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PRINT.IT 5 www.binfo.co.uk
Following in the footsteps of
HP and Lexmark, Canon has
introduced its frst inkjet all-in-
ones with a direct connection
to the internet. The PIXMA
MG8250/6250/5350 feature
Canon’s new PIXMA Cloud
Link, which lets users access
and print online content,
including stationery, forms and
photos stored in online albums
such as Google’s Picasa and
Canon’s own iMAGE Gateway.
They also support Canon’s
new Easy PhotoPrint App for iOS
and Android devices, which allows
photo printing and scanning
directly from a mobile device,
and Apple’s AirPrint for
driverless printing from
iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
devices.
The top of the range
PIXMA MG8250 and
6250 are targeted at
serious photographers and come
with touch screen interfaces and
a 6-ink system for professional
B&W and colour prints. The
MG8250 also features an
integrated 35mm flm scanner
for making 4800 x 9600 prints of
35mm negatives and slides.
The PIXMA MG5350 is a
general purpose printer with a
fve-ink system and colour TFT
display. It, too, has wireless
connectivity; automatic two-
sided printing and individually
replaceable ink tanks.
Canon launches frst web
connected printers
Scanner unit gives more options to
Lexmark T650 users
Konica Minolta is expanding
its range of High Chroma
bizhub MFPs with the launch
of the bizhub PRO C70hc.
High Chroma is a new type
of toner developed by Konica
Minolta that brings what-you-
see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWIG)
simplicity to four-colour output
by reproducing colours as they
are shown on an RGB screen
– i.e. with much higher colour
saturation than is possible with
conventional toner – without
complicated conversion
processes.
One of the major markets
for this technology, says Konica
Minolta, is the production of
photobooks by commercial
printers. Last year 17.3 million
photobooks were printed in
Western Europe (1.3 million
in the UK), creating a market
worth €512 million.
To help commercial printers
meet customer demand, Konica
Minolta is offering a complete
photobook solution including
a bizhub PRESS C70hc and
the company’s own Software-
as-a-Service (SaaS) photobook
solution.
www.konicaminolta.co.uk
High Chroma and photobooks are
perfect match
Sales of single function A4 and
A3 colour laser printers are
forecast to enjoy a compound
annual growth rate (CAGR) of
2.3% in EMEA between 2008
and 2015, according to Lyra
Research’s Worldwide Forecast
for Single-Function Color Laser
Printers, 2008–2015.
Sales are projected to rise
steadily in the short term,
following a signifcant decline in
2009 caused by the economic
recession, high costs per page
and poorly defned offce colour
applications. However, Lyra
Research warns that over the
long term print vendors will
have to address issues such as
running costs and advances in
ink jet technology and business-
class ink jets.
Larry Jamieson, director
of Lyra’s Hard Copy Industry
Advisory Service, said: “Single-
function colour laser printers will
have some growth opportunities
as businesses continue to bring
colour into the offce. However,
the growth will be limited as a
result of the lingering effects
of the recession, a reduction in
print volumes, competition from
ink jets and MFPs and the belief
that monochrome output is fne
for most applications.”
The strongest growing part
of the market will be SOHO and
small workgroup colour laser
printers. www.lyra.com
Colour laser printer sales to rise steadily
Lexmark has launched an
A3 scanner unit for its T650
Series of mono laser printers,
giving customers the option
to add colour scan, B&W
copy and document workfow
capabilities to a new or
existing printer.
Although the 6500e MFP
option adds MFP functions to
the T650 Series, Tony Lomax,
product marketing manager
at Lexmark UK & Ireland, said
that it was not a substitute for
Lexmark’s X650 series MFPs
which are built on the same
print engine.
“It is not there to replace any
of our MFP offerings. It’s more
that there can be situations
where an MFP offering isn’t
appropriate,” he said.
Examples include where
there is limited vertical space as
the scanning unit can be placed
next to the machine or even
in another room; or when it is
important to have the full range
of fnishing options offered by
the T650, such as two fve-bin
mailboxes for separating output
– an option that isn’t available
on X650 series MFPs.
“Another area where we have
some success is where the
customer has an existing feet
of T650s and a copier contract
that is coming to the end of its
lease,” explained Lomax. “You
could swap out your T650s and
copiers and put in MFPs but
you might have only recently
acquired the T650s so where
it’s appropriate you could
acquire 6500es instead of
new MFPs.”
In addition, the scanner
provides extra functionality such
as support for A3 documents;
the ability to scan heavyweight
card or business cards via the
ADF; and a better touchscreen
display that as well as being
larger (10.2 vs 7in) features
‘tactile feedback’.
www.lexmark.co.uk