Due to heavy competition in SOHO segment, every brand adds original features that could be the reason to buy the device. Last year OKI had launched a line of color LED printers C321, C331, C511, C531 – the commercial versions of the same printing mechanism – and their price still stays low and attractive.

Oki C331dn is a new model to replace the previous C330/C310, in which an essential flaw has been eliminated. The problem lays within the cartridge capacity. These printers use 4-in-1 cartridges, and in the office printing usually exceeds color printing by 30%, so the color cartridges were not finished up. In C331dn yellow, cyan and magenta cartridges are not used in the process of black/white printing, and the capacity of the black cartridge was enlarged to 30,000 pages, while this number in the color cartridges is 20,000.

The advantages of this printer are the greater printing speed, excellent speed of photo printing and good quality of the output.

Other Oki C331dn fine features are:

• Intelligible menu options
• Plain control panel
• Integrated duplex
• Low-slung design, what could be an advantage at a small office
• Durable and solid exterior construction
• Together with the main tray, which holds 250 sheets, and a multipurpose tray for 100 sheets (it can be used for different types of paper stock, including envelopes, index cards, banners and labels), there is an optional 530-page tray, what considerably enlarges the page capacity of the printer
• 5-year warranty for the LED printing module and 3-year warranty for the rest of the printer

Xerox Phaser 7500 – A New A3 Color Printer

Model Xerox Phaser 7500 is designed to replace the already obsolete printer Xerox Phaser 7400. This is the youngest model among the A3 printers. Xerox Phaser 7500 is aimed primarily at small and medium-sized workgroups who want more than just fast and good printing, but also inexpensive color office printing.

Appearance

There are four configurations of Xerox Phaser 7500: 7500N, 7500DN, 7500DT and 7500DX. The first is the most basic and does not support duplex printing. DT version is additionally equipped with a more capacious feeder tray, and standard equipment in DX is even more capacious hard drive and tray. Any of the standard configurations can be expanded with additional options. All models can be equipped with a special stand with compartment for supplies.

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OKI Data Americas, which markets its products under the OKI® Printing Solutions brand, today announced that the C5550n MFP won the highly-regarded Government Computer News (GCN) “Reviewers Choice” designation in the magazine’s January 7 color MFP roundup.

Receiving an overall “A-“, GCN editors praised the color MFP for its ”no notable flaws and superior performance” that took the competition by surprise. The review noted that “in terms of color quality, the OKI C5550n MFP was the best of the printers that use standard toner” and also touted the device’s ease-of-use with one-touch features – all ideal for government agencies.

“OKI Data Americas has closely listened to our customers’ needs and intently studied the industry’s trends to develop a highly competitive line of MFPs – this recognition from Government Computer News proves that the industry experts are noticing our commitment,” said Mike Garofola, Sr. Marketing Manager, Color Products at OKI Data Americas, Inc. “As the review points out, consolidation and cost are the two greatest concerns for most organizations. But in this expanding MFP market, only a well-designed device that both maximizes cost savings and improves office workflow and productivity is worth purchasing.”

The C5550n MFP is designed as a solution to meet the needs of most small-to-medium sized workgroups. The MFP provides all-in-one functionality with convenient print, copy, scan and analog fax features that enhance workflow performance and its media flexibility enables users to print high-quality materials in-house. Users will also have the ability to further reduce costs by combining separate office equipment into one space-saving device.

The C5550n MFP offers the fastest monochrome print and copy speeds in its class,1 up to 32 pages-per-minute (ppm); and competitive color speeds of up to 20 ppm2. At an estimated street price of $1,499, the C5550n MFP delivers brilliant 1200 x 600 dpi print quality and maximum media flexibility, including 8.5 x 47.24-inch banner capability in a versatile, compact device. It is available in North and South America exclusively through OKI Printing Solutions authorized solution providers.

The product builds on parent company OKI Data Corporation’s history of leadership and innovation in color printing. It is based on the 7th generation of printing technologies advanced by OKI Data Corporation, such as digital LED technology and Single Pass Color. This technology allows OKI Data to manufacture products that require fewer moving parts.

Every product comes with a one-year Overnight Exchange warranty and an industry-leading five-year warranty on the digital LED print heads. Like all OKI Printing Solutions products, the C5550n MFP is backed by comprehensive support from authorized OKI Printing Solutions solution providers. In addition, the company provides live, toll-free technical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with agents based in North America.

Search for Okidata toner cartridges you need

Briefly, LED (Light Emmitting Diode) technology allows for

• smaller and more reliable printing devices
• no ozone when printing
• higher imaging precision
• information security

To give it a detailed explanaition, I first need to tell what laser printing technology is.

Laser printing is a common name for printing using method of dry electrostatic transfer. This method intents that toner sticks to photosensitive drum in areas affected by light. Then toner is transferred to paper forming an image that is afterwards cured by pressure and heat. And it is electrostatics that actually transfers the toner to drum and from drum onto paper.

Traditionally, they used laser as a source of the light, but modern printers have an alternative – Light Emitting Diodes. Both light sources allow producing prints identical from customer point of view, but also have their peculiarities.

What are the advantages of LED printing technology?

1. Space effectiveness and absence of moving parts

Light source in LED printer is made up to thousands (2 500 to 10 000 pieces) of light emitting diodes assembled on printed circuit board just like most modern electronic components are done.

Since light emitting diodes are very tiny in size, they can be placed very densely in a LED printhead. Meanwhile, laser printers utilize a complex precision system of mirrors and a multifaceted prism (the one that makes hissing noises when printing). And it is generally acknowledged that the system with moving parts is less reliable than the one without such parts.

2. No ozone is produced

Ozone is very active chemical element that is useful for humans in small doses and hazardous if overdosed.

One of the household sources of ozone is printers and photocopiers. Previously these devices had corona wire, a wire that conducted high-voltage current. Contacting with this wire, the air got ionized and turned into ozone.

In modern printing and copying devices corona wire was replaced with a special roller and that spotted ozone emission. However, laser printers still have a source of ozone, it’s the laser beam. The beam goes a long way through mirrors and lens until it reaches the drum surface. On its way the beam electrifies the air and produce ozone, but truth be told, in smaller amounts than the corona wire.

The LED printer doesn’t have this drawback. The distance between LEDs of the printhead and the photodrum is so short there’s nothing to ionize. That is why LED printers are most environment friendly devices printing with toner.

3. Higher imaging precision

To explain this point, I’ll give some give technical background.

In the laser printer, the laser beam forms a line of image by running over the surface of photodrum. To reach the center of the surface and its edges, the laser beam has to cover shorter and longer ways respectively. Hence, the distance between adjacent dots is different. Besides, the beam lights upon the photodrum at an angle, which makes the dot not round but rather oval.

In the LED printer, there is a “personal” light emitting diode over every dot on the surface of the drum. Distances between diodes in the LED printhead are identical, and dots’ shape stays the same along the drum length. These characteristics provide high imaging precision in and center and ta the edges of a sheet.

Honestly speaking, this difference is only noticeable when printing fine details, like microprint.

4. Information security

The laser diode used in laser printers emits a sequence of light impulses which create an electrostatic image of the drum. Just like any other electronic device, laser diode emission is not limited too infrared radiation. It also produces radio signals, hence, working as a radio transmitter. Under modern level of technical development, these signals can be intercepted thus making it possible to restore what was printed of laser printer.

Just like is case of laser printers, devices build on LED technology such radio impulses too. However, due to huge number and simultaneous flashing of diodes in the working printhead, it is impossible to decipher what each diode emitted and to restore the image printed.

Sure, this is only important when you print some confidential or security sensitive documents. Your to-do list would not be of any interest to anyone, or would it?

Oki Data the other day announced new black and white printers – OKI B2200 and OKI B2400 Series. According to the company, the new printers are both the fastest and smallest in its class and designed to replace inkjet printer in small and home offices. Oki Data is marketing the devices as printers “ideal for those who are tight on budget and space, but can’t sacrifice productivity”.

The B2200 and B2400 Series printers are small, indeed. They measure space saving 12.6” x 8.0” x 7.1”. Given the size, printers demonstrate fastest speed in their class of up to 21 pages per minute at resolution of 1200 x 600 dpi. B2200 and B2400 Series prints the first page in just 6 seconds.

The B2200 and B2400 Series monochrome printers include models with and without standard networking capabilities. Estimated retail prices are $149 for B2200, $229 for B2200n, $179 for B2400 and $249 for B2400n. The printers are available starting from September in North and South America exclusively through OKI Printing Solutions authorized solution providers.