Konica Minolta Offers MFP Supporting Distributed Scan

I'll be at the AIIM Show and will check this out for everyone and give you all some feed back on this!

Konica Minolta Offers MFP Supporting Distributed Scan
Monday, March 30, 2009

Tokyo -- Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. (Konica Minolta) is pleased to announce that it will offer its cutting-edge digital color multi function peripheral (MFP), bizhub C550, to the US based Microsoft Corporation to jointly demonstrate Distributed Scan deployed in the Windows Server 2008 R2 at the coming AIIM International Exposition (AIIM Expo) – an event to showcase content and information management applications, tools and solutions – to be held in Philadelphia, USA from March 30 to April 2, 2009.

The bizhub C550 is designed to provide numerous integrated document solutions and capable of enhancing features such as supporting Distributed Scan.

Distributed Scan is a function to automate scanning workflow fixed in advance by interactively linking Active Directory, Distributed Scan Server installed in the Windows Server 2008 R2 and MFPs. When MFPs support this feature, management of multiple servers, such as Microsoft SharePoint Server and E-mail server, will become seamless and facilitate customers' workflow.

Konica Minolta' s MFPs are among the first to support the Distributed Scan. For this year' s AIIM Expo, Konica Minolta will offer the bizhub C550, installing Web Service feature to link with the Distributed Scan, to Microsoft to jointly showcase the new possibilities. Bizhub, coupled with the Distributed Scan, will be able to significantly contribute to customers' work efficiency in line with the coming era of computerized documents.

"Microsoft customers are excited about the new features available in Windows Server 2008 R2," said Ward Ralston, group product manager, Microsoft Corp. "With Konica Minolta's help, our customers will get a firsthand look at how they can increase their business efficiency with Windows Server 2008 R2."

Konica Minolta will all the more contribute to improving document quality and office productivity through aggressively supporting the advanced IT environment.

Samsung Deals another Blow to MFP Giants (Ricoh, Canon, KonicaMinolta)

You here it from me over and over, A4 devices are the way to go!

Samsung has launched their 6555N Multifunctional System, a 55 page per minute device that incorporates a 7" LCD display, 1200x1200 dpi, max paper capacity of 3,240 sheets. The system will color scan out of the box along with an FCOT of 5 seconds, a FPOT of 8 seconds and a max monthly volume rating of 250,000 pages per month. Optional sorter/stapler, fax module and three additional paper trays are available. Get this, the MSRP is $3,995!!



First glimpse tells me that this system is based on the 6354n (45ppm) device, Samsung has changed from older the mono 7" screen to a color 7" screen and beefed the speed from 45 pages per minute to 55 pages per minute. From the picture it seems like the document feeder may have been changed also, not sure, I'll have to wait until I see one of these bad boys.


No 11x17 capability, but who the heck needs 11x17 anymore! Personally, I think the MSRP is two low. It should be more like $6,995, thus allowing dealers and salespeople the opportunity to upgrade older A3 devices to SCX-6555N. I have a few 6345N's in the field generating an average of 8,000 pages per month and no reported problems.


What's next for Sammy a 75ppm device, maybe 85ppm, are all of the A3 devices made by the likes of Ricoh, Canon, Fuji Xerox, KonicaMinolta overpriced? It all depends on if you need 11x17 to print copy or scan. Fact is, Sammy has plans on 75, 90 & 110 ppm systems!


Realizing, that the cost per page of the SCX-6555N is twice that of a 55ppm A3 device. The SCX-6555N still has a home in the SMB market place especially if the user is average 10,000 pages per month. At a cost per page of .016 the SCX-6555N will have a total cost of ownership of $13,995 with out any options. Take a similar A3 device that has an MSRP of $20,000 and a consumable cost (based on 600,000 pages) of $5,100, thsu we have a TCO of $25,100. That's a HUGE difference. Some will argue that the 55ppm A3 devices will last longer and have a larger paper supply, and I might agree, however I could buy three of the SCX-6555N's and still be under the $25,100.


What I'd really like to see is the likes of Ricoh, Canon, KonicaMinolta, Fuji Xerox to wake up and smell the coffee! We don't have to bring to market A4 devices with a very low MSRP, we can bring them in higher and we can sell the reliability, quality and a lower cost per page. Currently we are producing 55ppm A3 devices with cost per pages under a penny, why o why can't we do this with an A4 device!! Come on people Wake UP!!