HP's NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR INKJETS AND LASER PRINTERS

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http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/printers/0,39051182,62041805,00.htm
HP introduces breakthrough technology for inkjet and laser printers
At the HP PrintWatch Live! event in Singapore today, the Palo Alto company introduced its new ink and toner solutions which promise better output. Whether you are a home user who prints more documents or a professional graphics artist who demands quality, HP is offering a choice for everyone. Also seen at the event was its new ColorLok paper, just launched in Asia Pacific. This new media offers brighter color and reduced drying time.

Ink Cartridge
A comparison of an image printed without and with Dual Drop Volume; the one of the left is from a normal cartridge while the right shows a smoother picture using the new technology.For inkjets, the ink cartridge works hardest when making a print. Most of the time, it is one of the single most important component in a printer. When printing a photo, the ink nozzles squeeze out microscopic drops of ink and sets these on the paper. So the quality of a photo from an inkbox is dependent on how fine the droplets are spread out.

HP is introducing Dual Drop Volume in some of its new cartridges. This technology puts four times more nozzles on the printhead. And as there are now more ink droplets on the paper, the image will have better color transition, resulting in a more professional-looking photo. Charles Dupuy, senior scientist of HP’s R&D Inkjet Design department, said the smoothness (in terms of color) of a photo printed on a three-ink printer with Dual Drop Volume is “comparable, or similar-looking to a photo from a six-ink printer”. But he was quick to address that the color gamut produced from a six-ink printer will be higher than that of a three-ink.

Toner
Stephanie Wicks, cartridge R&D engineer of the LaserJet Supplies R&D Engineering department, showcased to us the latest evolution of the ColorSphere toner solution. First introduced in 2005, it is into its second generation.

The spherical shape of ColorSphere toner particles gives them a fluid-like trait.
The common stereotype of a toner is “just something that prints”, Wicks commented. But her demonstration gave us an insight to the printing process in a laser printer. The ColorSphere toner particles are spherical and identical in size, thus they flow and pack together more efficiently. This gives an illusion of it being “more fluid than water”, as she unveiled a transparent tube with ColorSphere in it.On print, there is a 30 percent improvement in gloss level, which produces deeper and richer-looking colors. The color gamut has also been bumped up by 10 percent from the first generation of ColorSphere, and this gives a more realistic-looking color tone.Entry-level color laser printers like the CP1518ni are utilizing the second generation of ColorSphere. From what we saw, the photo printouts did display a wider color gamut and hues were more vibrant compared with the previous ColorSphere and other third-party toners.

PaperHP states that ColorLok will produce 30 percent brighter colors and dries nine times faster.Two years ago, the ColorLok paper was introduced in the US and Europe. Now, HP has decided to launch the media in Asia Pacific as it thinks the time is right as consumers are getting more tech-savvy and receptive to using better media.The typical ink droplet usually seeps into the paper, which takes longer to dry. As a result, the hues may not be as vibrant. But on media that has been treated with ColorLok, the ink sits on the surface of the paper. According to Dennis McComb, director of Business Development, the output will have 30 percent brighter colors and the ink will dry nine times faster to prevent smudging. The black level will also be bolder by 60 percent and achieve the same quality from a laser printer.McComb also commented that ColorLok paper will work with printers from other manufacturers as well, such as Epson and Kodak, as it is not ink dependant. This is great for consumers who are using other printers and can enjoy the benefits of ColorLok for their printouts.HP Everyday Paper with ColorLok is retailing for S$5 per ream, which is only slightly more expensive than the usual paper, but still highly affordable. It is currently available at selected retail stores in Asia.

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May 28, 2008 at 3:43 PM