Canon MF6550 Duplex Copier Laser Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Start up:
The Canon MF6550 is more than adequately packaged and protected to survive shipping without incident. It comes with a "starter" cartridge, only good for 1,000 pages or so. Search for "canon 106 cartridge" via Google for the full cartridge, good for printing 5,000 pages [with 5% coverage]. This machine uses a single cartridge system; some models need two [different] cartridges, which is more expensive to operate.
After installing the toner cartridge and putting paper in the tray, I plugged it into a 110v outlet, connected it via a USB 2.0 cable to the PC, plugged-in the provided RJ11 phone cable (for faxing) to a wall-jack. I then turned the device and the PC on; the PC immediately recognized the MF6550 as new hardware and requested insertion of the installation CD [supplied by Canon]. After inserting the CD, it took about 10 minutes to go through this process, and everything worked as it should. The machine was ready for printing immediately, and there were no glitches during software installation. I later noticed that the manual said to not connect the USB cable until the software was installed, but not doing that didn't seem to hurt anything. I don't read documentation unless I'm stumped. My PC is a fairly new, high-end Dell, running XP Service Pack II.
The installation process asks whether the MF6550 is connected to a PC or if it's a network printer. I chose the former. We have two PC's in our home office. The other PC has an HP LaserJet directly cabled to it. Using standard XP networking, each printer works from either PC, as long as that PC is turned on. The PCs connect through a Linksys WRT54GS router using RJ45 network patch cables.
No USB interface cable is provided, so you'll need to get that separately.
A major reason to buy such a machine, assuming you need the functions it provides, is to reduce the amount of table space otherwise required with individual machines. Of course, if you need these functions, a comparable scanner, copier, fax, and printer would also cost far more. Canon's sales pitch of this being a suitable machine for a small business implies that it will last many years in a home-office setting. The 3-year warranty, with one year on site, is evidence that Canon has confidence in their product operating in a SOHO (small office/home office) setting.
Copying:
This machine does all the obvious things, and does them well; e.g., reduce to 50%, enlarge to 200%, copy up to 99 copies per original, feed stock from the secondary supply tray, etc.. You can use the Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) as in any capable office copier, or open the platen glass cover and set your document on the platen. You can adjust resolution (dots per inch) and/or density, collate the output, automatically print two-sided documents from one or two sided originals, copy two pages to each page (automatically reduces two documents to fit on the selected paper size). It has a "frame erase" feature to eliminate shadows and lines that appear when copying various types of documents. The automatic duplex printing is impressive to watch - it prints on one side and ejects most of the page into the tray; then pulls it back into the machine and prints the other side. A marvel of engineering, and another labor saver when compared to manual two-sided printing. This machine replaces our now-dead $800 Xerox home copier that only did the basic copy functions.
Scanning:
One reason we bought this machine was to scan old printed music, which is sometimes larger than letter-sized material. Most consumer copier/scanners on the market can't handle legal-sized paper. I did a test scan of a newspaper page using the full platen option - this showed the maximum area this machine scans is 8 3/8" by 13 7/8". The actual platen glass is 10 1/4" by 15 1/4". A legal-sized scan takes 30 seconds, not counting setting parameter choices and dealing with the results. There are scanners on the market with even larger platens, but they cost far more than this model, and are aimed at businesses.
Anyone used to a low-cost flat bed scanner will be thrilled to have a scanner with Automatic Document Feed (ADF). Put a 50 page document in the hopper, press a few buttons, and the machine creates a 50-page file (PDF) or 50 files (BMP, JPEG, or TIFF). Walk away and do something else while it's scanning, if you need to. A huge labor and time saver compared to page-at-a-time-scanners, but of course, this feature is only useful if the scanning job lends itself to auto feed. When ADF-scanning with the resolution set to 50 to 300 dpi, the MF6550 whizzes along at 1 page every 5.5 seconds. Setting the resolution to 400 or 600 slows scanning to 1 page every 24 seconds. It ADF-scans at the same speed regardless of the type of file(s) you told it to create. The machine can be used a printer during the scan process.
OCR:
As a test, I put the Canon Limited Warranty page on the platen and selected the OCR function. The Warranty is a full page of small light-print legalese.
After scanning, an error message appeared: "OmniPage SE Failed to update the system registry. Please try using REGEDIT." Perhaps it won't happen on your PC, but on mine, this error message popped up after every OCR file was created. Here's how to eliminate this annoying message:
- click START, select RUN, enter "regedit" and click OK
- navigate to "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Omnipage.Document"
- right click on that, and select Permissions
- select your userid from the first table
- select"Allow - Full Control"
- select Apply, then OK
The software correctly converted all 1,362 words from that Canon document, with the same font/font size/capitalization/format as the original. Some words didn't pass OmniPage's spell checker, but the software still interpreted every letter correctly. The output file is saved with a suffix of .rtf. Double click that file and it opens in Microsoft Word and looks as though you've typed the document. You can then modify the text, copy it, etc. Pretty amazing. To upgrade from the included basic SE version to the full version, called OmniPage 15, will cost extra. The full version has more functionality; e.g., to also OCR directly from PDF format.
Software:
The principle software included with this machine is MF Toolbox version 4.9. It's a later version of the Canon ScanGear Toolbox software that came with earlier Canon flatbed scanners such as the N1220U. A shortcoming of the new software, versus ScanGear, is that Canon removed the perfectly logical [optional] feature to automatically forward a scanned file to a program (e.g., Adobe Photoshop) for viewing. This later software version requires a click of the "forward" button for each scan, which is a labor waster. The output file isn't even created until the forward button is clicked, so this is a required step.
When scanning in black & white, MF Toolbox's "threshold" defaults to 72 (out of 0 to 255), instead of, in my opinion, the more logical midpoint of 128 used in ScanGear. The result is that, if you leave it at 72, some scans are so faint, you have to re-do them. By adjusting threshold, you can sharpen and darken characters in a text document and reduce back-printing such as in newspapers. That is, if the original results in a too-faint copy, bump up the threshold setting - if it's too dark, lower the threshold setting. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a way to make YOUR choice of threshold the new default, which means setting threshold every time you scan something. This doesn't take much time if using the ADF with many pages to scan (unless you have to re-scan the whole thing because Threshold was set too low). However, when scanning pages by carefully setting each one the platen, resetting threshold for each page is a royal pain in the keister. This is particularly inexplicable, since Canon's years-old ScanGear (e.g., version 2.2) scanning software didn't have this problem.
Here's [an undocumented] way to have the threshold window appear each time, so at least you're reminded to set it: click PDF, Scan-1, or Scan-2; select "Display the Scanner Driver"; click START, double click the 1/2 shaded box below "image settings" (which brings up a mini-window for Threshold); and drag that mini-window into the image settings area. It's that drag step that the documentation fails to mention.
Fax:
Our family had no immediate need for a fax, so we haven't studied that function. Based on the Basic Guide's 39 pages on Fax features however, I might need a training course. I do know that simply plugging your land-line phone in the phone jack of the MF6550 doesn't work. First time our phone rang, we couldn't talk to the caller. I unplugged the RJ11C plug and will get to this some other time. This is unlikely a fault of the MF6550, since I had made no settings as to how/when it was to receive fax calls.
The Canon MF6530 is the same machine, minus the fax function.
Multi-processing:
As mentioned earlier, you can be scanning concurrently while printing, a great labor and time saver. You can also copy or scan while receiving faxes.
Duplex Printing:
To duplex print a document from your PC, do a Ctrl/P, click on properties, click on "finishing", under print style, select 2-sided printing, click OK, click on print (or OK, depending on which program you're printing from). The MF6550 will automatically print every other page on the reverse side. This not only saves 50% on paper, it's like having your own printing press!
Documentation:
For the most part, the documentation is...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon MF6550 Duplex Copier Laser Printer

Click here for more information about Canon MF6550 Duplex Copier Laser Printer

Read More...

Canon Pixma iP4500 Photo Inkjet Printer (2171B002) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had a Canon BubbleJet BJC-4200 long ago, and after that printer I was very hesitant to even consider another Canon printer. When my most recent printer died, an HP DeskJet 970cse, I needed to find a good printer that could print duplex and produce quality output. After reading many, many reviews I decided to give Canon another chance. I am very glad that I did so.
The Pixma iP4500 arrived in a huge box, and as it turns out it needed the space. This is a larger printer than I expected, and as a result I had to rearrange my desk to find room for it. That's a small oversight on my part. The printer itself is an unassuming-looking box of a machine, though it resembles more of a printer when the paper trays are populated.
Setup was easy and straightforward, though I do recommend using the "getting started" insert before setting everything up. Though setting everything up is relatively self-explanatory, it is helpful to see the illustration of what to do in order before making the leap. Overall, setup took maybe 20-30 minutes once the parts were all out of the box and everything was set up.
Once configured, installing the drivers is simple. Drop in the CD, follow the prompts, and turn on the printer at the right time. No fuss.
Once set up and powered on, the printer is ready to go to work. I print a majority of my things in duplex mode so I tweaked the driver configuration to make it the default, after which the setting is more or less invisible. Everything in the driver configuration is very easy to find, straightforward, and simple.
There are two ways to feed paper into the iP4500. There is a top-loader which is the default paper source and there is a front-loading paper tray ("cassette" according to Canon's documentation). Heavier papers such as card stock should be loaded from the top-loader.
So, how does this printer perform? I'll break it down into two parts, speed and quality.
Speed - this is a relatively fast printer! Feeding it a print job that conists of a two-sided black and white print this printer can churn out the pages, including the dry time for the front page, in about 20 seconds. Granted, this is my experience and your mileage may vary but it's a good starting point from which to base your evaluation of the speed. My previous printer would take at least a minute to print the very same documents, and it still couldn't keep up when in draft mode. For photo printing it churns out a full-page 8.5"x11" borderless photo in roughly 45 seconds.
Quality - what good is speed without quality? This printer backs it up. The text and basic image quality is acceptable, though it could be a touch better. This is not noticeable in day-to-day print jobs. On photo printing, though, this printer is an absolute showstopper. The photos it prints, on photo paper, are better than most magazine prints and could easily be used for photo studio gallery shots.
It would be nice if the printer actually had a USB cable in the box, but this is a small thing.
Overall, this is a high-quiality, high-performance printer that is sure to please even the staunchest of critics. It is fast, creates beautiful output, and is very easy to set up.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon Pixma iP4500 Photo Inkjet Printer (2171B002)

The Canon Pixma iP4500 is a stylish unit that boasts both a five-color ink system and a 4,608-nozzle print head to deliver wonderfully lifelike color, along with bold, laser-quality text. How does it work? The print head ejects precision droplets as small as one picoliter, resulting in a breathtaking 9600 x 2400 color dot-per-inch (dpi) resolution as well as a truly exceptional level of detail. Remarkably efficient, the iP4500 also will print a borderless 4-by-6-inch photo in only about 21 seconds. And you can store both photo paper and plain paper in the two paper trays at the same time, so you're always ready to print exactly what you need.The user-friendly iP4500 provides lots of options, so you can indulge your creativity. With this system, you get four dye-based inks plus a pigment-based black ink, the option of printing two-sided documents to save paper, and the ability to print right from your infrared-enabled mobile camera phone. Simply capture an image with a PictBridge-ready digital camera or DV camcorder, then connect and print--it's that simple. And to make sure your favorite shots look their best, the built-in automatic image-fixing feature via Easy PhotoPrint EX also helps ensure that each image is as clear and vibrant as possible.What's in the Box Pixma iP4500 photo printer, document kit (cross sell sheet, easy setup instructions, quick start guide), setup software and user's guide on CD-ROM, PGI-5 pigment black ink tank, CLI-8 (black/cyan/magenta/yellow) ink tank, sample media (five 8.5-by-11-inch sheets and four print alignment sheets), power cord, and print head.

Click here for more information about Canon Pixma iP4500 Photo Inkjet Printer (2171B002)

Read More...

Samsung CLP 300 Mini Personal Color Laser Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been looking pretty hard at the sales flyers over the last few months waiting for a chance to score a color laser printer at a price range that doesn't make me have to eat bag lunches for a month to catch up. A local office superstore had two models I was eying, an HP 1600 and this one. They seemed pretty similar in most regards until [...] dropped the CLP-300 100 dollars below the HP. It was time to grab the bargain.
This is the second Samsung laser printer I have in my home office now, the first one being the little ML-1740. I've had that one for better than a year now and it has been wonderful. So I wasn't afraid to try the Samsung CLP-300 because its name isn't as big as HP's. So I get it home and commence to setting it up. As with the earlier ML-1740, it took about 5 minutes to unpack, route cables, plug in the toner packs, and fire it up. It didn't skip a beat and had a test page done in a jiffy. Drivers for the computer went just as easily. Overall a very, very simple set up.
Back to the toner "packs" (or cartridges) for a bit... I don't think I've ever seen a more simple toner system. This system is literally easier to deal with than inkjet cartridge replacement. The front cover of the printer opens to reveal 4 "holes" for the toner cartridges. Simply remove the protective covers from the 3 color cartridges and 1 black cartridge and pop them into their respective holes. This has to be a step forward for the laser printer world.
Anyway, I've only had this for about a week but have put maybe 200 pages through it already. It works like a champ and I'm really happy I picked it up. I'll list below some of the pros and cons as I see them (in no particular order): Pros:
* Low noise when printing... very low noise actually. Its little more than a light whirring sound.
* Fast printing (about 20 to 25 seconds to the first high quality print and very fast once started).
* Great drivers giving you good printing options like double sided printing, booklet printing (on long or short side of page), watermarks, pre-generated letterhead, ability to print multiple pages per sheet, ability to print posters, etc... ...way too much to list here.
* Decent color photo prints. The quality isn't quite up to the photo quality of the better inkjet photo printers, but its good. And it certainly isn't poor enough to be a negative. I'd say though that if your primary goal is photo prints you might want to compare some other higher priced models before settling on this one. Otherwise, this should suit you fine.
*Size... it fits perfect on my printer stand. This doesn't over power the room by being overly bulky. Its not too much bigger than the ML-1740 and way smaller than its older sibling the CLP-510 (I liked the built in duplexing on the 510 but wasn't too crazy at all about its size).Cons:
* Power... it seems like it uses quite a bit more than the little ML-1740 (no surprise I'm sure) because my battery backup makes a click every few minutes like a brown out spike happens. The ML-1740 makes the lights flicker on occasion but had no effect on the UPS. On a related note however, this printer has a user adjustable power saver mode that puts it to sleep after a set number of minutes.
* Low paper capacity. Only about 150 sheets in the paper tray. But its easy to remove and fill and I doubt I'll ever print more than that in a sitting.
* No front auxiliary feed tray (like the ML-1740) for feeding various sized papers into the machine. The CLP-300 does take various sized papers but you have to use the paper tray.
* Power switch in the back. The ML-1740 had this set up too. How hard can it be to put the switch on the front or even the front side to make it more accessible. Better yet, let the unit be powered on and off automatically by software like some other printers can do. The switch all the way in the back, on the bottom, is not a deal breaker but its an aggravation that I wish Samsung would address in their future models.
* Toner amount... Here's something I'm not sure will be an issue or not in the long run but right now I'm a bit concerned. The toner packs are small. The color ones are a bit smaller than a styrofoam cup while the black one is about as large as a typical ceramic coffee mug but a bit taller perhaps. The technical papers say you'd get about 1000 sheets of color printing per color. I'll edit this review in a few months with my impression of how true that appears to be. The silver lining to this issue might be that the toner packs are cheaper than the typical toner cartridges for other laser printers. And also, according to the Samsung website, this printer is supposed to be cheaper to operate in the long than other printers. A cent or two here or there adds up I guess.So my score of 4 out of 5 stars represents the above pros and cons and my experience so far with this printer. Its not a perfect 5 because there is room for improvement but its a very nice printer that is great to have. And for the price, there is no reason why every home can't have color laser printing now. I can still remember when inkjets were replacing the dot matrix printers... move over inkjets, here we go again.*** Follow Up Edit: 24oct06 (original post 9oct06)***
I'm coming up on a month now of useage and haven't had a problem yet. I would like to add to my comment made above though regarding the quality of the photo prints ... I've done a bunch of pictures so far and I would again encourage people who are looking predominantly for a picture printer to look at a level a bit higher than this one. For what I do, this is fine, but folks looking for photo quality printing would likely find this a bit lacking.
Also, along with the photos and numerous web pages, I've printed several good sized PDF documents with a lot of illustrated graphics and the toner indicators in my printer monitor (the software) shows negligible toner use. I can't confirm this by sight or weight of the toner packs themselves but if the indicators are correct, I'm happy with the mileage I'm getting so far.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung CLP 300 Mini Personal Color Laser Printer

The space-saving CLP 300 is a mobile printer that delivers beautiful color prints at 4 ppm and sharp laser text at 17 ppm. The same exclusive NO NOIS print engine you find in Samsung's professional series color printers gives you quiet operation and simple toner changes. Getting up and running is easy, too, with as few as four clicks of the mouse. Ideal for crowded offices or anywhere noise is a concern, the printer offers a whisper-quiet 49 dBA level of operation. Another benefit of its NO NOIS design is easy access to the small toner bottles for fast, simple toner changes. The CLP 300 features a 150-sheet multipurpose tray and a 100-sheet output capacity. The printer is compatible with the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, and Mac OS 10.3 and later. With speedy USB 2.0 connectivity, the printer measures 15.4 by 13.5 by 10.4 inches and weighs a portable 30 pounds.

Click here for more information about Samsung CLP 300 Mini Personal Color Laser Printer

Read More...

Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the 8860DN a couple weeks ago to replace my aging HP 3330. While I'm quite happy with much of the 8860DN, there are a few things that could use improvement. Some of these can be addressed in software, others I fear are hardware issues.
BTW, I'm on my second machine because I thought some of the issues with the first warranted a replacement. Now I know its a "common" issue.
1) The print engine creaks and makes popping sounds as the fuser heats and cools. Even the demo machine in Office Depot does the same thing. The creaking is really annoying if you sit near the machine. A Brother senior tech rep tells me this issue is common to many Brother lasers. Well, gimme a break because HP and others don't creak! **UPDATE** Brother Corporate office tells me the popping sounds are considered "normal" by the engineers and at this time they have no plans to fix. Pathetic if you ask me. I think most users will agree!!!
2) The scanner ADF head will sometimes make odd sounds when its scanning the last page of a multi-page scan. It sounds as if the motor or gears need lubrication.
3) I've had the COPY function lockup on me a couple times (other fucntions continue to work) and the only way to correct is to power cycle. Cause is unknown but the clowns at Brother support tell me to keep power cycling the resolve the problem. IDIOTS!
4) The IFAX feature is not very well explained and is somewhat odd in the way it works (or tries to work). I've yet to really figure it out. As an alternative I use the FAX FORWARD TO EMAIL function which works well.
5) A PC software bug: When scanning multiple pages its impossible to multitask since the scanner interface takes the focus away from whatever you are doing everytime it begins scanning a new page. Brother apparently knows about this issue and will correct in the next software version.
Other than the above isues, I'm fairly satisfied in the short time I've been using this MFC. If I may comment in response to one of the previous reviews, the beep sound is adjustable and I believe if the user took the time to read the manual, he'd be quite happy with the level of customization available on this machine (I rarely hear of people complaining about too many features). Oh, and yes as stoneaged as it sounds, some people still do occasionally receive faxes.
As far as I'm concerned, the print speed is excellent. Even complex pages print quickly with nearly no delay between pages. A huge improvment over my old HP. Also, I find the scan speed on non complex scans to be excellent. Complex and high res scans are somewhat slower, but they are with many scanners (and certainly about every multifucntion I've run across). Print duplexing is another very nice touch and I'm surprised it works as well as it does. The 8860DN gets the job done and it does them well overall.
Things about the 8860DN I prefer over the new HP 3390 I compared it to.
1) 8860 has a legal size scan plate
2) 8860 will fax forward to email
3) 8860 is $150 less with approx. the same cost per page in consumables.
4) 8860 does duplex scan, copy

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex

The MFC-8860DN has a convenient flatbed design that accommodates either single sheets or bound documents for copying, faxing, or scanning. With the ability to function as a digital copier, the unit supports reduction and enlargement of documents from 25 to 400 percent in one percent increments, makes up to 99 copies, and includes sorting functionality. Copies up to legal size can be made from both the glass and the automatic document feeder. Print and copy speeds up to 21 pages per minute keep up with busy offices, while outstanding resolution of up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi gives each document exceptional legibility.
The MFC-8860DN features two sided (duplexed) printing, copying, scanning, and faxing. You can take a typical document file and simply choose to print it as a duplexed document right from the MFC-8860DN's print menu, with the orientation you prefer. Your selection then happens automatically, without the need to reload the paper to print the other side. You can also copy or scan two sides of the same document and either print the copy or store the scan as two single-sided pages, or as a single two-sided page. Or, you can copy or scan two single-sided documents and produce a copy or store a scan as a single two-sided page. You can even scan a two-sided document for faxing with only one step and it will be received as two single-sided pages.
As a full-function stand-alone fax machine, the MFC-8860DN supports up to 340 total speed dial locations, and also incorporates dual access and broadcast faxing features. It stores up to 600 pages for Quick Scan faxing or out-of-paper fax reception. Stand-alone fax and copy operation is standard, so no computer is required.
When operating as a scanner, the unit is capable of color scanning up to 9,600 dpi interpolated resolution (up to 600 x 2,400 dpi optical). For Windows and OS X 10.2.4 or greater based users, there is an easy-to-use "scan to" button for scanning directly to an FTP site, image application, OCR, E-mail application or file. Save time and reduce errors with instant direct access through your network connected MFC-8860DN to a virtually infinite number of e-mail and fax addresses stored in your LDAP network address books. Simply use the large, clear 5-line LCD display on the MFC-8860DN's control panel to view the contacts stored in your network address books and scroll to select the address you need. Then you can quickly send faxes and Internet faxes to your selection, and perform scan-to-e-mail-address functions.
The MFC-8860DN provides the ability for an administrator to set various levels of password protected access to certain features, for each of up to 25 different users per machine. Through this feature, you can restrict specific employees such as part-time workers or interns from access to scan-to-e-mail functions or other avenues for sending data outside your walls.
The color scanner function comes bundled with document management and OCR software. ScanSoft PaperPort SE with OCR software is available for Windows and Presto! Page Manager is available for Mac users. Meanwhile, The MFC-8860DN is supplied with built-in wired Ethernet networking. The unit is compatible with both PC and Mac operating systems (Windows 98/NT4.0/2000/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 9.1-9.2, OS X 10.2.4 or greater). Standard emulations of PCL6 and BR-Script3 (PostScript3) are included as well. Brother provides a one-year warranty, covering parts and service.
What's in the Box Multifunction unit, paper tray, multipurpose tray, TN540 Standard Yield Toner Cartridge (3,500 Pages), DR510 Drum Unit (20,000 Pages) CD-ROM with drivers and utilities, printed user's guide, warranty information

Get 23% OFF

Click here for more information about Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex

Read More...

Brother HL-5250DN Network Ready Laser Printer with Duplex Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this printer because I wanted something cheaper to run than my HP Deskjet (toner is much cheaper than ink), I wanted to be able to print from multiple computers and put the printer anywhere I wanted (instead of being tethered to a specific computer), I wanted the printer to be Mac-compatible, and I wanted the printer to have a duplexer to save on paper (it prints on both sides of the page). This was the only printer in its price class I could find that had all of these features. I bought the printer on sale locally and got it for a good price.
I ran into one problem, which is why I'm only giving this printer only 4 stars. After I hooked it up and installed the software, I noticed that as soon as it went to sleep, it would no longer print. It's supposed to wake up when it gets a print job, but it wouldn't. I finally figured out that I needed to upgrade the network firmware from the Internet. For someone like me with experience as a PC technician, this was no problem, but I think the installation software should guide you through checking to see if everything is up to date, and help you upgrade the firmware.
The paper tray only holds 300 pages, which is less than a ream of paper. At 30 pages per minute, you could run out of paper in only 10 minutes! So it may not be the ideal printer for all but the smallest office settings (but still better than an inkjet for b&w printing). However, I believe you can add an additional paper tray, and there are other models with extra paper capacity built-in.
When I ran into my problem with sleep mode interfering with printing, I e-mailed Brother's technical support (they don't give you a number you can call), but I don't think a human actually reads your e-mail. It was pretty frustrating. Next time I'll try calling their customer service line and see if they can transfer me to tech support.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother HL-5250DN Network Ready Laser Printer with Duplex

The Brother HL-5250DN is a network-ready monochrome printer with a built-in duplex feature that can make your busy office or small business more productive. Thanks to its built-in Ethernet network interface, this convenient and versatile unit brings your workgroup together and easily handles a wide variety of jobs. The HL-5250DN easily prints two-sided documents, brochures, and manuals with clear resolution of up to 1200 x 1200 dot-per-inch (dpi) at an impressive speed of up to 30 pages per minute (ppm). And with 32 MB of standard memory (upgradable to 544 MB), this printer can easily tackle even the most complex jobs.Additionally, the HL-5250DN effortlessly handles letterhead, legal-size paper, and envelopes via an input tray with a capacity up to 250 sheets or a 50-sheet multi-purpose tray. To add more capacity, simply add up to two optional paper trays. The HL-5250DN is compatible with Windows, Macintosh, and Linux and comes with a TN550 standard yield toner cartridge (up to 3,500 pages) and one DR520 drum unit (yields up to 25,000 pages).What's in the Box HL-5250DN laser printer, one TN550 standard yield toner cartridge, and one DR520 drum unit.

Click here for more information about Brother HL-5250DN Network Ready Laser Printer with Duplex

Read More...

HP OfficeJet 6210 All-in-One Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We are a long-established, technology-based counsulting and services company. We have thirty computers and nine HP printers on the LAN. We bought two 6210s for use at work stations for light to medium use (5 - 30 pages per day).
We could not be more pleased with the quality of the printed pages and the operation, but avoid heavy use because of excessive ink cost per page. (This is the reason why the printer cost seems absurdly low.)
Scanner, printer, and fax all worked great. The unit is very, very compact and handsomely styled - a far cry from the earlier all-in-ones that these replaced. The paper feed tray could perhaps be improved. A small amount of care must be used to prevent stuffing the paper in too far.
Print cartidges have very little capacity. The color cartridge has a list price of $32.00 and yields 260 "standard" pages. That's 12 cents per page. For the same standard page our older HP R60 all-in-one delivers 690 pages for a list price of $40.00 or $0.06 per page. I have not investigated black printing costs; but the black cartridge is also small. Googling "cost per page" and printer model will get you the cost info from a third party.


Click Here to see more reviews about: HP OfficeJet 6210 All-in-One Printer

Interested in multitasking? It's possible with this HP multifunction office machine for your home. Put professional-quality printing, scanning, copying, and faxing into play with the superfunctional Officejet 6210. What can it do? Print your photos sent from a PictBridge enabled digital camera (never mind going through a PC), automatically complete jobs while you go get coffee, e-mail and receive photos, and produce documents in a flash. It can be used with a PC or Macintosh computer system for flexible compatibility. Package Contents - HP Officejet 6210 All-in-One Printer, Fax, Scanner, Copier; HP 94 Black Inkjet Print Cartridge, 11 ml (C8765W); HP 95 Tri-color Inkjet Print Cartridge, 7 ml (C8766W); HP Photo and Imaging software on CD-ROM; User's Guide and setup booklet; Power supply and power cord; Phone cord and network guide; HP Warranty. Optional ink cartridges (not included) - Tri-color Inkjet Print Cartridge (14 ml), HP 99 Photo Inkjet Print Cartridge (13 ml). Let jobs run unattended with the 20-sheet automatic document feeder for copying, scanning, and faxing Annotate documents with the HP Document Viewer Share printing and scanning with up to five office PCs using the HP Jetdirect 175x External Print Server with basic image scanning (sold separately), which lets you check print status and save scans to your PC Get exceptional image quality and fade resistance for generations with HP's patented Vivera inks and Premium Plus Photo Paper Stay on top of ink replacement with HP SureSupply - receive alerts when a cartridge is low Supports Windows 98, 98 SE, 2000, Me, XP Home, XP Professional; Mac OS 9.1, 9.2; Mac OS X v 10.1.5, 10.2.3, 10.3 Letter, legal, executive, No. 10 envelopes, cards, borderless photo (4 x 6, 5 x 7, 8 x 10 in), borderless panoramic (4 x 10, 4 x 11, 4 x 12 in) Unit Size - 17.7 x 15.1 x 9.2

Click here for more information about HP OfficeJet 6210 All-in-One Printer

Read More...

Brother MFC 4800 Multifunction Printer, Scanner, Copier & Fax Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)There is no multifunction machine that does everything as well a collection of individual machines. The MFC-4800 is advertised as a 5-in-1: Fax/Printer/Copier/Scanner/PC-Fax. Here's how it performs at those tasks:
Fax: At its heart, this product is Brother's well-regarded PPF-2800 laser fax machine. It does not require a computer connection to work as a fax, and it has the robustness to serve a medium-sized office. Its TAD/Distinctive Ring feature lets me use the machine to automatically receive faxes on my standard telephone/answering machine line. As a fax machine, it's a 10.
Printer: USB and parallel interfaces, as well as Mac and Windows drivers, make this a good, 9 PPM laser printer. Text printing is very crisp, and the paper feed works well. Two downsides: First, graphics aren't printed as well as other laser printers. They appear to print using dithered black and white, rather than grayscale. Secondly, this printer doesn't have any built-in networking features, although it can be shared using Windows printer sharing or a hub.
Helpful Printer Tip: If you use Windows XP and you only want to use the printer feature (without the scanning, OCR and PC-Fax), simply plug the USB cable from the printer into your already-running PC. Windows XP will automatically install its built-in driver for this printer - great for those of us who are wary of installing loads of software on our computers.
Copier: I purchased this machine because I needed a fax machine, and happily paid a little extra for the laser printing capability. I'm delighted that it has a handy and useful standalone copy feature -- simply load a stack of originals into the fax feeder and press the "Copy" button, and out churn your copies. As with the fax feature, no computer connection or software is used. However, if you're looking for a "real" copier, you'll want a color, flatbed unit. Using the fax paper feeder means you can't copy books, small, or fragile items. It also tends to twist vertical lines a little. For record keeping, it's terrific, but if you want to make 20 copies of a 20 page document that look as good as the original, you'll probably be disapointed.
Scanner: I didn't even bother. The scanning and OCR software it installed on my Win ME system has a distinctly Windows 3.1 appearance. There are loads of [$$] color flatbed scanners that can run circles around this unit. If black and white, fax-quality PC scanning is useful to you, well, go for it.
PC-Fax: I haven't tested this feature.
Summary: I'm completely satisfied with my purchase. At its heart, this unit is a fax machine with a very good laser printer engine. Within the limitations of its fax heritage, it's a useful copier, but those fax limitations are significant in terms of its scanning capability. Two last comments - no USB or parallel cable was included, and the toner cartridge is a 1,000 page "starter" cartridge.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother MFC 4800 Multifunction Printer, Scanner, Copier & Fax

Brother contributes another smart machine at a smart price to the multifunction market. The MFC 4800 offers a five-in-one combination of laser-based fax, printing, copying, scanning, and computer-based fax capabilities.
As a printer, the 4800 can produce 10 pages per minute (ppm) at 600 x 600 resolution. As a fax machine, the 4800 has a 14.4K modem and a 2 MB memory buffer. The scanner offers 1,200 dpi resolution. When it comes to making copies, the 4800 can print up to 99 at a time at 600 dpi.
Additional features include a 200-sheet letter cassette that helps you avoid frequent refills. With both parallel and USB computer interfaces, the 4800 is cross-platform compatible, working with Windows 95/98/2000/Me/SE /NT 4.0 as well as the Apple iMac, iBook, G3, and G4 operating systems.

Click here for more information about Brother MFC 4800 Multifunction Printer, Scanner, Copier & Fax

Read More...

Brother MFC-8460N Network All-in-One Laser Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I also have a problem with the printer creasing envelopes. It appears to shift the flap of the envelope slightly while feeding it through the fuser and the heat and pressure causes another crease about 1/8" offset from the original one.
I returned the first unit that I ordered because of a loud squeaking noise that developed while printing. The second unit also squeaks somewhat (Certainly more than my old mfc-8820D), but it doesn't sound like it's dragging a cat through the manual feed slot.
There's a big difference between this unit and my MFC-8820D in the scanning area. On my old printer, I could input an email address on the screen and it would forward the document to that address. This guy requires you to select a network computer and then sends the document there. A memory resident program needs to be running on the computer to process the received document...which is a worthless waste of memory space about 99.99% of the time when the computer is doing it's normal job. The memory resident process also conflicts with some HP network printer software and crashes on a couple of our systems, thus rendering them unusable with this scanner. Needless to say, the old way of doing it was much better.
In retrospect, and despite the 145,000 pages printed, I probably should have spent the $300 to replace the fuser on my 8820D instead of getting this unit. This one is much faster, but the other trade-offs - the lack of duplexing (known at the time of ordering, but the 8860DN wasn't yet shipping) and the dumbing down of the scanner firmware (unknown until received) are serious handicaps.
Oct 30, 2006 update - After about five month of use and about 20K pages printed, my printer is in the shop being repaired. The printer started making loud snapping sounds, like plastic gears stripping, whenever a page was printed...except that the paper jammed every time. The guy in the service center said that he has another identical printer in for repair and that it's the fuser unit that's shot. That would be easy to fix, except that they're on back-order and won't be available for a while. Sigh. I think my next printer will be an HP.
November 14, 2006 - I have to give Brother Service credit. 1000 pages post-repair and my machine broke again. They're shipping me a new printer. This will be my second replacement unit...hopefully this unit will be more solid as my warranty runs out in April.
November 25, 2006 - update - The replacement unit not only shifts the flap on envelopes, it puts creases all over them, rendering them completely unusable for any purpose. If there was a way to totally unwind this purchase, I would in a second. On the other hand, since design of this unit appears to have all the reliability of an alcoholic after a weekend on the town, I purchased the one year extended warranty.
February 10,2007 - update - Well, the machine is now starting to make loud snapping sounds whenever the paper tray is filled up to the full line. It also jams and refuses to feed paper whenever that happens. The solution (so far) is to only fill the paper tray half-full.
I really dislike this piece of junk...so much so that I bought HP for my new offices.
May 13, 2008 - final update - After limping along in the old office for the last year, the Brother finally died (again). The big question is whether to take it to recycling yard, where they would gently take it apart and salvage the parts, or take it to the local car crusher and watch it receive what it deserves. Alas, my ecological side is coming through and I'll recycle it. Oh well, it would have made a great YouTube video...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother MFC-8460N Network All-in-One Laser Printer

The MFC-8460N has a convenient flatbed design that accommodates either single sheets or bound documents for copying, faxing, or scanning. With the ability to function as a digital copier, the unit supports reduction and enlargement of documents from 25 to 400 percent in one percent increments, makes up to 99 copies, and includes sorting functionality. Copies up to legal size can be made from both the glass and the automatic document feeder. Print and copy speeds up to 21 pages per minute keep up with busy offices, while outstanding resolution of up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi gives each document exceptional legibility.
As a full-function stand-alone fax machine, the MFC-8460N supports up to 340 total speed dial locations, and also incorporates dual access and broadcast faxing features. It stores up to 600 pages for Quick Scan faxing or out-of-paper fax reception. Stand-alone fax and copy operation is standard, so no computer is required.
When operating as a scanner, the unit is capable of color scanning up to 9,600 dpi interpolated resolution (up to 600 x 2,400 dpi optical). For Windows and OS X 10.2.4 or greater based users, there is an easy-to-use "scan to" button for scanning directly to an FTP site, image application, OCR, E-mail application or file. Save time and reduce errors with instant direct access through your network connected MFC-8460N to a virtually infinite number of e-mail and fax addresses stored in your LDAP network address books. Simply use the large, clear 5-line LCD display on the MFC-8460N's control panel to view the contacts stored in your network address books and scroll to select the address you need. Then you can quickly send faxes and Internet faxes to your selection, and perform scan-to-e-mail-address functions.
The MFC-8460N provides the ability for an administrator to set various levels of password protected access to certain features, for each of up to 25 different users per machine. Through this feature, you can restrict specific employees such as part-time workers or interns from access to scan-to-e-mail functions or other avenues for sending data outside your walls.
The color scanner function comes bundled with document management and OCR software. ScanSoft PaperPort SE with OCR software is available for Windows and Presto! Page Manager is available for Mac users. The MFC-8860DN is also supplied with built-in wired Ethernet networking. The unit is compatible with both PC and Mac operating systems (Windows 98/NT4.0/2000/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 9.1-9.2, OS X 10.2.4 or greater). Standard emulations of PCL6 and BR-Script3 (PostScript3) are included as well. Brother provides a one-year warranty, covering parts and service.
What's in the Box Multifunction unit, paper tray, multipurpose tray, TN540 Standard Yield Toner Cartridge (3,500 Pages), DR510 Drum Unit (20,000 Pages) CD-ROM with drivers and utilities, printed user's guide, warranty information

Click here for more information about Brother MFC-8460N Network All-in-One Laser Printer

Read More...

Brother HL-2040 Monochrome Laser Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was able to change the printer settings...and dramatically reduce paper curl.
Open Printers and Faxes from Start Menu, select Properties for the Brother HL 2040, click Printing Preferences, then change Media Type to "Thin Paper."

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother HL-2040 Monochrome Laser Printer

Sporting a compact design that easily fits into any workspace, the Brother HL-2040 laser printer is ideal for home or small office use. This dependable unit offers fast print speeds of up to 20 pages per minute (ppm) with the first page out in under 10 seconds. The 2400 x 600 dpi resolution (up to 600 dpi text using Linux) with laser print quality ensures crisp, clear text and monochrome graphics every time you print. Additionally, the generous 250-sheet paper input capacity means you can work more efficiently, while the innovative Web-based user support system helps you quickly and easily manage jobs and troubleshoot problems.The HL-2040 also comes complete with a starter toner cartridge and standard drum that print up to 1,500 and 12,000 pages respectively, saving you and your business both time and money. Convenient and easy to use, the HL-2040 sets up in minutes, and boasts an 8 MB standard memory and the versatility to print letter- and legal-size documents as well as envelopes. It also offers USB and Parallel interfaces, is compatible with both Windows and Mac, and comes with a 1-year warranty.What's in the Box HL-2040 laser printer, 1 starter toner cartridge, 1 standard drum.

Click here for more information about Brother HL-2040 Monochrome Laser Printer

Read More...

HP Laserjet M1522NF Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Please note: In order to post this review, I HAD to give this printer one star. This printer deserves NO STARS.
The HP1522nf had everything I was looking for--Fax, Scan, laser printing, feeder, PPM requirements--and what I thought was HP quality. Although we purchased it from Amazon.com on 4/17, the printer was not placed into use until 5/1 because we were still in construction mode on our business. On May 1, I spent several hours on the phone with HP tech support...in India...and I couldn't understand most of what they said. Worse, they couldn't understand *me.* And I speak very clearly.
I was told that the printer could not be plugged into a surge protector--has to be plugged straight into the wall, and they eventually decided that I needed to download the printer software from HP's website to cure the fact that the printer simply would not operate after printing one page.
I uninstalled the software that I'd installed from HP's disc. The problem here is that the uninstall doesn't remove all of the software it's installed. It leaves tons of junk on the computer. I reinstalled with the fresh download and the printer worked for about a week. The scan and FAX functions refused to work, but I had a business to open and didn't have time to sit on the phone with HP tech support for hour after hour.
On May 20th, I called HP tech support and the first question I asked was why they had never checked back with me as they said they'd do. The response was that they'd closed the file as "successfully handled" because (they claimed) when tech support tried to call me back, they found my number disconnected. My number was NOT disconnected, but the number they were calling had absolutely not one digit in common with my number.
I spent two days on the phone with tech support, uninstalling and reinstalling the software over and over, coaxing the printer to please do something right, trying to understand what the HP tech support people were saying... It was MEGA-frustrating.
The problems? The printer would print once, and then turn itself off. HP absurdly placed the switch in the back (lower left side), so in order to power cycle the printer, it's really handy if you know how to do yoga. However, power cycling it would do nothing after awhile. The printer turned itself off and stayed off.
HP tech support asked me to FAX them the receipt, which I did (before the printer finally decided to stay dead), and HP's tech support had the gall to complain that it was too blurry to read. Having been sent with one of their printers and received on their equipment, the quality of the FAX would be HP's problem--not mine.
The machine would not scan. Trying to run the scan software resulted in a pop-up window telling me that the scan had failed, did I want to try again. It never scanned.
The computer I installed the software on unfortunately runs Vista. I asked if this could be the problem. HP tech support thought not. However, when trying to input data into the FAX feature on the computer, I ran into a series of annoying problems. For example, inputting the business name required that I input one letter and then the HP software would spit up a yellow caution sign window with the letter and a question mark. I'd click "OK," and then enter another letter, at which point HP software would spit up the same yellow caution sign with the new letter and a question mark. I'd click "OK"...and this is how the entire business name had to be entered! One letter at a time and no spaces. Hitting the space bar would bounce the cursor back to the beginning. I kludged that problem by inserting an underscore between words. It's insane!
Finally HP tech support decided it was a bad printer and that they needed to replace my brand new straigh-out-of-the-box printer with a used refurbished one! That's when I blew up. And that's when HP lost me as a customer.
I complained vociferously. They said they'd review the issues, but replacing with a used refurbished unit was all HP policy allows.
I wrote scathing emails to HP tech support and to HP's CEO (whose email address is on the HP website if you're patient enough to search for it). I decided to cc Amazon.com as well.
Next morning, I received a wonderful email from Amazon telling me that due to the extenuating circumstances, they'd already shipped me a new printer and sent a label for the return of the non-functional unit. Amazon ROCKS!
Then I received a call from HP tech support telling me in pidgin English that they'd reviewed the situation and would send me a used refurbished unit. It was great fun to tell them to go pound sand.
My new printer arrived as scheduled. I spent hours on my computer--weeding through folders, uninstalling every particle of HP software I could find--looking in hidden folders (they're in there too), as well as taking ownership of items and changing permissions in order to dump eons of the nasty buggers. I plugged the printer INTO THE WALL RECEPTICLE. I installed the software from a fresh download.
It works. It FAXes. (The first two FAXes failed, but after that it worked. I still had to enter the business name header one letter at a time, each letter followed by the annoying sign and clicking "OK.") It scans. It prints. It doesn't turn itself off. BUT--after reading these reviews, I have to wonder how long this "success" will hold.
I wish I'd bought any other brand printer. Brother printers seem to be garnering good reviews, but based on past experience with having to kick those suckers to print, I decided against Brother. Epson seems to be having success. Really, ANYTHING has to be better than an HP printer.
Until HP gets its act together with technically-correct software and printers that work, and more importantly--MOVES THEIR TECH SUPPORT BACK TO THE UNITED STATES--I refuse to do business with them. I've bought probably 10 HP printers over the past few years. Maybe more. I don't mind spending a little time on the phone with tech support for minor issues. But in the past two years--it's happened with every single printer with every single set-up, and it's gotten old. So long, HP. Your printers don't work. Your software doesn't work. And your tech support is atrocious.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Laserjet M1522NF Printer

HP M1522nf LaserJet Multifunction Printer Fax Bundle. Need a little elbow room. HPs surprisingly compact all in one LaserJet M1522nf Printer has a flatbed design that can copy and scan a variety of documents; it also sends faxes and its networkable. You will get sharp looking text in speeds as fast as 24 pages per minute. This model also includes one RJ 11 fax port, as well as an RJ 11 line out telephone port.

Click here for more information about HP Laserjet M1522NF Printer

Read More...

Canon CanoScan LiDE 25 Color Image Scanner (0307B001) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this scanner to scan in about 150 old black and white family photos, and they all came out very nicely. I scanned only a handful of color pictures, and they were fine as well.
Some experiences I had using the scanner:
- smaller pictures end up getting a better final resolution
- the quality is great for pictures, but only average for text; for example newspaper articles don't scan well enough to allow you to read smaller text
- I was able to scan aout 30 pictures in an hour
- scanning multiple photos is usually easy: you don't have to crop a big image into the individual photos because the scanning software figures out the picture boundaries. However, occasionally the picture boundary detection stuff messes up and the scanner detects 1 fewer picture than was in the scanner, forcing you to rescan
For some old polaroids, the scanned picture was clearer and brighter than the polaroid. it brought out the picture in
an amazing way.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon CanoScan LiDE 25 Color Image Scanner (0307B001)

PC and Mac compatible, the Canon CanoScan LiDE 25 is an efficient color scanner that delivers high-quality results. Ideal for home or small office use, this compact flatbed model with 8.5-by-11.7-inch platen produces up to 1,200 x 2,400 dot-per-inch (dpi) optical resolution (software enhanced resolution: 19,200 color dpi) and 48-bit color depth, for over 281 trillion possible colors and incredibly vibrant images. The Z-Lid expansion top easily accommodates bulky items. One simple cable provides both power and a USB connection, which helps reduce the number of wires cluttering your workspace.Whether you're scanning old family photos, personal documents, or a company memo, the streamlined LiDE 25 is easy to use. Three buttons automate the entire process, so you can effortlessly scan, send images to your printer for copying, or prepare attachments for an email. After you position your original and select the use for the image, you can preview the result in approximately 16 seconds. The LiDE 25 even saves you time after you scan, by automatically retouching and enhancing your image. Additionally, this model comes with powerful software applications, including the CanoScan Toolbox 4.9, which you can use to scan documents and then create and manipulate PDFs.If you're tackling a larger project, in the Multi-Scan Mode you can scan multiple images simultaneously, rather than one by one. Simply arrange them on the glass and select Multi-Scan. The LiDE 25 scanner also comes with Quick Automatic Retouching and Enhancement (QARE) technology, which reduces dust and scratches that may appear on older originals. It even autocorrects to help decrease graininess, picture fading, and improper backlighting. After enhancement you can archive these beautiful images and then e-mail them or print them for family and friends.What's in the Box CanoScan LiDE 25, ScanGear CS (Win/Mac), CanoScan Toolbox CS (Win/Mac), ArcSoft PhotoStudio (Win/Mac), and ScanSoft OmniPage SE OCR (Win/Mac).

Click here for more information about Canon CanoScan LiDE 25 Color Image Scanner (0307B001)

Read More...

Canon imageCLASS D320 Personal Digital Copier and Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I must admit, the first review posted here on the D320 made me a little nervous. My experience is quite different, and after several months of ownership I am quite pleased.
I'll give a point by point rebuttle to the initial review, as that's the only point of reference (so far):
1) Yes, pick up a USB cable,
2) Printer driver installation on Win98 essentially required no user intervention. With WinXP however, I do seem to recall having to muck with it more, but I'm hazy on the details now,
3) I have printed scores of multi-page documents, many over 15 pages without any problems whatsoever. I've had no spills or jams of any kind,
4) I have not seen any "paper-curl" problems whatsoever,
5) I leave the paper cassette lid/manual-feed slot in place at all times as I have no problem with it. For doing many two-sided copies, it is indeed easier to place the copies back into the paper cassette. But that's my experience with any copier I've used.
6) Making two-sided copies is easy and as efficient as I expected. I've simply experienced no problems.
7) I've experienced no copier caused misalignments. If my copies have been crooked, it was because I set them on the glass improperly.
I am very happy with this unit. It copies as I expect it to, and prints just the same: quickly and without event. It's been able to properly print from all Windoze applications I've thrown at it, and ones many users may not even be using, such as Ghostscript, Acrobat, SecureCRT, PAF, and all image viewing software I've tried. And I've got several machines networked together (Win98 and WinXP) that can all print to the D320 fine using printer sharing.
BTW, the D320 comes with a full, 3500 page toner cartridge too, not a starter unit as with some printers/copiers.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon imageCLASS D320 Personal Digital Copier and Printer

The Canon imageCLASS D320 personal digital copier and printer adds versatility to both small and large offices.
Small footprint The D320 gives users speed, convenience, and reliability in a footprint small enough for any desk. Copy paper sizes up to legal-size documents, reduce and enlarge, collate or make draft copies from the easy to use control panel.
Quality speed and resolution Speed is never an issue as the D320 copies pages at 15ppm at 1200 x 600 dpi and 12.5ppm on legal size paper. Zoom in up 200 percent at 1 percent increments for pinpoint enlargements. Printing is also available at 15ppm at 600 x 600 dpi. The D320 is compatible with any PC running the Windows operating system. USB 2.0 connectivity offers fast data transfers.
Fast, economical, and easy Paper loads easily in the 250-sheet paper cassette and your black-and-white output comes out crisp and fast. Using a single cartridge system, the imageCLASS D320 is economical to operate and easier to use over other machines that need two cartridges requiring replacement at different times.
The right solution Whether you're a one-person office or supporting a small staff, the imageCLASS D320 is a compact, all-in-one desktop solution to replace older single-function machines. It can also serve as a speedy addition to current equipment.
Warranty The D320 comes with a 1-year limited warranty with Exchange Program.
What's in the Box imageCLASS D320 machine, S35 cartridge, cassette/multi-purpose tray, power cord, documentation kit, software CD-ROM.

Click here for more information about Canon imageCLASS D320 Personal Digital Copier and Printer

Read More...

Samsung ML-2525W Wireless Mono Laser Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this printer a few weeks back. So, my review can only attest to the initial quality and operation of the printer. When shopping for a printer, I wanted a small, wireless (i.e. WiFi enabled), laser printer that I could use on my home wireless network. This printer fits the bill.
Once I received the printer, setup was incredibly easy. You just hook the USB cable to your computer, follow the software prompts, and then the printer is suddenly connected to the WiFi network. That is the last time I used the cable. Now, when I hit print on my laptop, it prints wirelessly.
I also like that the printer is relatively quick (24 ppm) and prints clean, crisp laser prints quickly. For $99, this is great deal and I'm pleased with the purchase.
I'd recommend buying this laser printer over the all-in-one units. While those all encompassing units may be tempting, I think you end up with a better deal by buying this Samsung printer and then buying a high-quality scanner as a separate item. For instance, I bought a separate Fujitsu Scansnap scanner (also, a very compact item). It scans so much better than the scanner I have on the all-in-one that I bought a couple years ago.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung ML-2525W Wireless Mono Laser Printer

Get 66% OFF

Click here for more information about Samsung ML-2525W Wireless Mono Laser Printer

Read More...

Samsung Monochrome Laser Printer (ML-1665) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have to say this is the best choice I could find at this price. The only weakness is that the original toner runs out too quickly (Less than 200 pages).
06-Nov-2010 Update:
I have found out a way to disable the printing counter of the toner, see my comment for more details.
11-Nov-2010 Update:
Based on my knowledge, following printers' toner (Don't take this word the wrong way, I mean black powdered carbon) are compatible, although I can't 100% guarantee that every OEM toner of following series is compatible with MLT-D104, because there are tons of OEM factories on the market. You can buy the cheapest toner which is listed below to refill your MLT-D104 Toner.

ML-1640K ML-1641K ML-1642K ML-2240K ML-2241K ML-2242 ML-1666
Here is a video which shows how to refill the toner:
[...]

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung Monochrome Laser Printer (ML-1665)

Get 22% OFF

Click here for more information about Samsung Monochrome Laser Printer (ML-1665)

Read More...

HP M2727NF Laserjet Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This review is based on usage in a small business where the device is at a satellite office.
This is a good piece of Hardware by HP, but as is typical of HP scanners the software is weak. The printer makes excellent images. The machine is fast from the time you click on print to when the page starts printing, and the printing is fast. This is the highlight of the machine. Two sided copying is excellent. The automatic document feature works well for copy and fax, but the scannning software is a problem.
The first machine I got had a defective fax board, but the store I bought it from let me return it for a new unit. Setup of the machine worked well. You can configure it using a built in web server. You might have trouble finding the machine on the nework, though. Unfortunately it does not respond to ping broadcast packets. You can go to the front panel and go through the menus to print a network report to see what IP address it selected. From there the web access works best to set up the machine. Setting a manual IP address is easy enough from the front panel so you know what IP address to connect to. You can get an optional second paper tray.
While setup of the machine via the web access works well it is limited in that the fax cannot be set up through the web interface. This is unfortunate, since the fax settings are tedious to enter from the front panel. You can use the web interface for the address book, but setting fax settings like address, speed, report settings, and everything else are not changeable except through the front panel.
As far as scanning goes, this is not a push scan device. (A push scan device is one where the scanner does the scan, then transfers to another computer by a network protocol like FTP or SMB). There is a button on the machine to scan, but that just starts up the program you have to install on your computer. The HP scan software is difficult to use and unintuitive. Definitely NOT production environment. It is also bloatwear. Over a thousand files get installed on the computer that serves as the scanning control computer. Also, whenever you scan the document comes out at 17 inches on the computer. The workaround in my setting is to fax to our fax server, which takes the calls and keeps the faxes. In this way I have a push scan option at the cost of a phone call for each scan. But if you have a business you do not want to use this as the document scanner using the HP softwear. I do not know if VueScan works with this device.
If you just need a postscript printer then this will work out of the box. For the advanced features that the printer supports you need to install the postscript driver. It may be possible to install the postscript driver without the scan softwear, which would be best if you have several computers that need to use the printer. I specifically did not install the scan softwear at the satellite location where I use the printer and it works fine as a generic postscript printer. (I installed the bloated HP scanning softwear at the main office where I did the initial configuration)
The printer is the same engine as in the HP LaserJet P2015dn Printer (HP LaserJet P2015dn Printer (CB368A#ABA)). Review there are good for understanding more about the printing function. The cartridge, an HP 53, is shared between this multifunction device and the P2015dn. In a small office having the same cartridge used by different printers simplifies inventory issues.
So, for home use and occasional scanning this is a nice machine, fast to print with very high quality printing. For an office environment it is good as a printer and copier, but the scanning software would choke anyone who needed to do document scanning as part of the business workflow.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP M2727NF Laserjet Printer

HP M2727NF Laserjet Printer. Do not waste time waiting for your documents. The HP LaserJet M2727nf MFP features professional print and copy speeds of up to 27 ppm. Other MFPs need time to warm up before printing the first page, but with no wait Instant on Technology your first page will print two times faster than devices without it. And with a stable light source, copy or scan jobs begin in a matter of seconds even first thing in the morning. Your documents always look great with reliable, high quality printing at true 1200 dpi. We design our toner formulas and papers to work with each other and with the devices high speeds so you get crisp and consistent print quality without sacrificing performance. Easily handle even the most demanding jobs with HP PCL and HP postscript level 3 emulation driver support, a powerful 450 MHz processor, and 64 MB RAM, expandable to 320 MB. Fax documents at up to 33.6 kbps and enjoy digital storage for up to 600 pages. Use private receive to securely store faxes on the device until you are ready to print them. And with Fax/Tel, your MFP will determine if the call is a voice or a fax call. Get the job done faster with the paper handling features your business needs. The MFPs maximum input capacity of up to 300 sheets, expandable to up to 550 sheets helps you maintain your momentum. Count on default copy collation and standard two sided printing and copying to conserve paper. And with the devices multi tasking capabilities, if one person is printing or copying, you can still receive faxes. Your workteam can share resources easily, efficiently, and securely with fast, value featured networking. Experience worry free operation and continually refresh your MFP with Original HP print cartridges. They comprise 70 percent of the imaging system and communicate with the MFP to automatically optimize print quality, provide alerts when supplies run low, and facilitate convenient supplies reordering.

Click here for more information about HP M2727NF Laserjet Printer

Read More...

Brother HL-5340D High Speed Laser Printer with Duplex Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros: Fast and easy installation; very speedy printing; print quality very good for text; high capacity toner cartridges available (compatible cartridges are reasonably priced).
Cons: Although Brother added a "straight through paper path" apparently for the purpose of dealing with criticisms of a previous model that envelopes and thicker media were crinkled or somewhat rolled, the straight through paper path does not solve the envelope problem. The crinkling of envelopes occurs because the intake feed roller presses the envelope too tightly, causing the envelope to billow as it passes, and the latter part of the envelope is unavoidably crinkled.
Conclusion: This is a great value for a user who does not need to print uncrinkled envelopes with this printer. This printer remains useful to me because I have another printer that handles envelopes well.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother HL-5340D High Speed Laser Printer with Duplex

Get 50% OFF

Click here for more information about Brother HL-5340D High Speed Laser Printer with Duplex

Read More...

HP Officejet 4315 All-in-One Printer/Fax/Scanner/Copier (Q8081A#ABA) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the 4315 about one month ago, primarily because it has a sheet-fed scanner. I have scanned 200+ pages and have not had one problem. The software is very easy to use. I set the software to scan documents as "searchable PDFs." Also, it is much faster to scan documents with the 4315 than my flatbed scanner.
I also printed a few brochures using the color printer, and the quality was great.
I would highly recommend the 4315.
****************************************
Here is a 2008 update to my 2006 review: Since then, I have been using the 4315 regularly and have not any problems. In fact, it has worked perfectly. I primarily have used it for scanning. Using the settings of black and white, PDF, and 300 dpi, I have scanned in hundreds of documents --which converted to more than 1 gigabyte of PDFs.
One of the great things about the 4315 is that it is a sheet-fed scanner, so I can put in several pieces of paper, and they automatically feed in one at a time.
The software is very easy to use. In preview mode, you can preview your scans and modify them via a variety of options including "resize," "sharpen," and "B/W threshold."
Also you can add additional pages to a scan. So for example, to convert a 60-page document to a pdf, you would place several pages in the autofeeder and scan them, and then select "Scan Additional Pages" and repeat this process--until you have scanned all 60 pages.
The quality of printing is quite good even for very small fonts such as subscript. I do not use it to fax because I simply scan in documents and then use XP's fax utility or faxaway's service.


Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Officejet 4315 All-in-One Printer/Fax/Scanner/Copier (Q8081A#ABA)

Ultra-compact all-in-one that's easy and efficient The HP Officejet 4315 is a reliable sheetfed all-in-one with print, fax, scan, and copy capabilities--you get the power of four machines in one in an ultra-compact, space-saving solution. Its sleek design with fold-up sheet feeder tray compactly fits almost anywhere, easily freeing up more workspace in your home office. Efficiency is the key with this HP all-in-one. With just the touch of a button you can easily print a family letter, fax a resume to a potential employer, make a quick copy of a receipt, or scan your photos and documents.

Impressive quality for your documents and photos With the HP Officejet 4315 you'll make a bright and bold impression on your audience with every document or photo you print out. Using HP Thermal Inkjet print technology, the HP 4315 conveniently prints in both color and black-and-white at a speed of up to 20 pages per minute (ppm) in black and 14 ppm in color.
Print resolution with the HP Officejet reaches up to 1200 x 1200 dpi black and up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi color and 1200 input dpi. High-quality sheetfed scanning with 1200 x 1200 dpi optical resolution, resolution, 48-bit color. Archived documents maintain text and color quality for decades without fading. Also, with HP Real Life technologies you can automatically remove red eye and enhance detail in dark areas of your photos.
Powerful and efficient faxing The HP Enhanced fax features included memory for up to 200 pages1 plus fax broadcasting to multiple locations, quick and easy faxing with one-touch buttons, and up to 80 speed dials. The HP 4315's powerful plain-paper faxing clock can send out letters at up to three seconds per page in black and color using a 33.6 kbps modem. You can also conveniently copy and send multi-page faxes with its 20-sheet automatic document feeder tray.
Save valuable time by faxing to a group of people with the touch of a button using broadcast fax feature. The convenient scan-and fax feature lets you scan your documenta into the fax memory so you can walk away with the document and get to work on other projects.
What in the box HP Officejet 4315 All-in-One (Printer, Fax, Scanner, Copier), HP 21 Black Inkjet Print Cartridge, 5 ml HP 22 Tri-color Inkjet Print Cartridge, 5 ml HP Photosmart Essential software, setup guide, reference guide, power supply, power cord Note: USB Cable not included
1 Based on ITU-T Test image number 1 at standard resolution. More complicated pages or higher resolution will take longer.

Click here for more information about HP Officejet 4315 All-in-One Printer/Fax/Scanner/Copier (Q8081A#ABA)

Read More...