New Edgeline Printer Technology Could Revolutionize Office Printing

When purchasing printers or multi-function copiers for an office, trade-offs are typically made.  Is the speed appropriate for a workgroup or a department?  Is color or monochrome output sufficient?  If color, would ink technology or the faster laser technology be better?

Typically, if color output is needed, the user must decide between the photo quality of an ink technology or the slightly more grainy output of a color laser.  Of course, the color laser can print much faster than the ink technology so that is also a factor.   If a large volume of output is necessary, the user must choose a color laser because ink printing is just too slow and ink machines are not built to handle volumes of paper.  In many cases however, laser printing is more costly to print (per page) than ink technology.

Edgeline technology from Hewlett Packard promises to deliver the best of both ink and laser technologies.  It will bring low machine cost, low operating costs, fast print speeds and photo quality output.

What is Edgeline?

Edgeline is the result of 4 years and 1.4 billion dollars of research and development by Hewlett Packard. What they created was a patented process to economically manufacture an inkjet printhead that spans the entire width of a printed page.  This means that during printing, only the paper moves not the printhead.  Combined with new ink formulations, the speed of the printer can be increased to 71 pages per minute with outstanding image quality.  The printheads are very reliable, designed to last for 2 million printed pages or the useful life of the machine itself.

Three Key Elements

The three main features of this system are a printhead that spans the entire printed page, moving the paper under the fixed printhead, and an ink system that can adapt to different requirements.  The new ink contains colorants that immobilize rapidly on the paper to ensure consistent dot size, high color saturation, and high optical density.  Prints dry rapidly at 70+ pages-per-minute, resist smear (even from a highlighter) and are water resistant.

 

Will the quality be good?

Edgeline technology also includes intelligent and self-calibrating writing systems to deliver consistent image quality.  The printheads are designed to print at 1200dpi.  This equals the best native resolutions of current products.  The printheads also know when a specific nozzle is acting up and it's duties can be passed to an adjacent nozzle.  There will also be a 2-pass option for further increasing print quality.

Will it be more expensive?

Pricing has not been released as of the date of this writing, but the base technology is already in use and HP is promising best-in-class operating costs as well as reliability, quality and speed.  The machine itself should not cost more than current color laser MFPs due to the much simpler mechanics.  There will be no high voltage power supply, laser scanner mechanisms, transfer belts, or fuser assemblies; and those are just the major components.  In fact, the machine will only need to move paper passed the printheads.  This is much simpler than any current design.

For More Info - https://ctcopiers.com/

Read more ...

What Copier Companies Hide and Do Not Want You to Know

How many of you lease your copiers, fax machines or multi-function devices?  Has your lease company approached you concerning your printers and fax machines to reduce costs or offer a Print Management solution?

Copier companies have been playing the per page centralized printing game for years.  They charge a set fee per month for your copier usage for up to a set number of pages.  They say it will save you money - in a very few cases it does.

What were you quoted on your per page program?  Did you know that 87% of the companies recently surveyed on lease programs actually pay a much higher rate than quoted and they didn't even know it?

The Copier & Facsimile lease game exposed.  The simple way to see if you are Way, Way Over billed like 87% of all other companies with leased equipment:

1. First look at your lease and write down your monthly print allotment (the number of prints you are allowed BEFORE they charge you more money).

2. Now write down the monthly charges as stated on the agreement.

3. Divide the number of pages allotted into the monthly charge to get a cost per page.  Example: $750 per month for 50,000 pages Cost per page $0.015 (1.5 cents).

4. Looks great-right?  Nice and small amount per page! - This is where they get you!  They quoted you a low per page cost .

5. Now go to your machine and get the ACTUAL PAGE COUNT (if you can-many leasing companies do not give out this number to hide it from you).

6. What does it show?  Divide that into the number of months you have been leasing the machine. Example 625,000 pages printed in 18 months (half way through most lease agreements) which equals to 34,722 pages per month on the average.

7. Now get your TRUE COST PER PAGE by dividing your TRUE pages printed every month into your cost per month.  Example: 34,722 into $750 equals 0.216 per page.  44% more than what they quoted!

Do you get roll over pages for pages not used? NO!  Do you get reimbursed for not using the pages they allocated to you? NO!  They get a BIG pay increase because they spend less on the supplies and maintenance you need and you get a BIG cost increase over what you use to spend before you agreed to the lease.

Now for the kicker:

Look at your lease again and check with your accounts payable department.  If you are like the majority of the companies leasing equipment in addition to the monthly fee you are charged a quarterly MAINTENANCE fee which makes your cost per page even higher.

True cost reduction and cost avoidance is what you want to achieve-correct?  Before you agree to another lease go through the steps to determine your average print volume.  Then use that figure with the new lease amounts to determine if your costs are actually going down or up.

Many leasing companies love to put you on a centralized approach to all your printing needs.  They state, "you will reduce your printing costs."  However, they do not talk about the single biggest cost to your company: lost employee time and productivity.  The centralized approach will cost you more staff time which results in decreased productivity.  Plus, what do you do with your perfectly good equipment you own-stop using it?

For More Info - https://ctcopiers.com/

Read more ...

The Best Copiers, Printers, and Fax Machines

Since I work at a Copier and Fax Co., my knowledge on this subject is greatly enhanced. I get a lot of feedback from customers as well as our technicians here at work.  In my opinion, the best printers for home or small business has to be the HP.  They are always improving upon their machines, which is another reason why I appreciate their brand.

Also, their printers are user friendly and low maintenance.   Toners aren't too bad price wise.  And since I am on this subject, I will also give shout out to Brother for creating some pretty impressive printers, quality is great and so is the price.  One thing I have learned is the cheaper the printer, the more expensive the toners. Kinda crazy, huh?

As far as big businesses go, that need a big copier machine, I would suggest Xerox, or Ricoh copiers any day.  These machines are really awesome, in that they can do most anything from duplexing to sorting to stapling.  This is a big help when time is precious and you need a reliable copier to get the job done. Lanier copiers also have a good line and a good reputation for being dependable.  I would highly recommend these 3 brands of copiers for the busy workplace.

There are a few other copiers that I like, which includes, Canon Imagerunner Series,  Kyocera Series, along with the Konica-Minolta Bizhub series, and Toshiba line is reliable as well.  My personal favorites would be the Xerox, Ricoh and Konica-Minolta lines though, I think because I know the brands so well and have worked with them for the last 25-30 years.

For More Info - https://ctcopiers.com/

Read more ...

Choosing the Right ID Card Printer For Your Business

Our modern world has changed the way we do business, and technology has certainly changed the way we obtain the photo ID cards necessary for that business.  Today in-house printing has replaced outsourcing.  That's because it's so affordable, and it provides you with a great deal of flexibility. Choosing the right ID card printer for your business is important, so take some time to learn what's available, and what it has to offer.

Choose from single sided, dual sided or laminating printers.  Single sided printers are capable of quality printing on one side, in either color or monochrome.  Dual sided printers offer the same quality, but they can print on both sides.  They also offer barcode, magnetic strip, encoding, smart card, and more. Laminating printers offer an extra layer of protection from wear and tear.  You also enjoy additional security protection, because altering these cards is very difficult.  Let's have a look at some of the most popular ID card printer manufacturers.

Fargo Printers

Fargo has been meeting the needs of business for a very long time.  They always offer cutting edge technology.  Yet they continue to provide an affordable product, with one of the best reputations for reliability.  Fargo offers single sided printers, dual sided printers, and laminating printers.  You can configure your Fargo printer to work with your photo ID software.  Choose from the many models on the market.

Evolis Printers

Evolis printers offer a full range of technologies including encoding.  Choose either single sided or dual sided printers.  The Evolis printers have a modern design that's sleek, and requires very little space. Evolis printers have a reputation for being very intuitive.  It won't take you months to learn all the ins and outs of these printers.  Evolis is considered one of the most competitively priced printers on the market.  Add easy maintenance, parts that are readily available, and excellent warranties, and you can see why Evolis should be on your short list.

Zebra Printers

If you're looking for plenty of product choice, and printers that you can afford, Zebra printers have you covered.  Besides offering some of the best print quality on the market, they also offer very competitive pricing.  Zebra is continuously striving to improve its already superior product line.  Choose from a complete line of single sided printers, dual sided printers, and laminating printers.

Magicard Printers

Magicard Printers have earned a reputation for offering something a little different.  What makes Magicard unique is its very low price point.  This makes it an attractive printer choice for a business just entering the market.  It's just as attractive for those that have been in the market for some time.  That's because they offer a full range of products from the most basic, quality, entry level printer to the top of line printer with all the bells and whistles.  Print membership cards, photo ID badges, or a host of other ID cards.

Nisca Printers

Nisca offers a unique line of printers.  They offer a superior line of dye sublimation printers.  This technology allows Nisca printers to provide brilliant 24 bit images.  There are also a wide range of models, all of which offer top notch performance and security.  Nisca offers a premier name in PVC card printing technology.  Analyze your company's needs and choose a printer accordingly.

Datacard Printers

Datacard printers have a reputation for providing the highest quality photo ID badges, membership cards, and other types of ID cards.  You simply personalize your printer to your company needs.  Choose from a range of security features and performance levels.  From the most basic printers to the most sophisticated printers Datacard has a printer for every budget.

The ID printer is a big part of your ID printing process.  There are many excellent printers on the market. If you aren't sure, which one is right for you, take a little time to do some research, and learn what the various printers are capable of performing.

When deciding on which printer is right for your company needs, ask yourself a few questions.

1. What type of cards do I want to print?

2. Do I need to print single sided or double sided ID cards?

3. Do I need barcode technology?

4. Do I need laminating technology?

5. Do I have any special needs in my ID card printing?

6. Do I need to print in color?

7. What is my budget?

8. What am I looking for in a warranty?

9. What does my ID card software recommend for a printer?

10. Which printers are comparable and which offer the best prices?

Give your ID card printer the attention it deserves, and find the printer that's right for your business.

For More Info: https://ctcopiers.com/

Read more ...

How to Buy POS Receipt Printer?

There are many models of printers in the market to look for.  The most common are the dot matrix or also known as impact printers, thermal printers and multi-functional printers.  However, before you decide to buy a printer for your POS system, you must consider the software requirements, hardware compatibility, device drivers, and option of receipt cutting feature in the printer, cable interfaces, environmental restrictions and added benefits.

Some of the printers will work only with specific device drivers and software applications.  You wouldn't want to buy a printer that has limited use in your business.  Assuming that one of your receipt printer breaks down at one of the many POS systems you have, your printer must have the ability to fill in the place of the printer that broke down.  The printer must also be compatible with the Operating System that you are currently using.  It is a wise choice to opt for a printer that is compatible with multiple OS.

Even though most of the printers can work with Windows drivers, some printers will require OLE or OPOS drivers to print the receipts.  Ask you dealer about the compatibility issues that you might have with the printers and your POS.

You can replace your existing printer with a printer from any brand.  Most of them are manufactured in such a way to emulate most of the other brands.  However, asking your dealer about the options to replace the existing printer will be a good decision.

The receipt printer can connect to your POS system through a cable interface, which can be serial, parallel, USB or Ethernet connection.  All the printers will support at least the basic type of interface, i.e. the serial and parallel interface. In some of the printers, the USB interface is an option.  If you think a particular printer fits your requirements perfectly, but doesn't have an interface that you are for, ask the dealer about adding an additional interface.  They usually can do it but at an extra cost.

Another feature to look for in the printer is the option of receipt cutting.  There are two types of receipt cutting: partial and full.  If you do not want a receipt cutter option in your printer, go for a manual receipt cutting option.  If you run a huge business that has a streamline of customers at the checkouts, it is better to have an auto-receipt cutter option since it will save time.  However, for places like a small grocery store or any other business establishments that do not have a heavy inflow of customers, you can opt for the manual receipt-cutting printer.

The printers come with the option of single color printing and 2-color printing.  Printers with the option of two-color printing come with black and red color for printing purposes.  Usually the logo of your company is printed in red and the remaining details of the transaction in black.  You can use the red color to highlight any special deals, discounts and privileges received by the customer.

One thing you must bear in mind before purchasing the printer is the environment it will be used in.  Will you use the printer in the kitchen, POS, hospital, temperature controlled settings etc.  There are different printers that fit into the above categories.  If you end up buying a printer that doesn't suit the environment, your printer will not work properly.

Ask these questions before you buy a printer: Do you need a printer with 2-color? Do you need auto receipt cutting option? Do you need a printer that can handle the printing of receipts, labels and barcodes? What is the speed of the printer you expect to have? Do you want your printer to accommodate huge printing rolls?  Do you want a drop-in paper loading mechanism?  Do you want a printer that can print 2-ply and three-ply receipts?  Do you want to endorse checks and read MICR codes using your printer?

As you read the above questions, more questions will pop up.  Make sure that you address all the questions with the dealer before making the purchase.

How many types of printers are there?

Basically there are 3 types of printers: Impact, Thermal and Multifunctional.

1. Impact Printers: Impact printers are also known by the name of Dot-Matrix printers.  These printers are not only less expensive but also flexible.  They use pins and ribbons to print on the paper.  The printers can print two-ply receipts, one for the customer and the other for the vendor.  These printers are resistant to heat and make an ideal choice for use in the kitchen.  The printer can print two colors - black and red.  However, you must purchase the required ribbons to print the above said colors.

Where can Impact printers be used?

Kitchens, POS checkouts, manufacturing units that have too much heat, places that require 2-ply receipts printed in 2 colors.

2. Thermal Printers: Thermal receipt printers as the name suggests, use heat to print the image on the paper.  They do not use ribbons and pins to print the images.  You require special receipt paper to use with your Thermal printer.  The paper has a special heat sensitive coating that is activated on coming in contact with the printer head.  The printer does not require you to replace ribbons and are cost less to own and maintain.  You can upload the logo directly to the firmware to increase the speed of printing. These printers must not be used at places like the kitchen or any other environment that is prone to heat.

3. Multifunctional printers: These printers are used to carry out multiple functions apart from printing receipts. The multifunctional printers are used to endorse checks, read MICR codes, and print slips.  These printers are more expensive than the previously mentioned ones due to their versatility.  These printers can be used at checkouts to print receipts or in concurrence with POS set-ups.

For More Info : https://ctcopiers.com/

Read more ...

Guidelines For Choosing a Printer

Buying a printer is a complex decision and because of all the options available in the market it is difficult to decide on the best one.  Nowadays printers have become essential for office use as well as domestic use.  A good printer at a workplace helps the progress of the work and increases speed of the work accomplished at offices everyday.  There is no point of using the computer to create documents and reports if one is not able to produce the end result in a printed form.

This review will help you out with the confusing task of buying a printer.  The different types of printers available in the market are toner-based printers, liquid injet printers, solid ink printers, dye-sublimation printers, thermal printers and UV printers.  The best way to differentiate the quality printers from the others is to compare their different features.  The print speed and the print quality of the printer matters a lot when it comes to buying a printer.  

The speed is determined according to the prints that the printer can produce per minute.  In the latest printers there is the option for users to transfer the media and images for printing directly from USB devices, memory cards and flash drives.

When buying a printer one must keep in mind what the printer will be used for.  Nowadays printers are available suiting different kinds of work loads.  Some are designed for domestic use, and others for small business work and large complex business work.  

Once you are able to determine the function of the printer you will have a better idea of what printers fall under for your requirements.  When you are buying a printer you should surf around the market and visit a number of places before you make your final decision.  This will give you a rough idea as to what the market price of the printer is, and than you can buy the one that fits your budget.

Keep in mind that the price of the replaceable ink cartridges is also affordable as sometimes the cost of the ink cartridges is more expensive than the actual printer and users face a lot of problems in the future when the cartridges need to be changed.  You can also find, refurbished models that come with a warranty but aren't as good as new.  You can check them thoroughly before buying them and this can be a very good deal.  This kind of deal saves a lot of money and you still receive perfect results from these printers.  Take your time when you are buying a printer and I am sure my tips will help you tremendously in buying a printer.

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/new-products/laser-printers/

Read more ...

High Quality Office Equipment - The Secret of a Flourishing Business Operation

It is a simple fact. Sometimes what you don't know, can hurt you a lot, and that is especially true in office applications.  Missing documents, unorganized files, or an unreliable printer, which can often go undetected until you are at risk, can be a huge drag on a business' bottom line; but that is not the real problem.  The real problem is that you do not know exactly whom you can rely on to get the ultimate, reliable office equipment from, and make your day to day operations in the office more efficient and profitable.

One of the biggest problems with combating typical office issues is that there aren't enough eyes to spot every problem and not enough knowledge to keep you updated on the latest trends and technologies. Sometimes, you just know that you are wasting resources.  It could be energy, equipment repair costs, right machines for the job, or a combination of all these things.

Imagine if you did know and suddenly you had a single view into your entire network of facilities. Imagine how much savings you will have if you will be able to reduce energy costs and lessen product loss.  Imagine if suddenly you had better information about your office equipment, so you could be more confident in your decisions every day.

Just imagine, if you can handle all these things, what's there to worry about?

Today's office equipment ranges from simple to complex applications that provide modern entrepreneurs efficiency, less operating costs, and better bottom line results.  That's why the choice of office equipment has become an essential factor in business management.  The way you decide and choose your equipment will have a huge impact on your business' productivity and reliability.  Keep in mind that your customers rely on you and the last thing you need to worry about is your reputation.

So, how do you deal with these problems in the first place? Here's a list of some tips to live by:

1. Evaluate what you need

At any point, every office seems to need almost all of the basic office equipment, like printers, scanners, copiers, shredding machines, etc.  However, not all office equipment is created equal.  With the advent of technology, modern office equipment can provide multi-functional services; that older models don't have.  Hence, it is important that you know specifically what type of services you need before buying one.  For example, do you have a network in your office?  Do you need dedicated printers or workgroup printers that can cater services to anybody from your network?

2. Assess your work spaces

Office equipment, when not thoroughly considered, can eat a lot of space in your area.  Printers with multi-functional devices can consume a huge space in your work area as they are big in size.  It is best that you dedicate a particular space for your office equipment so people will know where to access them.  Creating a clutter in the working area can only trigger more problems and may affect a smoother work flow.

3. Guaranteed services

Even the most advanced technology cannot impede the natural wear and tear of office equipment. That's why it is important that you have reliable services provided by your suppliers or vendors.  So, regardless of the type or model of the machine you will buy, it is best that you have the most complete and all-inclusive range of services and warranty programs to guarantee that your investment is amplified to your utmost fulfillment.

4. Variable financial options

Office equipment is a good investment, but acquiring them in a bad deal will get you nowhere.  Always find a vendor or supplier that can give you feasible and flexible financial options.  Whether you go on a cash purchase, lease, or credit, it is best that you have a handful of preferences to choose from.

Indeed, getting the best office equipment, at the right deal will help you improve your operations and management of your business.  With limited resources and increased pressure for better returns, ensuring that you have the most appropriate and reliable machines is critical to your success.

For More Info - http://www.ctcopier.com/

Read more ...

Can Offices Rely On Toshiba Toner and Printer Products?

Many different people have heard of Toshiba printer and toner products but the question is how reliable are they actually? Owners of businesses and home offices have come back reporting good things about Toshiba. It actually has gotten top reviews according to some office goers. They say it just makes the day go by faster and makes the work-load get done with better quality. Just from this, you can tell that Toshiba is a reliable product to choose.

Finding a printer with good toner products can be a pain. Trusting in a printer company is a big deal. The ability to achieve everything an office needs in one machine is a great achievement that Toshiba was willing to spend the time to do. Toshiba customers have had complete satisfaction in the fact that their printer makes the best looking documents and pictures and doesn't cost them too much to do it. It is also a highly recommended brand because the units last. They aren't constantly jamming and breaking down because the mechanics of the machine are formulated in such a way where the designers were thinking ahead and taking all scenarios into consideration.

There is no false advertising with Toshiba. They are talked about in a good way where everyone can go through their day smiling while using one of their pieces because of the worry-free feeling it creates from being a trusted machine. The toners for one thing, last for a very long time. They print color and black and white with a beautiful sheen that will impress you and your co-workers the first time you see it come out. Just because the printers are small and seem kind of frail doesn't mean there's not a large body builder of a beast inside there.

While you can rely on them to work well, you can rely on them to catch peoples' eyes as well. The designs fit perfectly into the office setting and they all have a nice looking surface. Of course there are many different designs and colors that these pieces come in but there will be the one for your office that just looks like it already belongs in there. Making your office happy is going to make work more pleasurable as well. You can rely on Toshiba to make your entire office a better environment to work in. Your office is your second home. You have to make it the best you can.

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/toner-supplier/

Read more ...

Konica Minolta Printer and Printers

An environment full of professional approach is one thing that every office around the world craves for. Professionalism needs not only to be practiced by the employees, but from the office management as well.  Apart from soft skills like human management, offices need to create an ambiance that promotes and catalyzes professional atmosphere.  Advanced hardware tools like high-tech workstations and facilities for communication and printing add to overall look of an office.  You don't need your office boy/s to run here and there with loads of printing work.

Talking about printers, it is such a necessity in any office these days that one can hardly do away with it. Everyone in the office needs printouts for different purposes like for notices, press releases, projects, training's, designs, slips, schedules, programs, etc.  Hence, having a multi-function printer is always a better option.

Multi-function printers serve not only your printing needs but they also work as a laser printer, copier and scanner.  Loaded with hi-tech features, they give fast print speeds, and up to 200 sheet input capacity.  Some of the added / optional features of a Multi-function printer that will surely be handy in any office are:

•          24 bit color
•          Direct printing from digital camera
•          Receiving digital faxes from a PC
•         Automatic document feeder
•          Up to 96 MB RAM

Available in stylish and professional designs, your investment is sure to give your lasting returns.  Famed for giving complete customer satisfaction with optimal performance, all leading brands are offering these Multi-function printers.  If you wish that professionalism should prevail in your office then buy one for your office.

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/new-copiers/

Read more ...

The Creation Of The Copier

It hasn't always been so easy to make copies.  We now can just walk up to a photocopier machine and press the print button and we instantly receive perfectly replicated copies of our original.  Just forty seven years ago the copy machine was a pen and some sheets of carbon paper.  Instead of pushing a button you had to write and write and then write some more!  Just before the 60's this was a reality and carbon paper was a big seller.  Chester Carlson, a patent attorney knew how much of a pain it was to continue rewriting everything by hand because Carlson had arthritis.  Carlson had an idea of designing a machine that would automatically make copies, so he didn't have to do all of that copying by hand.

Think about doing your job without a copier.  You probably will have a hard time imagining it.  Did you know that most manufacturers didn't think that a copier would be of much use?  Chester tried for years to get people to catch his vision but nobody was interested.  Between 1939 and 1944, Carlson got the thumbs down by many corporations, including IBM, Kodak, General Electric, and RCA.

In 1937 Chester invented a process called electro-photography.  They renamed it Xerography in 1938. He figured out that if the image of an original document was projected onto a photoconductive surface, current would flow only in the areas where the light shined on it. The first copy was made with a sulfur coating on a zinc plate.  He took a glass microscope slide and wrote on it 10-22-38 ASTORIA with ink.  He then pulled down the shade to darken the room.  He built up an electrostatic charge buy rubbing the sulfur surface with a handkerchief.  Then the slide was placed on the surface and a light was shined on it for few seconds.  He then sprinkled lycopodium powder on the sulfur coating.  Gently blowing on the surface, the loose powder blew off and all that was left was the inscription, 10-22-38 ASTORIA. 10-22-38 is the date that the first photocopy was made.  Astoria was the location.

The Birth of Xerox The company that decided to take a chance on Carlson's dream was the Haloid Company.  Haloid was a photo-paper manufacturer in New York.  Guess what they came to be known as? Yes, the Xerox Corporation.  In 1960 the first office copier was produced.  It was the Xerox model 914.  It was the first office copier that could make copies on plain paper.

Being a copier repairman for over thirty-five years, I have seen the good copiers with the bad copiers.  I began working on copiers in 1975.  The copiers that I began working with were messy and they would not last long in between servicing.  The prices for the machines were very high especially for higher volume copiers.  There were some interesting ways of transporting the paper through the machine like the Sharp SF-740.  It grabbed the paper with two gripper devices that were driven with chains.  This machine fused the toner to the paper with a toaster oven type device.

Some people may even remember having to pour toner into the copier from a bottle.  Today's copiers have a cartridge system that works well.  They keep most of the toner inside the copier, not on you best pair of slacks or your dress.  They have rollers for fusing the toner to the paper and have very sophisticated paper feed and transport systems that help reduce jamming problems.  Digital copiers are now on the market.  Now you can not only copy, but print, scan and even fax with them.  Perhaps the most revolutionary change in the industry is the full color copier.  The sales of full color copiers have really started to explode.  There are a lot of new and exciting products being introduced and the quality is really quite good. We have come a long way from Carlson's '10-22-38 ASTORIA.  I just can't help to think what the future will bring us.  What will the copier of the year 2020 look like?

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/

Read more ...

Sharp Copiers - One Of The Most Reliable Copiers Around

The Sharp copier is one of the most reliable copiers around.  It is recommendable for its ability to do a multiplicity of printing tasks, yet giving you consistent results each time, but not unless you tamper with the settings.  They come in many different varieties, and it is up to you; to go for the one that is suitable for the kind and amount of work that you have to accomplish; and also one that is pocket friendly to you.

Many factors come into place once you consider buying a copier.  One, you will have to consider the size of the machine depending on how much space you have in the office.  Secondly, you may want to know the types of features that are within the copier, so that you do not miss out on a feature that your kind of work may really need in your office.  On the other hand, you do not want one that is too complicated for simple use. Thirdly, with the ever changing technological advances, you may feel that it may be expensive to replace your Sharp copier every time there is an advanced model of the same in the market.  You may therefore want to consider renting one from the rental shops.  However, this option will require you to know how much the rental stores charge per month and the policy they have in regard to the maintenance and repairs.

More information regarding Sharp copiers may be obtained from the Internet.  You can then collect and verify this information from Sharp copier office stores, authorized dealers, and even independent offices.  Once you have all the details at your finger tips, all that remains is for you to select the copier you want, pay for it, and transfer it to your office and get started putting it to work for you.

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/new-copiers/

Read more ...

Digital Copier Security - There's More to Overcome Than Just the Hard Drive

The CBS Evening News recently broadcast a story called "Copy Machines a Security Risk?"  The information presented in the story was alarming, to say the least, but CBS only scratched the surface of the topic.  For companies who rely on securing confidential and proprietary information from competitors or hackers, there's much more you need to know about the inconspicuous digital copier.  In this article, we'll look at five areas where confidential information may be compromised.

If you haven't seen the CBS story please click on this link at the bottom of this page and view the five-minute broadcast before you continue with this article.

In addition to the risks presented by the CBS story here are 5 additional areas where copiers can compromise your security.

1. Many digital copiers are also network printers that store network information such as IP addresses, subnet masks and gateway IP's.  These settings are not stored on the hard drive and are not cleared by the digital copier "Purge" feature.  Network settings must be manually cleared.  Security experts will tell you to keep your network configuration private.  You don't want competitors or hackers to know your internal network configuration.  The more information about your network infrastructure that's accessible to hackers the less they have to figure out on their own and the sooner they can compromise your network.

2. Many digital copiers store the IP addresses of your DNS servers and/or Domain controllers.  Depending on the type and model of your copier, this information may not be cleared by your copier "purge" function.  You definitely don't want competitors or hackers knowing the IP addresses of your Name Servers or Domain Controllers.

3. Many digital copiers store email addresses and some even download your entire Email Global Address List to the copier.  Again, you don't want this to be accessible to those outside your company.

4. The "purge" function used by older digital copy machines doesn't delete any data from the copier hard drive.  It only renders the data inaccessible to the copier software.  It either deletes a file we techies would call a "file allocation table" or it will use other tactics to render the data unreadable to the copier software.  The "Purge" button merely gives an allusion the disk has been cleaned.  However, the data is still there and can be removed as shown on the CBS story.  Most copier security policies rely on this built-in Purge function and think their data is cleared.  It is not cleared.  It can still be accessed with free scanning tools available on the internet.

5. If your copier has a fax capability, the copier also stores all the phone numbers it dialed and numbers that dialed it along with any information you provided in your Fax phone book.  Again, the "Purge" function will not clear this information.

One of the biggest obstacles surrounding this whole issue of Copier Security is the apathy and ignorance of the Manufacturers.  Most copier technicians today still believe the built-in Purge function deletes all information on the copier.  To make matters worse, most copier technicians don't know where the different type of information is stored.  Some data is stored on the hard drive, some data in flash memory, and some data is stored in firmware.  Sensitive information is stored in different places depending on the manufacturer and model of copier.  Just when you think it can't get worse.  Let me drop the final shoe.  There are no utilities that will scan a copier and certify that it has been completely purged from older digital copy machines.

As I mentioned earlier, this CBS news story only scratched the surface of the real risks associated with digital Copier Security.  The Copier Security pioneers who were interviewed in the CBS story, Digital Copier Security inc., have done extensive research on these security risks and are working to provide services and resources to help companies thoroughly purge their older copy machines.  I applaud Digital Copier Security for bringing this issue to the attention of Corporate America and for working diligently to address this significant security hole.

I encourage the Copier industry to take responsibility for ensuring new copiers have the capability to purge themselves of all sensitive information and to provide a certification report indicating what has been purged.  This should be a standard feature on all Digital Copiers and not an add-on feature that comes at an additional cost.  Additionally copier technicians should be trained to thoroughly purge all Digital Copiers.

Until such a time, Corporate America must take necessary steps to ensure their own safety.  They must ensure they are not exposing themselves to unnecessary security risks or even breaking Privacy Laws. Digital copiers must have processes defined (and documented) that ensure appropriate actions are taken before copiers are released to third parties.

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/new-copiers/

Read more ...

How to Remove Xerox Toner From Clothing

Stains in general are one of life's many annoyances, especially when it's something near impossible to remove.  Clothing is pretty expensive to begin with, and then you get stains and it's a whole different cost to get the dry cleaners to remove them--if they can.

If you've ever been elected as the lucky individual to change the toner in the Xerox copier at work (usually on the day you when you decided to wear that crisp white shirt and freshly dry-cleaned khaki's), you know that unless you're wearing a hazmat suit, you'll probably end up with some toner- from change induced battle stains.  Usually, this would mean throwing out the item and going shopping, with a chip on your shoulder all because of the stupid copy machine and its Xerox Toner needs.

Keep in mind though, next time you find yourself in that boat, just refer to the handy guide here to help you treat the stain and salvage your stained item of clothing.

Xerox toner is so hard to get out of clothes because of the special powder it's made of; which contains a highly concentrated amount of pigments and dyes.  Toner melts when heated, thus causing it to bond firmly to paper in the printing process.  When toner comes in contact with clothing it doesn't form an indelible bond right away, you have a window of time to treat it, and salvage your item of affected clothing.

Here are 5 steps to treat Xerox Toner stains in clothing yourself:

1) Remove the article of clothing as soon as possible and shake it out.  The sooner you attend to the stain, the less time the stain has to settle into the fibers of the item.  Shake it to get as much loose toner out as possible.

2) Use a Vacuum with an attachment to vacuum out those loose particles in the clothing.  The more Xerox toner you can get out without water, the less likely the stain will be to set.

3) Fill the sink basin with cold water and immerse the item.  Work with the item to try to get more toner out.  Drain the sink and run more cold water over the item, trying again to get more Xerox toner out.

4) Wash the item in a washing machine on the cold water setting with mild detergent only.

5) Air-dry the article in the shade or indoors.  You're air drying primarily because if there's any toner left, the heat from the dryer which will probably set the stain permanently.  This will make it much harder or down-right impossible to remove.

More Tips and Warnings:

Avoid touching the toner with your hands when removing the stained article of clothing.  This prevents the toner particles from accidentally being spread.

If you get Xerox toner on your clothing, shake out the article of clothing outdoors.  This avoids the Xerox Toner particles landing on other easily stained items like carpet, furniture upholstery, and other items of clothing.

DO NOT use warm or hot water when washing the item, as it will set the stain most likely permanently.

If the item is dry-cleaning only, inform your cleaners that toner was spilled before they dry-clean it.  They may also need to know what kind of toner was spilled on it to ensure proper treatment, based on the makeup of the toner.

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/

Read more ...

Options of Brother Copiers

Everyday of our lives as we go about our businesses whether at home or in the office, we find ourselves with documents that need to be copied.  While there are many copier machines that we can buy in the market, none guarantees you quality like the Brother copier.  It comes in different varieties, all of high standards and values, available at affordable prices.

To be able to select the best copier, you must be specific about the tasks that you will expect the machine to perform for you.  Brother copiers come in two broad categories of either the color copier group or the black and white only group.  To get more information about their specifications, you can visit Brother copier computer store or their supplies offices.  The sales assistants will provide with all the relevant information and a practical demonstration on request on how the copiers are operated to deliver the best results.

If for any reason you are not able to go to them personally, you can utilize the Internet and find links to their web site or to their authorized dealers.  You will also be able to find reviews where customers of Brother copiers have given feedback on what they think about these copiers.  From this information you can be able to make a sober judgment and an informed decision about the copier you are going to buy.

Before you make an order or commit yourself to payment, find out what the return policy is and whether the copiers come with any warranty or guarantee.  This will save you a lot of agony just in case the machine decides to break down on you sooner than later.

For More Info - http://www.ctcopier.com/

Read more ...

Copier Brands - The Best, Cheapest, Most Reliable Digital Printer Copier Manufacturers

Here are the 8 Major brands/manufacturers of digital office copiers and what makes each one distinctive:

Xerox/Fuji Xerox

They invented the first copier in the 1950s, are the most well-known brand name, and without question, makes the best heavy-duty machines.  A few years ago they confessed some financial issues that almost brought the company to it's knees, but since then (plus a few new CEO changes), they have made a come back.

Canon

They are the most popular and best selling by far of all brands...for decades.  They make great machines, but can often be over-priced compared to the others.

Panasonic

They make the easiest-to-use machines (by far) and the most innovative.  They swing from most reliable to not very reliable at all (so check with the testing companies, like Buyer's Lab, before you buy a newer model).  They have more techs working to innovate the industry and thus have more patents than any of the others - even Xerox.  This also explains the lack of reliability sometimes, because they are always pushing the envelop.

Konica/Minolta

They make solid, reliable machines, and make the best office high-res, graphical color machines.  Like Panasonic, they are also very innovative.  They also bought the national dealership, Danka, in 2010.

Sharp

They will often have the most 3rd-party awards of any other brand from the 3rd party testing companies.  They also tend to be pretty easy-to-use.

Ricoh Family (Ricoh, Lanier, Gestetner, Savin)

They are often the lowest priced in any given area and they win a lot of government bids because of that.

Toshiba

They make very solid machines at a good price.

Kyocera Mita Family (Kyocera Mita and Copystar)

They make good machines and a good price.

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/

Read more ...

Digital Copiers - Everything You Need to Know About Buying a Digital Copier Machine

All About Digital Copiers

Exactly What Is a Digital Copier?

Technology is truly something to behold.  Gone are the days when analog copiers reign supreme in the business world.  Thanks to the continuous search for the better and best, digital copiers are now the trend... and rightfully so.

One of the advantages of digital-copiers over their analog counterpart is that they have the ability to store documents into memory.  To put it simply, the information is imprinted on the drum through laser, the document gets printed, and the image of the document is saved in the copier's memory.

This leads to two benefits:

First, you can have a document copied just from the memory.  Say you forgot the document in your cubicle.  You can save yourself from a trip back if the document has already been copied and stored in memory.

Second, since the document is already in memory, you can send it electronically to other devices provided that they can receive the information.  Examples of which are computers, fax machines, and even some phones.  This saves time, not to mention paper.  You do not have to wait on documents from the main office to be sent through FedEx.

Another aspect of digital-copiers is that they can generate more than one set of copy with just one scan. You do not have to run the original document ten times to have ten copies.  If you only need two copies of a document, this is not much of a benefit.  On the other hand, if you are in the business where hundreds to thousands of copies are needed almost everyday, then you better invest on a digital-copier or two.  You can leave it all to the digital copier, do other pending tasks, and comeback for the copies later.

Next, digital copiers produce copies of unsurpassed quality.  Digital-copiers produce high quality copies that more often than not, are hard to tell the original from the copy.  Compared to other copiers, digital copiers are preferred by majority for this feature alone.

Best of all, maintenance cost is relatively cheaper.  The ink used by digital copiers create more copies than the cartridges normally used by analog copiers.  While buying a digital copier will cost you more than other copiers, in the end, you are really saving money.

If you are looking for a digital copier, Xerox, Ricoh, Konica-Minolta, Toshiba and Canon are some of the brands known for their digital technology, copiers included.

For More Info - http://www.ctcopier.com/

Read more ...

Toshiba Copiers

With the rise of technology, offices use a variety of equipment.  Various functions are to be performed by various types of equipment as found suitable.  One such piece of equipment is the copier, found in almost every office today.  A copier is used to copy various types of documents required in the day- to- day activities of an office.  Since such documents are to be used to run projects or are normally given to other people it becomes important to use quality copiers.

Such a quality copier are Toshiba Copiers.  This brand of copier has a wide range of uses, and as such; one can choose from the many types available for them.  This brand of copier comes in both small and large sizes.  In choosing an ideal copier for business, it would be wise to consider the volume of work to be performed.

If your business is small-scaled you may need to use a small sized copier known as the Small Work group which handles copying twenty pages a minute.  Though document copying in this type of Toshiba Copier is mainly black and white, it is normally of high quality copying.  In case you venture in the medium size business, you will require a medium to large size copier product.  They come in either black and white or color style, and are capable of copying out larger scale batches of copies.  These medium sized copiers, copy on average twenty to forty-five copies per minute.

The larger copiers are ideal for mass production of copies.  For this last style of this brand of copiers, one can get up to 135 pages copied in a minute.   For this large size copier, one can get either black and white or colored copies.  This type is also capable of multi-tasking, as it can print, email, copy, scan, and fax your various documents; making this a truly versatile piece of equipment for your office.  With the different Toshiba Copiers available in today's market, whether your budget allows for brand new or just the more affordable refurbished, you can get many different types of copiers that will help realize your business potential. 

For More Info - http://www.ctcopier.com/

Read more ...

Printers - Choosing the Printer That Fits Your Needs

Printers have become a daily essential for anyone who has a computer - after all, we all need to produce hard copies of our electronic data.  Choosing which printer serves your needs best can be tricky.  Here's a 101.

Kinds of printers
Whether you need to print documents, photos, stickers, large banners or any other data that needs to be printed, there is a printer that can suit your needs.

o Card Printer - for printing plastic cards
o CD Printer - for printing labels directly onto the CD
o Check Printer - for printing text on blank checks
o DVD Printer - for printing labels directly on the DVD disc
o Inkjet Printer - usually used for basic printing needs (i.e. documents, photos, etc.) in the home, school or office.
o Laster Printer - has similar functions with the inkjet, only faster.
o Photo Printer - the printer especially designed and made for printing high-quality images.
o Portable Printer - for use with mobile devices like laptops and other mobile computers
o Postcard Printer - for printing images and text on postcards and other novelty papers.
o Poster Printer - for printing bigger media (i.e. posters, banners, etc.)
o Thermal Printer - typically used for printing receipts and labels
o Wireless Printer - utilizes Bluetooth technology to connect to your computer instead of traditional cables, which makes it ideal for small spaces with computers.
Before you buy that printer...

No matter what your printing needs are, make sure you take into consideration the following features when choosing a printer:

o Power source
o Connectivity
o Printing size
o Format (what it can print)
o Speed of printing
o Efficiency
o Paper types and sizes it can accommodate
o Security features
o System requirements (ensure your device is compatible with it)
o Capacity (how much it can print at a time and how much paper it can accommodate)

For more info - http://ctcopier.com/

Read more ...

Printer Repair Becomes The Essential Commodity For The Optimum Performance Output

Printer has been considered as the most versatile instrument in today's times to execute the varied computational mundane requirements in an organization.

The most important component and the prerequisite parameter is the quality of the print which gets dispensed out in the form of hand-outs.  However, if the print quality gets hampered or distorted it calls in for the printer repair mechanisms.

The printer repair has rose to prominence with reference to handling the varied printer repairs to resolve the printer malfunctioning.  In general, the printer malfunctioning happens for two distinct reasons:

Software: The printer driver problems:

· The printer driver is the software program which brings about the effective printing functions in a printer when connected to the laptop or the desktop computers. It has remained as connectivity between the printer device (hardware) and the computer systems.

· The problem associated with printer drivers can be resolved, if the user attempts to re-install them in the computer systems, so as to take the printer into control for the effective functioning.

· In some cases, when the printer is connected to the updated operating system or the (OS), the printer drivers also need to be updated regularly, so as to make the best use of the printers.

· The updated printer drivers are readily available over the internet with respect to the printer brand.

Network Problems:

· The printer often fails to detect in the premise network for most of the time during the print scheduling.

· The problems could be multi-fold here; one should always see the computer's systems network connectivity in the local area network (LAN).

· Sometimes, the printer drivers for network should be updated to get back the printer connectivity onto the network domain.

Hardware: Some of the Printer Hardware Problems:

Paper jams:

· Paper jams in a printer have been a common symptomatic problems related to the printer hardware.

· As an analogy, one needs to understand as to the real cause of paper jams rather than just attempting to the removal of the jammed paper.

· One should really attempt to open all the flaps of the printer and look inside for any paper which has been stuck and one should ensure to remove them to ensure that there are no paper jams in the long run.

Ink quality getting hampered:

The print ink quality eventually gets hampered if the toner in the cartridge gets depleted and one should attempt to refill the printer cartridge at the earliest or to replace with the new print cartridge. This way you can improve the print quality.

Paper quality has a predominant impact on printers and the cartridge ink

· The usage of low grade paper as a means to get the print outs; turns up as an impact for the printer cartridge ink.

· The low grade paper while on their way to get printed gets blurred which results in the low quality print and further excess of toner is consumed in the course of time, especially when attempting to take the print of images and pictures.

The cartridge groove problem:

· The printer cartridge gets fixed onto the printer groove and once the printer cartridge gets firmly fixed, it would be eventually ready to take more print requests.

· In the event that a printer cartridge does not get into the groove properly well, it leads to the problems such as the paper jams, crumbled paper when attempting to dispense out.

Network connectivity problem

· The printing network connectivity problems can be attributed to one big reason is that the patch cable connecting the printer to the network console is loosely attached or damaged.

· One should ensure that the printer cables are properly plugged in, so that the printer is visible among the peers in the network for the print spooling.

· One should ensure that the network bandwidth is optimally good; this is to ensure that the printers are working at their optimum with reference to taking the print-outs.

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/

Read more ...

How Long Will a Laser Printer, Copier Toner Cartridges Last?

HP, Lexmark, Sharp, Ricoh, Savin, Brother and other manufactures of laser printers and copiers' office equipment all use the same industry standard of how long a toner cartridge will last.  They use the 5% rule.  However, most people print 7%to 12% on the average.

First, we need to define what is the 5% rule toner cartridge usage on your laser printer, digital copier all in one machine.  When HP toner cartridge specifications says 10,000 pages at 5% it means 10,000 pages of text DOUBLE space on a 8.5" by 11" with 1.25" margins (see below for actual sample of 5% text n page).  If you just send simple memos on your laser printer copier then you are set.  However, most companies especially accountant and lawyers use way more toner per page than 5%.  Here is a 5% (between the dotted lines page of toner on HP laser printer, Sharp copier, Canon printer copier or other brand of office equipment:

Start with this, which is 5% page coverage for a hp printer or digital copier.  You will notice its only two paragraphs long.  If this is all you print on the average then the estimated pages per toner cartridge the manufacture specifies will be close.  However, you will notice there are no graphics, company logos or anything else.  If you print graphs or tax returns your rate of usage will be much higher.

If you are using a color laser printer copier, then you need to be careful; because if the color toner cartridges on your laser printer or digital copier says 5,000 pages then it is not 5,000 each color toner cartridge but a COMBINED total of the cyan, magenta and yellow.  This end of 5% coverage example of text a standard sheet of paper printed on your laser printer, color copier or all in one copier printer scanner device - end of 5 %.

If you are not sure how to get your average page toner cartridge usage, contact us now, to get the information needed to determine your Hp printer all in one, Canon copier printer, Sharp copier, Rich copier scanner or other brand of printing device.  It does not cost you a cent, the information is 100% free for the asking.

For More Info - http://ctcopier.com/

Read more ...