Crave

"My workplace goes through ink cartridges like water, and I couldn't bear to keep tossing them out," says the creator of the lamps.

(Credit: Etsy.com/boxlightbox)

Recently, I replaced an ink tank in a printer and unthinkingly tossed the empty cartridge into the trash bin. Looking at the ink cartridge lamps from crafts site Etsy.com, I now feel a tad guilty.

An Epson cartridge gets reborn.

(Credit: Etsy.com/boxlightbox)

Who would have thought an expanded printer cartridge could be converted into such an interesting home decor item? Not only does it make a great conversation piece when guests swing by, it's also an innovative way to go eco-friendly.

It's just a shame there aren't any DIY instructions on how to make the ink cartridge lamp yourself. Instead, you'll have to drop between $35 and $200 for one of these unique handmade pieces.

(Source: Crave Asia via Dvice)

The Samsung CLP-315W is designed for working professionals and entrepreneurs who want a laser printer for speed but also need to print out documents, photos, and presentations in full color. This version also has a wireless print server built into the device, a convenient feature if you have several computers attached to the same network that will share the same printer. Unfortunately, the CLP-315W is not without its serious flaws.

First, the quality of the printouts are simply unacceptable. The printer has trouble separating subtle gradations in color and tends to blur together close sections on the color gamut. Also, forget about printing even the lowest-quality photos with the printer--in our experience, even small portraits on a presentation slide look smeared in some spots. We do like the small footprint, the easy wireless setup, and the separate color toner cartridges, but the output quality and sluggish print speeds take the overall score down to just an OK 2.5 stars.

Read the full review of the Samsung CLP-315W printer.

Tuesday, Canon announced six new printers that are sure to appeal to a variety of users including small- to mid-size business professionals, photography enthusiasts, students, and creative hobbyists. This new release includes four new Pixma printers and two new Selphy compact photo printers. Let's take a closer look at the offerings:

Pixma iP3600

• $80
• 9600x2400 color dpi resolution
• Dual paper trays for plain and photo paper
• Five color individual ink cartridge bay
• Bundled with one ChromaLife100+ ink set and Easy-PhotoPrint EX software

Pixma iP4600

• $100
• 9600x2400 color dpi resolution
• Reported print speeds of up to 26 pages per minute for black, and up to 21 ppm for color
• Auto-duplexer with two separate paper trays
• Easy-PhotoPrint EX software includes Auto-Photo Fix for easy edits

Last week we showed you Epson's newest line of WorkForce printers, and this week Epson is back with another announcement: an "Artisan" series developed with the creative designer in mind. Unlike the WorkForce Series, the Artisan 700 and 800 are perfect for both household consumers and entrepreneurs that want a do-it-all printer that can perform multiple functions.

The Artisan 800 ($300) is the flagship model of the series with a comprehensive list of functions that include Wi-Fi, fax machine, copier with an Automatic Document Feeder, PictBridge support, and a dual paper tray to separate plain and photo-specific paper. Most intriguing is the huge 7.8-inch smart touch panel and accompanying 3.5-inch LCD with buttons that only light up the controls you need to perform a specific function. You can also do light editing right on the printer itself without the aid of external software.

The Artisan 700 ($200) is a slightly slimmed-down version of the 800 but still retains an array of features that will ease the creative consumer into printing, scanning, and copying documents and high-definition photographs. The 700 has the same "piano black" finish as the 800 and also uses the same six-color "Ultra Hi-Definition Claria" ink that delivers 1.5-picoliter size droplets for a more realistic and accurate print. The 700 and 800 both offer the ability to turn plain white paper into college, wide-ruled, or graphed school paper using software built into the driver that comes with the printer. Finally, Epson reports print rates at 38 color and black-and-white pages per minute, but we'll be sure to put that number to the test in our CNET Labs. Look for full reviews coming soon.

Both printers are backed by Epson's comprehensive two-year "Epson Preferred" warranty that includes toll-free telephone support and access to MyEpson.com, a site that has a number of tutorials designed to walk you through the various functions on the machine. Both printers will be available in September of this year.

Canon introduced two new Pixma printers on Monday, August 11, the Pixma MP480 and Pixma MP190. Both of them are all-in-one printers, meaning they also do triple duty as scanners and copiers. These new models are supposedly ideal for both work and home, and include several new features that make the printing, scanning, and copying processes much easier for the end user. In addition, they also take on a slightly updated look from previous Pixma printers, with a sleek, but versatile, style incorporating flip-top LCD screens and a matte silver and black palette.

The $70 Pixma MP190 is a low-level photo printer with a maximum resolution of 4,800x1,200dpi. The printer uses two ink four-color cartridges with a minimum two-picoliter droplet size for better quality photo print. In addition, the MP190 uses Canon's new ChromaLife 100 system that prevents photos from fading as a result of exposure to heat, light, and humidity. Another feature unique to the MP190 is the Advanced Z-Lid scanner that works on a vertical hinge, allowing you to pull the lid over bulky books and thick documents.

The $100 Pixma MP480 is a little more robust in its features, incorporating a large 1.8-inch TFT color display that flips up from the front of the console. The menu pad looks pretty basic with a minimalist design. The MP480 features two new software functions: the Auto Photo Fix and Auto Scan mode. The Auto Photo Fix uses Canon's Easy-Photoprint EX to detect whether the photo is a portrait or a scene, and automatically adjusts the brightness, contrast, color saturation, and facial tones without the use of Photoshop or other complicated software programs. The Auto Scan mode automatically detects the type of document being scanned and crops and saves the file based on the image type-- Photo, Post Card, Business Card, Magazine, Newspaper, or Document. Finally, the MP480 is also compatible with ChromaLife 100 dye ink that produces full color photos reportedly capable of lasting 300 years.

Both printers are available for purchase now, and look for a review of both coming soon.

HP released two new portables and one desktop printer today, all within the Photosmart line of photo-ready printers. With summer in full swing, HP lets you grab your digicam and a camera to print on the run. Let's take a closer look at these new offerings:

• Photosmart A530: $99, A refresh from last year's Photosmart A526. This time around, it features a bright 2.4-inch color display, 27-seconds-per-photo reported print speed, and the option to print wireless with their Bluetooth adapter.
• Photosmart A630: $149, 4.8 inch touchscreen, 5x7 inch max print size, touch-screen keyboard and stylus for creative elements that include colorful borders, frames, clip art, captions, and drawings.
• Photosmart D5460: $100, five-ink cartridge bay, 1.5 inch color display, 31 color pages per minute, up to 9,600 x 2,400 dpi color on HP's Premium Photo Paper



Both portable printers have a pop-up handle and a paper input tray that folds up for easy travel. We're happy to see that they've improved on the Photosmart A526 by adding on screen editing and a ton of options for individual picture customization. The Photosmart A560 and A630 will be available in August; the Photosmart D5460 is available now.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

According to a new survey released today, about 60 percent of the Canadian workforce is making personal use of their office printer.

The survey, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies for Samsung Electronics revealed that a large majority of Canadians who work in offices with high volume laser printers aren't using them for memos and work-related e-mails, but rather for personal letters, color photos, and even *gasp* resumes! The study breaks down the percentage of people that print out random documents:

I think it's safe to assume that the reason for all this work-printer abuse is because of the consensus that printers are simply too expensive to maintain. After all, why pay for an expensive toner cartridge or inkjet when your company is willing to foot the bill?

Well, for starters, using the company printer for your own personal needs is an unethical use of work supplies. I'm certainly not playing moral police here, and I've definitely used the office printer to print a few e-mails and online articles, but there's simply no reason to print personal photos and resumes at work, namely because printers today are wildly affordable, even for homes on a strict budget.

The price for print cartridges is also much lower than it's ever been. Considering the average cost of paper and inks (that now come in XL capacities), today's standard photo print only costs between $0.25 to $0.35 to print. If you print out an inordinate amount (you know how much is too much) of documents on the company dime, it's time to consider a printer for the home--you might be surprised at the low price of workplace integrity.

(Credit: HP)

Not to be outdone by Samsung, Hewlett-Packard has joined forces with the state of California to put an end to those that would dare to own non-HP printers that, if unchecked, would annually bombard our landfills with tons and tons of print cartridges.

Similar to the Samsung printerectomy, HP will provide an incentive program to state agencies willing to purchase, guess what, HP printers and HP printers alone. After that, it's all about the green as outdated printers get refreshed with new ones, old cartridges get refilled with new ones, and everyone is happy (especially HP).

This is all in an effort to achieve Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's goal to decrease grid-based electricity use in state buildings during the next seven years. "We strive to be green, while saving lots of green," said State and Consumer Services Secretary Rosario Marin. Several agencies have already signed up for the service, including the Employment Development Department, State Treasurer's Office, and Air Resources Board. Be on the look out for idiot-proof collection boxes at state agencies. There's no word yet on what HP plans on doing with competitor's products, maybe a printer robot? The news release is unclear.

If HP somehow manages to persuade everyone to trash their current printers and buy up HP equipment, California is "estimated to recycle as much as 100 tons of HP inkjet and LaserJet print cartridges per year."

(Credit: Uncrate)

If you forgot about Valentine's Day and your maybe-not-so-significant other is into retro games, there may still be reason to take heart--as long as your PayPal account has at least $15,000 in it.

That's because that figure is the going rate on eBay for a Nintendo World Championships 1990 Gold Cartridge, which Uncrate calls "the Holy Grail of video game collecting." It could go even higher before the auction closes on Feb. 20.

According to legend, only 26 of these Midas-touched items were made, and just a dozen are believed to remain in circulation. And here's a bit of trivia: The competition for which they were awarded was purportedly inspired by the 1989 movie The Wizard (aka Joy Stick Heroes) that helped launched Fred Savage's career. But we'll try not to hold that against them.