an A3 sheet of paper. It is also admittedly attractive, something we never imagined saying in reference to a printer!

Currently available in working prototype form, the Stack consists of a lightweight aluminium structure holding together components cannibalised from from various mobile printers. Rubber wheels regulate paper flow, pulling paper through the machine and allowing it to make its way down the stack.

Printed sheets of paper appears on top of the Stack.

Continue reading...

Lexmark Exits Inkjet Business

E-mail Print PDF
Lexmark Exits Inkjet Business

Lexmark continues its shift from hardware- to solutions-centric company as it sells off its inkjet-related technology and assets to long-time partner Funai Electric for around $100 million.

Through the deal Funai acquires over 1500 inkjet patents, Lexmark R&D assets and tools, all outstanding shares, a Philippines manufacturing facility and other inkjet-related technologies, allowing the Japanese CE vendor to make own-branded inkjet hardware and supplies.

The 2 companies have had a 15-year relationship, Continue reading...

Fujitsu Intros ScanSnap iX500

E-mail Print PDF
Fujitsu Intros ScanSnap iX500

Fujitsu launches an addition to the ScanSnap series-- the ScanSnap iX500 scanner with built-in wifi connectivity allowing "PC-less" scanning to Android and iOS mobile devices.

Also compatible with Mac OS and Windows PCs via USB 3.0, the iX500 takes a "scan-to-everywhere" approach with easy scanning to cloud-based storage services such as Evernote, Google Docs, Dropbox, SugarSync and Salesforce.

The scanners appears on Windows PCs as a "ScanSnap Folder," essentially a Windows folder one can open Continue reading...

Print on Nails at CES 2013

E-mail Print PDF
Print on Nails at CES 2013

Stare for long enough into the abyss and the abyss will stare back at you, Nietzsche said. Or, in the case of CES 2013, you will get a look from the maddest things at the show-- such as the Tat'z Nail'z nail inkjet printer.

The name says it all, really. The oddly named device first takes a photo before printing it on your fingernails. The process is surprisingly quick (around 10 seconds) and soon enough you too can have a photo-quality image of your own face on a fingernail or two.

Perhaps thankfully Continue reading...

Canon Intros Printing, Scanning Additions

E-mail Print PDF
Canon Intros Printing, Scanning Additions

Canon rolls out a set of printing and scanning solutions for the holiday season-- the Pixma MG6320 and MG5420 All-in-Ones (AIO), the Pixma iP7220 printer and the CanoScan 9000F Mark II scanner.

The MG6320 and MG5420 have a sleek and compact design, with a low-height body and a redesigned paper casette allowing the printer to sit flush against a wall. The MG6320 carries a 3.5-inch touchscreen, while the MG5420 has a similar 3-inch display, and both have built-in wireless printing capabilities allowing Continue reading...

RIP, Lexmark Inkjets

E-mail Print PDF
RIP, Lexmark Inkjets

In a perhaps unsurprising move, Lexmark kills its inkjet printer business as part of "restructuring action," closing off a Philippines inkjet supply manufacturing facility and eliminating all global injket development efforts.

The cost cutting measure (one Lexmark hopes will bring annual savings of up to $95 million) also eliminates 1700 jobs worldwide. The company already cut 625 jobs earlier.

The Lexmark inkjet printer business was not a very healthy one-- H2 2012 inkjet revenues for the company Continue reading...

Deutsche Bank Analyst: "Dead-Tree Format is Dying"

E-mail Print PDF
Deutsche Bank Analyst:

A research note from Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore leaves very little to the imagination-- the title says "Dead-tree format is dying," and the inside shows the inevitable decline of all printer vendors over the last few years.

The research combines supplies and hardware revenues from major printer vendors (including Canon, Epson, HP, Xerox and Lexmark) over the last 10 quarters, showing dramatic declines in both unit shipments and revenues.

Results for Q2 2012 are "particularly weak as Continue reading...

Samsung Refreshes Business Printers

E-mail Print PDF
Samsung Refreshes Business Printers

Probably sharpened by competition against Apple, Samsung no longer fears the competition-- at a recent Milan launch event, Samsung declared war on the dominance HP and Xerox in business printers.

Not only refreshing its printer range, Samsung is also adding technologies learnt from the smartphone arena. High-end Samsung printers now carry touchscreen UIs, with 7-inch touchscreens for A3 copiers/printers and 4.3-inch displays for A4 printers.

The UI allows users to customise up to 40 short-cuts, Continue reading...

Page 6 of 8