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Lexmark Platinum Pro905

(Credit: Lexmark)

Not to be outdone by HP's Photosmart Premium with TouchSmart Web, Lexmark on Tuesday rolled out a new line of printers, three of which will will feature a touch screen to access the Web. Although both companies claim to have the rights to the "world's first Web-connected printer," Lexmark's new product line is aimed at the business market rather than the consumer.

The Lexmark Solution Center already has several existing applications that users can easily download onto the machine with a touch of a virtual button. Some additions including a photo viewer, application shortcuts, RSS headline aggregators, and Google Calendar. Lexmark tells us that more applications are on their way and will roll out as they're developed.

Lexmark Interact S605

(Credit: Lexmark)

Although only three of the new releases will include the SmartSolutions Web connectivity, five of the eight will feature 802.11n wireless as well as a new eco-friendly mode that automatically changes the driver settings to two-sided printing to save on the cost of consumables.

The final addition is a convenient business card scan feature that automatically inputs contact info to commonly-used personal information management applications like Microsoft Outlook and Palm OSTM. I had the opportunity to see all of the new features in action and was impressed with its accuracy. Unfortunately, the Mac OS Address Book is not supported at this time.

The offering is also labeled with Lexmark's new, simplified nomenclature to make it easier for consumers to distinguish between products and features, which break down into two lines: the Professional Series (including the Platinum, Prestiage, Prevail, and Prospect) and the Home Office Series (Interact, Intuition, Interpret, and Impact). Prices start at $99 for the Impact and scale up to $399 for the Platinum, which includes dual paper trays and the SmartSolutions touch screen.

We already have a Lexmark Platinum Pro905 on the way, so keep your eyes peeled for an in-depth review coming soon.

This video, titled "Invent," is Matt Robinson and Tom Wrigglesworth's entry for HP's D&AD Students Awards contest, which awards students who present "an idea which promotes HP workstations' ability to bring to life anything the creative mind can conceive."

Tom and Matt responded with a unique design using stop-motion animation, catchy synthesized music, eight HP Deskjet D1560 inkjet printers, and a whole lotta paper to create this "aesthetic symphony."

Detractors on the Vimeo video page are shaking their fingers at the large volume of trees that were sacrificed in the making of this video, while others claim that art has no environmental conscience. HP has yet to release a statement about the video but has always been very active in reducing its products' impact on the environment.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let us know!

HP Photosmart C8180 All-in-One Printer

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Shopping for a budget printer doesn't have to be an exercise in anger-management and self-abasement. Contrary to the stigma, many printers can produce great quality photos and documents without breaking the bank or eating up expensive consumables. Now release your fingers from your hair, put down that club, and check out these tips for getting the best deal for your money.

Before you even start shopping, decide whether you want a laser printer or an inkjet printer. Laser printers use bulky toner cartridges and are typically reserved for home offices that print monochrome text documents and presentations. Businesses also steer toward lasers because of their quick output speeds and reliable text quality. Monochrome lasers like the Samsung ML-2851ND are a good choice for homes that print a large volume of documents, and can be purchased for less than $200.

Inkjet printers are the more versatile choice for color photo printing, Web prints, and creative projects like greeting cards and calendars. They come in a variety of form factors from small and simple personal devices all the way up to fully featured All-in-Ones with scanners, fax machines, and copiers built right into the machine. Of course, the more features you want, the more expensive the printer gets so be sure to make a thorough list beforehand and stick to it. Some of the pricier additions include:

• Auto-document feeder: commonly shortened to ADF, the horizontal input tray lets you scan/fax/copy a stack of papers at once.
• Auto-duplexer: a hardware addition that lets you print on two sides of a single-sheet of paper. Consider this option if you plan to print a lot of pages per month--it could potentially save you money on paper, and it's environmentally responsible!
• Wired/wireless networking: all modern printers use USB to connect to a computer, but many also offer wired and wireless networking at a higher cost.
• Full color/touch-screen LCD: a flashy 6-inch touch-panel LCD screen might look beautiful, but the functionality is extraneous and isn't worth the price jack. If you're on a tight budget, consider a single function inkjet like the HP Officejet 6000 that doesn't have a display and only costs $90.

If you do go for an inkjet, shop around and look for one with separate ink tanks for each color so that you don't need to replace everything when only one color runs dry. This technology used to be relegated to photo printers more than $300, but the prices have fallen and now it's common to see sub-$150 printers like the HP Photosmart C6380 All-in-One and the Canon Pixma CMX860 multifunction that feature multiple cartridges. Also, be sure to do a little research to find out if your brand offers high-capacity cartridges. These inks are more expensive but they last longer and will save you money if you're printing a lot of photos.

One final word of advice: don't just think about the sticker price, consider the total cost of ownership. That includes the page yields of the manufacturer's ink and toner, cost of paper including photo and plain, how many pages you'll print per month versus stated duty cycle, and of course, the optional features you might want to add later. Stick to the list you make and buy a machine suitable for your printing needs and you'll be just fine.

Inkjet technology isn't just for printers.

Hewlett-Packard has agreed to license its patent on inkjet for use in a treatment system for people suffering kidney failure, according to HP's director of IP licensing, Charlie Chapman.

Sure, the two might sound completely unrelated, but HP's done something similar before: last year, another medical services company licensed inkjet intellectual property to administer vaccines.

But this time, HP will allow Home Dialysis Plus, a new company still gathering funding, to use HP's "fluid management" technology used in inkjet printers.

HP uses it to create calculated mixtures of ink and water, which are then delivered through a printer to a piece of paper. Home Dialysis Plus will use it to mix tap water and concentrated dialysis solution at a level customized for patients that can be administered at home rather than at a treatment center.

Patients who must get clinical dialysis three times a week basically have to plan their lives around getting ready for the next treatment, according to HD Plus CEO Michael Baker. A home treatment is more ideal, but getting the correct mixture of water and dialysis fluids is hard and can be prone to human error.

Baker says the HP printing technology solves that. "It allows us to create a mixture on the fly as treatment is occurring," he said. The HD Plus system also uses the loading system one might find in a printer. Concentrated dialysis solution is contained in modules, like ink cartridges, that snap into the treatment system the way cartridges snap into a printer.

HD Plus says the product using HP's technology is 18 months to two years from completion, at which time it will still have to pass FDA trials.

Monday marked a milestone for Epson printers, as the company revealed a new line of all-in-one and photo printers designed for the small- to medium-size business consumer.

The two single-function WorkForce 30 and 40s, as well as the higher-end WorkForce 500 and 600 all-in-ones, promise to deliver speed, quality, and utility in an attractive package. Judging from the initial pictures, the WorkForce 600, the new line's flagship model, appears to have a comprehensive set of buttons on the faceplate surrounding its 2.5-inch LCD screen.

According to the release, the 600 is both speedy and efficient, capable of printing laser-quality black text at an impressive 27 pages per minute. It offers both wired and wireless connectivity with an auto document feeder as well as an impressive two year warranty. The $200 WorkForce 600 is currently available for preorder through Amazon.com and BestBuy for a limited time before a wide release in late August.

The $130 WorkForce 500 isn't quite as comprehensive as the 600, but it still retains the same 30-page auto document feeder and 2.5-inch LCD as its beefier brother. Like the rest of the printers across the WorkForce line, the 4-in-1 printer, copier, scanner, and fax machine uses Epson's photo-quality DURABrite Ultra Ink that offers fade, water and smudge resistance on each photo for a 100-year lifespan. It will also be available later this month in a variety of retail stores.

Finally, the lower-level WorkForce 30 ($70) and 40 ($130) single function inkjets are made for individuals or small business that simply need a printer for black text and light photo printing. The WorkForce 40 includes built-in Wi-Fi as well as wired networking and accepts Epson's higher-capacity black ink cartridges, while the WorkForce 30 reportedly prints eleven pages per minute and uses a unique dual black ink cartridge system that supposedly delivers twice as much black printing. The WorkForce 30 will be available in late August, and the WorkForce 40 will hit stores in September through all the major retailers.

Xerox gave a sneak peek Thursday at its cured gel ink for digital printers that works on a large variety of materials from foil to super-slick plastic to cardboard.

Xerox's cured gel ink

(Credit: Xerox)

Xerox's ink, previewed at the print industry trade show Drupa in Germany, is aimed at taking a bite out of the estimated $400 billion offset printing market.

The cured gel ink, with its peanut butter-like consistency, is heated up and becomes a thick liquid, similar to motor oil. The liquid squeezes through the print heads and onto a printing surface, such as a piece of paper, foil or plastic. As the liquid cools, it reverts back to a peanut butter-like consistency and is then shot with a pulse of ultraviolet light to harden the ink.

"Today digital systems shine in many applications, while offset presses are selected for others. The ability to print on nearly any surface will bring a world of new applications within the reach of digital printers," Steve Hoover, director of the Xerox Research Center, said in a statement.

The ink is currently in the research mode and no timetable is available for when it may hit the market, said Bill McKee, a Xerox spokesman. But he noted: "When we introduce something at a commercial trade show, we're committed to offering it to the market."

Currently, the challenges in getting the cured gel ink to market comes down to having the ink react accordingly, no matter what type of surface it's printed on, whether it's a cardboard box or a glossy magazine, said Jim Larson, Xerox Inkjet program manager.

(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."

HP is poised and ready to send a barrage of printers to our office, and to that we say, "Bring it on!" This won't be the first time we've been deluged with printers from HP, and we're eager to get back in the ring. Need proof? Just last August, we became a storage shed for HP's massive photo printer rollout. This time around, it's the small and medium business side that gets a product boost with 11 new inkjet and laserjet printers that HP claims will increase flexibility and grab attention at a lower price point. Some of the printers will be released March 1 with the rest following suit in the coming months. Let's size up the beast:

Officejets:

HP Officejet J3680 All-in-One

(Credit: HP)

Laserjets:

USPS sticker not included

(Credit: HP)

HP's newest line of SMB printers are simple and to the point. They aim to provide the most utility and include a comprehensive set of features, while maintaining an affordable price for home and small offices on a budget. Though most of these printers won't win any beauty pageants, we're excited to put them through their paces.

(Credit: Lexmark)

I just tested my first wireless printer (a Brother HL-2170w laser) and I'm loving it.

I put it in the corner, it prints. I put it in a closet, it prints. I stick it in an entirely different room, it prints. I'm sold.

If you want to get in on this wireless action yourself, Circuit City has the Lexmark Z1480 Wireless Color Inkjet Printer for a ridiculously low $29.99 (after a fairly substantial $50 mail-in rebate).

There are no crazy shipping charges either, though you'll likely pay sales tax.

The Z1480 includes both USB and 802.11g interfaces and supports Windows and Mac systems. It's a dual-cartridge printer that promises color output at resolutions up to 4800x1200 dpi. Basically, it's an entry-level inkjet that just happens to support Wi-Fi printing. Trust me, once you cut that USB cord, you'll never go back.

The rebate deal ends Saturday.