HP announces all-in-one printers
Published: 04 Mar 2003 13:34 GMT
Hewlett-Packard introduced two new printer lines on Monday, including what it bills as the smallest flatbed device to combine the functions of a printer, scanner and copier.
The $150 (about £95) PSC 1210 is part of a growing crop of so-called all-in-one, or multifunction devices, which HP says have continued to enjoy rising sales. In addition to being smaller than prior models, the new printer is cheaper and has a power cord that is designed to allow the device to be pressed right up against the wall. HP also introduced a new line of business-oriented all-in-ones, the OfficeJet 7100 series, which ranges in price from $399 to $699 and adds faxing abilities as well as the option of being attached to a network. The 7100 line is faster than the "D" series of OfficeJets it is replacing, and some models offer added features, such as collating. The company was unable to provide UK pricing.
With the home-oriented PSC 1210, HP also stripped away some of the menus and buttons that are on its other models, an effort to make the device less complicated for novice users. The advanced features, such as scaling a photo by percentage, are still available through software, said product manager David McCormick.
The new printers come ahead of Dell's move into the printer market, which is set for later this month. Dell is expected to introduce at least one multifunction device as part of its initial crop of products. Lexmark, with which Dell has a partnership, introduced new all-in-one devices in January, with prices starting at $149.
However, HP spokeswoman Diane Roncal said the introduction was planned for early March and was not moved up to pre-empt Dell's expected product introductions.
The move reflects what analysts and printer makers have said is an increase in demand for devices that can scan, copy and print. HP, which holds 59 percent of the printer market, said it expects more of its sales to move to all-on-ones and printers specialised for printing photos.
"I think the shift toward those products will continue," HP vice president Chris Morgan said last week. "If you look out two years I think it will be even more pronounced."
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