Editorials

Why Managed Print Services Are So Important

If you’re a business owner in today’s world, there are many factors to consider when making decisions around the office. Is the decision you’re making good for the company as a whole? Does this decision fit within your overall objectives and mission statement? How does this decision add value to the company? These are all very important vantage points to consider when making a change or an upgrade to different technologies in and around the office. Keeping employees in mind, making sure the decision is cost-effective, and weighing pros and cons also fit somewhere into the decision making matrix.
 
Although some decisions made around the office are extremely difficult, when it comes to deciding on whether or not to use Managed Print Services, the decision matrix shrinks considerably and skews dramatically toward the pro side of things.  No matter what industry you’re in, you most likely have heard of Managed Print Services. Combining a cost-effective approach to printing in conjunction with boosting efficiency in the office should be a no brainer to many business owners. This may very well be the case for you, but for others the choice isn’t as obvious.

Document Solutions Designed for your Business

Document solutions can be a positive approach for businesses looking to increase their level of efficiency in the workplace. Designed to manage growing volumes of information entering and passing through an organization, document solutions can be tailor made to a business depending on its needs. This type of service can be especially useful and helpful to businesses experiencing growth that is hard to manage as well as experienced firms that are seeing higher than projected growth.

It doesn’t take much to figure out that a company doing more in the same amount of time, or less, stands to reap a higher amount of profit. This is known as profitability through productivity and can make a real difference in the revenue stream of a business. Document solutions can also improve or sustain a level of competitive advantage that other firms are striving to achieve. On top of all this, document solutions also ensure regulatory compliance with laws such as HIPAA, enhance business to business relations, and decrease litigation risk associated with data theft and loss.

Wow…Is That Really an Inkjet?

By Marlene Orr, Senior Analyst, Printers/A4 MFP, March 20, 2013

Historically, inkjets have been slower than laser devices, and although high-capacity cartridges were available for business-class inkjets, the yields were generally lower than those available for business-class laser machines. Of course, the inkjets cost less and many offered a comparable cost per page, making them a good choice for low-volume environments. But those slower speeds and relatively low yield cartridges didn’t make them a good fit for higher-volume business environments. Until now, that is.

Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) has long been a fixture in the home and in the office with its inkjet technology, but the new Officejet Pro X series products turns the idea of inkjet printing on its head. With rated speeds topping out at 70 ppm (42 ppm in default mode), combined with a high duty cycle (75,000 pages per month) and ink cartridges that yield more than 5,000 pages each, the Officejet Pro X576 MFP and X551 printer look like true competitors for laser devices at these higher values. Here’s a peek at some of the first test results coming out of the lab on these models and how they compare with laser models.

Outlook 2013 – Customization, Solutions and Mobility Continue to Be the Keywords for 2013

By Tracie Hines, Senior Editor, Competitive Analysis Reports, March 18, 2013

In 2013, the landscape for MFPs will continue to evolve, with the industry focusing more on providing complete end-to-end solutions for business and less on traditional speeds and feeds. BLI’s survey of major MFP and printer manufacturers revealed a continuing trend away from page volume and toward software, services and connectivity that enables information to be manipulated more easily, whether from the MFP itself or from other input sources (such as mobile phones and tablets). Indeed, mobile printing apps were in place from virtually all manufacturers by the end of 2012, and in the next year the trend toward solutions-based marketing will result in increased offerings for numerous vertical markets as well as in managed print services.

In the spotlight this week: Xerox.

Xerox

Xerox is moving high-end capabilities downstream to the SMB market

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BLI Unearths a Softer Side to Eco-Friendly Printing

By Lisa Reider, BLI Senior Product Editor, Scanners and Environmental

Whether through buying ENERGY STAR-qualified electronics or more fuel-efficient vehicles, the effects of climate change have many people changing their day-to-day activities. And the trend continues to spread despite economic constraints. But in addition to checking for eco-labels and reading BLI Environmental Test Reports to identify the most energy-efficient printers and MFPs, users can also change their printing habits for the better by using eco-friendly printing solutions.

While for years we’ve reported on the many environmentally friendly features available with document imaging devices, such as toner-save mode, blank-page removal, auto color mode and N-up printing and copying, there are also several solutions available that help to optimize printing habits to reduce waste and save money—some of them for free. Eco-friendly print solutions offer various tools dedicated to three basic functions: Web printing, document printing and usage monitoring. Some solutions may do all three, while others might focus on a single task. We took a look at offerings from vendors such as Lexmark, Samsung, HP and Canon, as well as some third-party offerings. Below is a breakdown of some of the more prominent eco-friendly print solutions available.

The Buzz about 3D Printing

One of largest innovations to hit the printing industry in recent years has been the advent of 3D printing technology. 3D printing does exactly what it sounds like it does; it is the process of making a three-dimensional solid object from a digital model. Essentially, it can build a three-dimensional rendering of whatever a computer program tells it to print. This can come in the form of miniature figurines, scale models of cars, or even large objects the size of cars!

There are a few steps that a 3D printer must take before rendering a specific object. The process must start and end somewhere and there have been years of research and development that has gone into making what seemed impossible only a few years ago, possible today.

The Changing Nature of the Printing Industry

If you are in or interested in the printing industry, then you are most likely interested in the future of the industry as a whole. As new technology emerges and becomes more accessible, the power that was once in the hands of large corporations is now in the hands of the skilled individual. This means big changes for the industry as now the regular person has the capabilities that could only be afforded by large corporations of the past. This will ultimately change the game for managed print providers and their customer bases.

The advent of the Internet has had many profound effects on the daily life of the consumer and one of these effects has already made its way into the printing industry. Internet publications have opened up new ventures for the printing industry. This has become more apparent through the fact that publishers will distribute materials and information through the Internet, and then print the actual materials on site.

Canon Redefines Prototyping and Augmented Reality with MREAL

By Dan DiGiacomo, Associate Editor, March 6, 2012

After several years of development, Canon took over Manhattan’s Classic Car Club on February 20 to unveil the MREAL System for Mixed Reality (MR), a new imaging solution that merges computer-generated virtual objects with reality in three dimensions. The technology is one of many that demonstrate the company’s wide reach in digital imaging, which goes far beyond cameras and document imaging devices like printers and MFPs. Consistently among the top recipients of US patents, Canon also makes broadcasting equipment, camcorders, and radiography and ophthalmic diagnostic equipment for use in medical fields.

Canon envisions numerous uses for MR technology, including the ability for manufacturers of high-end products, such as automobiles or MFPs, to create and visualize virtual prototypes without the expense of building actual test models. “In today’s competitive markets, companies are constantly looking for solutions that can help them introduce new products to market in a timely and efficient fashion,” said Sam Yoshida, vice president and general manager of marketing for Canon U.S.A.’s Business Imaging Solutions Group. “Canon has a very strong commitment to the augmented reality space, and by leveraging our strong heritage and leadership in optics, we intend to deliver solutions based upon Mixed Reality for use in industries including manufacturing, aerospace and entertainment.”

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How Managed Print Services Save you Money

As a small, medium, or large business owner, cutting costs associated with running your business may be something you regularly think about. By reducing expenses you will ultimately be able to reap larger profits, making your company and your employees better off. Therefore, it behooves the business owner to find ways to cut expenses around the office so at the end of the fiscal quarter or year it looks better for everyone.

One of the ways a business can cut costs around the office is investing in a sound managed print service. There are many companies that offer this service, and for good reason. Managed print services offer businesses a solution to the pitfalls of paper waste, outdated machines, and supply expenditure.

Document Management in the Legal Industry

With the amount of paperwork that moves through the legal industry, whether it’s paperwork in a law firm, correctional facility, or courtroom, it’s important to take note of what document management is capable of doing. Not only is it important to keep track of all the information that is moving through the office, it’s important to remember that document security in this industry is key. Since the legal industry relies on documents and electronic information everyday, it’s important that businesses in this industry have a reliable document management strategy in place.

Businesses practicing in this industry may be wary of applying any new features to their current filing system. What these businesses sometime overlook, however, is the value that is added to their firm when document management is employed.

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