Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (
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Actually, I do see several reasons they will not be here soon.
First off, color inkjet multifunction machines are very inexpensive to
make, are lightweight, and there target market is low volume users.
Color laser printers are big, and expensive to make. To reduce the
size, and add a scanner will require smaller toner cartridges. For low
volume users, it makes no sense. For larger volume users, the market
provides color photocopiers at considerably higher costs.
I see color photocopiers coming down in cost only if the manufacturers
go to a costly refilling system, like color laser printers. To do so,
requires a large enough demand, because the machines are still costly to
make. If they can't sell a LOT of very overpriced color toner
cartridges, simply put, they cannot afford to lower the cost of the copiers.
Since even relatively small toner cartridges provide thousands of copies
at 5% coverage, for small volume users, the manufacturers would end up
selling these machines at near cost, and never sell refill cartridges.
Large volume users will buy them only because they save money on
consumables, which means the price of the machines have to stay up to
pay for the cost of the machines.
I could be wrong. I never expected inkjet color printing to come to
anything more than a short transition to color laser... obviously that
was way off base. Don't bet the farm on my predictions, but for now, at
least, I think you may not be seeing these all in one color laser based
machines at reasonable costs for years to come.
Art
Bill Martin -- Remove "NOSPAM" from address wrote:
> Arthur Entlich wrote:
>
>> Well, I think they are called color photocopiers, and they are big and
>> costly to make, not to mention they don't want to cut into that
>> market, which is probably were most of the money is.
>>
>> In general, color photocopiers have less costly toner cartridges, but
>> the initial cost of the units are considerably higher.
>>
>> Art
>
>
> ----------------
>
> A few years back I could have said the same about mono photocopiers. Big
> expensive production machines you'd never have on your desk. Now you
> do, and given the cheap print engine it's fairly trivial to add a
> scanner and fax interface at very moderate extra expense. Which they've
> been doing for some time now.
>
> Do you see any reason at all that color laser printers won't follow
> exactly the same trajectory? They've already cost/size reduced the
> print engine to sit on your desk. Integrating a scanner/fax is
> technologically trivial at this point if they see a market for it.
>
> I've got to believe it's on their product road maps. They just need to
> get the simple color laser printer out the door first.
>
> Frankly I'd be surprised if color laser multifunctions don't come out
> soon and drive the monos off the market.
>
> Bill
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