Epson goes on a short and aggressive tirade against rivals' ink use

Japanese electronics manufacturer Epson recently put the spotlight on poor printer ink usage during a recent press launch of a new product line. Epson singled out HP, Canon and Kodak for all having sub-par standards, especially when it came to ink cartridges.

To back up their claims, Epson cited a study they commissioned from TUV Rheinland, a large testing and assessment company. The study showed, amongst other things, that ink cartridges often do not use the majority of their ink before they are replaced. Kodak took the brunt of the abuse in the Epson press event, with the Kodak EasyShare 5300 being cited as one extreme example of poor ink use. In the TUV Rheinland study, the Kodak EasyShare 5300 only used 36 per cent of the overall ink from the ink tank was used before one color ran out, and the tank needed replacing.

Robert Clark, Epson's Director of Inkjet Business, also refuted that “the Kodak proposition will work,” in a reference to Kodak's claim that consumers would recoup the cost of more expensive printers by being able to buy less expensive Kodak ink tanks and cartridges.

Epson also belittled their rivals' scanners, with a demonstration of the lack of quality differences between HP's G4050's 48-bit and 96-bit scanning. Then a Canoscan 8600F was pointed out for having supposedly poor performance.

It is fairly uncommon for the direct naming of competitors, but Robert Clark defended this recent practice by saying that he “took the decision to do it. . . to give you more value.” He then went on to label the more usual 'competitors' term as “nebulous.”

 

Kodak is getting into the consumer printer market - in a big way.

What is the #1 complaint people have about inkjet printers?

1. Is it the prrice of the printer?

NO

2. Is it the quality of the prints?

NO

3. Is it the longevity of the prints?

NO

4; Is it the price of ink?

YES

and to a lesser extent, the price of photo paper.

Kodak, who is seeing the squeeze in their film and silver halide printing business, has decided to do something about it.

Given the domination of the inkject printing market by heavyweights such as Canon and Epson, followed by HP, Lexmark, Brother et al, why would people buy the new Kodak printers? I mean, everyone claims long life for thier prints, the printers are all reasonably priced (unless you want to print bigger than 8.5"x11") - so how will they break into the market and get market share?

Simple.

By giving people what they want - at a (more) reasonable price!

Let's take a look at some prices.

Canon 4x6 PhotoPaper Plus, 120 sheet pack $11 at Newegg (MSRP $14)

Canon CLI 8 cartridges: $11.99 each, and you need six, for a full new set.

Now based on my experiences, you can print about 150 4x6's on a canon printer before you run out of PC,PY and PM, and get to half capacity of C&M, and a quarter of B... so 150 4x6's use 3+2x.5+.25 cartridges - that is 4.25 cartridges @ $12 each - or about $51 for ink. Scaled to 120 pages, that's $40.80 for the ink needed to print 120 4x6's.. now add $11 for paper, giving us a cost of $51.80 for 120 4x6's - that's 0.432 per print.

From friends who run Epson printers, I gather their prints cost 1.5x-2x as much once all is said and done, and HP/Lexmark/Brother supposedly end up costing up to $1 per 4x6 print if you are not careful.

Costco prints for around $0.10 per 4x6.

Now Kodak is bringing out a line of Easyshare photo printers priced between $149 and $150, with supplies packaged in a way consumers will easily understand - including the paper and the ink in a handy package, and showing the cost per print right on the package!

The Easyshare 5100 starts at $150, and it is a multi-function unit that can print, scan and copy - and is PictBridge compatible.

The Easyshare 5300 at $250 adds a 3" color display and memory slots, and allows for viewing and cropping on the printer

The Easyshare 5600 at $300 has a 2.4" display, fax support, automated document feeder for the scanner, and a duplexer for double sided printing.

The 180 print "standard" paper+ink package will cost $17.99MSRP, so even if you pay full MSRP, your per print cost will be $0.10

The higher quality paper based package will have 135 sheets of the thicker paper for $19.99, or $0.15 per print.

I am certain Epson, Canon et al are NOT going to be happy about this.

I am equally certain that other manufacturers paper and ink prices will tumble - because if they don't, they will lose market share in a BIG way.

So much for the suspected price collusion between printer manufacturers. All it takes is a new entrant to the market, or one member of a hypothetical cartel to break ranks - and the market will decide. This is how the market is supposed to work.

Now don't take this to mean that the Kodak prints will be sub-standard.

Kodak probably has more experience in making photographic prints than the rest of the printer manufacturers put togeather; and their new printers will use MEMS technology print heads and pigmented inks.

I can't wait to try them.

Speaking as a photographer, you can bet I will be checking out these printers, and the quality of the prints.

Let the ink+paper price wars begin... :-)

 

 

 

Loose manufacturing tolerances give printers unique signatures

The BBC is reporting on a story that first broke last week on how printers have indentifiable properties based on the print output. Because of the competitive nature of the printer industry, it seems that manufacturing specifications are not all that tight and because of that variance, each printer produced is actually somewhat unique.

"We extract mathematical features, or measurements, from printed letters, then we use image analysis and pattern-recognition techniques to identify the printer," said Professor Delp.

Looks like we may need to go back to the times where different letters are cut out from magazines for letters of dubious origin.

New ML-1440 and ML-1450 aimed at home and small business markets

Samsung Electronics today introduces the ML-1400 series of laser printers for home and small office use. The ML-1440 and ML-1450 aim to become the most productive and cost-efficient laser printers on the market.

Powered by a 66MHz processor, the ML-1400 series is capable of handling a printing rate of 15 pages per minute. The ML-1400 series allows users to connect through either the parallel port
or USB interface of their computer. The printers are also compatible with all major operating systems, including Windows 95/98/2000/ME/NT4.0/XP, Linux, and Macintosh OS 8.6 and above.

"With the introduction of the ML-1440 and ML-1450, Samsung is delivering laser printer quality to Canadian homes via the most user-friendly devices on the market," says Mike Booker, IT Sales Manager, for Samsung Electronic Canada. "The price point and flexibility of these printers makes Samsung's advanced laser technology available to everyone."

The ML-1440, with 8MB of standard memory, produces text and images at a resolution of 600 x 600dpi. The network-capable ML-1450 includes all of the functionality of the ML-1440, with added features designed to meet the needs of small workgroups. With a high-resolution output of 1200 dpi and memory expandable to 64MB, the high-volume capacity of the ML-1450 is clearly targeted towards small businesses.

"The ML-1440 and ML-1450 are high powered and cost-efficient solutions to today's laser printer needs," says Booker. "These printers reflect Samsung's commitment to putting the most innovative tools available into the hands of Canadian consumers."

Lexmark Canada Inc. is pleased to announce a special end user sales promotion, giving customers $30 rebates on Lexmark's Z22, Z25, Z35 and Z45 Color Jetprinters. The rebate promotion begins on April 1 and runs until June 30, 2002.

The Lexmark Z Series of Color Jetprinters

Available for $49* after the $30 mail-in rebate, the Lexmark Z22 is designed for novice consumers seeking dual-cartridge capability at a single-cartridge price. As users' needs change, the Z22 may be upgraded to a dual-head printer by adding a black cartridge that adds laser-sharp text to the crisp photo quality achieved with the colour cartridge shipped in the box. The Windows, Mac and Linux compatible Z22 delivers 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution, offers print speeds of 6.5 ppm in black and 3.5 ppm in colour and features both USB and parallel connectivity.

The Lexmark Z25 is designed for the consumer who wants versatility at a value price. The Z25 functions as either a single or dual-head printing system. With a colour cartridge included in the box, the Z25 can be upgraded to a dual-head, four-colour printer by adding an optional black cartridge. The Z25 offers best-in-class print speeds of up to nine ppm in black and up to six ppm in colour. Capable of photo quality printing, the Z25 features 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution in black and colour on all paper types, is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux platforms, and offers USB connectivity. The Z25 has an estimated street price of $49*
(Cdn) after mail-in rebate.

The Lexmark Z35 is engineered for home users seeking an efficient inkjet that handles everything from printing emails to digital photos. The Z35 can achieve a maximum 2400 x 1200 dpi resolution and delivers best-in- class prints speeds of up to 11 ppm in black and up to six ppm in colour. The Z35 is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. The estimated street price of the Z35 after mail-in rebate is $89* (Cdn).

For home users looking for an easy-to-use, top-performing inkjet, the Lexmark Z45 fits the bill. The Z45 has best-in-class print speeds of up to 15 ppm in black and up to nine ppm in colour and 2400 x 1200 dpi in black and colour on all paper types and features Lexmark's exclusive AccuFeed paper handling. The Windows and Mac compatible Z45 supports USB connectivity and features automatic cartridge alignment and one- click driver installation for superior ease-of-use. After mail-in rebate, the estimated street price of the Z45 is $129* (Cdn).

This promotion is available from April 1 to June 30, 2002 through participating retailers across Canada. For a copy of the rebate coupons, complete terms and conditions of these offers, and for more information on Lexmark products, visit Lexmark Canada's web site at: www.lexmark.com or call 1-800-539-6275.

Shipping in April, Lexmark's 2002 Z Series puts unrivaled printing resolutions and speeds in the hands of SOHO, home users and digital photo enthusiasts in time for Spring.

In introducing its 2002 Z Series inkjet printers, Lexmark Canada Inc. today set a new precedent in print resolution with two industry firsts: 4800 x 1200 dots per inch (dpi) resolution and 3600 x 1200 dpi resolution. In digital imaging terms, Canadians can now enjoy digital output of 5.76 megapixels -- the highest resolution available from a printer.

As further testament to its ongoing legacy of technology leadership, Lexmark's latest Z Series, which includes the Lexmark Z65n, Z55, Z45, Z35 and Z25 Color Jetprinters, offers print speeds of up to 21 pages per minute (ppm) and new features that make it easier than ever for small-office and home users to print.

"This announcement marks a first for Canadian consumers," said Paul Kreutzer, director of the company's Consumer Printer Division. "Never before have SOHO users been able to acquire a colour network printer with dual paper trays for under $300*. Never before have families been able to print images so realistic and close to photo lab quality."


Breakthrough Features

Made possible through its core focus on developing cutting-edge printer solutions, Lexmark is introducing several technology advancements:

- Lexmark's PrecisionSense technology intuitively detects the type of stock in a paper tray -- allowing the printer driver to adjust and optimize output -- and automatically aligns cartridges for easy operation. PrecisionSense works in tandem with the company's signature
Accu-Feed Paper Handling System which virtually eliminates jams and allows users to choose from a wide range of print media up to 150-pound stock, including envelopes, transparencies, card stock, labels and iron- on transfers.

- Lexmark's exclusive PrecisionPhoto technology leverages the printer's top-rated resolution to deliver better colour transitions and more detailed textures. By utilizing a variety of dual ink nozzle diameters and ink bubble chambers, the technology ensures microfine colour drop sizes of three and 10 picoliters and truer, higher-density images. Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the superb detail and vivid colour, while SOHO users will benefit from eye-popping colour graphics and laser-sharp text output.

- Lexmark's host-based network technology makes it easy and affordable for small offices and homes to connect to their local area networks. This network functionality is enhanced with a handy second paper tray with a capacity of up to 250 pages.


The 2002 Lexmark Z Series of Color Jetprinters

Lexmark Z65n Color Jetprinter

Ideal for both SOHO customers, families with home networks and those interested in photo printing, the Lexmark Z65n with PrecisionPhoto technology can generate 4800 x 1200 dpi resolution in black and colour on photo paper, inkjet paper and transparencies, as well as 4800 x 600 dpi on plain paper. Best-in-class print speeds of up to 21 ppm in black and up to 15 ppm in colour make it a welcome addition to the busiest environment. High-volume users will appreciate PrecisionSense's built-in media sensor and dual paper trays for faster media transition. The Z65n's automatic cartridge alignment ensures optimal print output without manual adjustment. Available for $299*, the Z65n is Windows and Mac-compatible and offers USB connectivity.


Lexmark Z55 Color Jetprinter

With a suggested retail price of $169*, the Lexmark Z55 with PrecisionPhoto technology offers advanced home users 3600 x 1200 dpi in black and colour on photo paper, inkjet paper, and transparencies in addition to 3600 X 600 dpi on plain paper. The Z55 also boasts a three picolitre microfine colour drop size, best-in-class print speeds of up to 17 ppm in black and up to 13 ppm in colour, and PrecisionSense technology for automatic media detection. It also features automatic cartridge alignment and one-click driver installation. To fit all work styles and platforms, the Z55 offers USB and parallel connectivity as well as Windows, Mac and Linux compatibility.


Lexmark Z45 Color Jetprinter

For home users looking for an easy-to-use, top-performing inkjet, the Lexmark Z45 fits the bill. Available for $129**, the Z45 has best-in- class print speeds of up to 15 ppm in black and up to nine ppm in colour and 2400 x 1200 dpi in black and colour on all paper types and features Lexmark's exclusive AccuFeed paper handling system and automatic cartridge alignment. The Windows and Mac compatible Z45 supports USB connectivity and features automatic cartridge alignment and one-click driver installation for superior ease-of-use.


Lexmark Z35 Color Jetprinter

Retailing for $89**, the Lexmark Z35 is engineered for home users seeking an efficient inkjet that handles everything from printing emails to digital photos. The Z35 can achieve a maximum 2400 x 1200 dpi resolution and delivers best-in-class prints speeds of up to 11 ppm in black and up to six ppm in colour. The Z35 is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux platforms.


Lexmark Z25 Color Jetprinter

The $49** Lexmark Z25 is designed for the consumer who wants versatility at a value price. The Z25 functions as either a single or dual-head printing system. With a colour cartridge included in the box, the Z25 can be upgraded to a dual-head, four-colour printer by adding an optional black cartridge. The Z25 offers best-in-class print speeds of up to nine ppm in black and up to six ppm in colour. Capable of photo quality printing, the Z25 features 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution in back and colour on all paper types, is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux platforms, and offers USB connectivity.


Availability

Lexmark's 2002 Z Series will be available in April at select computer and consumer electronics retailers across Canada.

Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Ltd. today introduced the industry's first all-in-one home digital imaging solution that allows consumers to choose and print digital photos directly, without the need for a computer.

The compact HP PSC 950 all-in-one allows consumers to print photos, create special projects and handle everyday printing, faxing, scanning or copying needs.

With the exclusive HP Photo Proof Sheet feature, a user simply inserts a memory card containing photos into the appropriate slot on the all-in-one, presses the "proof sheet" button and a sheet with thumbnail-sized photos is automatically generated. The user then selects the photo, paper type and size desired on the sheet and scans it into the all-in-one, which recognizes the user's choices and prints the photos as specified.

Consumers can use CompactFlash, SmartMedia or Sony Memory Stick memory cards for printing and also for downloading digital photos directly to the computer without ever having to connect their digital cameras.

"The new HP Photo Proof Sheet feature turns the HP PSC 950 all-in-one into a 'mini-photo lab,' making it extremely easy for users to customize and print their digital images," said Susan Khan, digital imaging category business manager, Consumer Business Organization, HP Canada. "The HP PSC 950 all-in-one is the ideal do-it-all solution, integrating various digital imaging functions into a single, compact, easy-to-use device."

The HP PSC 950 all-in-one features the same award-winning technology available in HP inkjet printers commonly used by small-office and home-office professionals. The device produces 2400 x 1200-dots per inch (dpi) colour images on photo paper to deliver photo reprints that look virtually identical to the original. It prints up to 12 pages per minute (ppm) in black and up to 10 ppm in colour. For additional convenience, the HP PSC 950 all-in-one comes equipped with a 4 x 6-inch photo tray.

Convenient Scanning, Copying and Faxing

In just a few simple steps, home users can add brilliant colour photos and drawings to their documents to create letters, cards, school reports or other creative projects. The HP PSC 950 all-in-one features exceptionally high-quality scanning with 600 x 1200-dpi optical resolution, 9600-dpi enhanced resolution and 36-bit colour. It also includes optical character recognition (OCR) software, which allows users to edit hardcopy text documents by scanning and converting them into electronic files.

The HP PSC 950 all-in-one delivers photo-quality copying at speeds of up to 12 copies per minute (cpm) in black and nine cpm in colour. The copying feature allows users to create special projects without a computer. For example, users can create multiple wallet-size photos from one original, make reductions and enlargements, print posters and copy two originals onto one page. The flatbed design allows users to scan or copy virtually anything, such as books and other 3D objects.

The device also features a flatbed fax -- designed for sending short faxes of approximately one to three pages. It can receive faxes of any length.

Pricing and Availability

The HP PSC 950 all-in-one is expected to ship to retailers in Canada in September with an estimated Canadian retail price of $599 (1). It comes with a one-year limited warranty backed by HP Customer Care service and support.

Lexmark today announced a revolutionary printer for both computer and interactive TV users. Combining Lexmark's signature photo-quality output and ease-of-use features with a stunning new design, the Lexmark i3 color printer offers consumers a whole new way to print. Measuring only four inches in height and resembling a small VCR, the compact i3 is space efficient, allowing it to fit any environment.

When attached to an interactive TV set top box, the i3 allows users to print photos, email, and email attachments, as well as document t-commerce activities such as banking and online shopping. With a built in, front-loading paper tray, front access for print functions, easy cartridge installation and a stackable* design, the i3 offers the utmost in convenience and usability. The LEDs on the front panel automatically alert the user when ink levels are low, helping to ensure timely purchases of replacement cartridges. The i3's sharp black cover and silver detail give the printer a contemporary, modern look - ideally suited to complement today's home entertainment center.

"Lexmark has built its business around delivering industry-leading resolution, fast print speeds and advanced features at breakthrough price points," said Tim Craig, Lexmark vice president and president of the company's Consumer Printer Division. "The i3 is a dual-purpose printer that meets the growing needs of consumers looking to print via interactive TV as well as those looking for a photo-quality inkjet that fits virtually anywhere, thanks to its exclusive stackable design."
The i3 is capable of achieving industry-leading 2400 x 1200 dots per inch (dpi) in black and color on all paper types and boasts a seven picoliter drop size for smooth and even color transitions. The i3 can be upgraded to a dual-head printer with the addition of a black cartridge that adds laser-sharp text to the photo quality achieved with the color cartridge shipped in the box. With fast print speeds of up to eight pages per minute (ppm) in black and four ppm in color, the i3 is well suited to handle traditional home printing needs. The i3's capabilities and features may vary depending on your set top box and cable operator.

For added functionality and value, the i3 offers USB connectivity and can be used with a traditional PC. Thin and stackable, this design is a must-have for those with limited office space.

Compatibility

The i3 color printer connects directly to set top boxes from the following interactive TV operating systems: MSTV**, PowerTV** and Linux**. When used in PC-attached mode, the i3 is compatible with Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000 and Windows XP***.

Price & Availability

With an estimated street price of $139****, the i3 will be available later this year.

Combining the art of miniaturization with the practical benefit of outstanding printing technology, Sony Electronics has introduced the diminutive DPP-MP1 digital photo printer. With this new device, beautiful, borderless, full-color photos can be made anywhere in less than two minutes.

Weighing in at less than one pound, including battery and paper tray, the miniature dye-sublimation printer can be used with either the supplied AC adapter or an optional battery pack. The printer and battery pack will be available in November for about $280 and $70, respectively.

"Not only can this printer provide long lasting memories of social gatherings, it can also be a helpful tool for professionals in real estate, insurance and law enforcement who need to print their pictures right on the spot," said Mark Viken, senior vice president of Sony's Information Technology Products Division.

The new DPP-MP1 printer can be driven by a personal computer via USB or directly from Memory Stick(R) media. It uses durable business card-size paper, made popular by a variety of current devices. Paper is available in packs of 24 and is sold with a print cartridge for about $20.

The printer is supplied with paper tray, AC adapter, USB cable and test printing pack.

Acknowledging the growing demand among home users, students and small businesses for fast and affordable laser printing, Lexmark International, Inc. today introduced the E210, a fast, easy-to-use laser printer priced at $199.

"At less than $200, the Lexmark E210 breaks a critical price barrier for many customers," said Paul Rooke, Lexmark vice president and president of its Printing Solutions and Services Division. "With the E210, home users, students and small businesses can print black and white documents with the speed and quality once affordable only to medium and large businesses."

The Lexmark E210 prints at a quick 12 pages per minute (ppm) and gives users the high-quality laser output they demand. The Lexmark E210 ships with both a parallel port and Universal Serial Bus (USB) for easy connection to home and office PCs. The E210's small footprint will accommodate almost any home or office, where space is at a premium.

The E210 offers 150 sheets of input capacity and 100 sheets of output capacity and is designed to handle a variety of media types, including envelopes, labels, transparencies and card stock. The E210 uses an easy to install, single-element replacement cartridge and is also robust enough to handle print volumes of up to 5,000 pages per month. The Lexmark E210 ships with a one-year LexExpress warranty, featuring a next-business-day-exchange.

Pricing and availability

With the estimated street price of $199, the Lexmark E210 will be available in popular retailers and office superstores including Wal-Mart, OfficeMax and Staples, beginning in July. The E210 will also be available from authorized solution providers.

Lexmark International, Inc. today introduced the color-infused 2001 Z-line of inkjet printers. Sporting a fresh new look, Lexmark's new inkjets offer industry-leading resolution and best-in-class print speeds across all price points, bringing consumers unparalleled print quality and value.

With the 2001 Z-line, which includes the Z23, Z33, Z43 and Z53 Color Jetprinters, Lexmark again delivers high-end print technology at consumer-friendly price points and redefines the sub-$100 category it pioneered in 1997. For example, the newest Z-line boasts multiple sub-$100 printers with 2400 x 1200 dots per inch (dpi) resolution and seven picoliter microfine color drops for brilliant photo quality.

Lexmark's signature features, available on all models, offer users ultimate ease-of-use. These signature features include one-click driver installation, quick open-and-load cartridge installation, Accu-Feed paper handling and LexExpress next business day exchange warranty.

"Lexmark recognizes the importance of quality and affordability when choosing a new printer for the home or office," said Tim Craig, Lexmark vice president and president of its Consumer Printer Division. "The 2001 Z-line offers an ideal balance of best-in-class features, functionality and ease-of-use - all at price points that fit within the budget of any customer."

With the 2001 Z-line, which includes solutions for Windows, Mac and Linux users, Lexmark is offering consumers choice throughout the entire ownership experience.

* Regional Color Tables: Extensive Lexmark research indicates that color preferences vary by geography. To offer each customer the ideal printing experience, Lexmark has developed different color tables which automatically install by region, delivering output that reflects the preferences of a culture.

* Resolution: Setting the standard by offering high resolution across its entire line, Lexmark delivers quality to customers regardless of the level of printer they choose to purchase, delivering brilliant photo quality prints and laser sharp text.

* Paper Handling: The Accu-Feed paper handling system prints virtually jam-free, enabling consumers to choose from a wide range of print media weighing up to 150 pounds, including envelopes, transparencies, card stock, labels and iron-on transfers.

* Peer-to-Peer Networking: Lexmark further addresses consumers' needs for flexibility with peer-to-peer networking, great for small businesses or multiple PC households. This feature allows users with a network to send a print job to a printer in an office down the hall or to another room in the house. The 2001 Z-line of Color Jetprinters

Lexmark Z53 Color Jetprinter Suited for the small office/home office (SOHO) user, the Z53 features best-in-class print speeds of 16 pages per minutes (ppm) in black and eight ppm in color. The Z53 also offers USB and parallel connectivity and Windows, Mac and Linux compatibility to accommodate all work styles. In addition, its enhanced peer-to-peer networking capability allows users to check ink levels and print status from multiple PCs. Available for $139*, the Z53's 2400 x 1200 dpi resolution generates crisp text and vivid graphics on all paper types at speeds that meet the rigorous needs of business professionals.

Lexmark Z43 Color Jetprinter Retailing for $99*, the Z43 is engineered for home users with a diverse range of printing needs. The Z43 can achieve a maximum 2400 x 1200 dpi resolution and delivers up to 12 ppm in black and six ppm in color. The Z43 offers Windows and Mac compatibility as well as USB and parallel support.

Lexmark Z33 Color Jetprinter Designed for entry-level home users, the $89* Z33 boasts a maximum resolution of 2400 x 1200 dpi in black and color on all paper types. It can produce print speeds of nine ppm in black and five ppm in color, supports USB connectivity and is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux systems - addressing the platform needs of virtually all customers.

Lexmark Z23 Color Jetprinter Available for $49* after a $30 mail-in rebate, the single-head upgradeable Z23 is designed for novice consumers seeking dual-cartridge capability at a single-cartridge price. As users' needs change, the Z23 may be upgraded to a dual-head printer by adding a black cartridge that adds laser-sharp text to the crisp photo quality achieved with the color cartridge shipped in the box. The Windows, Mac and Linux compatible Z23 delivers 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution, offers print speeds of eight ppm in black and five ppm in color and features USB connectivity.

Consumer-friendly features of the Z23 and Z33 models also include new ink chemistry that delivers crisper, denser black ink that resists smears and dries faster. These space-saving, progressively designed models also boast a new, user-friendly graphics interface system, including the "Lexmark Solution Center," that makes installing and using the printer easier than ever.

Availability Lexmark's 2001 Z-line of Color Jetprinters will begin shipping soon and will be sold in most retailers including Best Buy, Circuit City, Comp USA, Costco, Kmart, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, Target and Wal-Mart (models vary by retailer).

Developed for digital camera owners, this new printer delivers convenient photo printing with and without a computer, compatibility with popular digital camera memory cards and Epson's patented BorderFree photo printing.

The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX is Epson's first printer to include PRINT Image Matching, a breakthrough technology that ensures digital cameras and printers work perfectly together to produce the best possible prints.

The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX features up to 2880 x 720 dpi and Epson's Advanced Micro Piezo ink jet technology, a six-color photo ink system creating incredible detail, beautiful skin tones, sharper contrast and an ultra-wide color range designed ideally for photography. This printer also offers four-picoliter droplets, delivering the best in virtually continuous tone quality for prints that appear indistinguishable from traditional photos.

"The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX is a digital photographer's dream come true with its amazing quality and so many convenient features," said Lisa Graham, product manager, photo imaging, Epson. "Our customers will be able to share more prints, more often with unbelievable results. This printer has the same incredible photo quality that our current line of photo printers have, as well as specific features that will make digital photography even more exciting and easy."

About the EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX

Specially designed for digital photographers, the EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX offers the most flexible and easy-to-use solution for printing photographs at an affordable price. The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX includes a built-in PC card slot that makes the printer compatible with virtually any digital camera by using the appropriate memory card adapter.

Compatible digital camera memory types include CompactFlash(TM) Type I and II, IBM Microdrive(TM), Memory Stick(R), Secure Digital and SmartMedia(TM). The printer comes standard with a CompactFlash Type I adapter that can be exchanged through Epson for either a Memory Stick or SmartMedia adapter.

The built-in PC card slot makes it possible for digital camera owners to print photos without a computer. It also acts as a card reader when connected to a Windows or Macintosh computer system to copy and save images to the computer hard drive for organizing, editing and archiving images.

View, Select and Print Photos without a Computer

The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX is the ultimate digital photography tool with a control panel that allows customers to make selections such as paper type, paper size and number of copies without having to use a computer. The printer's innovative control panel provides the flexibility to choose from five paper types and sizes, six page layouts, various frames for sticker printing and a choice of quality settings. Images can also be easily enhanced without a computer by utilizing settings such as brightness and sharpness, as well as monochrome and sepia tones.

For viewing photos, the EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX's optional 1.6" color Preview Monitor attaches to the printer enabling customers to review and select images for printing. With an estimated street price of $99, this high-quality monitor includes a screen saver function, a brightness adjustment knob and a tilt mechanism for easy viewing of images.

PRINT Image Matching

The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX is the first printer to feature PRINT Image Matching technology, which ensures that the printer works perfectly with PRINT Image Matching enabled digital cameras to produce the best quality prints possible. Essentially, this new technology provides a built-in assurance for the customer that the image they capture will come out of the printer looking the best it can without any complicated procedures. A new level of simplicity has emerged in producing stunning, frame-ready photos.

How PRINT Image Matching Works

With this technology, digital camera manufacturers can set critical image specific parameters for printing, such as gamma level, color space, contrast, sharpness, brightness, saturation, shadow point, highlight point and color balance, to ensure optimum results for each digital camera model.

The camera saves the ideal print commands in each image data file. PRINT Image Matching-compatible printers then use this information when printing the image to ensure that they most accurately reproduce the image captured by the camera. PRINT Image Matching digital cameras will be available in the spring/summer of 2001 from a variety of digital camera manufacturers.

Exclusive Paper Handling Technology

With Epson's patented BorderFree photo printing technology, customers can easily print borderless photos in a variety of frame-ready, popular photographic sizes such as 4" x 6", 5" x 7" and 8" x 10" without unsightly perforations or the inconvenience of trimming the margins. This borderless photo printing feature is one of Epson's exclusive paper handling capabilities optimized and developed for photographers.

The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX also comes with Epson's unique roll paper holder accessory for printing multiple 4" x 6" snapshots on 4" rolls conveniently and quickly. This feature produces marginless snapshots and panoramas with reduced paper consumption. Larger images or banner signs can be produced on the printer with a maximum printable area of 8.5" x 44".

The printer also has a variety of paper options, including photo papers that offer improved lightfastness(a). The printer also uses Epson's fast and convenient quick-drying inks for prints that are immediately dry to the touch with most paper options.

Printer Speeds and Connectivity

The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX has fast photo print speeds with a 4" x 6" photo printing in under a minute and an 8" x 10" in less than two minutes(b). The printer is also capable of handling everyday printing tasks, such as a black text memo at 8ppm(b).

With its built-in USB port, the EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX can be set up quickly and is both Windows and Macintosh compatible.

Included Software

The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX comes with two software programs to help customers manage, enhance and print images: EPSON Software Film Factory, a photo management tool for organizing, beautifying and printing photos, and ArcSoft PhotoImpression, a project-based image editing application.

Pricing, Availability, Warranty and Support

The EPSON Stylus Photo 785EPX will be available in June for an estimated street price of $249 and can be purchased through Epson authorized dealers, mail order, resellers, computer superstores, photo specialty stores and on the Epson retail Web site (http://www.epsonstore.com).

Olympus America Inc., Consumer Products Group, today announced the P-400 Business Edition, a complete photo printing solution for the fast paced work environment. The P-400 Business Edition combines the P-400 professional quality, high speed dye-sublimation printer with photo paper and ink cartridges to print 150 full-size (A4) sheets, and the One Year Priority Exchange Service – all for $1499.

Designed to maximize productivity in the business environment, the One Year Priority Exchange Service Program provides a replacement or loaner printer overnight to ensure uninterrupted use. Also included is access to a toll-free technical and service support line to answer questions quickly. These features, combined with the exceptional print quality of the P-400, makes the P-400 Business Edition a one of a kind in the industry.

The P-400 is a low-cost, high-speed dye-sublimation printer for professional/amateur photographers and digital imaging professionals. It prints a 7.64"x10" image on an A4-size (8.25"x 11.7") photo paper in only 90 seconds, a significant increase in speed when compared to ink-jet. Prints from the P-400 look and feel like traditional photographs showing fine detail and superb color. In addition to its range of data input options from a card or directly from a PC using SmartMedia, PCMCIA card, USB or Parallel Port, the P-400 offers a range of output options: full-size, single-sheet photo album, postcard, or index sheet with up to 260 pictures.

The P-400 Business Edition is now available at Olympus dealers for $1499. It ships with the P-400 printer, supplies to print up to 150 full size sheets, and a One Year Priority Exchange Service Plan.