The popularity of All-in-One printers is rapidly growing amongst home printer users. As more households are buying printers, or replacing old printers, printer users are more often than not turning to All-in-One, or multifunction printers. Why?

Put simply, because of their versatility and space saving features. All-in-One printers allow you to print, copy, scan, and fax all from the same machine. Way back when (a few years ago), if you wanted to do all of these things you needed 4 different machines - now you only need one!

According to Consumer Reports, All-in-One printers are actually getting more affordable, more versatile, and being given more features with each new release. Examples include network capabilities, memory card readers, and LCD screens. Many of the features being added actually allow the All-in-One to be used as a photo printer.

A group of 28 All-in-One printers was tested by Consumer Reports. They found that all 28 cost less than All-in-Ones manufactured two years ago. Six of the 28 cost $100 or less. The Canon PIXMA C5180 (cost $140) was deemed a Consumer Reports Best Buy.

When tested against traditional inkjet printers, Consumer Reports found that the All-in-One inkjets printed with the same quality, cost about the same, and printed with the same speed.

Based on their research, Consumer Reports suggests the following All-in-One printers:

Best Print Speed: Canon Pixma MP610 ($170)
Best for Printing Photos: HP PhotoSmart C7280 ($250)
Best for Home Network: HP PhotoSmart C8180 ($350), HP PhotoSmart D7460 ($140)

Consumer Reports recommended the following questions if you are considering purchasing an All-in-One printer:

1. Will it be used only for printing photos? If so, consider a photo printer. Most print directly from memory cards or the camera.

2. Can you get by just printing in black and white? If so, get a laser printer. For text, they have the lowest cost per copy (which reflects long-term printing costs) and the fastest speed. But unlike inkjets, they don’t print in color.

3. What other features are important? Some printers include an extra paper tray for 4-by-6 prints. Others print directly from Bluetooth devices, such as cellphones. If faxing is important, Consumer Reports recommends getting an all-in-one with that capability.

4. What will printer ink and paper cost? Over a printer’s life, ink costs can exceed the printer’s purchase price.

If you have an All-in-One printer, take a minute and let Pacific Ink know what you think about it.

Reviewers and customers all give high reviews for one of HP’s newest photo printers. All say it makes photo printing easier than ever (even easier than the Epson PictureMate). The HP Photosmart A826 is a photo inkjet printer that features a 7 inch LCD touchscreen. Various menus can be displayed on the screen, and with a few simple touches you can have your pictures printed in a few seconds.

To print your photos all you have to do is insert your digital camera’s memory card, select your photos (with a few touches of the screen), and print! You don’t even need a PC.
The A826 comes with a loaded software package so you can customize your photos with borders, graphics, and text. Pictures can be printed in 4×6, 5×7, wallet, and panorama sizes.

The biggest complaint we have heard . . . the cost! This unit costs $250.00. Most would say a bit much for something that only print photos. But, if your focus is on photo printing and you are somewhat of the “scrap booking” type, it just might be worth it. The photo quality and the additional features would easily fulfill your needs.

What about the ink? This printer uses the HP 110 tri-color inkjet cartridge. The 110 is part of the Vivera line of

inkjet cartridges, so it contains a higher grade of ink those outside the Vivera line. HP A826 owners also have the option of purchasing the HP 110 Photo Pack. This pack contains an inkjet cartridge and 120 sheets of 4×6, 10.5mil photo paper.

The editors at CNET gave this unit an excellent 8.1 our of 10 rating. Users rate it a 7.1 out of 10. Take a minute to read over their review. And, if you own this printer, let us know what you think of it.

Now we know what at least one company is doing with the printer ink cartridges they collect. There has been speculation over the years that some OEM’s collect empty cartridges simply to ship them to third world countries and dispose of them in landfills. This has never been confirmed, but the rumor has continued to grow over the years.

But, we finally have confirmation of what one OEM is doing with them, and they are doing something good.

HP, through its Planet Partners program, has revealed that it uses post-consumer recycled plastic in the production of new original HP ink cartridges. The cartridges that are returned through the company’s Planet Partners program are reduced to raw materials (plastic and metals). The plastic is then combined with recycled bottle resin and other compounds to make new inkjet cartridges.

HP reports that the amount of recycled material in a new ink cartridge may vary between 70-100% of the total plastic used. If 100% of the plastic is recycled does this mean that HP is selling remanufactured ink cartridges?

They have further reported that more than 200 million cartridges have been manufactured using recycled plastic, and in 2007 alone they used more than five million pounds of recycled plastic. Their goal is to use twice as much in 2008.

Pacific Ink offers the same empty cartridge collection services. When you recycle with us, our goal is to take your empty and use it as a remanufactured cartridge. A remanfuactured ink cartridge will save you substantial money over using the “name brand” OEM cartridge.

Oh man, we’ve got some trouble. Actually, most everyone (in the printer ink world) could see it coming. It was only a matter of time before someone decided that Staples 2007 decision to stop selling remanfuactured cartridges was a violation of an antitrust law and bring a lawsuit.

An individual named Ranjit Bedi filed the lawsuit yesterday against both Staples and Hewlett Packard. He claimed that both companies had broken antitrust laws when they jointly formed the deal that would elminate remanufactured inkjet cartridges from Staples offerings.

The lawsuit claims that the two companies reached “an illegal agreement between competitors to stop competing” when HP paid Staples (what HP calls) market development funds to stop selling non-HP-brand inkjet printer cartridges. These cartridges are better known as compatible cartridges or remanufactured cartridges.

Additionally the lawsuit claims that HP paid Staples $100 million (WOW!) to stop selling these cartridges. How this figure of $100 million was derived is unknown. We have heard rumors of a figure that was much higher. But those are just rumors, so we’ll leave it at that. Here is where it gets dicey for Staples and HP, and extremely profitable for the lawyers involved. The suit is seeking class action status based on that fact that the agreement violates the Sherman Act and Clayton Act. These acts phohibit noncompetitive behavior.

Our take . . . Staples made a decision that limited a customer’s decision to choose. Not so good when the customer has so many other options when it comes to purchasing their printer cartridges.

Neither Staples or HP have commented yet. But you can. Let Pacific Ink know what you think of Staples decision to stop selling non-HP-brand cartridges.

With the gift giving season getting close to full swing, let’s take a look at CNET’s Top 5 most popular inkjet printers.

#5 - Canon Pixma MX700
Priced between $144 and $225, the Canon Pixma MX700 offers fast print and copy speeds; great print and scan quality; ADF; two paper sources; a preview LCD screen; memory card slots and a PictBridge port. The bottom line, according to CNET: “The Canon Pixma MX700 is a great choice for small offices with a wide variety of print tasks. This inkjet multifunction beats out the competition with a winning combination of features and performance.” (Find out more)

This printer uses the CLI-8 series of black and color cartridges.

#4 - HP Officejet Pro L7680 All-in-One
Priced between $313 and $405, this HP OfficeJet printer offers digital filing; a built-in ADF, a duplexer, and media card slots; excellent print quality; fast-enough print speeds for small workgroups; low print costs. The bottom line: “With its wealth of office-oriented features, fast prints, and great print quality, the HP Officejet Pro L7680 is a very compelling all-in-one for small businesses or work groups. We wholeheartedly recommend it.” (Find out more)

This printer uses the HP 88 black and color cartridges.

#3 - Canon Pixma MP830
Priced between $170 and $340, the second Canon printer on the list is inexpensive for multifunction printer standards and includes a fax machine, an ADF, a duplexer, and a media card reader. CNET’s bottom line: “The Canon Pixma MP830 is a good option for a single home or office user who doesn’t need high-quality graphics prints. If you need better graphics handling or networking, check out the HP OfficeJet 7410.” (Find out more)

This printer uses the CLI-8 series of black and color cartridges.

#2 - Canon Pixma MP530
Priced between $149 and $218, The MP530 offers excellent print quality and affordable ink cartridges. But, be warned it is not network ready and does not have any media card slots. CNET’s final verdict on this printer: ” The Canon Pixma MP530 is a nearly ideal all-in-one for a small office. It just lacks networking and media card slots.” (Find out more)

This printer uses the CLI-8 series of black and color cartridges.

#1 - HP Photosmart A826
The Photosmart A826 is the “fun printer” of the season. It has a very unique design and is a little more expensive that one might think for a photo printer. It is priced between $186 and $2559. It quickly produces high-quality photos; offers lots of fun (there’s that word again) features such as clip art and captions; per-print costs are in line with other snapshot printers’ costs; touch screen is easy to use and great for displaying slide shows; menus are logically organized. What is CNET’s bottom line on this printer? ” The HP Photosmart A826 snapshot printer offers an attractive design, is easy and fun to use, and works better without a PC than any other snapshot printer we’ve reviewed thanks to its huge touch screen, but we wonder who will spend $250 for a dedicated photo printer.”(Find out more)

This printer uses the HP 110 (Q8700AN) 120 sheet photo value pack. It contains one tri-color (cyan, magenta, yellow) ink cartridge and 120 sheets of 4″x6″ photo paper.

Let’s talk about a very popular cartridge here at Pacific Ink today. The HP 57 (C6657AN) tri-color inkjet print cartridge.

The HP 57 a tri-color cartridge, meaning it contains 3 different colors within (cyan, magenta, yellow). It is great for printing photo quality images, whether on glossy photo paper or just plain copier paper. The cartridge will yield approximately 400 color graphic pages, but be warned the actual yield depends on specific use including images printed, printer and print settings. The 400 pages is based on 15% page coverage. The HP 57 ink cartridge contains 17ml of ink and can print photos at up to 2400×1200 dpi.

According to Amazon.com the C6657AN cartridge is the #5 most popular seller in their Electronics/Inkjet Printer category.

When purchasing the HP 57 cartridge, the consumer has a few different choices:

1. The OEM cartridge (cartridge made by HP): When purchasing a HP brand C6657AN cartridge you can typically expect to pay between $34 and $38 dollars. The price varies depending on where you shop.

2. A remanufactured HP 57 cartridge: Many have hear of a remanufactured, or recycled cartridge. This is simply where the empty cartridge was taken fully flushed and cleaned, refilled with OEM grade ink and then print tested (multiple times) to insure a quality of print that is the same as an OEM cartridge. When shopping online you will typically find the cartridge priced between $28-$30. Pacific Ink is offering the cartridge priced at $26.49 when you buy two or more (buy one for your printer and one to keep on the shelf for when you run out - don’t get caught without ink!).

3. A Do-it-Yourself refill kit: A very easy, very popular option. Simply purchase a refill kit, which comes with all the tools you need to refill your cartridge right at home. Each kit comes with all the tools you need (illustrated directions, syringes, ink, etc). You will receive 3, 20ml bottles of ink, which will allow you to refill your cartridge 2-3 times. Refill kits typically cost around $17.

4. A “by mail” cartridge replacement service: Services such as these have become very popular over the last few years. When your HP 57 cartridge runs out ink you simply place it in a mailing box/bag and send it back to the service provider. Once the empty cartridge is received, a remanufactured cartridge is sent back to you. This option is typically less expensive than purchasing a remanufactured cartridge. Prices typically range from $16-$18 per cartridge. Pacific Ink offers Cartridge by Mail.

The HP 57 cartridge is most often purchased with the HP 56 (C6656AN) cartridge. Let us know what you think of this cartridge.

Buy 2 or more Remanufactured HP 57 cartridges for $26.49 each!

The HP DeskJet 460c is a mobile inkjet printer. Over the past few years, the popularity of mobile printers has grown. Originally Canon produced the only mobile inkjet printers (and they only had 1 or 2 models), but as demand by business travelers increased printer manufacturers need to come up with a solution for them. The number of mobile inkjet printers you will find on the market is still quite small, but they can be found, and at pretty good prices. Prices for the DeskJet 460c range from $174.00 to $250.00. Amazon.com currently offers the printer for $199.99 with free shipping.

It seems that HP has hit a home run with this inkjet printer. It’s size and quality are a major reason users are raving. The 460c is a true mobile printer. It only weighs 8 pounds and has dimensions of 6.4 x 13.4 x 3.2 inches. It also features optional Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. Of course you also get high quality printing for your documents and photos.

Here is what HP says about it’s mobility:

PRODUCT FEATURES:Connects to Bluetooth-enabled devices using an HP Bluetooth wireless CompactFlash printer card;Prints remotely from hotspots using an 802.11 WLAN CompactFlash printer card and 3-point wireless-network profile-saving switch on printer;Multiple options let you print from notebook PCs, PDAs and camera phones.rd slot;Multiple options let you print from notebook PCs, PDAs and camera phones;Compatible with multiple operating systems: Windows, Macintosh, Palm OS.

With print speeds up to 17 ppm black and 16 ppm color, and 4800 x 1200 max dpi this printer will be more than enough for those times when you cannot get to your home or office printer. The 460c has a 50 sheet max paper tray and manual 2 sided printing (the fancy way of saying you have to go over to the printer and turn the page over if you want print on both sides).

It is PictBridge enabled for quick photo prints directly from your digital camera. It is also USB enabled and offers memory card slots.

As far as the ink cartridges you will need to use this printer, you have quite a selection. This printer can use up to 6 different cartridges depending on your printing needs. It may be harder to carry all the different cartridges than it is to carry the printer! The DeskJet 460c uses the following HP print cartridges: HP 94 / C8765WN Black Print Cartridge, HP 95 / C8766WN Color Print Cartridge, HP 97 / C9363WN HC Color Print Cartridge, HP 98 / C9364WN Black Print Cartridge, HP 99 / C9369WN Photo Print Cartridge, HP 100 / C9368WN Photo Grey Print Cartridge. The HP 97 and HP 98 cartridges are higher capacity versions of the HP 94 and 95. When printing photos you have the option of replacing the HP 95 or 97 with the HP 99. The inks in the 99 are formulated for photo printing and will give your photos a better look. You can also replace the black ink cartridge with the HP 100 photo grey.

The HP cartridges range in price from $22.00 to $38.00. There are alternatives though. Remanufactured versions of the HP 94, HP 95, HP 97, HP 98, and HP 99 ink cartridges are available, and range in price from $17.00 to $29.00.

Users of this printer are saying the following:

A great quality printer, but they could have made it smaller for more portability.

Be aware there are three different versions of this printer. The DeskJet 460c, DeskJet 460WF, and the DeskJet 460WBT. The only difference I can see is the different type of card that comes with each for the wireless card slot.

I recommend this printer for travelers and those who have limited space on their desk.

Small, fast, and offers great print quality.

Great portable printer. Fast and easy to set up.

If you install the printer for USB use you then need to reinstall it if you want to use it wirelessy.

If you have this printer Pacific Ink would love to hear what you think of it.

Advances in printer technology have allowed amazing reproductions of the priceless works of da Vinci to be viewed in the streets.

New technology from Hewlett Packard and Epson had allowed life size reproductions of paintings by da Vinci and Constable to be unveiled to the public in Central London. Hewlett Packard’s DesignJet 10000 was used to create the reproductions for the National Gallery’s Grand tour.

Images were printed on a vinyl called Epiflex using HP formulated ink and then a waterproof laminate. HP says this combination will stop color fading for 3 years. Lab tests say the color will hold for 10 years. It can cost up to $400 to reproduce one of these amazing works.

Of course, the original works never see the light of day, but the reproductions have created quite a panic in a few cases. They are so good that, in many cases, members of the public have expressed concern to the tour directors about the fact that they are leaving these priceless works outside.

The HP DeskJet 6980 inkjet printer offers up to 4800 dpi and print speeds of 36 pages per minute black, and 27 pages per minute color. It also offers direct photo printing without a PC (with PictBridge enable cameras) and Wi-Fi wireless capability (in addition to wired Ethernet printing and print sharing).

It utilizes HP Vivera Ink to print laser quality black text and deep range of color for your color photos. The DeskJet 6980 uses cartridges from the newer HP 90 series (HP 96, HP 97, HP 98, HP 99, HP 100). The HP brand cartridges range in price from $21.99 to $36.99. For those that want to save a few dollars, Pacific Ink also offers remanufactured (recycled) versions of the 96, 97, 98, and 99 cartridges. these cartridges that range in price from $16.99 to $28.99. We also offer the Cartridge by Mail™ cartridge recycling service.

The 6980 is an affordable printer, priced from $90-$145, that is great for your home or your office. For the photo buffs, it can create borderless prints up to 8.5 x 24 inches.

Here is what HP says about the printer:

Fast, affordable, efficient. With laser-quality black and white, direct photo printing, and networkability, the HP Deskjet 6980 Color Inkjet Printer has all office bases covered. Built-in wireless options and fast, high resolution printing make the DJ6980 a versatile option for all your varied printing tasks. Automatically detect the paper type and adjust the print quality for optimal results Do things fast with the handy print cancel, network configuration and quiet mode controls Work at peak efficiency with the two-sided printing accessory and extra 250-sheet paper tray (sold separately) Easy print sharing - Make you printer available on a small home or office wireless or wired Ethernet network that mixes PCs and notebooks Set up fast - there’s no need for additional hardware or software with the built-in Ethernet Print from your camera phone or PDA with a Bluetooth wireless print adapter (sold separately) Water and smudge-resistant prints with HP Vivera Inks and HP advanced paper Maximize your ink efficiency - get fast results and superior fade resistance while using less ink with HP’s Vivera inks Supported Operating Systems - Windows 98 SE, 2000 Professional, Me, XP Home, XP Professional; Mac OS X v 10.2.3, 10.3, 10.4 Package Contents - HP Deskjet 6980 Printer / HP 96 Black Inkjet Print Cartridge (21 ml) / HP 97 Tri-color Inkjet Print Cartridge (14 ml) / HP Photosmart Premier software / Printer drivers / User’s guide on CD-ROM / Setup poster / Reference guide / Ethernet cable / Power supply / Power cord Unit Dimensions - (W x D x H) 17.7 x 14.5 x 5.7 inches / Weight 14.04 lb Manufacturer’s One-year limited warranty.

And, what are the users of this printer telling us:

If you own this printer, let us know what you think.

Buy the HP DeskJet 6980

Buy Cartridges for the HP DeskJet 6980

It’s Tuesday! Time to let you know about a new cartridge release at Pacific Ink. This week we are proud to announce the release of the HP 74 black and HP 75 tri color cartridges.

These Hewlett Packard manufactured ink cartridges come in both standard and XL capacities. The standard black HP 74 (CB335WN) yields 200 pages, while the HP 74XL (CB336WN) cartridge yields 750 pages. What’s the price difference for the 500 additional pages? The standard cartridge costs $16.99 while the XL cartridge costs $31.99. The difference in price per page is 8 cents (standard) as opposed to 4 cents when using the XL cartridge.

The color HP 75 (CB337WN) yields 170 pages, while its high capacity counterpart, the HP 75XL (CB338WN) yields 520 pages. These cartridges are priced slightly higer becasue they are color cartridges. The HP 75 is priced at $19.99 while the HP 75XL is priced at $36.99. Price per page is 12 cents (standard) and 7 cents (XL).

At this time there are no compatible or remanufactured versions of this cartridge, so consumers are stuck paying the higher HP brand prices.

These cartridges are made with Vivera ink, so they promise radiant colors, enhanced shadow detail, and reduced image grain for stunning color prints and exceptional black-and-white images.

These cartridges work in the following HP OfficeJet J5700 series printers:

These cartridges are one of the first to utilize HP’s new cheaper pricing structure (see previous post) for their print cartridges. Under this plan they will release different capacity cartridges. It is then up to the consumer to decide which capacity they wish to purchase based on their printing habits. It seems the bigger question is, “How much to I want to spend today?” or, “Am I thinking beyond the price tag in front of me to see that if I buy the lower priced cartridge I will be spending twice as much per page?”

If you have to buy 2 or 3 cartridges at $16.99 to make up for the one you could have bought at $31.99, then you are far worse off. You would be spending $33.98-$50.97 versus the initial $31.99. Our warning, do your math at the time you purchase.

We are also hoping this new plan, which was launched to combat Kodak, does not end up causing consumer confusion. HP used to use a variation of the same type of plan a few years ago, and still does use it a little. Ink cartridge numbers ended in a letter that signified how much ink was inside the cartridge. Customers were never really sure if they needed to buy the cartridge that ended in A or G for their printer. In an area that already has so many confusing numbers, this may just make it worse (they are adding different colored boxes as well).

If you have used these cartridges, let us know what you think.