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January 08, 2010
Dell 3330dn Laser Printer Offers Fast Black-and-White Printing
By Kara Hiltz
Printer News: Network-Ready Dell 3330dn Prints Up to 40 Pages Per Minute
When you work in an office that prints primarily black-and-white documents, you need a printer with two attributes — sharp text and speedy output. The Dell 3330dn monochrome laser printer offers you a text-focused office workhorse. Fittingly, it ships in a black finish.
The Dell 3330dn can print black-and-white documents up to 40 pages per minute at a 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution, resulting in crisp text and graphics. Everything about the Dell 3330dn screams quantity. It can handle a workload of 80,000 pages per month, and holds a maximum of 850 sheets of paper with an additional optional paper tray. Duplex printing comes integrated, so you won't have to manually flip any pages.
This monochrome laser printer doesn't offer wireless printing, but it includes an Ethernet connection for networking. If your legal office, bank, or other document-driven business needs a printer that can handle a lot of documents fast, the Dell 3330dn is worth a look.
Summary
Monochrome laser printer best for an office that prints lots of text documents.MSRP: $599
Manufacturer
Product Page
Dell 3330dnSupplies
Toner
330-5207 (14,000 Page Use and Return Toner Cartridge), 330-5210 (7,000 Page Use and Return Toner Cartridge), 330-5209 (7,000 Page Toner Cartridge)Specs that matter
| Release Date: | November 11, 2009 |
| Notable Features: | Fast, duplex printing, 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution, Ethernet network connection, automatic toner alerts, Web print configuration tool, LCD panel, instant warm-up, duty cycle of 80,000 pages per month, 850-sheet maximum input capacity (with one optional drawer) |
| Green Features: | Energy Star, use and return toner cartridges, duplex printing saves paper, toner fuses at lower temperature, Dell Asset Recovery Services provides recycling |
| Pages Per Minute: | 40 |
| Resolution: | 1200 x 1200 |
| Paper Trays: | 2 (3 with optional tray) |
| Paper Capacity: | 300 (850 with optional tray) |
| Interface: | Ethernet, USB 2.0 |
| Compatibility: | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Dimensions: | 16.6 x 14.53 x 10.2 inches |
| Weight: | 31.15 pounds |
| Warranty: | 1 year |
About Printer News
Your one stop source for information about new business- and consumer-class printers, Printer News covers everything you need to know. Well, almost everything. If you have anything to add to our report, please post it below.
January 04, 2010
Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Inkjet Printer for Professionals
By Kara Hiltz
Printer News: Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Offers Two Black and Nine Color Inks for Professional Results
Photographers and design professionals often find printing black-and-white photos a nightmare. Because most inkjet printers only offer one black ink, subtle grays get lost and unwanted tinting can ruin a black-and-white print.
But the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 offers two Black Ink modes — Matte and Photo — and can switch between them automatically as you work with different media. You'll also find an Advanced Black-and-White Photo mode with four preset menus: Neutral, Warm, Cool, and Sepia. Color wheels and slider controls give you even more options for optimizing your black and white prints.
With nine UltraChrome K3 color inks, the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 also handles professional color printing. In fact, a special Graphic Arts Edition of the printer features built-in Pantone technology and ICC color profiles.
The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 includes both Ethernet and USB 2 for connecting your Mac or PC. You can print on media as large as 17 x 22 inches.
Summary
Inkjet color printer best for design professionals specializing in black-and-white printing who need big results from a small printerMSRP: $1,295 (Standard Edition), $1,495 (Graphic Arts Edition)
Manufacturer
Press Release
Epson Expands Its Award-Winning Large Format Printer Lineup with New 17-Inch Epson Stylus Pro 3880Supplies
Specs that matter
| Release Date: | September 1, 2009 |
| Notable Features: | Borderless photo printing, two black ink modes (Matte and Photo) with automatic switching, printing on media up to 17 x 22 inches, three paper trays, small size (17 inches wide), 2.5-inch LCD control panel, automatic print head alignment and cleaning, Graphic Arts Edition includes Pantone color printing technology |
| Green Features: | Energy Star, RoHS compliant, recyclable |
| Seconds Per Photo: | 123 for 8x10 |
| Resolution: | 2880 x 1440 |
| Paper Trays: | 1 paper tray, a top loading feeder, and a manual front feeder |
| Paper Capacity: | Up to 120 sheets plain; 50 photo |
| Interface: | USB 2.0, Ethernet |
| Compatibility: | Windows and Macintosh |
| Dimensions: | 27 x 15 x 10 inches |
| Weight: | 43.2 pounds |
| Warranty: | 1 Year |
About Printer News
Your one stop source for information about new business- and consumer-class printers, Printer News covers everything you need to know. Well, almost everything. If you have anything to add to our report, please post it below.
October 20, 2009
Lexmark T656DNE Black and White Laser Printer Sports Touch Screen
By Databazaar Blog
Printer News: Lexmark Trades Buttons for a Touch Screen on New T656DNE Laser Printer
Buttons are out. Touch screens are in. Lexmark's new T656DNE, a high-volume monochrome laser printer, features a 7-inch color touch screen.
Once upon a time, you only touched your printer to turn it on, clear a paper jam, or insert paper. The Lexmark T656DNE's touch screen may strike some as more sizzle than steak, but if your printer sits in a public place such as a reception area, you can run a promotional slide show on the touch screen when it's not in use. From the touch screen you can also print previously uploaded forms, adjust the printer's settings, choose from among 18 languages, and access your own custom applications.
Beyond the touch screen, you'll find a fast and powerful printer that prints duplex up to 55 pages per minute and has a capacity of 4,300 pages with optional high-capacity feeders and trays. Without all the options, it holds 650 pages and weighs just 53 pounds. With specs like that, the predecessor T650 series can't touch the new T656DNE.
Summary
Monochrome laser printer best for paper-intensive businessesMSRP: $1,999.00
Manufacturer
Press Release
Lexmark Delivers Another Industry First With New Solutions-Ready, Touch Screen Laser PrinterProduct Page
Lexmark T656dneSupplies
Specs that matter
| Release Date: | October 6, 2009 |
| Notable Features: | 7 inch color touch screen, custom applications, gigabit Ethernet, fast printing speeds, large paper capacity, PC-free printing |
| Green Features: | Energy Star, duplex printing saves paper, eco-settings, cartridge recycling program |
| Pages Per Minute: | 55 |
| Resolution: | 1200 x 1200 dpi |
| Paper Trays: | 2 standard (additional trays optional) |
| Paper Capacity: | 650 (up to 4,300) |
| Interface: | Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 (supports printing from USB drives |
| Compatibility: | Windows and Macintosh |
| Dimensions: | 17.2 x 16.7 x 20.7 inches |
| Weight: | 53 pounds |
| Monthly Duty Cycle: | 35,000 pages |
| Warranty: | 1 year (extended warranty available) |
About Printer News
Your one stop source for information about new business- and consumer-class printers, Printer News covers everything you need to know. Well, almost everything. If you have anything to add to our report, please post it below.
October 19, 2009
Print From Anything to the HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One C309a
By Databazaar Blog
Printer News: HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One C309a Does Just About Everything, Including Printing
Despite what you may have heard, paper still has a bright future. At least, that's what HP's Premium Fax All-in-One C309a would have you believe. For example, embedded QuickForm templates enable you to print fax cover sheets, calendars, checklists, etc. You can also copy, fax, or scan up to 50 sheets at a time.
With the HP Premium Fax All-in-One C309a, you can print from just about any device — via Ethernet, USB, or WiFi from Macs and PCs, via WiFi from your iPhone or iPod touch, via Bluetooth from your cell phone (including iPhone), via PictBridge from your digital camera, and via a memory card.
HP claims the Premium Fax All-in-One prints up to 33 pages per minute. Among its many high-end features, it offers duplex printing and a 2.4 inch LCD display. We always list the MSRP, but we have seen this printer for $199 from HP itself thanks to an instant rebate. You can spend the money you save on some paper, which we remind you has a bright future.
Summary
Inkjet color all-in-one best for families and small businessesMSRP: $299
Manufacturer
Supplies
Specs that matter
| Release Date: | March 2, 2009 |
| Notable Features: | Duplex printing, fax, CDs/DVDs printing, iPhone and other PC-free printing, QuickForms, 50-page automatic document feeder, lab-quality photos |
| Green Features: | Energy Star, duplex, 2-up, and 4-up printing saves paper, HP Smart Web Printing saves paper and ink, high-yield inkjet cartridges reduce packaging waste, HP Planet Partners recycling program |
| Pages Per Minute: | 33 (b/w), 32 (color) |
| Seconds Per Photo: | 17 |
| Resolution: | Enter |
| Paper Trays: | 2 (including dedicated photo paper tray) |
| Paper Capacity: | 175 sheets, 20 photo |
| Interface: | USB 2.0, Ethernet, WiFi, PictBridge, Bluetooth (optional), Memory Cards |
| Compatibility: | Windows and Macintosh |
| Dimensions: | 9.5 x 17.7 x 17.4 inches |
| Weight: | 24.3 pounds |
| Warranty: | 1 year |
About Printer News
Your one stop source for information about new business- and consumer-class printers, Printer News covers everything you need to know. Well, almost everything. If you have anything to add to our report, please post it below.
October 07, 2009
How to Take and Print Polaroids Using Your iPhone
By Databazaar Blog
PrinTip: Polaroid-Style Photos From Your iPhone in Two Steps (Shaking Optional)
We recently covered three methods for creating and printing Polaroid-style photos — two using your Mac or PC and one using a ZINK-based gadget. But those of you with an iPhone asked us if there's "an app for that." With 85,000 apps on Apple's App Store, did you have any doubt? There's even an app for finding nearby public restrooms, but I digress.
Nick Campbell's Shake it Photo sells for 99 cents. Snap a photo through Shake it Photo, and then shake your iPhone to watch your Polaroid-style photo come to life (you don't have to shake your iPhone but shaking it makes the photo "develop" faster). You can also process existing photos.
After using Shake it Photo, you can transfer photos to your Mac or PC, and then print them, but where's the fun in that?
If you use an HP printer, install HP's free HP iPrint Photo for iPhone. Using this app, you can print photos from your iPhone to any WiFi-enabled HP printer.
If you own a non-HP inkjet printer (Canon, Epson, Lexmark, etc.), use a third-party printing app such as EuroSmartz's Print or Microtech's ePrint (each costs $2.99).
Now that we solved this problem for you, how about an app for doing the laundry? We're still researching that one.
About PrinTips
Sometimes useful, sometimes fun, and always interesting, PrinTips enable you to get more out of your ink jet or laser printer. That said, we don't profess to have a monopoly on printer tips so if you have anything to add, please do so below.
October 07, 2009
Canon PIXMA MP990 Plus Twenty One More Printer Reviews
By Databazaar Blog
Review Roundup: Xerox Phaser 6125, Oki MB290, HP 3015d, Samsung ML-2855ND, Canon PIXMA MX320, Canon PIXMA MP560, Canon PIXMA MP990, HP Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web, Kodak ESP-7, Lexmark Interact S605, Lexmark Interpret S405, Lexmark Platinum Pro905, Lexmark Prestige Pro805, Lexmark Prevail Pro705, Lexmark Prospect Pro205, Canon Selphy CP790, Canon PIXMA iX7000, HP Officejet 7000, HP Deskjet D1660, Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera
Canon is like the quiet, unassuming kid in the back of the class who shocks everyone when he gets admitted to Harvard. Canon quietly (it never sends us press releases) cranks out crowd-pleasing inkjet printers. The Canon PIXMA MP990 has pleased the press as well, earning an Editors' Choice Award from Computer Shopper and, as a result, bragging rights as our Review Roundup winner this week.
Color Laser Printers"This is a great little colour laser printer that produces worthwhile black and colour documents, though you may need to tweak settings for satisfactory photo prints. Print speeds hold up well, though are some way short of the specified figures. " — IT Reviews
Monochrome Multifunction Printers
"Cash-strapped small businesses should find the Oki MP290 useful as a general-purpose mono fax, printer and copier. The fax and messaging functions are particularly versatile. However, with respect to printing speed and copying quality, you get what you pay for." — Alistair Dabbs, Register Hardware
Monochrome Laser Printers"We get to see a lot of printers, but there is still a great deal about the HP LaserJet P3015d to make it stand out from the crowd. It is a solid performer, actually achieving the speed rating quoted by the manufacturer (astonishing, really) and offering a clutch of extra features that will go down well with workgroups, such as automatic duplex printing, PIN-protected stored print jobs, easy-to-use drivers and 'walk-up' USB printing of PDF documents." — Alistair Dabbs, Register Dabbs
"This is a good, general-purpose mono laser printer, with useful features, such as its built-in duplex print. It's compact and still produces pages at well over 20ppm in real office conditions. Print quality for office documentation is fine and running costs fall in the middle of the pack." — Simon Williams, TrustedReviews
Inkjet Multifunction Printers"Canon's PIXMA MX320 is at the low end of the company's range of SOHO all-in-one printers.… This is a serviceable home office all-in-one, with a useful general-purpose front panel USB socket, reasonable speed and the addition of both an ADF and fax facilities. While not intended as a photo printer, it produces excellent photos and fair plain paper prints and copies. Overall it's very good value." — IT Reviews
"The Canon PIXMA MP560 Wireless Photo All-in-One printer definitely lives up to its predecessor, the MP620. The photo quality is excellent, Canon has improved the wireless setup, and it is full of great features including Canon's Easy Scroll Wheel, a front side PictBridge/USB port, and two way paper feeding." — Sarah Meyer, PrinterComparison.com
"This all-in-one is a significant improvement over previous PIXMAs, shining where it really counts: excellent text and image quality. It is perfect for SOHO users who demand quality and speed." — Sally Wiener Grotta & Daniel Grotta, Computer Shopper
HP Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web | Read Our Take
"Aside from the never-ending name, the HP Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web All-in-One Printer looks good and prints high-quality photos at competitive speeds. We also appreciate the effort put into the downloadable applications for the interactive touch screen, but the innovation is offset by a hefty price tag. Unless Web connectivity and touch screens are a top priority, we recommend checking out HP's other multifunction printers, which still offer high performance but at a much lower cost." — Justin Yu, CNET
"In fact, because of the problems we had, we cannot recommend this printer. Who wants to buy a new printer only to spend hours with technical support to get it working properly? Yet, we feel that Kodak is a printer manufacturer to watch very carefully. Kodak's first digital cameras came up short, but after several generations, we found them to be greatly improved. If Kodak can work through their problems with these printers, we feel they could create exceptional printers." — Sandy Berger, Hardware Secrets
"This all-in-one turns out documents and photos at respectable speeds and offers some fresh ideas, but don't mistake it for a photo printer. It's meant purely for small-business and personal-document printing." — Jonathan Rougeot, Computer Shopper
"This is the first of Lexmark's new range of inkjet all-in-ones we've examined and in general improvements are impressive. While ink costs are still too high, the extra economy of individual ink cartridges, where you don't have to throw a tri-colour cartridge away when one ink is exhausted, is some compensation. Speeds are good and print quality is improved, getting closer to Canon and HP standards." — Simon Williams, TrustedReviews
"This innovative, inexpensive-to-operate all-in-one incorporates some next-generation printer functions, but it's marred by confusing paper handling." — Sally Wiener Grotta and Daniel Grotta, Computer Shopper
"The Lexmark Platinum Pro905 is a fully capable all-in-one business device, but its touch screen might throw a wrench in your workflow. The Smart Solutions widgets add virtual customization to the control panel, but we wish Lexmark had retained a few hard buttons as well." — Justin Yu, CNET
"Overall, we liked the Prestige. The attractive, relatively small (9.83 x 18.31 x 15.42-inch) printer proved itself as a performer capable of handling its maximum duty cycle of 10,000 pages per month. And with registration of the product, Lexmark extends the one-year warranty to five years." — Brian Sheinberg, ChannelWeb
"For your extra money, compared with the Interpret, you get an extended warranty, high-capacity cartridges as standard, a full-colour LCD, a slow but useful duplex mode and more convenient paper handling. Print quality and running costs are no different from the cheaper series, but the Prevail Pro705 is still a reasonable all-in-one for SOHO office work." — Simon Williams, TrustedReviews
"Great for small businesses who need an all-in-one printer without loads of frills, this entry-priced model earns good marks for its ease-of-use features and five-year warranty, despite a few print and paper-feed stumbles." — David English, Computer Shopper
Inkjet Photo Printers
Canon Selphy CP790 | Read Our Take
"Though a competent photo printer, the Selphy CP790 is not a good value. The unit and prints are expensive, and the software bundle is meager." — Susan Gilnert, Computer Shopper
Large Format Inkjet Photo Printers
"This large-format inkjet is excellent for cost-sensitive small businesses and home offices. Top-notch results with plain paper, plus auto-duplex printing, make it one of the most versatile single-function inkjets you can buy." — David English, Computer Shopper
"We didn't think we'd be saying this about an HP printer, but it really does look as if the company has taken its eye off the ball.… it doesn't do what it should and really can't be recommended." — Simon Williams, TrustedReviews
"At its best, the Officejet 7000 produces high-quality output on plain paper — and does so cheaply. Its features restrict it to use by small workgroups or home offices, however." — Susan Silvius, PC World
Inkjet Printers
"This is a pretty good printer for the money. It's very easy to use and in most ways just gets on with the job. Facilities are basic, but it's reasonably quick for its class and produces high quality output. Print costs are on the high side, but are likely to drop and will always be a bit higher when the asking price is low. If money is tight, the Deskjet D1660 is a good place to spend it." — Simon Williams, TrustedReviews
ZINK-Based Photo Printers
Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera
"That said, the output from the built-in printer was a vast improvement over what we saw from the standalone ZINK printers from Polaroid and Dell. None of the colors were noticeably off, and the printer did a reasonably good job with skin tones in particular." — M. David Stone, PC Magazine
About Review Roundup
Every week, we scour the Web for the most helpful reviews, organize them by printer type, and provide you with a salient quote and a link for further reading. We also link to our own summaries when available. When shopping for a printer, start with Review Roundup.
Article Filed Under: Canon HP Inkjet Cartridges Kodak Laser Toner Lexmark Okidata Printers Review Roundup Samsung Xerox-Tektronix
October 05, 2009
How Can I Print My Own Postcards?
By Kara Hiltz
PrinTip: Give Your Family and Friends a More Personal Look at Your Trip
Yesterday, the Nashua Telegraph reported on the world's first postcard, sent in Austria in 1869. Postcards may seem old-fashioned in the age of email and MMS. But admit it — you still love sending postcards from your travels to show off your family friends what you've seen.
Our friends at Photojojo offer three strategies for creating postcards from your printed digital photos.
- If you have access to a printer (or wait until you return home), use a peel-and-stick postcard backing from the2buds vintage postcard shop that you can attach to the back of your photo.
- Take advantage of online services that send postcards using a custom photo that you upload. This method comes in handy when you don't have a photo printer with you on vacation. Check out the USPS postcard service (Photojojo's recommendation), or Zoom and Go. For email postcards (no postage required), try Postalz.
- Go old-school — hand-write a message and address on the back of your photo and affix your stamp. Apparently, the USPS will deliver anything that looks like a postcard even if it's not a real postcard.
With these postcard tools, you can show off and tell like never before.
About PrinTips
Sometimes useful, sometimes fun, and always interesting, PrinTips enable you to get more out of your ink jet or laser printer. That said, we don't profess to have a monopoly on printer tips so if you have anything to add, please do so below.
September 23, 2009
Canon PIXMA MP490 Inkjet Printer Focuses on Print Quality
By Databazaar Blog
Printer News: Canon Cuts Some Corners With the PIXMA MP490 But You May Not Care
If you build it, they won't necessary come, but if you build it and sell it cheap, you've got a fighting chance even during the Great Recession. That's the philosophy behind Canon's new PIXMA MP490 Photo All-in-One inkjet printer.
The PIXMA MP490 cranks out lab-quality 4x6 inch photos in about 43 seconds using four inks (it can print photos as large as 8x10 inches). Unlike pricier printers, Canon has cut some corners. For example, the LCD screen measures just 1.8 inches, and there's no WiFi, duplex printing, or fax capability. However, the PIXMA MP490 offers some advanced features such as a nearly instantaneous warmup, automatic recognition of scanned items, and professional color copies.
Clearly, Canon gave some thought to what a certain class of consumers want and what they don't care about. If you just want to print high-quality photos from one computer and have a copier and scanner handy just in case, the PIXMA MP490 may suit you.
Summary
All-in-One inkjet printer best for home users and studentsMSRP: $99.99
Manufacturer
Press Release
Canon U.S.A. Announces New Affordable Pixma and Selphy Printers for a Wide Range of UsersProduct Page
PIXMA MP490Supplies
Specs that matter
| Release Date: | July 7, 2009 |
| Notable Features: | LCD Screen, borderless photo printing, auto photo fix, PC-free printing, copying and scanning |
| Green Features: | Energy Star, QuickStart, 4-in-1 and 2-in-1 printing saves paper, RoHS compliant, hardware recycling program |
| Pages Per Minute: | 8 (b/w), 4 (color) |
| Seconds Per Photo: | 43 (4x6 inch) |
| Resolution: | 4800 x 1200 |
| Paper Trays: | 1 |
| Interface: | USB 2.0, Memory Cards |
| Compatibility: | Windows and Macintosh |
| Dimensions: | 17.5 x 13.1 x 6.1 inches |
| Weight: | 13 pounds |
| Warranty: | 1 year |
About Printer News
Your one stop source for information about new business- and consumer-class printers, Printer News covers everything you need to know. Well, almost everything. If you have anything to add to our report, please post it below.
September 22, 2009
Epson Stylus NX515 Plus 13 More Printer Reviews
By Databazaar Blog
Review Roundup: Kyocera Mita FS-C1020MFP, OKI C710dn, OKI MB260, Xerox WorkCentre 6400S MFP, Brother MFC-3360C, Brother MFC-6890CDW, Brother MFC-990CW, Epson Stylus NX515, HP Officejet Pro 8500, HP Photosmart C4680, HP Photosmart C4780
Has anyone reviewed more printers than PCMag's M. David Stone? He should win an award. In the meantime, David continues to issue awards of his own, recently bestowing a coveted PCMag Editor's Choice award (the gold standard) on Epson's new Stylus NX515. Therefore, we hereby declare the Epson Stylus NX515 this week's Review Roundup winner.
Below you'll also find reviews of the Epson Stylus NX515 from Digital Trends and Wi-Fi Planet, neither of which found it as impressive as David. Why the different conclusions? Because David reviewed the Stylus NX515 for Epson intended audience — home users, not business users.
Color Laser Multifunction Printers
"The FS-C1020MFP is a good, general-purpose, colour laser multifunction printer for workgroups and small-business. Although it's inexpensive to buy, it lacks any walk-up print facility and, unusually for Kyocera Mita, doesn't offer particularly good colour print. It's cheap to run, though, and easy to use from the control panel, from a locally-connected PC or across a network." — Simon Williams, TrustedReviews
"Despite the setup problems we experienced, this is a good workgroup colour printer. Though not ideal for printing photos, it's pretty good at everything else and is one of the best machines for duplex print we've tested. Having four different consumables to consider could be logistically awkward, but they have long enough service lives for it not to be too much hassle." — Simon Williams, TrustedReviews
"The WorkCentre 6400 is a very robust, usable and eminently shareable MFP. Print quality could be an issue for some, but overall we liked the machine and you'd certainly have to pay a lot more to get anything better." — Alan Stevens, V3.co.uk
Monochrome Laser Multifunction Printers
"This is a really nice machine for personal use as a printer, copier and scanner. If you don't need colour, it's really cost-effective as a SOHO device, even though its GDI processing slows it up on older computers. Print quality is adequate, better on text than greyscale graphics. At the price, you'll find it hard to improve on the MB260 as a whole." — Simon Williams, Trusted Reviews
Inkjet Multifunction Printers
"The Brother MFC-3360C does decent quality text and graphics, but anyone printing a large volume of photos won't be happy with the extremely slow output speed." — Justin Yu, CNET
"Ultimately it has to be asked whether the advantages of having affordable … printing in the home are outweighed by the painfully slow printing process and at best indifferent output quality offered by the MFC-6890CDW." — IT Reviews
"The Brother MFC-990CW is a speedy, fully capable all-in-one device that earns our recommendation for an individual or a family that will make use of its touch screen and telephone/answering machine. Mechanical issues notwithstanding, this is the highest-scoring Brother printer we've tested to date." — Justin Yu, CNET
"Overall, we liked the Epson Stylus NX515. We were impressed with its print quality and performance. It produced nice-looking, quality photos and documents at a fast speed. One minor negative is that unlike the Artisan's limited two-year warranty, the NX515 only comes with a limited one-year warranty, which includes telephone and email support." — Daniel Casciato, Wi-Fi Planet
"Ultimately, the NX515 excels as a home AIO and as a home-office printer, if not as a home-office AIO. Few inkjet AIOs at any price offer comparable speed for business applications or comparable quality for text and photos, much less match the NX515 on all three points. Fewer still offer smear resistant output on plain paper. With all of these strengths, plus the convenience of Ethernet and WiFi connections, the NX515 not only earns its Editors' Choice award with room to spare, but resets the bar for what to expect from a home AIO." — M. David Stone, PC Magazine
"The Stylus NX515 is a good printer for producing photos and arts-and-crafts projects. As such, we have no problem giving up faxing capabilities at this price range — especially since the integrated scanner is so good — but let's be honest as well. In the end, we're very disappointed with its capacity for printing documents." — Michael Brown, Digital Trends
Epson Stylus SX415 (European Version of NX415) | Read Our Take
"Aside from the flash, textured-black case and slightly improved paper trays, the SX415 is identical to the older and cheaper model, which uses the same consumables and is about as fast as well. A new printer should offer significant improvements over the model it replaces, particularly if it's more expensive. We can't see them here." — Simon Williams, Trusted Reviews
HP Officejet Pro 8500 | Read Our Take
"The HP Officejet Pro 8500 wireless makes a convincing inkjet argument for offices with a high volume of prints. With a function touch screen, multiple networking options, and an astoundingly fast print speed, it makes perfect sense to give this workhorse an Editors' Choice award." — Justin Yu, CNET
"This combination of features, along with the lack of any office-centric features — there's no networking, no fax capability, and no automatic document feeder — pegs the C4680 as being aimed strictly at home use, rather than, say, a home office or even a shared printer for home and office, although it's output quality for text and graphics is good enough so it could serve in a home office as well, for extremely light-duty use." — M. David Stone, PC Magazine
"Now that I've reviewed the Photosmart C4780, I can say with confidence that it would be a great companion for any student. It's wireless, compact and good-looking; it is also functional and relatively cheap. Yes, the print speeds were slower than advertised and the text could have been sharper but the fact that C4780 will keep printing even after a cartridge expires is a huge plus for any student on a deadline." — SarahM, PrinterComparison.com
About Review Roundup
Every week, we scour the Web for the most helpful reviews, organize them by printer type, and provide you with a salient quote and a link for further reading. We also link to our own summaries when available. When shopping for a printer, start with Review Roundup.
Article Filed Under: Brother Epson HP Inkjet Cartridges Kyocera Laser Toner Okidata Review Roundup Xerox-Tektronix
September 08, 2009
How Can I Create and Print Polaroid-Style Photos?
By Databazaar Blog
PrinTip: Three Options for Creating and Printing Polaroid-Style Photos
Some technologies die only to resurface again and retake the world by storm. Take Polaroids for example. Even kids who have never even shaken a Polaroid photo to life know about them. They've gone from mainstream to nowheresville to hipster accessory. Fortunately, if you want to print some Polaroids, you need not hunt for an antique on eBay or overpay for one at Urban Outfitters. Instead, you can choose from three print-it-yourself options, none of which require shaking.
The Difficult, High-Quality Method: Use Hongkiat.com's Tutorial
Design blog Hongkiat's tutorial, Create A Polaroid Effect Of Your Photo, requires a copy of Photoshop and contains nine steps. If you're comfortable with layers, opacity, the Lasso Tool, and other Photoshopisms, you'll end up with a high-quality file suitable for printing. Otherwise, keep reading.
The Easy, Low-Quality Method: Use Rollip
Several Web sites enable you to upload a photo, add a caption, and create a Polaroid-like image. We used a photo taken at Yankee Stadium on August 21, 2009 to test three services — Rollip, Instantizer.com, and SnazzySpace.com.
We liked Rollip the best for several reasons. It enables you to select from several effects Polaroid users would recognize such as soft focus, dark, and overexposure. Rollip also offers a choice of fonts for the caption and provides a download link when it finishes processing your request. You can see our Rollip photo at the top right of this article
Instantizer.com offers a rotation effect that we found useless because it rotates both the photo and the frame instead of just the photo. Also, the font it uses is hard to read (see our Instantizer.com sample below our Rollip photo). SnazzySpace.com is designed to create Polaroids for Facebook and other social networks. Unfortunately, they're too small for printing.
Those of you who prefer software may want to try Poladroid, currently a free download for Mac and Windows. We didn't try it, but apparently Justin Timberlake likes it (we're guessing he uses a Mac).
The Expensive, High-Quality Method: Buy a ZINK-Based Printer or Camera
As you may recall from our previous coverage, ZINK developed a zero-ink printing technology in an effort to bring the Polaroid experience into the digital age and at much higher quality. ZINK doesn't make any products, but instead licenses its technology.
Currently, you can purchase ZINK-based products from Dell, Takara TOMY, and Polaroid (not the old Polaroid, but a new company that bought the name). If you want a ZINK-based printer, look at the Dell Wasabi PZ310, Polaroid PoGo Instant Mobile Printer (read our coverage), and Sony Picture Station DPP-FP67 (read our coverage). If you prefer a camera like the Polaroids of old, check out the the Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera, which also functions as a printer. The printers range from $50 to $120 (shop around); the camera sells for about $200.
Just think — if Polaroids can make a comeback, how about eight track tapes? Then again, maybe some technologies have died for good.
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