HP:NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR INKJETS AND LASER PRINTERS

[Anonymous]

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.

[Author]

May 28, 2008 at 3:43 PM