HP UK Press Release

Instant, Lab-Quality Photos from Your Camera or Phone with the HP Photosmart A618 - Compact, stylish photo printer packs a big punch with integrated Bluetooth connectivity, 2.4 inch display and new HP 110 Tri-Colour Dye-Based Ink Cartridges with Vivera inks for vivid prints and maximum durability. The HP Photosmart A618 Compact Photo Printer is expected to be available for purchase in August 2006 priced at £149.

Bracknell, UK, 21 August 2006 - HP today announced the launch of its small and stylish HP Photosmart A618 Compact Photo Printer - the ultimate in convenient home photo printing. At just over one-and-a-half kilograms with it’s convenient carrying handle and optional battery1 the Photosmart A618 compact photo printer makes an ideal companion whenever & wherever you need quick photo printing. Integrated Bluetooth connectivity2 means easy printing from compatible camera phones and devices while the flip-up 2.4inch image display means you can totally bypass the PC when editing, organising and printing photos. The new HP 110 Tri-colour Inkjet Print Cartridge contains dye-based inks for lab-quality, durable, smudge-resistant photos while the one-touch HP Photo Fix button removes red-eye and improves colour and contrast without a computer.

PrinterSpot have the first online review of the new HP Photosmart D7360, which can print a 4x6-inch photo in just 12 seconds.

“The HP Photosmart D7360 produces very good quality photos. For our samples (unless otherwise noted, we used HP’s top-of-the-line paper: HP Premium Plus Photo paper. The Premium Plus Photo paper showed good clarity and saturation. The colors were deep and rich.”

Website: PrinterSpot - HP Photosmart D7360 Review

PrinterSpot have reviewed the Epson Stylus Photo RX700 all-in-one printer, a six colour model that can print on CDs and DVDs.

“We were impressed with the RX700’s transparency adapter feature which lets you scan slides and negatives. However, we found the system to be pretty flaky. Sometimes the printer wouldn’t recognize perfectly good negatives, while others scanned without a problem. A few times taking out the negatives and reinserting them into the adapter corrected the problem, but not always.”

Website: PrinterSpot - Epson Stylus Photo RX700 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

I thought I would end the week by sharing some exciting news with you about a little company called Hewlett Packard and their very ambitious plans for the large-format printer market. Due to be officially launched at Photokina in September, HP are set to launch a brand new range of large format printers that will definitely compete with what Epson and Canon currently have to offer. I can’t share too many details with you at this point, but can tell you this:

- various large-format printer sizes
- pigment based
- the same Vivera inks as the smaller HP B9180 printer, which has just started shipping
- print longevity won’t be an issue - Wilhelm ratings will be more than sufficient!
- wide range of different paper types, something that has been a weak-point for HP in the past
- innovative colour management system that hasn’t been seen before

I’ve had the opportunity to see pre-release versions of these printers in action, and can honestly say that HP are definitely onto something good. All will be revealed on September 26th…

TrustedReviews have reviewed the A3+ printer from the HP, the Photosmart 8750.

“Print quality from the nine-colour Vivera ink system is very good. The nine colours are C,M,Y, photo cyan, photo magenta, blue and three shades of grey. Our test image was very well reproduced, showing a lot of detail in shadowed areas, which other printers struggled to distinguish. Details in the foreground are extremely sharp and the smooth transition in the sky is also well handled. We can see little difference between normal and best mode prints, so you might as well save time by printing everything in normal mode.”

Website: TrustedReviews - HP Photosmart 8750 Review

Website: Read our HP Photosmart 8750 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews

The new HP Photosmart D7360 can print a 4x6-inch photo in just 12 seconds. The HP Photosmart D7360 will be available for purchase in the UK from August 2006, priced at £199.

HP Press Release

The HP Photosmart D7360 Photo Printer, based on HP’s scalable printing technology, is the world’s fastest photo printer(1) with lab-quality photos and outstanding documents that last for generations(2). Six individual high-capacity ink cartridges enable high-volume printing of 4x6-inch photos in as fast as 12 seconds. With the innovative 3.4-inch touch screen color image display and intuitive photo features, the HP Photosmart D7360 Photo Printer provides an industry-leading at-home printing experience. Estimated U.S. street price of $199, expected to be available for purchase July 2006 in North America.

HP Press Release

The HP Photosmart C7180 All-in-One Printer, Fax, Scanner, Copier, based on HP’s scalable printing technology, features leading scanning and wireless innovations for unparalleled ease-of-use. With a built-in slide and negative adapter and six economical, individual ink cartridges, this all-in-one allows users to print and reprint photos with superior quality and speed. The Photosmart C7180 All-in-One also provides multiple ways to print from camera phones(1), notebooks and other devices with Bluetooth wireless technology, or share with multiple PC/Macs on an Ethernet network. The C7180 has an estimated U.S. street price of $399, expected to be available for purchase September 2006 in North America.

HP Press Release

The stylish and compact HP Photosmart A716 Compact Photo Printer delivers the power of a PC in a printer. With a built-in handle and optional battery,(1) this printer is easy to carry and convenient to print on the go. The A716 features a 2.5-inch color display providing users with the ultimate flexibility to view, edit and print photos that are instant-dry, water-resistant, and resist fading for generations.(2) Users can print a variety of different-sized photos including passport, wallet size, 4 x 6-inch, 5 x 7-inch, and panorama – all without a computer. The HP Photosmart A716 Compact Photo Printer is the only one of its kind that stores photos – up to 4,000(3) – with 4 gigabytes of internal memory for easy management and organization.

HP Press Release

Snap and print photos on vacation, at parties, almost everywhere! The handy HP Photosmart A436 Portable Photo Studio is entirely self-contained; you don’t need a PC. Its camera features 7 megapixels, 24x total zoom (3X optical, 8x digital), and a spacious 2.5” display, while the printer’s HP Photo Fix button lets you conveniently remove red eye and brighten your images, then print in sizes from wallet to 4 x 6”. Available soon for $299.99.

Imaging Resource have reviewed the new HP D7160 desktop printer.

“Another surprise awaited me when I popped an SD card in the reader and made a series of 4x6 prints on HP Advanced photo paper from images shot by a Nikon Coolpix S6. Despite my earlier success with the garden shot, these prints were disappointing. Any bright object in them was oversaturated. One thing to remember with any inkjet is to wait a bit before evaluating the results. The ink is encapsulated in the paper surface and the vehicle has to evaporate and the paper surface shrink back down before the image can be evaluated. Waiting really didn’t help, though.”

Website: Imaging Resource - HP D7160 Review

Epson Press Release

Recharge makes settlement with Seiko Epson Corporation to cease trading of third-party inkjet cartridges for Epson printers

07 August 2006 - In on-going activities to protect its intellectual property rights, Seiko Epson Corporation (“Epson”) has agreed to settle with Recharge Inkjet Technologies Limited (“Recharge”), an internet retailer (trading under the name CartridgeMonkey.com) based in Bolton, UK.  The settlement terms include Recharge undertaking not to infringe Epson’s patents and registered designs, and making substantial settlement payment to Epson. The full terms of the settlement are confidential.

The new KODAK EASYSHARE G600 Printer Dock will cost £129.99 RRP and is available in August.

Kodak UK Press Release

Kodak Introduces New Portable Solution to Print and Play on the Go with the KODAK EASYSHARE G600 Printer Dock - With Just One Touch, Consumers Can Print and Share High-Quality, Real KODAK Pictures Anytime, Anywhere

London, August 8 — Building on its highly successful line of EASYSHARE printers, Eastman Kodak Company today announced the KODAK EASYSHARE G600 Printer Dock.  The clever new design with a built-in handle, smart paper tray storage and battery make portability easy, allowing for convenient, on-the-go printing and sharing. “The convenience, print speed, ease-of-use and phenomenal picture quality from the line of EASYSHARE printer docks have resulted in overwhelming demand from picture-takers worldwide,” said Carolyn Walsh, Product Sales Director Digital, Eastman Kodak Company. “Based on customer demand, we are excited to introduce an innovative new printing solution that truly fits an active lifestyle, and unleashes the power of pictures.”

Casio USA Press Release

CW-E60 and CW-K85 Give Home-Made CDs and DVDs A Professional Look

DOVER, NJ, August 1, 2006 – Casio, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd. announced today the release of two new disc title printers, the CW-E60 and CW-K85. The CW-E60 and CW-K85 provide a professional touch to CDs and DVDs for digital music, video, images and data. Organizing your business, vacation photographs and favorite music collections is now affordable and easier than ever. Throw out those markers because Casio has made it simple to label CDs and DVDs without ever removing a cap. The CW-E60 will be available at retail in August for the suggest retail price of $59.99. The CW-K85 will be available in September for the suggested retail price of $79.99.

InfoTrends Press Release

(Weymouth, MA) July, 24 2006… According to a recent InfoTrends survey of 1,743 Internet users in Western Europe, almost three-quarters of respondents indicated owning a digital camera. Most respondents reported printing some photos, although only a small portion of respondents reported printing more than 20 photos per month. Home printing was used most often by more than half of respondents. Retail services were the second most popular printing location. “One of the most surprising findings of this survey was the level of loyalty among those who print at home, however, photo print volumes are shifting towards retail locations and online photo services as awareness of these other printing methods is increasing,” commented Mette Eriksen, a Consultant for InfoTrends. “We discovered that the preferred print location depends on the size of the print job; printing just a few photos is best suited for home, while large jobs are sourced to retailers or online photo services.”

InfoTrends Press Release

(Weymouth, MA) July, 12 2006… A recent InfoTrends study shows that the percentage of digital camera owners who print at home declined by 10% between 2004 and 2006. Meanwhile, 31% of digital camera owners who print their photos have used retail locations, reflecting an increase of 22% over the past two years. Nevertheless, the home remains the most popular printing location by far, and the majority of users still assign it the most positive attributes. Home printing is perceived as more affordable, more convenient, faster, and easier than other printing methods. “Although consumers are still mainly printing at home, the number of those who do so decreases every year due to the gaining popularity of online photo services and retail locations,” commented Sandra Collins , a Consultant at InfoTrends. “The home will remain the most popular printing location for at least the next two years, but home printing volume will decline as prices for online and retail printing continue their downward trend.”

Canon USA Press Release

The PIXMA iP6700D, PIXMA iP6310D and the PIXMA iP1700 Showcase Canon’s Commitment to Quality While Adding to the PIXMA line-up

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., July 10, 2006 – Need to print out a recipe? Need directions to a friend’s house? How about printing out photos taken over the weekend? For whatever your need may be, Canon has the right solution with the introduction of three new single function models, including the Canon PIXMA iP6700D, PIXMA iP6310D and the PIXMA iP1700 Photo Printers. “From Grandma to the grand kids, our new PIXMA photo printers give consumers with varying printing needs more choices, more features and a better value,” said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the consumer imaging group at Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. “In addition to options, we wanted to offer all our customers a unique cutting edge design that is very much in line with today’s tastes and styles.”

Canon USA Press Release

PIXMA MP530, PIXMA MP460, PIXMA MP180 and PIXMA MP160 All-In-One Printers combine high-performance and high-quality for customers with high standards and an eye on value

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., July 10, 2006 – Whether working from the home office, helping a child with his/her school project or simply printing out pictures from a family trip, Canon provides solutions that fit consumers’ lifestyles in look, feel, design and functionality. The new PIXMA MP530, PIXMA MP460, PIXMA MP180 and PIXMA MP160 All-In-One (AIO) units provide solutions for business productivity and photo creativity.

Epson UK Press Release

Nanohand, lasered textiles and injket micro-drops win Epson Photography Competition at the University of Cambridge Department of Engineering

July 6th 2006 - The unsuspected beauty of images from engineering is revealed today by the winners of the University of Cambridge Epson Photography Competition at the Department of Engineering. The Department of Engineering’s annual photography contest was started two years ago and is now well established with the winners having their pictures reproduced in the technical and popular press around the world. The competition is open to all staff and students in the Department. The winning photograph shows what your inkjet printer is doing, if you could only see the movement of the ink drops, moving at 6 metres per second as they hurtle towards the page. Taken by Dr Steve Hoath, a Research Associate at the Inkjet Research Centre at the Department for Engineering, it is entitled ‘Tails from the Nozzle Bank’.

HP UK Press Release

HP offers more value to customers by introducing and refreshing 2-pack inkjet print cartridges and HP Photo Packs

LONDON, 27 June, 2006 – HP today introduced two new 2-packs to its portfolio of inkjet print cartridges, and refreshed four existing 2-packs. These products – two inkjet print cartridges in one pack – will offer customers an increased saving of up to 20 percent(1), as well as the opportunity to employ industry-leading HP Vivera Inks, designed to work seamlessly with HP printers and media to provide crisp, sharp lines and vibrant colours. At the same time, HP is further reaffirming its commitment to offering its customers choice, value and cost transparency by extending and updating the highly popular HP Photo Packs range.

HP Press Release

HP Exercises Intellectual Property Rights in Ink - Company discovers patent infringements by retailers Walgreens and OfficeMax

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 21, 2006 - HP today announced that the company is working with national retailers Walgreen Co. and OfficeMax to resolve ink patent infringements found in multiple U.S. stores of both companies. Inks found in both Walgreens and OfficeMax refilling service stations infringe HP patents. Both companies are cooperating with HP and are working toward resolution. “HP protects its intellectual property wherever infringements are found,” said Pradeep Jotwani, senior vice president, Supplies, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “Decades of research and development investment by HP have resulted in more than 4,000 patents related to printing supplies, allowing us to deliver the superior quality and reliable printing experience associated with original HP supplies.”