Going Green Brings Financial Benefits
Submitted by Webmaster on Thu, 07/29/2010 - 16:51The health of the environment is a pretty hot topic these days. Hybrid vehicles, biodegradable packaging and reusable grocery bags are just some of the ways society has been inundated by environmental friendly technologies.
It didn’t take long for companies to realize they need to reduce their carbon footprint, too. However, in today’s tight financial economy, it can be hard to adopt expensive albeit green technology. Luckily, designing and implementing a green printing strategy can help save the environment and save money.
A green printing strategy starts with the goal of reducing the carbon footprint of office printing by targeting paper usage and energy usage. When these areas are optimized, the combined environmental and economic impact is amazing. continue reading...
Utilize Print Management Software for Easy Reporting
Submitted by Webmaster on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 15:03
In today’s work environment, expenses rarely go unchecked. It is very common for a department of a company to be required to create monthly or quarterly expense reports. However, tracking printing costs can be quite the task. Therefore, many companies simply lump the expense in with other various office costs such as supplies or furniture. Although this may seem like the easiest way to complete expense reports, it may also be the most expensive.
Print management software is an easy way to control, monitor and report the printing done by your company. Not only will your monthly reports be made simple, but you will become more aware of where your budget is spent. You will also be able to use access controls to limit printing to certain departments and set up defaults to save ink and paper. continue reading...
Ignite Productivity Through Managed Print Services
Submitted by Webmaster on Mon, 07/19/2010 - 14:54In the office, it seems we are always in a hurry. For this reason, very rarely does anyone take the time to fix a printer. Instead, they are forced to find a different device so they can complete their task in a time-efficient manner.
Furthermore, IT departments rarely have the time or resources to fix mechanical issues in office devices. But still, they are forced to take control of the issue and organize some sort of fix, whether it is an easy paper jam or having to schedule a repair from a local company.
Often this type of situation is multiplied many times a week or even in a single day. It is not wonder why an unmanaged print environment can be a drain on the productivity of your office. Luckily, there is a better way. Managed Print Services Programs continually monitor your printer fleet and deliver valuable productivity benefits to your business.
Proactive Service: Managed Print Service means there will be someone monitoring your printer fleet for you. If a printer is out of service, it can often be fixed before it becomes an issue for your business’ productivity. continue reading...
Reduce Office Printing Costs in Three Easy Steps
Submitted by Webmaster on Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:10Unmanaged office printing can easily consume up to 3% of annual revenues according to the Gartner group. Therefore, if you are searching for an area to trim your company’s overhead, your print environment is a great place to start. To control and reduce this expense there are a few strategies you can integrate.
Consolidate Devices
If you look around your office there are probably areas that have a laser printer, a copier and a fax machine sitting right next to each other. This presents a great cost-saving opportunity. Each of these devices has a separate cost of operation that comes from stocking unique supplies, supporting the network, handling repairs and service and electricity. With today’s skyrocketing energy costs, it is possible that it actually costs more to power your devices than it costs to put supplies in the devices!
You can combine devices with multifunction systems that print, copy, fax and scan in a single unit. These reliable systems can handle applications from desktops to workgroups to departments. Consolidating devices with multifunction systems could provide instant and long-term cost reduction for your organization.
Re-Route Print Jobs
Some of your printing devices are less expensive to operate than others. For the most part, high-volume networked systems have a lower operational cost than smaller desktop devices. While desktop devices may be necessary for productivity or privacy reasons, larger print jobs could easily be routed to network devices to reduce costs.
New software makes it easy to re-route print jobs automatically. You can assess your basic needs and set routing rules. For example, print jobs over 20 pages could be sent to a networked multifunction system. The end user would simply print their job exactly like they normally would. However, with this software a pop up window would let them know that their job was routed to the workgroup device as a cost-saving strategy. Applying print routing to your organization could create cost savings of 30% or more. continue reading...
Rethinking Server Virtualization
Submitted by Webmaster on Thu, 07/08/2010 - 19:40
Introduction
Server virtualization is an ever more important tool for reducing cost, increasing availability, and enhancing business agility. But for many organizations, the savings that come from server consolidation are the primary reason for server virtualization.
Many of virtualization’s additional benefits—including built-in, cost-effective high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR)—require external shared storage with a comprehensive feature set to support them. Without proper planning, it is all too easy to see the savings from server virtualization be misdirected toward inefficient storage systems. IP SANs are frequently seen as overcoming cost and management limitations of traditional storage area
networks (SANs) and are becoming very popular in virtualized server environments.
Advantages of scale-out iSCSI SANs
HP StorageWorks P4000 G2 SAN Solutions are iSCSI-based and use storage clustering—a form of scale-out storage that creates a scalable storage pool by aggregating the critical components of a number of storage systems into a single pool of resources or storage cluster (Figure 1). The cluster accepts and responds to iSCSI requests as a single system. In an HP P4000 G2 SAN all physical capacity is aggregated and is available to all volumes created on the SAN.
When more storage is needed, additional P4000 storage nodes can be added to the SAN cluster online; the SAN seamlessly, non-disruptively reorganizes its storage to incorporate the new node into the cluster.
Built-in support for HA and DR implementations, superior, scalable performance, and straightforward management that any server administrator can understand and put into use make HP P4000 SANs the preferred choice to support virtualized infrastructures. This white paper describes the advantages of scale-out iSCSI storage in four areas—cost, high availability and disaster recovery, performance, and management—and illustrate how the HP P4000 SANs provide better overall support for virtualized environments. continue reading...
RISO Introduces High-Productivity MZ1090 Two-Color, Single-Pass Digital Duplicator
Submitted by Webmaster on Tue, 06/29/2010 - 17:03Danvers, MA – June 29, 2010 – RISO, Inc., a leader in digital printing technology, today introduced the MZ1090 two-color, single-pass digital duplicator, the latest in the MZ series of digital duplicators. Like its predecessors, the MZ1090 prints up to 150 ppm—the world’s fastest print speed for a two-color, single-pass digital duplicator—but also delivers true 600 dpi image quality, ledger size printing, a built-in GDI controller, and unmatched single-pass, two-color printing productivity.
“We are excited to introduce the MZ1090 which continues RISO’s tradition of offering high-quality and cost-effective solutions that help expand our customers’ printing capabilities,” Todd Deluca, President and COO of RISO, Inc. “With its advanced workflow features and simplified color separation processes, the MZ1090 will appeal to a wide variety of end users, including print service providers, in-plant print shops, religious organizations, and more.”
The MZ1090 features a wide range of new and powerful image improvement and workflow capabilities for runs between 20 and 4,000 prints. The MZ1090 digitally burns low-cost master plates in a process similar to CTP technology. Unlike offset presses, the MZ1090 burns, loads, and unloads masters automatically at the touch of a button, streamlining make-ready and maximizing machine availability for print production. With over seventy available ink colors and 2-color production costs as low as two-thirds of a cent per page, the MZ1090 serves a wide variety of printing professionals, end users, graphic artists, teachers, and office managers who require low-cost and desire the added impact of two-color printed materials. continue reading...
Utilize Access Controls for Reduced Print Costs
Submitted by Webmaster on Mon, 06/28/2010 - 17:05Most multifunction systems today come equipped with advanced access controls. Despite having a large breadth in functions, these controls are actually very easy to use. Plus, by monitoring print usage, you can reduce your costs greatly by supervising usage by department, work group, or even individuals.
Access controls work in conjunction with the security features of your
multifunction to set up PIN codes or card-access for desired users. By requiring every user to log in to the multifunction, you can get a clear report on how the device is being used. You can also set authorizations based on access groups. For example, you may want your Marketing Department to have access to color printing, but feel it would be unnecessary for the Sales Department. With access controls, you can minimize unnecessary color printing and reduce your costs.
Effective print monitoring also allows you to create defaults for certain access groups. You can set print jobs to automatically duplex (two-sided printing) to help save paper. This is a quick and easy solution that will yield instant results. continue reading...
HP Launches “LaserJet Pays You Back” Global Marketing Campaign
Submitted by Webmaster on Thu, 06/24/2010 - 16:17HP today unveiled its “HP LaserJet Pays You Back” global marketing campaign to illustrate the significant cost savings – up to $2,500 in less than one year – that are possible when using an HP Color LaserJet Multifunction Printer (MFP).(1)
The campaign illustrates the surprising returns available from an HP Color LaserJet MFP. Over time, the printer pays for itself through money saved and then continues to pay customers back through energy, paper and toner savings.(1)
“Upgrading to an HP Color LaserJet MFP is like trading in your gas guzzler for a hybrid that pays for itself in gas savings and then continues to pay its owner after that,” said Ron Coughlin, senior vice president, LaserJet and Enterprise Solutions, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “The campaign helps demonstrate how HP LaserJet printers are an investment that keep giving back to your business.”
To celebrate the significant cost savings businesses can achieve by using an HP LaserJet printer, HP is teaming with renowned entrepreneurs Ivanka Trump and Bill Rancic to host the HP “Pay Back” event today at 11 a.m. ET at the north corner of Madison Square Park (next to Shake Shack) in New York. Trump and Rancic will “pay customers back” with a gift, while supplies last, courtesy of HP. continue reading...
HP Expands Portfolio of Sign and Display Printing Solutions to Accelerate Adoption of UV-curable and Latex Large-format Printing
Submitted by Webmaster on Tue, 06/22/2010 - 15:53HP today expanded its portfolio of sign and display printing solutions to accelerate the industry’s conversion from solvent-based to UV-curable and latex-based large-format printing.
The company is refreshing its product line to help customers pursue profitable growth opportunities and capture a larger share of the growing digital printing market.(1)
At FESPA 2010, the major large-format printing and imaging tradeshow of the year, HP announced:
- The new HP Scitex FB700 Printer, a versatile 98-inch (2.5-meter) flatbed printing solution that can load, print and collect up to six sheets of media simultaneously and offers an optional White Ink Upgrade Kit for specialty applications.
- The first public demonstration of its expanded HP Latex Printing Technologies portfolio, an innovative technology that is only offered by HP.
- Plans to spearhead a group of industry leaders to define open Job Definition Format (JDF) specification features for large-format printing, making it easier for print service providers (PSPs) to automate printing jobs and accelerate the web-to-print process.
- The expansion of the HP Large-format Media take-back program to include six new compatible media and seven additional participating European countries.
“Since we began shipping latex and UV-curable printing systems, demand has increased steadily as our customers recognize the superb image quality, ability to pursue new applications and significant environmental advantages over traditional solvent technologies,” said Yariv Avisar, vice president and general manager, Scitex Large-format Solutions, HP. “In just two months, we have made significant advancements to our portfolio, including the addition of five new UV and Latex printers and new workflow solutions and services offerings, that will help the entire industry to transform.” continue reading...
HP: The Future of Printing is in the Cloud
Submitted by Webmaster on Tue, 06/08/2010 - 18:54By Marlene Orr, Senior Printer Analyst, June 8, 2010
HP kicked off Internet Week NYC with a news conference broadcast live via the Web. Appropriately, the theme was harnessing the power of the Internet to customize and simplify the printing experience. In his introduction, Vyomesh Joshi (VJ), president of HP’s Imaging and Printing Group, noted that since the advent of Web 2.0, there has been an explosion in the amount of available content on the Web. In fact, HP's research shows that by next year, Internet printing will surpass printing from word processing programs.
VJ said that while creating the content has become easier (think of the countless social networking and photo-sharing Web sites), capturing and printing that content has not always been so easy.
Addressing the shift last year, HP introduced its first Web-connected printer (the Photosmart Premium All-in-One), which let users download software to the AiO so they could access and print Web content from the control panel. Since then, the company has paid close attention to customer behavior, learning that about 70 percent of users downloaded applications to allow them to capture and print content without turning on their PC.
To keep up with what it says is a growing customer need, HP will Web-connect every new HP printer with a purchase price greater than $99. But it’s not just about the software applications anymore. Cloud printing (untethered/wireless printing, whereby data is sent over the Internet to a selected printer) is nothing new, but HP is taking it to the next level by allowing users to print from mobile devices with no additional software or drivers required. As VJ said, “If you can e-mail it, you can print it.” With ePrint technology, users can print a document by using nothing more than the resident e-mail program on a device to send it to the printer. So, not only can users download apps to access and print content without turning on their PCs, they can now print from mobile devices (like smart phones and tablet PCs) that have traditionally had inherent limitations to printing. continue reading...
