Lexmark Celebrates 20th Anniversary

- Lexmark recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the launch of their first desktop b/w laser printer. Here is a quick history:
- Lexmark was formed in 1991, when IBM sold off its imaging division to investors
- The name Lexmark came from the fact that IBM had a facility in Lexington, Kentucky that made devices that put marks on paper.
- Current Lexmark, CEO, Paul Curlander, was the product manager for
computer printers
- The division originally focused on making typewriters (Selectric, WheelWriter, etc.)
- In 1981, IBM launched the IBM PC and a dot matrix printer
- In 1969, Gary Starkweather invented first laser printer at Xerox PARC.
- In 1971, Xerox produced first laser printer.
- In 1976, IBM installed its first laser printer, the 3800, a huge floor model, at
F. W. Woolworth’s data center in Milwaukee, WI. Many of these high speed models are still in use today
- In 1984, Hewlett Packard launched the first Laserjet, which was a Canon-made
8ppm model, 300x300dpi, which weighed 75lbs.
- 1985, first IBM laser printer was a table top model, the 3812, selling for $7000 each, and was developed in Boulder, Colorado.
- In 1988, HP launched the first DeskJet inkjet printer.
- Paul Curlander and team of 100 in Lexington, KY were tasked with making small, lightweight, desktop model, which became the IBM 4019 featuring:
- First model able to print on envelopes
- First model to print pages in order
- First test print made at 5:09pm on 4/14/1987 by Harry Cooper
- On 5/6/1987, test unit was printing pages with text and pictures
- Approved for production by Marvin Mann, the first Lexmark CEO
- Original selling price of $2600.00
- Launch date of 10/10/1989
- Sold 100,000 in first year
- Won Product of the Year by PC Magazine
- Toner cartridges are still made and sold for the 4019
- On 10/24/1994, Lexmark launched the Optra series, its first non-IBM labeled printers

- Lexmark announced it signed a 4 year, multi-million dollar managed print services contract with Kingfisher, a global home improvement retail group. The deal includes install of new b/w and color laser MFPs/printers at 330 stores.

-=Cheers=-

Fujitsu SnapScan fi-6010N "Spec Review"

Fujitsu now shipping the SnapScan fi-6010N desktop scanner featuring:

- large 8.4” color LCD touch screen (like a digital copier)
- scan to email
- scan to folder
- scan to network fax
- scan to FTP
- scan to network printer
- full 101 keyboard
- user can preview, zoom, pan and rotate scanned images
- open source integration capabilities for embedded solutions
- optional software developer kit (SDK)
- 25opm in b/w or color
- Duplex mode scans at 50ipm
- Auto rotate
- Blank page deletion
- Color detection
- Deskew and despeckle
- Page size detection
- Ultrasonic double feed detection
- 50 page document feeder that can handle embossed cards
- Base MSRP of $2999

-=Cheers=-

Print Audit 6 Now Available for Macintosh OS X

Print Audit 6 Now Available for Macintosh OS X

The Apple version of Print Audit 6 will provide OS X users around the world with a comprehensive suite of print management solutions

CALGARY, ALBERTA (October 19, 2009) – Continuing its longstanding dedication to the ease of use and compatibility of their print management products, Print Audit has released a new version of their flagship product, Print Audit 6, for the Macintosh operating system.

With Apple computers and OS X gaining significant popularity in office environments over the past five years, the leading print management company has provided Mac users with a version of their award winning software that offers all of the features and benefits of the Windows version of the product.

“Market data and our own customer feedback shows that Apple products are becoming increasingly common in the workplace, particularly in the educational and creative spheres,” said John MacInnes, President and CEO of Print Audit. “For this reason, releasing a Mac OS X version of Print Audit 6 was a natural step that will allow even more organizations to accurately manage their printing and decrease associated costs.”

Print Audit 6 for Mac contains the same features as the Windows version of the software. The solution is comprised of three components called Analysis, Rules, and Recovery which work together to help organizations to save money, increase efficiency, and reduce their environmental impact.

Print Audit 6 for Mac is compatible with all Macintosh computers running OS X 10.4 or higher.

To learn more about Print Audit, please visit www.printaudit.com.


About Print Audit
Established in 1999 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Print Audit is the fastest growing print management company in the world. By providing businesses with innovative and practical print management software solutions, the company has helped customers recapture over $150 million in printing and photocopying expenses while saving an estimated 190,000 trees a year. Print Audit has offices located in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada and the United States.

For more information on Print Audit, please contact:

Angela Onstine
1.877.412.8348
pr@printaudit.com
www.printaudit.com

Outside of North America, please contact:

Print Audit - Europe
+44(0)1483 726206
www.printauditeurope.com
inquiry@printauditeurope.com

Print Audit - Australasia
+612 9922-3756
http://www.printauditaustralasia.com


Print Audit - South Africa
+086 110 5777 (Within South Africa)
+27 11 531 1869 (Outside South Africa)
www.printauditsa.com
info@printauditsa.com

Print Audit – America Latina
+55(21)2220 0939
www.printaudit.com.br
Informações em Português:
suporte@printaudit.com.br
Informaciones en Español:
espanol@printaudit.com.br

-=cheers=-

How much of your office copying/printing is in color?

Would like everyone's input on this, this poll is for end users of MFPs, MFDs, and other printing equipment for the office.

How much of your office copying/printing is in color?

Please click this link for the Poll:


How much of your office copying/printing is in color?

-=Cheers=-

CUSP and NSi Announce Strategic Partnership for On-Demand SaaS Solution

Rockville, MD— Tuesday May 12, 2008 – CUSP Point Software and Notable Solutions Partner to Provide Powerful and Unique Content Capture Integration in an On-Demand SaaS Solution

CUSP Point Software, the innovative Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider for on-demand electronic document management (EDM), and Notable Solutions, Inc (NSi), a market leader in distributed content capture and business automation, today announced a strategic partnership for the integration of AutoStore, NSi’s suite of products, with the CUSP PaperTrail solution to present a unique commercial offering.

This CUSP – NSi Partnership is significant for CUSP’s worldwide Value Added Reseller (VAR) Partners who may now access the full NSi suite of products via PaperTrail, and benefit from greatly reduced expenses in capturing, managing, and securely storing documents without any additional requirements for software, support or upgrades.

Some of the key benefits associated with this alliance include:

Open access for CUSP VAR Partners to NSi’s comprehensive suite of applications.
Documents can be captured from over 180 models of scanners, network-attached scanners, MFPs and copiers from all major manufacturers.
All software, support and ongoing upgrade costs of the NSi Capture technology are included in the CUSP Solution monthly charge.
The capture of information and documents from any paper or electronic source can be automatically routed directly to PaperTrail from the VAR Partner and/or end-user locations.
Using NSi’s SMARTicket application, documents can be pre-indexed prior to scanning by generating a cover sheet containing pertinent search information and routing instructions before automatic archiving once the scan is complete.
Documents that are scanned and routed to PaperTrail can also be routed and delivered to multiple locations such as email addresses, fax, etc.
To offer maximum flexibility, VAR Partners and their clients may choose either to install the full AutoStore andSMARTicket servers at their own location, or choose for those servers to be located within CUSP Data Centers.

“Establishing and Expanding our CUSP partnership is strategic to NSi as we launch an initiative to target the aggressively growing on-demand and hosted document management market,” Said Mehdi Tehranchi, CEO of NSi.
“We have created a tremendous product offering by combining CUSP on-demand EDM and NSi Data Stream Management Software, providing our existing channels a way to satisfy customer’s data management needs with on-demand capture application to boost productivity.”

“CUSP is extremely pleased and proud of the partnership formed with NSi to offer a new paradigm of software excellence in on-demand electronic document management”, commented CUSP CEO Seamus Brennan. “The CUSP – NSi partnership will bring to market a combined offering that features the leading Content Capture and Data Stream Management Software suite offered by NSi and the CUSP PaperTrail Software as a Service (SaaS) Solution that is setting a new standard of security, performance and scalability. In addition to securely accessing your entire document archive anytime and anywhere, you will now be able to securely send your business critical content directly to your PaperTrail repository from scanners, copiers and a host of other multifunction devices. It is a huge step forward for CUSP to be able to offer on-demand EDM solution within a SaaS commercial model.”

CUSP is demonstrating the PaperTrail solution at the PRISM (Professional Records & Information Services Management) annual conference from May 13th through 16th in Anchorage, Alaska.

About CUSP Point Software Ltd.

CUSP Point Software is a leading provider of electronic document management solutions. PaperTrail™ is CUSP’s first offering featuring unsurpassed levels of usability, security and scalability, featuring a highly intuitive, fully rebrandable and seamless end-to-end document management interface. PaperTrail is available through CUSP’s VAR partner program, which enables resellers to offer additional services to their customers and generate significant recurring revenue streams. CUSP is a privately owned company with global headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, US commercial headquarters in Chicago and regional offices in Colorado and Ohio.

For more information, please visit www.cusppoint.com

About Notable Solutions, Inc. (NSi)

What We Do : “We connect digital office devices to business applications. Our software captures paper and electronic documents, processes them and routes them into target systems.” For more information visit us at http://www.nsiautostore.com/

-=Cheers=-

Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE C7000/C9000 Review

More information on the new Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE C7000/C9000 series of color MFPs:

- the Canon Advanced imageCHIP system, which runs the MFP, actually consists of:
- Main board which works with the scanner to adjust image size, and process the image
- Accelerator board controls the user interface and controls network connectivity
- Riser board connects other two boards together
- 2GB RAM standard with 80GB hard drive
- When the device feels it needs more toner, it unlocks the door to expose the toner. If end user wants to change the toner, and door is not unlocked, end user must go into the control panel and search for an unlock mode in the Settings/Registration menu
- The new Canon pQ toner does not need fuser oil, and replaces the previous “S” toner and “V” toner used in other models
- The waste toner cartridge is replaced on by a service technician and not by customer
- Every 100 pages, the “Real Time Calibration” is activated to improve consistency of image quality
- Unlike other Canon models, these new models have a paper size sensor in the drawers
- Paper drawers, however, still have a push button that has to be activated in order to open drawers
- There are no screening or gloss optimization controls
- Back to front registration is rated at +/- 1.0 millimeter
- Standard generic print controller does not come with either PCL or PostScript print drivers, as these are expensive options. Also need to add 512MB RAM for PS driver.
- Other print controller options are EFI Fiery & MicroPress
- Maximum paper size is 13”x19”
- Can handle up to 300gsm
- Unit slows down when printing on thick media
- Maximum duplex paper weight is 220gsm (this is only 80lb. cover)
- Does not have paper decurling function
- No perfect bind option
- Optional booklet maker can only stitch up to 20 sheets of paper
- The capacity of the output tray is only 25 booklets
- If customer has installed the Professional Puncher, Paper Folding Unit or Paper Deck A1, Canon recommends that a space of 39.4” between back of unit and wall for technician access.

-=Cheers=-

Samsung Poised for #1 "Launches SIX new Laser Devices"

Below is a recent alert I picked up on "g" alerts thus confirming that "Sammy" is hot and heavy to become the number #1 provider of printers and MFD devices in the world.

Canon captured high copier market share in the late eighties and early nineties with their personal copiers, Sammy started with low end printers and MFD's and is poised to take additional market share from their Japanese counterparts!.

Here's the alert; Samsung Electronics on October 15 unveiled two monochrome laser printers, the ML-1915and ML-2580N, and four monochrome laser MFPs (multi-function peripherals), the SCX-4600, SCX-4623F, SF-650 and SF-650P, for immediate launch in the Taiwan market, according to Samsung Electronics Taiwan.

The six models feature Samsung-developed AnyWeb and Print Screen Button technologies, Samsung Taiwan indicated.

In the Taiwan market, Samsung aims to compete with Hewlett-Packard (HP) to become the largest laser MFP vendor and to become the third largest vendor, next to HP and Seiko Epson, in laser printers, Samsung Taiwan pointed out.

Samsung: New monochrome laser printers/MFPs

ML-1915 (US$124)

ML-2580N

SCX-4600 (3 functions in one)

SCX-4623F (4 in one)

SF-650 (2 in one)

SF-650P (2 in one)

-=Cheers=-

Panasonic DP-MB350 "Quick Review"

New Panasonic A4 MFP (no 11x17).. List price is about $1,500. No word on CPC yet, but I bet it will be in the .012-.015 range.

▪ Digital Copier / Fax / Network Printer / Network Color Scanner
▪ 520 sheet paper drawer
▪ 50 page reversing document feeder
▪ Auto duplex
▪ Large 3.5" color display
▪ Readiris OCR software
▪ Recommended for an office with a low volume
▪ Toner yield 8,000 pages
▪ Drum yield 20,000 pages

Panasonic DP-MB350 is a low volume Business Class digital copier for a workgroup or small business. The DP-MB350 is recommended for a business or an office with a volume of up to 15,000 pages per month. This compact Multifunction copier offers network printing, network color scanning and a Super G3 Fax as a standard feature, which makes it the perfect solution for a low volume office.


-=Good Selling=-

Fuji Xerox and Xerox roll out new global product design

Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. and Xerox Corporation will begin the worldwide introduction of a next-generation product design, based on the new Xerox brand identity adopted in 2008. The new design, which was developed by Xerox in cooperation with Fuji Xerox, will be applied first to the new ApeosPort-IV and DocuCentre-IV series digital multifunction devices, launched on August 28 in Japan and now available in the Philippines.

The new design will be universally applied to the Xerox brand product lineup worldwide, from digital multi-function devices to office printers and high-end production printers, as well as to operation screens of application software.

The main concepts for the new-generation product design include:
– Visually friendly "3D Box" design that highlights the user operation area
– Simple design form that subdues areas other than the operation area
– User and IT friendly UI screen (also applied to software)
– Presentation that embodies the spirit of the new Xerox brand identity

Through these changes, Fuji Xerox and Xerox are reflecting the spirit of the Xerox brand with exclusive and highly appealing design elements that differentiate the brand and its products not only in the marketplace but also in customers office settings where they are a daily part of simplifying the way work gets done.

Ricky Munoz, Fuji Xerox Philippines marketing communications head, said “Our customers will surely be delighted with this design innovation that enhances user experience with our popular Apeos IV and Docucentre IV printing devices.”

-=Cheers=-

Lyra Hires Industry Expert Joel Mazza

Newton, MA - September 28, 2009 - Lyra Research, the digital imaging authority (www.lyra.com), announces that it has hired Joel Mazza as director of business development. In this position, Mazza is responsible for managing the new business development function for Lyra's advisory services, as well as supporting its consulting and multiclient growth initiatives.

Commenting on his new position, Mazza said, "I am very excited to join Lyra. Lyra is highly regarded in the digital imaging industry and I look forward to introducing potential clients to the benefits and rewards of Lyra's services. I also welcome the chance to use my sales, marketing and industry knowledge to help enhance Lyra's existing service offerings and implement new programs to meet clients' ever-changing needs."

Prior to joining Lyra, Mazza served as a sales and marketing consultant for Technology Partners, a startup remote disaster recovery and data protection firm. During his tenure at Technology Partners, he structured the company's sales and marketing process and its CRM system, and he spearheaded its sales efforts. From 2006 to 2008, Mazza served as director of field sales for ColumbiaSoft Corporation, a developer of enterprise document-management solutions. His primary responsibilities included new business development, sales, and territory management for the Eastern United States, as well as Canada, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom. He also oversaw the development of ColumbiaSoft's AEC market, bringing on major accounts in engineering, construction, and real estate management.

In addition to his technology sales background, Mazza has vast digital imaging industry sales and product management experience. He spent six years (2000-2006) with InfoTrends, a strategic research and consulting firm, in a variety of research, sales, and management roles, including a position as a director in the Workgroup Document Solutions Group. His client base at InfoTrends included several Global 1,000 and Fortune 500 multinational businesses such as Canon, Fuji Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Océ, Seiko Epson, and Toshiba. Prior to joining InfoTrends, Mazza served as a product manager at both Electronics for Imaging (EFI) and Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A.


"Joel brings extensive new business experience to Lyra," said Frank Stefansson, CEO and executive vice president of Lyra Research. "This experience, coupled with his digital imaging industry sales and product knowledge, makes him an ideal addition to our team. We are confident in his ability to help Lyra achieve its growth objectives and effectively showcase Lyra's industry-leading research and services to our client base."

Sponsorship Opportunities
Mr. Mazza can be reached at jmazza@lyra.com or 860-918-6824.
Lyra Research: The Digital Imaging Authority
Lyra Research collaborates with imaging industry decision makers worldwide, enabling clients to strengthen their market position and achieve profitable growth. Lyra's expert analysts and editors help clients devise and implement creative solutions to business challenges, arming them with competitive intelligence, strategic and tactical advice, news and analysis, and market forecasts.


Since 1991, Lyra's custom research and consulting, advisory services, award-winning journals, and innovative events have set the standard for analysis of imaging hardware, consumables, and digital photography markets.

Visit www.lyra.com to learn more about how Lyra can be your strategic business partner.