So I was lying in bed the other night, thinking about the printer industry (as I often do), when I suddenly wondered if readers understand the terms I casually throw around in this blog. Sometimes they’re acronyms, sometimes they’re abbreviations, and sometimes they’re seemingly random words. Whatever they are, I’ve gotten increasingly familiar with them because I read about printers on a regular basis, so I take it for granted that you know what I’m talking about. Then again, maybe you don’t. Anyway, just to make sure you do, I’ve compiled a list of terms I regularly use along with my definitions for them.

MFP: This common acronym stands for Multi-Function Printer. Besides printing, these machines can scan and copy. More expensive models can also fax, and some MFPs even have built-in telephones. These jacks-of-all-trades come in handy in offices where space is at a premium and you want to get everything done in one place. All-in-One is a synonym for MFP. Examples: Canon imageCLASS MF6540 Laser MFP, Canon PIXMA MX850 Inkjet MFP

W, d, or n: You often find any one or combination of these three letters at the end of a printer’s name, usually right after the model number in either uppercase or lowercase (e.g. Okidata C5650dn Color Laser Printer or Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer). W generally stands for wireless network connectivity (i.e. Wi-Fi), which means you can connect your printer to a network without having to plug in an Ethernet cable. d stands for auto-duplex, a feature that helps you save paper by printing on both sides of a sheet. This is generally more convenient than manual duplex, where you have to print on one side, then flip the page over and load it back into the paper tray to print on the other side. Last but not least, n stands for network connectivity, which usually refers to connecting to a network with an Ethernet cable. When you see any combination of these letters at the end of the printer name, expect the associated features to come standard.

OEM: This stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEMs (aka the Evil Empire to disgruntled consumers) are companies like Canon, Dell, Epson, HP, Lexmark and others who make printers as well as the ink and toner that go into those printers. The high prices for OEM cartridges have opened the door for lower-priced compatible ink and toner cartridges (see below), leading to debates over whether OEM cartridges are really that much better than compatibles and even litigation from consumers angry over allegedly anti-competitive practices by OEMs.

Compatible Cartridge: This is basically an ink or toner cartridge made by someone other than an OEM that typically costs a lot less than an OEM cartridge. OEMs say that their own cartridges make higher quality prints and work better with their printers than compatibles. On the other hand, third party manufacturers will tell you that compatibles offer similar quality at significant savings. As we mentioned in our article on OEM versus Compatible ink and toner cartridges, the final verdict often depends on the paper you use, the environment in which you put your printout, and your own personal preferences.

Remanufactured and Refurbished Cartridges: These are special kinds of compatible cartridges often made by third parties out of OEM or non-OEM ink and toner cartridges. Remanufactured and refurbished cartridges start out as used empty cartridges that are refilled with ink and refitted with new parts to make a new recycled cartridge (think RoboCop). I think a lot of people use these two terms interchangeably, so all you really need to know is that they’re enhanced and eco-friendly cartridges usually sold by third parties at a lower price than OEM cartridges.

That’s all I have for now. Hopefully this glossary provides some insight into the terms and mysterious letters that pop up in this blog from time to time. If there are any other terms you think we should mention or if you have any feedback, feel free to contact us.

The Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Inkjet Printer wears its Generation Green label proudly to denote its ENERGY STAR compliance, recycled plastic content and its ability to print multiple pages on a single page. Besides that, this new printer offers traveling businesspeople and photo enthusiasts a compact 4.4 lb. frame, an available car adapter (MSRP $89.99), battery (MSRP $99.99) and A/C adapter, plus the ability to print PC-free via IrDA, optional Bluetooth and PictBridge. The Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Inkjet Printer purports to print at 14 ppm in color, 20 ppm in black, and it takes about 50 seconds to roll out a 4”x6” photo. But for all its features, do the experts feel that this little printer with the hefty $249.99 MSRP lives up to its billing?

Justin Yu of CNET gives the Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Inkjet Printer an Editors’ Choice Award-winning 8/10 for its portability and the progress it’s made in print quality and print speed from its predecessor, the Canon PIXMA iP90v Photo Inkjet Printer. Yu especially likes the 70% plus increase in the number of ink nozzles from the iP90v, which helps enhance overall print quality and precision. According to the review, the Canon PIXMA iP100’s most direct competition comes from the HP Officejet H470 Inkjet Printer, which has the advantage of Wi-Fi connectivity and a memory card reader. However, Yu feels that the Canon PIXMA iP100’s portability, high print quality, print speed and overall versatility give it a distinct edge over other photo inkjet printers.

M. David Stone of PC Magazine gives the Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Inkjet Printer an impressive 4/5 for essentially the same reasons as Yu. However, Stone warns that for all its portability, this diminutive printer does weigh more than some laptops. The review concludes that while the Canon PIXMA iP100 “has a strong edge on speed… the [HP Officejet] H470 has its own advantages, notably the higher cartridge yields.” As a result, the final choice between the HP Officejet H470 Inkjet Printer and Canon PIXMA iP100 may come down to your individual preferences and needs.

Finally, Dana Wollman of Laptop Magazine gives the Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Inkjet Printer an Editors’ Choice worthy 4/5. While the Canon PIXMA iP100 may weigh a wee bit more than other mobile accessories on the market, Wollman points out that the compact body fits almost anywhere, including your desk, your bag, or the front seat of your car. When it comes to output quality, the Canon PIXMA iP100 prints documents reasonably well and rolls out “stunning” photos. Wollman concludes that the only real reason for the traveling businessperson to think twice about buying this printer is the $249.99 price tag. Otherwise, like Yu and Stone, Wollman considers the Canon PIXMA iP100 a winner in almost every respect that matters when it comes to mobile inkjet printers.

Remanufactured ink and toner cartridges are basically old empty cartridges that get refilled with ink or toner and refitted with new parts by a third party to make a recycled, good-as-new cartridge. As you can guess, these remade cartridges help the environment because they reduce waste. However, remanufactured ink and toner cartridges have drawn the ire of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like HP and Lexmark for two more important benefits they confer: comparable print quality at lower prices than OEM cartridges. As a result, OEMs and third party manufacturers have butted heads on a number of occasions, including Lexmark’s lawsuit against third party cartridge makers who managed to subvert the OEM’s chip-based security system.

The latest chapter in the ongoing saga comes in an area that seems only loosely related to ink cartridges: computer technology patents. The story begins with LG Electronics licensing certain computer memory management patents to Intel. Using those patents, Intel made chipsets and microprocessors that it then sold to a group of consumers led by a company called Quanta Computer. Intel’s customers then combined the unmodified Intel parts with non-Intel parts to make computers. As a result, LG sued the group for patent infringement. On June 9, 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that the doctrine of patent exhaustion cut off LG’s right to royalties from third parties once it sold its license rights to Intel.

So what does the ruling have to do with remanufactured ink and toner cartridges? It certainly helps remanufacturers in their quest to give OEMs a serious run for their money. Remanufacturers basically take empty cartridges from businesses and consumers to refill and enhance them, sort of like Quanta did in taking Intel parts and using them to make computers. As a result, the ruling seems to insulate third parties from having to pay OEMs for essentially recycling and rebuilding old OEM cartridges, at least in situations where there’s no express contract that dictates how far the original patentholder’s rights extend.

The ongoing conflict boils down to a tug-of-war between two compelling public policy arguments: encouraging innovation by zealously protecting intellectual property rights versus cultivating a competitive marketplace that follows the laws of supply and demand. With the skyrocketing prices of OEM cartridges forcing consumers to look for reasonably-priced alternatives, the Supreme Court appears intent on preventing OEMs from double and triple-dipping in an attempt to re-assert a stranglehold on the market they once dominated. So which side gets pulled into the mud first? No one knows for sure, but the suspense will certainly keep the printer industry riveted in the years to come.

(Story via Lyra Research)

After writing some lengthy reviews of comprehensive photo editing programs like Picnik, Comeeko, and SuperLame, it’s nice to cover something simpler like FunPics, a free German import that literally stretches your photos to their limit. FunPics features a simple control panel with buttons for uploading photos into the application window, saving your creations, and printing them out. You basically just point your mouse onto a small section of your picture, click on it, then stretch it and distort it to your heart’s content. It’s great for changing facial expressions and features for some serious comic relief. All the editing occurs in an egg-shaped window that you can move around on your desktop by clicking and holding either of the two opposite-facing arrows below the buttons on the control panel.

Personally, I think FunPics lives up to its name and delivers a very simple and easy-to-use interface. There’s a Help feature, but I’m 99% sure you won’t need it. The controls for dragging and distorting with your mouse are pretty responsive, with occasional split second delays that you won’t really notice. When it comes to printing, you get two primary choices: autosize and stretch size. Go with autosize, unless your printer’s settings are more amenable than mine - stretch size stretched out my photo a little too much for my taste.

Overall, FunPics parallels SuperLame in one important way: they’re both one-trick ponies that do their one trick very well. Download FunPics today and get ready for your 15 minutes of infamy if anyone ever sees what you’ve made.

They say no businessman is an island, but it’s tough to connect to a printer on the road without physically carrying one under your arm. First you wander around in an unfamiliar place looking for one, then you have to install the unique driver for that particular printer. Compound all that with the fact that there’s a meeting in about 2 minutes and you have the perfect recipe for stress and distress. Xerox understands and has come out with a free automatic printer finder and universal driver for Windows. First, you download the Xerox Mobile Express Driver while connected to the Internet. When you’re ready to print, select the Xerox Mobile Express Driver as your “printer” and it automatically detects all the printers near you and installs the necessary drivers. In addition, you can use a number of unique options that a particular printer may offer, such as auto-duplexing. Finally, the driver enables you to save connections to printers you’ve used before, so if you’re in an office you visit a lot, you can skip the scan and start printing right away.

So what do users say? Some people say it’s great, others say it doesn’t work. If you have some time, I recommend testing it out for yourself so you develop a level of familiarity with it. And if you’re having trouble installing or using it, it never hurts to read the instructions for the Mobile Express Driver or visit the homepage, which also features download links. If you have more specialized mobile printing needs, check out the Printstik Mobile Printer or the new Polaroid PoGo Mobile Photo Printer.

(Photo courtesy of bigfoto)

May 15, 2008 marked the end of a 5 year era as Staples pulled the plug on its mildly controversial Recycle for Education Ink and Toner Cartridge Recycling Program and scaled it back into its storewide recycling initiative. As we reported earlier, schools in Galesburg, Illinois made local headlines when they faced long delays in recouping the money Staples promised to pay for their recyclable cartridges. They eventually got their refunds, but only after months of calls and emails. A few weeks after our report, Staples instituted the following key changes to its program:

• It’s not just for educators anymore.
• Mailed cartridges are no longer accepted. You have to walk into a store and physically submit your cartridges.
• Staples now accepts all HP, Lexmark and Dell ink and toner cartridges.
• You can only bring in up to three cartridges per day.
• No more monetary donations. Staples Rewards is your new currency and you get $3 per cartridge. Staples then sends you your rewards once you earn $10 or at the end of the calendar year, whichever comes first. In other words, you’ll have to make at least two trips to your local Staples to receive your rewards, or you’ll have to wait until the end of the year to collect.

Back in April, I questioned whether Recycle for Education was just a marketing initiative designed to capitalize on the green movement, especially considering the trouble that the Galesburg schools went through to collect their promised refunds. These changes and their not-so-coincidental timing remind all of us that we need to do our homework before we participate in corporate-based recycling initiatives. Saving the planet certainly stirs up emotions in soccer moms and eco-activists alike, and it also appeals to businesses engaging in sustainable practices. Staples seems to have recognized that it pays to capitalize on eco-awareness, but not at the expense of bad PR.

(Story via Recycle.co.uk; Photo courtesy of FreePhotosBank)

The monochrome laser printer feels a lot like an anachronism-to-be as more people print high-res presentations and marketing materials at work with color MFPs and vivid photos with color photo inkjet printers. But if you work in an office where substance supersedes style, the Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer provides workmanlike and dependable functionality. This monochrome laser printer prints at 23 ppm and features both Ethernet and wireless network connectivity for workgroups. The experts have weighed in on the Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer and they give it a collective thumbs-up.

M. David Stone of PC Magazine gives the Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer an Editors’ Choice-worthy 4/5 for its more than affordable cost per page, compact frame, easy setup, network connectivity and print speed that “lives up to the promise of its 23 page-per-minute (ppm) rating.” Stone considers text quality solid and graphics a bit subpar, which is about what you’d expect from your typical monochrome laser printer. Overall, Stone highly recommends the Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer for your home or small office printing needs.

Justin Yu of CNET gives the Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer an impressive 7.3/10 and echoes many of Stone’s sentiments. Yu laments the lack of auto-duplexing, but he likes the minimal lag time between the moment you click Print and the actual printing. When it comes to network options, Yu recommends connecting via Ethernet first so you don’t have to change your network preferences.

Overall, the Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer gets props from the experts for delivering on its promises. Now if we could only get politicians to do the same…