A member of a crime syndicate that tried to smuggle cocaine inside printers has been sentenced to nine years behind bars, reports the Australian Federal Police. Australian Border Force (ABF) officers intercepted five printers in Melbourne in 2017 containing ten packages of cocaine that weighed a total of 22.4kg (roughly 50 pounds), concealed in the devices’ paper trays.

After discovering the haul of compressed white powder, the ABF set up a sting operation to catch the crime syndicate. They removed the drugs from the printers, replacing them with a material (of similar size/weight, we assume) and then tracked the consignment to a factory.

At the factory, law enforcement arrested four men who accessed the consignment, charging the quartet with “attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug,” the two agencies said.

The sentencing just last Friday for a smuggling operation that was uncovered back in 2017 seems rather slow. But the unnamed man — now 47, and sentenced to nine years with a non-parole period of four and a half years — is just the latest of four involved in this case to be processed through the Australian courts.

The AFP report notes that the first of the quartet put into the dock was a man aged 45. On August 24, 2022, he was sent down for 10 years, with a non-parole period of six years and six months imposed. Then, on October 21, 2025, a 42-year-old man was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment with a non-parole period of five years and six months. Meanwhile, the fourth man charged managed to win a not-guilty judgment in court. All four men charged were from the southeastern state of Victoria.

“The ABF has its eyes firmly set on criminals importing illicit substances into the country,” ABF Commander Clinton Sims was quoted as saying. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, we will target criminal entities seeking to prey on our communities and ensure they have their day in court.”

Microsoft confirmed today that Windows 11 is not ending support for legacy V3 and V4 printer drivers despite previous reports, walking back a Windows Roadmap entry from earlier this month that implied those drivers were being cut from the OS entirely.

In a statement to Windows Central, a Microsoft spokesperson said, "Windows has not ended support for legacy printer drivers. If your printer works with Windows today, it will continue to work, and no action is required." The company acknowledged that a Roadmap update stating Windows would "no longer support V3 and V4 printer drivers" was inaccurate and has since been removed from the page.

The confusion stems from what Microsoft did change on January 15, 2026: new V3 and V4 printer driver submissions to Windows Update were blocked by default and now require case-by-case approval for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 and later. That isn’t the same as removing support for those drivers altogether. Existing drivers already available through Windows Update remain accessible, printers already installed and working will continue to function, and vendors can still distribute drivers directly via their own installer packages.

V3 and V4 are older Windows printer driver models that have been around for well over a decade. Microsoft first announced plans to phase out servicing for these legacy driver models back in September 2023, giving hardware partners more than two years to prepare. The push to modernize the Windows print stack is largely in part due to security concerns. Legacy printer drivers, which can run in kernel mode, have historically been a source of serious vulnerabilities, including the class of exploits known as PrintNightmare.

Although Windows has not ended support for legacy drivers, Microsoft’s broader deprecation timeline is still in effect. From July 1 this year, Windows will adjust its internal driver ranking to “prefer” Microsoft’s built-in Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) driver over third-party legacy alternatives when both are available. Then, from July 1, 2027, third-party printer driver updates distributed via Windows Update will be limited to security-related fixes only.

Microsoft also introduced Windows Protected Print Mode with Windows 11 24H2, an optional feature that removes third-party drivers entirely and restricts printing to Microsoft's own class drivers — a hint that Microsoft intends to wean Windows 11 off legacy driver models in the long term. For now, though, your old printer lives to print another day.

Microsoft is preparing a major change to how printers are supported in Windows 11, pulling the plug on drivers that primarily support older hardware. Beginning with a non-security update that was released on January 15, Microsoft will no longer support legacy V3 and V4 printer drivers, which were announced as deprecated in September 2023, Windows Central reports.

The policy is part of broader plans to modernize the Windows print platform following the release of Windows 10 21H2, which removed the need for print device manufacturers to provide their own installers. Under these plans, users on Windows 11 or Windows Server 2025 and later will no longer be able to install new printer drivers via Windows Update.

Microsoft says existing drivers on Windows Update can still be updated, but only on a case-by-case basis. As of January 15, new print driver submissions are being blocked by default and routed through a manual review workflow that requires explicit justification for why a legacy driver should still be serviced.

Now that support has officially ended, users of printers that rely on V3 or V4 drivers may find that their printers fail to install or stop working altogether. Microsoft, however, notes that most users will be unaffected because most newer printers use driver architectures. For those who do run into problems, Microsoft recommends that users contact their printer manufacturer and update to a supported driver or upgrade to a more modern printing solution.

This is ultimately a servicing and security decision. The traditional Windows print driver ecosystem has long since been a thorn in the side of Microsoft, with issues such as the print spooler vulnerability ‘PrintNightmare’ and the burden of supporting thousands of vendor-specific drivers making the entire ecosystem increasingly difficult to maintain. By narrowing what can be distributed via Windows Update, Microsoft is putting responsibility for legacy hardware support back in the hands of manufacturers.

From July 1, 2026, Windows will change its internal driver ranking order rules to “prefer” the built-in Microsoft IPP class driver when multiple options are available. A year later, on July 1, 2027, third-party printer driver updates delivered via Windows Update will be restricted to security-related fixes only.

With these changes, Microsoft also appears to be laying the groundwork for a harder lean on Windows Protected Print Mode, which was introduced with recent Windows 11 24H2 releases. When enabled, it removes third-party printer drivers entirely and restricts printing to Microsoft’s class drivers. While this is an optional feature for now, it hints at where Microsoft intends for the platform to go in the future.

Most printers, laser or inkjet, are powered by cartridges that are single-use by design; you have to buy a new one when the old one runs out. This is exacerbated by the DRM-infested curfews manufacturers often put on these things, so you usually can't just refill them yourself. Thankfully, the city of Los Angeles is looking to put an end to the reign of archaic printing norms.

The City Council has voted to create an ordinance that will ban single-use printer cartridges that can't be refilled or that don't have a take-back program offered by the vendor. This includes basically any ink or toner module that's bound to end up in landfill — unable to be properly recycled and therefore in the way of Los Angeles' zero-waste ambitions.

Printer cartridges are usually built with a combination of plastic, metal, and chemicals that makes them hard to easily dispose. They can be treated as hazardous waste by the city, but even then it would take them hundreds of years to actually disintegrate at a waste site. Since they're designed to be thrown away in the first place, the real solution is to target the root of the issue — hence the ban.

To be clear, the LA City Council isn't trying to solve the printer ink crisis or even address affordability — most people only take into account the upfront shelf cost of a printer. The angle is environmental, tied closely to reducing unnecessary loops in the distribution pipeline. Even if the vendor is supposed to collect the empty cartridge from you, there's no point if it's being discarded on your behalf.

Another aspect is the sheer number of options available, as one can find duplicate or counterfeit cartridges in the market that hurt production. These dupes aren't designed to be refilled either: They're just cheaper, so their existence hurts manufacturing, which the government doesn't like very much. The new law, therefore, targets single-use cartridges that violate copyright laws or infringe on IP as well.

All those stories you've heard about companies blocking third-party ink or toner through firmware... those likely aren't going away. This ordinance is solely about controlling unnecessary waste caused by printer cartridges that you're forced to throw away with no recycling or remanufacturing programs in place. It still needs to be fully approved before it becomes a law and goes into effect, however.

Earlier this week, we highlighted RepairTuber Louis Rossmann’s video and wiki, which collected and presented evidence that Brother printers had turned to the dark side. Today, Ars Technica has published a lengthy statement from Brother, which asserts that it hasn’t been leveraging firmware updates to prevent printers from using third party toner or ink supplies. In brief, Brother thinks that negative social media and forum posts stem from misunderstandings or the (low) quality of non-genuine supplies.

Rossmann’s video is a heartfelt lament about the demise of the last decent printer company. But might he and the collection of Brother grievances that form the related wiki be in error? Brother is resolute in its denials of restricting third-party toner and ink cartridges, and its explanations seem pretty reasonable. Moreover, Rossmann’s sources were not numerous or high-quality. For example, we didn’t see any tech reviewers highlight Brother’s move to the dark side of the printer supplies and service markets.

Let’s look a little closer at Brother’s statement. The printer maker starts with a strong denial, insisting claims that Brother firmware updates may restrict the use of third-party ink cartridges as “false.” To address the accusations of intentionally degrading print quality when non-genuine supplies are used, Brother’s statement that it “cannot verify the quality of printing” when using third-party toners or inks is understandable.

Brother Genuine check confusion

Ars wisely asked what Brother thought was the source of the consumer confusion about third-party supplies, if it wasn't blocking their use. The printer firm’s interesting reply was that its devices may sometimes “perform a Brother [G]enuine check when troubleshooting.” It admits that such troubleshooting processes may request Brother Genuine supplies. Nevertheless, it ends its statement by insisting “the firmware update would not be responsible for the degradation of quality or removal of printer features.”

Reading between the lines, there may indeed have been some user confusion, but Brother’s admitted preference for using genuine toner/ink for troubleshooting sounds somewhat pushy for a device many consider(ed) to be open to equipping third-party supplies. Genuine toners and ink cartridges can be costly, especially if a complete set is required, and users might find it hard to justify such a purchase for a malfunctioning device, not knowing what a troubleshooter might recommend.

Fabled RepairTuber and right to repair crusader Louis Rossmann has shared a new video encapsulating his surprise, and disappointment, that Brother has morphed into an “anti-consumer printer company.” More information about Brother’s embrace of the dark side are shared on Rossmann’s wiki, with the major two issues being new firmware disabling third party toner, and preventing (on color devices) color registration functionality.

Rossmann is clearly perturbed by Brother’s quiet volte-face with regard to aftermarket ink. Above he admits that he used to tell long-suffering HP or Canon printing device owners faces with cartridge DRM issues “Buy a brother laser printer for $100 and all of your woes will be solved.”

Sadly, “Brother is among the rest of them now,” mused the famous RepairTuber. With that, he admitted he would be stumped if asked to recommend a printer today. However, what he has recently seen of Brother makes him determined to keep his current occasionally used output peripheral off the internet and un-updated.

As mentioned in the intro, Rossmann has seen two big issues emerge for Brother printer users with recent firmware updates. Firstly, models that used to work with aftermarket ink, might refuse to work with the same cartridges in place post-update. Brother doesn’t always warn about such updates, so Rossmann says that it is important to keep your printer offline, if possible. Moreover, he reckons it is best to keep your printers offline, and “I highly suggest that you turn off your updates,” in light of these anti-consumer updates.

Another anti-consumer problem Rossmann highlights affects color devices. He cites reports from a Brother MFP user who noticed color calibration didn’t work with aftermarket inks post-update. They used to work, and if the update doesn’t allow the printer to calibrate with this aftermarket ink the cheaper carts become basically unusable.

Making matters worse, and an aspect of this tale which seems particularly dastardly, Rossmann says that older printer firmware is usually removed from websites. This means users can’t roll back when they discover the unwanted new ‘features’ post-update.

While he admittedly can’t do much about these printer industry machinations, Rossmann says it feels important to document these changes which show that property rights for individuals are disappearing.

According to The Register, HP put up a 15-minute waiting time for its customer service to encourage its customers to move to digital channels like the support.hp.com website or its virtual agent at virtualagent.hpcloud.hp.com. However, a subsequent report says that the company has canceled the policy due to customer and staff backlash.

HP recently instituted a mandatory 15-minute wait time for customers calling its hotline for service. The interactive voice response (IVR) says, “We are experiencing longer waiting times and we apologize for the inconvenience. The next available representative will be with you in about 15 minutes,” even if there’s no telephone queue.

The 15-minute hold policy first went live in HP’s UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy contact centers earlier this week but was canceled just one day after The Register published its story. Thus, the company seems to have finally caved into external pressure.

Still, a source previously said to the publication, “Many within HP are pretty unhappy [about] the measures being taken and the fact those making decisions don’t have to deal with the customers who their decisions impact.”

Customer service staff likely gave this feedback as they would have to deal with irate customers who, on top of encountering an issue with their HP device, are made to unnecessarily wait a quarter of an hour to talk to a human being.

The company defended its previous action by saying, “We’re always looking for ways to improve our customer service experience. This support offering was intended to provide more digital options with the goal of reducing time to resolve inquiries.”

HP then added, “We have found that many of our customers were not aware of the digital support options we provide. Based on initial feedback, we know the importance of speaking to live customer service agents in a timely fashion is paramount. As we result, we will continue to prioritize timely access to live phone support to ensure we are delivering an exceptional customer experience.”

HP’s support website and virtual agent are often helpful for basic troubleshooting; however, not everyone is technologically inclined to find and follow these solutions. Furthermore, those who know their way around computers would likely already have visited these support pages and are calling telephone support as a last resort. So, adding a 15-minute wait time is like HP shooting itself in the foot to reduce its customer service personnel.

Xerox agreed to buy Lexmark from its current owners for $1.5 billion in a landmark deal that will consolidate two iconic printer brands. Because of this, Bloomberg says that American and Chinese regulators must approve the purchase.

Although Xerox manufactures some of its printers, it also outsources production to other companies. This purchase would allow Xerox to bring manufacturing in-house using Lexmark’s facilities and gain market share in Asia and Latin America, says Xerox CEO Steven Bandrowczak.

Xerox is funding the acquisition with a combination of cash and debt. To help finance the deal, it will also reduce its annual dividend from $1 to 50 cents per share. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Woo Jin Ho says that the purchase “could aid long-term profitability and shore up cash flow should it deliver on its cost synergies” for Xerox. Bloomberg says that Xerox stands to save $200 million annually with reduced sales and marketing costs or with the consolidation of its real estate operations.

Lexmark was spun off IBM in 1991 and went public in 1995. However, it experienced some hard times in 2016 when companies started going digital, leading to its acquisition by Chinese printer maker Apex Technology Co., now Ninestar Corporation, PAG Asia Capital, and Shanghai Shouda Investment Centre, for $3.6 billion. Nevertheless, despite being owned by Asian organizations, Lexmark’s board remained US-based, and its leadership team is all-American, according to its website.

This isn’t Xerox's first acquisition of another major company, as it unsuccessfully attempted to purchase HP in 2019. Because of the size of the deal, the Xerox-Lexmark deal would have to clear regulatory hurdles, including those in the U.S. and China. Even so, Bandrowczak doesn’t expect any regulatory challenges, and it’s anticipated that the deal will be completed by the second half of 2025.

The demand for printers is falling globally, especially as we’re quickly turning digital every year. This deal would likely help Xerox and Lexmark navigate these changing times and maybe even allow them to pivot their businesses. But even though Xerox is just known today for printers and copiers, it was once a giant in the computing industry, having made several innovations that had significantly impacted computer history, including the graphical user interface (GUI), laser printers, and the computer mouse.

A refilled HP ink cartridge has been demonstrated using a man-in-the-middle attack to bypass HP’s strict printer ink digital rights management (DRM), which prevents consumers from using generic cartridges. YouTube creator Jay Summet shared a video (via Hackaday) showing this particular attack that lets users bypass HP’s user-unfriendly DRM practices.

Ink cartridge hacks have proliferated in the ink cartridge markets, especially as HP and other printer manufacturers sell their ink at exorbitant prices (presumably to recoup their initial investment in their printers) which they reportedly sell at a loss. Because of these high prices, many have resorted to using third-party cartridges, which printer makers have attempted to stop by embedding chips.

Printers now need to detect these embedded chips before recognizing the cartridges; so, third-party-ink makers resorted to refilling old cartridges to circumvent this security feature. The original ink cartridges then received page limiters that required end-users to replace the ink after printing a certain number of pages, even if the cartridge still had some ink left.

This is where the man-in-the-middle attack happens — the ink refiller added a flexible PCB on the cartridge’s original contacts and routed the signal to a chip. This then alters the original signal to tell the printer that it hasn’t reached its page limit, which is then rerouted to another set of contacts that overlay the original ones. Because of this, the printer thinks that it’s talking to an original, unaltered cartridge.

The chip hack is the latest attempt that third-party ink makers have made to assuage the negative experience consumers have with printers — particularly, HP-branded ones. The company is defending its move to limit third-party ink like these, claiming security issues, and has even made ads saying its printers are ‘made to be less hated’. However, the company’s anti-consumer moves, particularly in the printer space, are what’s driving them to buy generic cartridges. In fact, there are numerous lawsuits against printer DRM and the like. But as it takes time for cases like this to go through the legal system, users have to resort to creative solutions to keep their printers usable without having to pay through the nose for ink.

On September 24, during HP Imagine 2024, HP revealed in a blog post that it would be introducing HP Print AI and AI-enhanced features like Perfect Output that will enhance the printing features of its machines. The cloud-based HP Scan AI Enhanced feature intended for commercial users also has "expanded availability," a new Build Workspace feature is aimed at design and construction professionals to make tasks like field reports and other collaborative work easier, if not automated.

The highlight of the announcement is definitely "Perfect Output." As HP says, more than half of print jobs come from web browsers, but these prints are often undesirable due to the inclusion of advertisements, oddly scaled images, or excessive white space. Perfect Output "bridges the gaps between what people see on the screen and what they intend to print," reformatting pages in real-time for each print job to focus on just the needed information.

The kinds of improvements one can expect from Perfect Output aren't just limited to trimming content from pages. You can also combine spreadsheets spread across multiple pages into a single, clean page and graphic.

When you can expect to start using these features, HP Print AI is already available as an exclusive beta of Perfect Output to "select print customers," the launch will continue throughout 2025. HP Build Workspace and HP Scan AI Enhanced are also available. Build Workspace has additional AI capabilities in beta in the US and Europe and is expected to roll out worldwide in Spring 2025. Meanwhile, HP Scan AI is only available in North America, "most of Europe and Latin America, and parts of Asia."

Overall, this does seem like a helpful way to leverage AI technology for printers. However, many features seem more about utilizing AI power in the cloud than AI power on-device. This makes sense, though, especially since we're talking about printers that don't have much processing power— unless we're headed to a future where even standard printers have CPUs and NPUs, which seems quite expensive and unlikely.

Per a report from DruckerChannel, HP has finally been forced to discontinue its cheaper e-series LaserJet printers due to customers experiencing problems with their online-only and always tied to HP+ subscription requirements. Among other things, HP+ requires a permanent Internet connection, and customers only use HP-original ink and toners, not allowing for third-party alternatives to be used at all. There are benefits to HP+, including cloud printing and an extra year's warranty, but the forced online requirement for a cheaper printer left a bad taste in the mouths of many consumers.

In any case, it's important to clarify that this discontinuation of HP printers will only impact HP LaserJet printers that have an "e" added to the end of their model name to denote the alternative business model. So, the HP Laserjet M110w is unaffected by this, but the HP LaserJet M110we and M209dwe, two cheaper always-online alternatives, will no longer be produced or sold by HP.

Another critical point of clarification is that the existing HP e-series LaserJet printer models in the wild will still function exactly as they did when they were purchased. No software updates are forthcoming to unlock the true potential of the hardware, so existing customers will have to deal with it and HP+ until they can replace their printers entirely. At least they'll still get HP+ benefits, but after such backlash, it'd be nice if HP acknowledged its mistake enough to remove some of the restrictions on e-series printer users.

Speaking to DruckerChannel, an HP representative had the following to say (translated from German) on the discontinuation of these printers. 

"Since the introduction of HP+, our smart, connected printing system has been embraced by customers who appreciate the convenience, extended warranty, and solutions," said the HP representative, "We know that some customers in IT-managed office environments are unable to meet the cloud connection requirements for HP+. To provide our customers with an exceptional printing experience in all office environments, we will no longer offer LaserJet series products with HP+. We plan to extend proven solutions such as Print from Anywhere and Smart Security to select new HP LaserJet devices. HP+ customers who are satisfied [...] do not need to make any adjustments."

The HP representative also disclosed that "HP will stop marketing the Instant Ink toner subscription service later this year. The service will no longer be available to new customers. This will not affect existing Instant Ink toner subscribers, only those new to the service."

The reasons for Instant Ink's discontinuation are less clear, as it was an optional subscription. DruckerChannel speculates it may have been getting confused or conflated with HP+ and that some customers may even think it required HP+, so HP opted to discontinue the service to simplify things for end users. That step, at least, feels like a slight overcorrection.

In January, HP said it would bring subscription plans for its printers and tried to justify blocking third-party inks. Now HP has implemented the subscription, calling it an 'All-in' plan where users can print a limited amount of pages per month for a monthly fee, provided they sign up with a two-year commitment and other charges. This plan will include the printer and the cartridge ink, with a promise of next-business-day printer replacement and the option to upgrade the printer after two years. 

At the time of writing, HP allows you to choose three printers- HP Envy, which would cost $6.99 per month onwards; HP Envy Inspire for $8.99 per month; and HP OfficeJet Pro, which costs $12.99 per month, for its US customers. The minimum number of pages you can print is up to 20 pages per month and goes up to 100 pages per month for $10.99 per month on Envy. The most expensive plan is the OfficeJet Pro, which restricts you to up to 700 pages per month for $35.99. You will be charged $1 per 15 pages if you print more than your limit, and this does not include taxes.

Since HP didn't mention anything about the paper, even on its FAQ, it's likely not included in its 'All-in' plan.

The company has been championing this concept for a long time. It claims that its All-in plan will deliver the ultimate convenience and includes dedicated 24/7 Pro live support. It does include a 30-day trial period with no upfront costs or commitments as long as the printer and the ink cartridges are shipped back with a prepaid shipping label within ten days to avoid cancellation fees, which obviously would mean you will need to give you credit/ debit card details for the trial. It sounds like a leasing plan that restricts your monthly prints based on the subscription plan and locks you in for two years.

HP's 'Made to be Less Hated' Campaign Makes it More Hated

Ironically, HP's 'Made to be less hated' advertisement implies it admits its printers are infuriating to use. The company is more notorious for high ink pricing and its constant blocking of third-party ink, even resorting to claims that third-party inks could contain malware. The company was sued for its practices, and it had to settle the case for $1.3 million in the past.

Whether these subscription plans would make it be hated less remains to be seen, but luckily, there are options as most would not like to be locked down with a two-year-long commitment. Luckily, HP has no monopoly on the printer and ink business.

Users of recent Canon i-Sensys printers should be wary due to seven critical vulnerabilities, which can be accessed by unauthenticated attackers (h/t DruckerChannel.de). All firmware for the affected printers, up to and including version 3.07, is considered vulnerable. However, Canon has already started to roll out updates, so if you have one of the affected models, update the firmware ASAP.

The specific printers impacted by this issue include the Canon i-Sensys MF750 and LBP670 Color Laser Series, as well as a few i-Sensys X Series printers (X C1333i, C1333iF, X C1333P). These are common and relatively new models, Canon printer users should be sure to double-check their specific model information so they aren't sweating about these vulnerabilities for no reason.

The seven critical security vulnerabilities include such issues as allowing the remote execution of arbitrary code, forcing device crashes, and instigating Denial of Service attacks. Most of these vulnerabilities are also marked as 'critical' according to the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), rated as Level 9.8/10 on the severity scale.

Quite a few entities played a part in uncovering these vulnerabilities for Canon. The Japanese firm credits Nguyen Quoc, Team Viettel, ANHTUD, Connor Ford, and an anonymous researcher for identifying these vulnerabilities while working with Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative. It's nice that Canon is paying attention to the community on this issue, crediting the appropriate parties, and working on releasing fixes as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, the only real recourse users of these specific Canon printers have is to keep their printers offline, off publicly accessible networks, until the appropriate updates are applied. Unfortunately, we are again facing a scenario where the "smart" version of a device simply introduces more trouble compared to regular old offline hardware.

Thankfully, we have seen that official fixes are arriving from Canon already. For example, users of the affected MF754Cdw and MF752Cdw can grab a new firmware updater here, which specifically states the CVEs in the table above will all be patched.

Even with a case filed against the company for blocking third-party inks using its Dynamic Security updates a few days ago, HP is adamant about doing what it can to maintain a monopoly in its refillable ink cartridges for its printers. While this isn't a new practice from HP, it continues to push forward with consumer-unfriendly tactics, from bricking printers to the latest: claiming that third-party ink cartridges can be used to infect users' PCs with viruses.

In an interview with CNBC, HP Inc. CEO Enrique Lores said, "We have seen that you can embed viruses in the cartridges. Through the cartridge, the virus can go to the printer, and then from the printer, go to the network."

HP's evidence of this claim uses research funded by the company in 2022. The study emphasizes that HP's cartridges typically use a chip to communicate with the printer and hence they are secured. The research claims that the cartridges sold by third parties also use reprogrammable chips, and hence could contain malicious software.

Many security experts have claimed otherwise, and this makes sense, since HP already claimed in its study that its chips are secure, implying that there is a mechanism that verifies the chip's authenticity, just like any other hardware that requires authentication with other devices. But of course, making consumers fear the possibility of infection from third-party cartridges, whether justified or not, will also almost certainly dissuade some of HP's customers from buying ink that doesn't come directly from HP.

From a business perspective, these moves shouldn't be surprising. The company would prefer to have a subscription model for its printer inks, as Lores states in the same interview with CNBC. The company's Dynamic Security, which made its debut in 2016, has been part of many class action lawsuits and anti-trust cases in and out of the United States, and in Europe, the company settled for $1.3 million in a case revolving around the feature. Despite that, many strongly believe HP is continuing work to ensure customers cannot use third-party ink by any means necessary.

It should be noted that this reasoning stems from the question put forward by the CNBC reporter, stating that many users are angry that they were not made aware when using a new firmware that some of their printer's functions would be disabled if they use third-party inks. Before this, the company CEO said that it was doing so to protect its IP. The company also said that every time a customer buys its printers, it's an investment for the company.

The Fine Print with Catridge Ink

Issues with printer inks have been a long-standing issue internationally. But HP seems to making several attempts and goes out of its way to ensure its customers cannot use third-party inks on printers they have purchased. Luckily consumers have many options out there, some even providing ink tanks. For those who feel they are being exploited by any manufacturer, one can simply shift to another brand, though it comes with a certain monetary loss. Irrespective of one's ability to switch over, one's bad experience with a company usually spills over to another range of products.

Knowing that there is no true monopoly in the printing and computing business, one would concur that HP is risking its brand's reputation and credibility while relentlessly pursuing such lengths to restrict its existing customer's choices.

Microsoft has finally provided a fix for the HP LaserJet printer driver problems currently frustrating Windows users. It comes in the form of a troubleshooting utility that will stop the HP Smart app from forcefully installing itself on Windows devices, and also restore the original name of printers connected to Windows PCs that might have been changed to HP LaserJet M101-M106 for no reason.

The troubleshooter can be downloaded from the Microsoft website. The tool will reportedly restore any previously downloaded model information and icons, and remove the HP LaserJet M101-M106 model name from printers that aren't, in fact, that model. The troubleshooter will also uninstall the HP Smart application if the following conditions are met:  incorrect metadata was found, no HP printers or HP printer drivers are installed, and the application was installed after November 25th.

It's great that Microsoft has finally provided some sort of countermeasure to these issues breaking printers on Windows devices. But it's unfortunate that it comes weeks later, in the form of a troubleshooter that will need to be manually installed and run. It would be preferable if these issues could have been resolved automatically with another Windows update, but Microsoft's current fix is better than nothing.

Problems surrounding these two HP printer issues seemingly began late last month when users noticed the latest Windows driver update (at the time) began rewriting the model name of whatever printer that was connected to the user's system to the name LaserJet M101-M106 — except for HP printers. On top of this, the existence of an HP printer on the PC also triggered HP's Smart application to automatically install, leading to additional "bloatware" installed on the user's machine. Thankfully for some users, the issue did not prevent affected printers from functioning, but for some it did.

If you are a victim of this latest printer nightmare, Microsoft's new troubleshooter is probably your best shot at getting these printer problems fixed until Microsoft (hopefully) implements a fully automated fix in the future.

HP has launched an advertising campaign across Europe that seeks to appeal to those who regularly need hard copies, claiming that its printers are “made to be less hated.” This tongue-in-cheek campaign features at least three TV commercials, plus posters, social media posts, POS material, and web banners, reports Marketing Communication News (h/t Ars Technica). Ironically, HP may have done more to fuel printer hate over recent years than any other.

Before looking at the new advertising campaign in more detail, it is worth a look at HP’s catalog of consumer-unfriendly behavior. The firm has angered printer customers over recent years in the following ways:

• Firmware updates that make printers balk at using previously accepted third-party consumables
• The firm’s Dynamic Security and HP+ program consumables lock-in
• Botched firmware updates which ‘brick’ devices
• Requiring ink supplies for MFP scanner & fax functions
• Device region locking

Most of those rage-inducing issues will have been caused by HP’s drive for greater profits from printers rather than forgivable incompetence. Some issues, like the ink requirement for scanning or faxing operations, are also the subject of ongoing class action lawsuits. Given the annoying volley of bullet points above, it is no surprise that people hate printers, or printer companies like HP.

Some might argue that HP has done more to create the purported printer hate than any other printer brand. It is difficult to find any printer brand more maligned than HP in past reports on the web. Looking back at other printer rage-inducing reports, we can see that Canon has also previously tried to stop people from using MFPs for non-printing purposes when the ink had run out.  

The new advertising campaign on behalf of HP isn’t any admission of guilt, even though it has long been and remains one of the biggest names in printing. Checking out the three TV commercials, they each address an aspect of computer printing misery that HP reckons it has the answer to with its HP Smart App, instant ink delivery, and self-healing Wi-Fi features. In other words, the ads don’t herald HP’s printing business turning over a new leaf and pledging consumer-first behavior.

One might also view the repeated message that HP printers are “made to be less hated” as a cynical rouse. Marcomm News says this ad campaign acknowledges “the universal disdain for printers.” Lastly, the campaign uses humor to pass on its message, seeking to identify with and disarm those who have had previous bad experiences with printers.

Affected Windows 10, 11, and Server 2002 users have noticed that recent Windows update renamed and changed the icons of all the installed printers, of any brand, to an HP LaserJet M101-M106. And for now at least, there's no workaround or fix for this. 

In addition, the update also installs the HP Smart app, which allows HP printers to scan, print, and share documents. The oldest complaint I could locate about this was on November 28th, and to date users are still reporting this issue to be prevalent, indicating this problem has not yet been removed from Microsoft update. 

This affects non-HP printers detected on the system, whether they are wired, wireless, or connected through a network. Some users have reported that the system forcefully installs the driver, even when no printer is connected through any medium. Users noticed that this affects all the printer brands, except HP, which shows the correct metadata. Some claimed to see their system forcefully install the driver despite not having any printer connected through any medium. 

Due to the metadata change to this HP Laserjet printer, Windows update also installs the HP Smart App without the user's consent. Because of this, the default printer keeps using the incorrect driver, though some users say the printer works fine despite the metadata change. At the time of writing, Microsoft has not responded to this issue or reported to have provided a fix to reverse this driver kerfuffle. It is not known at the time if they identified and removed the specific update responsible for this. HP responded to Gizmodo, saying they're trying to find the root of this problem. 

HP Smart is a genuine app with no malicious intent (unless perhaps you regard the pushing of official HP ink cartridges as malicious). Regardless, it is being forcefully installed without the user's permission when Windows installs the HP driver, while it also renames and changing icons of existing connected printers. Since there is no current workaround or fix for this problem, you may want to hold off on Windows updates from November 27th onwards, until Microsoft nixes the HP-happy update issue and provides a fix for affected users. 

There has seemingly always been a love-hate relationship between Windows operating systems and printers. From issues with third-party drivers to Windows Updates breaking printer functionality altogether, Windows users have seen it all. However, Microsoft has announced plans to simplify the installation process of printers for users and reduce the number of security and compatibility issues that can arise with third-party drivers.

Starting with Windows 10 21H2, Microsoft’s IPP Class Driver has supported Mopria-compliant printers. The IPP Class Drivers allow Microsoft to provide baseline functionality for printers without installing third-party drivers or utilities.

This method of delivering native support via Windows Update works well enough that Microsoft says it will no longer service what it calls “legacy v3 and v4” printer drivers for Windows. Rather than rip the Band-Aid off in one swift motion, Microsoft is implementing a gradual phase-out.

The first significant step in the process comes in 2025 when Microsoft says it will no longer allow new drivers to be published to Windows Update via the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHQL). However, hardware vendors can update existing drivers already posted on Windows Update.

Starting in 2026, Microsoft says that when installing a new printer, Windows will adjust its ranking to always prefer the native UPP Class Driver over manufacturer-submitted drivers on Windows Update. Finally, in 2027, Microsoft will no longer allow third-party driver updates unless specifically designed to address security flaws.

As you might expect, there are quite a few caveats in place for Microsoft’s phase-out of third-party printer drivers. Windows users can still install third-party drivers with a vendor-supplied installation package. Drivers already uploaded to Windows Update before the phase-out stages (and even after the 2027 end of servicing) can still be installed on a Windows system.

Microsoft also says that security concerns relating to the legacy driver platform (non-Mopria) will still be addressed per the support lifecycle of the operating system. The company also says it won’t remove existing functionality from v3 and v4 legacy drivers once the phase-out is complete.

Since the IPP Class Driver natively supports printing, faxing and scanning over USB and network, Microsoft feels this will be a smooth transition for users. In addition, all the major printer manufacturers (Hewlett-Packard, Canon, Brother, Epson, Lexmark, Samsung, etc.) offer Mopria-compliant devices.

Now, if printer manufacturers could just do something about the price of ink…

Microsoft this week released a patch to fix the last vestiges of a remote code execution vulnerability called PrintNightmare (CVE-2021-34527), but while the vulnerability now seems fixed, BleepingComputer reports that the patch seems to have broken network printing altogether. 

The PrintNightmare bug is a vulnerability that allows attackers to execute malicious code on users' systems without having physical access to them. This is, of course, one of the worst possible exploits users can face. Microsoft's been fighting this security issue since July, but prior to this week's patch, a hole for hackers still existed within remote printing server access.

The bug took advantage of the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performing privileged file operations. An attacker who had successfully exploited this vulnerability could run malicious code with SYSTEM-level (admin-level) privileges without getting caught in the act.

While Microsoft's Tuesday Security patch seems to have stomped out the bug entirely, the update process didn't exactly go smoothly. According to the BleepingComputer report, various users of Microsoft's Network Printing functionality have reported that the latest patch is also breaking network printing entirely.

What makes the problem worse is that Windows is reporting different types of errors to each user, making it a bit harder to see what's going on. BleepingComputer said that one source is seeing a 4098 Warning in the application event logs, while another said that their printer port tabs were all blank. One source couldn't even get access to their network printers at all, seeing "access denied" errors instead.

It is important to note that this issue does not appear on printers attached using a USB connector cable. However, network printers from HP, Canon and Konica Minolta have all been reported to be having issues, with other network printers presumably being affected as well. Further, label printers are also affected.

We are sure that Microsoft is aware of the issue and that the company is working hard to iron out these new, less security-focused bugs. PrintNightmare has been a summer long ordeal so far, and unfortunately, it seems like we haven't quite left it behind yet. 

When we reviewed Anycubic's Photon Mono, it was already a great deal, but now with $50 off, you have the opportunity to pick up a fast printing MSLA resin printer for $200!

The printer prints exceptionally fast, around 20mm per hour (0.05mm layer height and two-second exposure per layer), but this speed does not mean we lose detail, far from it. We printed miniature gaming figures in our test prints, including one figure that had a hollow chest cavity. The print was super detailed and captured the intricate marks designed into the figure.

For more Prime Day savings, check out our Prime Day live blog and lists of the best Prime Day gaming PC and laptop deals, best Prime Day SSD deals, best Prime Day Monitor Deals, Best Prime Day Dell Gaming deals and the best Prime Day hardware deals overall. Our sister site, TechRadar, has a broader list of Amazon Prime Day deals that includes product categories we don't typically cover, such as smart home devices, TVs and phones.

The quality and speed of this MSLA resin printer make it the ideal way to learn more about the 3D printing process and how to design your own projects.

HP announced Sunday that its board of directors unanimously rejected Xerox's proposed takeover, which valued the company formerly known as Hewlett-Packard at roughly $33.5 billion, though it left open the possibility of further discussion.

The company also shared the letter that accompanied Xerox's offer. Xerox CEO John Visentin offered HP shareholders $22 per share in a mix of cash ($17) and stock (0.137 Xerox shares). That offer would leave HP shareholders with approximately 48% of the combined company, Visentin said, giving Xerox the remaining 52%. (Depending on any outside investors, negotiations and other aspects of the deal.)

Visentin said that Xerox's analysis showed that a combined company might lead to "cost synergies of at least $2.0 billion within 24 months." Half a billion of that was attributed to "cost savings by leveraging our scale, combined supply chain and distribution footprint," and the remaining $1.5 billion was attributed to "cost savings from combining our world class R&D groups and streamlining corporate functions."

HP was direct in its declination of Xerox's proposal. Here's how its letter started:

Our Board of Directors has reviewed and considered your unsolicited proposal dated November 5, 2019 at a meeting with our financial and legal advisors and has unanimously concluded that it significantly undervalues HP and is not in the best interests of HP shareholders. In reaching this determination, the Board also considered the highly conditional and uncertain nature of the proposal, including the potential impact of outsized debt levels on the combined company’s stock.

But that doesn't mean HP isn't curious. It said that it has "fundamental questions that need to be addressed in our diligence of Xerox," especially where revenue is concerned, because of the "decline of Xerox's revenue from $10.2 billion to $9.2 billion (on a trailing 12-month basis) since June 2018." That decline "raises significant questions [...] regarding the trajectory of your business and future prospects."

Don't be surprised if the companies keep discussing a potential 'combination' in the future. At least they don't have to worry about finding somewhere to handle all the printing, photocopying and other administrative tasks involved with exploring multi-billion dollar deals. (Not including the cost of ink.)

HP is now the first manufacturer in the printer industry to have launched a security bug bounty for its printers on the BugCrowd platform.  

Endpoint Devices Becoming A Larger Target

According to a recent Bugcrowd report, attackers have started to focus more on targeting endpoint devices in the past year. Printer software vulnerabilities have also increased by 21% in the same period, which shows an increased risk for owning vulnerable printers, especially in the enterprise environment.

Historically, companies’ Chief Security Information Officers (CISOs) haven’t been involved in the purchasing of printers, because unpatched or vulnerable printers haven’t been considered a major threat. However, as attackers start looking for any sort of vulnerable device that they could exploit to gain access to the companies' internal networks, the security chiefs are also starting to expect more secure printers.

HP’s Security Bug Bounty

HP seems to have heard these concerns loud and clear, and it’s now launching the industry-first security bug bounty program on the Bugcrowd platform.

Shivaun Albright, HP's Chief Technologist of Print Security, said:

“As we navigate an increasingly complex world of cyber threats, it's paramount that industry leaders leverage every resource possible to deliver trusted, resilient security from the firmware up. HP is committed to engineering the most secure printers in the world.”

The bug bounty program will, at least for now, remain private. Presumably, HP wants to first test how the program will go and see how well it will be able to cooperate with security researchers before it makes the program public. HP may also want to avoid or delay the public disclosure of bugs as much as possible, knowing that at least in the enterprise space, not everyone is willing or able to fix bugs as soon as they're discovered.

Researchers who participate in HP’s bug bounty program will have to report the bugs directly to Bugcrowd, for which they can be rewarded up to $10,000. HP said that it may reward researchers even if they report bugs about which the company was aware.

On Thursday, Brother International Corporation expanded its Business Smart Series of printers with the launch of the MFC-J4420DW. Designed with small offices and home offices (SOHO) in mind, it's a color inkjet all-in-one with faster print speeds, mobile device connectivity, and a 2.7-inch color touchscreen display.

"By committing to low-cost printing, mobile device connectivity, and versatile paper handling, we're making owning an innovative, hard-working Brother Inkjet All-in-One accessible to SOHO customers who are keeping a careful eye on their budget," said Eric Dahl, Brother Director of Marketing for SOHO products.

According to the specs, the new all-in-one printer is the fastest in its class, with up to 20 ppm black and 18 ppm color. The printer is also compatible with Super High-yield replacement ink cartridges, which delivers approximately 1,200 pages black and 1,200 pages color. That means a lower cost per page, which is ideal in higher volume SOHO printing environments.

Thanks to the printer's Wireless N connectivity, users can print and scan from mobile devices including Apple's iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Amazon's Fire OS. This is accomplished by connecting to the printer via AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, the free Brother iPrint&Scan app, Wi-Fi Direct, or Cortado Workplace. The printer can also scan to Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, OneDrive, Onenote and more.

Brother provides a list of features that includes the ability to print on 11" x 17" paper by using the printer's single-sheet bypass tray. The printer also has a 150-sheet paper tray capacity for paper up to 8.5" x 11," and a 20-sheet Automatic Document Feeder for unattended multi-page scanning, copying and faxing.

In addition to those features, the printer provides automatic duplex (two-sided) printing. The printer also includes Landscape Print Technology, which stores and feeds paper in a landscape orientation for a "space-saving, desk-friendly" design.

The MFC-J4420DW is available now for $169.99 USD.

On Thursday, the company also introduced the $179.99 MFC-J4620DW. This model builds upon the MFC-J4420DW by adding NFC “touch to print” capability and a larger 3.7-inch Color TouchScreen Display. The company also introduced the $149.99 MFC-J4320DW, which has the same features as the MFC-J4420DW, but doesn’t provide an automatic document feeder.

Follow Kevin Parrish @exfileme. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Epson introduced a series of new color inkjet printers based on the company's PrecisionCore technology, a print chip announced last year for high-end, industrial duty printers (think high-end label press and garment printing), and now being commercialized in North America for everything from Epson's entry-level home printers to business printers and more. Epson's new printers include several additions to its WorkForce line, starting with the $169.99 WorkForce 3620 and going up to the $399.99 business-oriented WorkForce Pro WF-5690.

Epson is making the PrecisionCore chips in its own MEMS fabs in Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia. Instead of using the thermal ink process that its competitors use, Epson's is driven by an electric charge to a thin piezo crystal actuator. The ink is pushed out with mechanical motion through a much smaller nozzle, a company spokesman explained. This process is not only more accurate, it also uses less ink. The chip is also fast; each one can fire as many as 40 million drops of ink per second, and it can deliver variable drop sizes.

Epson claims that PrecisionCore gives its inkjet printers several advantages over competitive offerings, not just among inkjet printers but also compared with color laser printers. In addition to the company's quality claims (an Epson spokesperson boasted that the gap has now been closed vs. color laser on plain paper), it also promises better speed (at roughly 20 pages per minute, with faster warm-up time and instantly dry ink), and better cost (the company claims 30 percent lower cost for comparable color laser performance).

Epson also claims that its printers consume less power and produce fewer hazardous air particles. 

Epson showcased its lineup of PrecisionCore printers behind closed doors near its North American headquarters outside of Los Angeles, CA. The staged "print-off" featured side by side comparisons to a variety of HP printers, obviously in a very controlled setting. For instance, Epson compared the speed and output of its WorkForce Pro WF-4630 (expected to be sold retail for $299) to HP's OfficeJet 8620 (about $280 on Amazon) and HP's LaserJet Pro 300 ($554). Leaving real comparisons aside for unstaged testing opportunities, the Epson output was, in fact, pretty stunning, both in quality and speed. The instant dry feature was also a welcome development.

Epson's print cartridges will also be bigger, so if the company's claims about quality and efficiency hold true, users will have to replace them with less frequency and, Epson claims, at a lower cost than inkjet cartridges from its competitors. The cartridges have an 18 percent higher yield than previous Epson cartridges, a company spokesperson said.

The cartridges are $29.99 per color (but $34.99 for black) for the Workforce WF-3640 and WF-3620, with an estimated page yield of 1,100 for each color. The WF-4630 and WF-4640 cartridges run $43.99 for each color, with a 2,000 estimated page yield (black is $41.99 and yields 2600 pages). Cartridges for the comparable HP OfficeJet 8620, at least as they appear on HP's site, run about $27.99 for each color, with page yields of 1500. Those comparisons don't seem all that favorable, cost wise, toward the Epson.

A few quick details. Each printer in the WorkForce lineup is differentiated by a few factors, including the number of chips, and therefore the speed. Each also has a different paper capacity as well as a different-sized color touchscreen. Some have rear trays for specialized print needs. 

The least expensive WorkForce WF-3620, for example, has a 250-sheet capacity, a two-sided automatic document feeder and a 2.7-inch color touchscreen, but the WF-3640 has a 500-sheet capacity and a 3.5-inch color touchscreen. Moving one step up to the WF-4630, you get twice the color printing speed (20 ppm on color and black and white) and 330-sheet capacity. The WF-4640 offers a 580-sheet capacity and a 4.3-inch color touchscreen. The WF 5690 increases color print speed even more, has a higher duty cycle, and includes some IT features, such as a few security options. 

All of the products support wireless printing from mobile devices. The 5690 supports Apple's AirPrint and Google's Cloud Print features.

Follow Fritz Nelson @fnelson. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Hands-On With Four Entry-Level Laser Printers

We're increasingly encouraged to go digital, whether it's from the energy company sending out electronic statements or insurance shipping off little PDF explanations of benefits. There always seems to be a point in the communications exchange where hard copies are still necessary. Even if you send in your taxes electronically, you almost certainly take home a fat print-out of the forms for your own records, right? Printing is where the rubber meets the road in a number of professions, and we expect printers to remain valuable peripherals for many years to come.

As such, we thought we'd take a group of printers for a spin around the block to determine which one delivers the most value, the best image quality, and the quickest performance.

Enthusiasts sink a lot of time into picking the right motherboard, processor, and graphics card. Similarly, there are a lot of printers to choose from. From the outside, though, the boxes all look pretty much the same. Even after you get them unwrapped, it's hard to tell which one will serve you best. When you're talking about entry-level equipment, there are typically two options: inkjet-based and low-cost laser printers.

Although inkjet technology is older, it still has its uses, particularly when you're talking about color inkjet printers that can reproduce amazing-looking graphics. Most photo printers are inkjets, and the right ones create output rivaling those professionally developed from film. Inkjets are usually less expensive, and when you factor in sales and rebates, it's not uncommon to find solid choices priced under $100. However, that low procurement cost hides substantial expenses down the road. While most printers include a starter inkjet cartridge to get you going, after 100 pages or so, you'll have to buy another one. And that's where inkjet printers get expensive. There's a reason many stores keep their refills locked up behind glass. Black cartridges might cost $50 or more. Color is even more, which could mean doubling the cost of your printer not long after you buy it. Some models force you to use that company's ink by placing little sensors in the cartridge. If you try to load the printer with anything else, it won't work. That's for your own protection, so they say. Print out another couple hundred pages, and it's time to replace the cartridges again.

In contrast, laser printers cost more initially. Some entry-level units sell for $400, though we've seen prices come down significantly. In fact, one of the printers we're reviewing sells for less than $150. Toner cartridges last a lot longer; many are rated for 5000 or even 10,000 pages before they have to be swapped out. And the cartridges aren't obscenely expensive on a per-page basis, ranging anywhere from $50 to $300, often including free recycling.

Do the math. For entry-level printing, business graphics, and putting letters onto paper, laser printers are a better bet for most folks. That's why, for this first piece, we're focusing on entry-level monochrome laser printers. They're the best bet for high quality at an affordable price. They also include certain advanced features like eco-friendly options, automatic duplexing, and even print security.

The printers in this review had thousands of pages put through them. At various points in our stress test, pages were examined for artifacts, a reduction in quality compared to the first page, or any other misprint. In addition, the printers were tested and timed to see how quickly they could output a 30-page all-text document and a 30-page graphics-laden file. That latter benchmark employs text placed around, under, and through the pictures in order to gauge how well the printers interpret and display that data. Finally, extra features (like the eco-friendly- and security-oriented stuff) were exampled.

The four units we gathered all fall under $400 and include Dell's B1260dn, Brother's HL-6180, HP's LaserJet Pro M401dne, Xerox's WorkCentre 3320/DNI.

Dell B1260dn

The Dell B1260dn is a tiny monochrome laser printer with a small price tag to match. Weighing in at just 15.87 pounds, and measuring 13.7 x 13.31 x 7.76 inches tall, it is the smallest unit in our round-up, able to drop into almost any office setup. It's also the least-expensive at just $139, or $200 less than most of the other products in our story.

The small size isn't completely an asset; it makes the setup process a little trickier. The 250-sheet paper tray ties for the lowest capacity, but it also can't fit standard letter-sized paper without a modification. The chassis is just too tiny for an 11-inch long sheet. To compensate, you have to extend the paper tray out the back of the unit. It's not a problem, but if you were planning on dropping the B1260dn into a particularly tight space based on its dimensions, those extra few inches around back could interfere.

Moreover, Dell's small frame caused some actual issues in the area of paper handling. While the B1260dn has a steep return tray and good passive pressure on the paper (so that it lays flat and stacks neatly), it's often affected by a flaw where the first page tends to catch on the output slope. There is a hard catch in the middle of that slope where the extended tray folds out to provide space for printed paper. More than half the time we ran pages through the printer, the first one got stuck there, causing it to curl up on itself and create an uneven surface for the pages that followed. If I owned a B1260dn, I'd probably have to MacGyver that little issue with smooth tape, even if that meant permanently extending the return paper tray. 

In terms of speed, the small Dell does surprisingly well. It finishes in last place among our four contenders, completing our 30-page text document in one minute and eight seconds. But that's still a fairly respectable time, only about 20 seconds away from the leader. It comes in third place in terms of graphics printing performance, with a time of one minute and 10 seconds. We wouldn't call that pokey, even if it's about 20 seconds behind the top performers.

The B1260dn is quiet to the point that the noise of a nearby PC almost masks it. This is certainly the quietest printer if noise is an important consideration. However, our specific sample assaulted another sense: smell. We aren't sure why, but the B1260dn smells somewhere between burning paper and gunpowder. It was so bad that someone working on another floor of the lab where these printers were tested came down to my office to accuse me of conducting a raging cap gun fight.

In terms of extras, Dell offers a nice Eco Printing mode that can be activated by a physical button on the printer or through a software interface. This turns on features like double-sided printing and a toner-saving mode. It also estimates the resources being saved by tweaking the various settings. Oddly, we couldn't get the CO2 meter to drop at all. Though, given that the B1260dn smelled like a burning rainforest, we weren't surprised.

Where Dell's printer shines is output quality. The B1260dn's text reproduction is quite good; only a few minor flaws are visible examinging the printed paper with a photo loupe. Graphics, in particular, are really well done, superior to any other printer in our round-up, in fact. Very light areas are printed accurately, fine details are precise in all cases, and the B1260dn even perfectly prints letters over text without washing them out or blending the ink. Letters printed over a dark image are readable, too. Color pictures are converted accurately into grayscale in our tests. Although the B1260dn isn't designed for graphics, it does a fine job with its monochrome printing ability.

Brother HL-6180DW

The Brother HL-6180DW is the easiest printer to setup. It's also the hands-down fastest in our round-up when we run our text and graphics benchmarks. Priced at a respectable $300, it offers a lot of nice extras for not a lot of money.

Although we tested all four printers using a USB 2.0 connection, Brother's HL-6180DW really wanted to connect to a wireless network. In fact, that's the first thing you're asked for when you power-up. I went ahead and completed that step, just to see how well it'd work. In no time, the HL-6180DW was available to anyone on our network, wirelessly. 

Configuring a printer to work like this is easy outside of a dedicated office, since no Ethernet or USB cable is required. Find somewhere with accessible power and the HL-6180DW can be ready to go in less than a minute. I also happened to have a Brother scanner on the network, and found that the interface between those devices was seamless as well. Naturally, wireless connectivity makes the Brother HL-6180DW a good choice for those with less technical acumen.

This printer's availability is thankfully balanced by secure printing, a feature normally only found on higher-end units. An authorized user can designate any print job as secure. That user then assigns a numeric password or PIN to the task. They can even change the name of the job to obfuscate its true purpose. Thereafter, the job is sent to the printer, but not processed until the same user selects it from the local LCD menu and enters the proper code. Only when the right person is standing in front of Brother's HL-6180DW is the data released. This is a nice feature if confidential material needs to be printed over a shared network connection.

Once the printer is up and running, its most admirable strength is speed. The HL-6180DW is blazingly fast. It flew through our 30-page all-text benchmark in just 49 seconds, with the first page out just eight seconds after the job was sent. Adding graphics to the document didn't slow Brother's submission down much. Even with our large pictures and detailed renderings of text over graphics, the workload only took an additional second. It finished in an impressive 50 seconds.

Exceptional performance carries over to duplex printing as well. This is functionality that all four contenders offer, but not at Brother's speed. In order to print on both sides of a sheet of paper, these entry-level offerings output to one side of the page, come close to dumping the sheet into the return tray, but then reverse the print engine, sucking the paper back in. Then, the opposite side is printed on the paper before it's placed into the return area. I was expecting this to double print times, and indeed it came close. The HL-6180DW took 1:39 to print the 30-page graphical test file with data on both sides of the paper. This collapsed the output to just 15 pages, which is a nice savings if you can work with double-sided prints. We were so impressed with the speed that we made a short movie to showcase it. 

In terms of quality, the Brother does acceptably with text. In more than 1000 pages, I never saw any output that was misprinted or smudged. Unfortunately, graphics is another story entirely; the HL-6180DW is the worst of the group. Dark images especially tend to get muddled. That's not a big deal for business-oriented diagrams, but you wouldn't want to use the Brother for monochrome photos. Typically that's not an issue you'd hold against an entry-level laser printer. However, with other units in our round-up faring well, it bears mention here.

HP LaserJet Pro M401dne

The HP LaserJet Pro M401dne tries to be a higher-end printer than it really is, leading to some successes and some failures, depending on the test.

Right away, the M401dne is the most difficult printer to set up. While every competing model requires only that you attach a USB cable, the HP wants you to start by spinning up an installation CD. This initiates a rather lengthy process where the computer and printer talk to each other for a few minutes, and it includes the installation of HP's update app that requires accepting a license agreement. It also asks for permission to send printing data back to HP, which can thankfully be denied; we see no reason anyone would want to share that information.

The payoff for going through those extra steps is a more robust interface for monitoring the M401dne's status. In fact, the LaserJet Pro is the only printer that automatically displays a status window on the host machine any time a document is printed. This pop-up lets you know how much of a print job is complete, toner level, and any error messages that need to be conveyed along the way (like an empty paper tray).

In terms of speed, the M401dne holds its own in our text printing test, finishing the 30-page workload in exactly one minute. That text looks fantastic on paper, too. Letters are crisp and well-formed. Even scrutinized through a photo loupe, the printer's output is pretty much perfect. All of the printers in today's story do well with text. Even so, HP's is noticeably better.

The wheels come off when we try printing the 30-page graphical document, though. We've seen this before, but it's been a few years. The workload we're using is huge, including almost 60 MB of content. If a printer doesn't have enough memory, errors can happen. And that's exactly what we saw from the M401dne, which simply refused to finish printing the document.

I did manage to get all 30 pages from the M401dne after a reboot. It had to stop several times along the way though, with delays that lasted over a minute as the printer crunched our test document one page at a time. By the time the last page was done, 5:50 had passed.

The output was quite good, second only to Dell in quality (and not by much). HP does particularly well with darker images and placing letters over graphics.

The M401dne also offers robust security, including the ability to set up a password-protected embedded Web server, SSL certification management, a firewall, and an access control list to prevent unauthorized users from sending documents to the printer or accessing other peoples' print jobs.

If all you ever need to do is print text securely, then HP's LaserJet Pro M401dne is a great choice. But if graphics play into your decision, the M401dne isn't your best choice.

Xerox WorkCentre 3320/DNI

Xerox's WorkCentre 3320/DNI is the most expensive printer in our round-up right at the $400 limit. However, you can probably hammer down its cost over time by using some of the rather forceful economic features (so long as you don't find them overly annoying).

By default, the WorkCentre goes into a power-saving sleep mode often. There is a green button that lights up on the side panel whenever the printer spins down. This is configured to happen after just one minute of inactivity. Push the button to wake the printer up, or it'll come back on automatically whenever a job is received. There is a delay, however, and sometimes it needs to warm back up, depending on how long it napped. Expect to wait 15 to 20 seconds, which could become significant in a shared office environment. Then again, some organizations are bound to prioritize maximizing energy efficiency.

Xerox pushes the eco-friendly angle even further with the addition of an Earth Smart mode, which is turned off by default. Unlike other printers with efficiency-oriented features, activating Earth Smart really does reduce paper waste, carbon footprint, and power consumption. It does this through double-sided printing, toner-saving functionality, and more subtle enhancements like skipping blank pages. All of that is activated by a single selection; there's no way to tinker in greater depth for more savings.

Once the printer is awake, it's very quick. The WorkCentre is able to complete our 30-page text document in 53 seconds. The 3320 had to pause in the middle of our monster graphics-heavy task, but still blazed over the line to finish in just 57 seconds, second only to the speedy Brother. It's even pretty quick in a duplex printing workload, smoking through our 30-page graphics test compressed to 15 double-sided pages in 1:45.

You have the option of seeing what the printer is doing while it works from a pop-up window, though it doesn't open by default. Instead, you can set it to open whenever something gets printed. But I actually like how it stays out of the way unless you specifically ask for it. 

The WorkCentre also offers perfect paper handling, stacking pages neatly even on 100-sheet runs.

In terms of quality, the WorkCentre is average. It's neither the best nor the worst in our straight text and graphics tests. In all cases, text is readable and the graphics quality looks good, especially in lighter images that come through accurately without much washout.

The Xerox WorkCentre 3320/DNI is a good choice for anyone who doesn't mind paying a little extra up front in return for savings over time, or for someone who wants to feel good about saving as much of the environment as possible as they undertake one of the most environmentally-unfriendly tasks possible in the office.

Benchmark Results

We covered most of our test results in each printer's write-up, but here is the outcome ranking each model against the others.

In the first test, made up of pure text spread across 30 pages, Brother's HL-6180DW wraps up fastest, followed fairly closely by the Xerox. Although nearly 20 seconds separate the first- and last-place finishers, even 68 seconds isn't unreasonable for 30 pages of output.

The bars in our graphics-heavy workload look a lot different. The Brother, Xerox, and Dell printers come fairly close to each other. But HP's lack of on-board memory imposes significant delays in processing the 30 pages. As a result, the LaserJet Pro takes almost six minutes to wrap up.

There's one second between each printer when we time the first page out. The difference is measurable, but not particularly significant.

Which Monochrome Laser Printer Is Best?

Really, any of the printers rounded-up today could fit into a home office setting, satisfying specific needs. But based on our hands-on testing, two models stand out in particular.

Overall, Brother's HL-6180DW posted the fastest performance, and by a wide margin in some cases. This alone could be reason for recognition in a printer review with benchmarks, but there were other features that also helped it secure the first mention in our conclusion. For example, its large 500-sheet paper tray can take a whole pack of paper, meaning you'll spend less time maintaining the printer and more time cranking out the documents needed in hard copy form. And although the HL-6180DW is not as secure as HP's LaserJet Pro M401dne, the addition of secure printing should be more than enough protection for home offices and small businesses. Finally, when you factor in an easy setup requiring little more than a power cord, this $300 printer punches far above its class. 

A runner-up more worthy of a value-oriented shout-out is Dell's B1260dn. To be frank, we didn't expect much from a $140 laser printer. That just sounds too good to be true. But Dell proved a low price can be indicative of solid value as well. Armed with respectable, if not outright fast print times, and the highest graphics printing quality, you'd be almost assuredly unable to find a better option than the B1260dn at this price point. As a personal printer with nice extra features and high-quality output, it's near the top of the list.

LG Electronics revealed on Monday that it plans to showcase its second-generation Pocket Photo "smart" mobile printer during CES 2014 next month. This latest model provides wireless connectivity with NFC and Bluetooth so that iOS and Android customers can print 2 x 3 inch images and notes from their mobile devices.

"Printed photos have a sentimental appeal that digital images are not truly able to replicate," said Byung-hoon Min, senior vice president of LG's Home Entertainment Company. "Our newest Pocket Photo embraces the emotional aspect of the printed photo while offering a level of portability and convenience that are missing from today's digital cameras."

The company boasts that its upcoming LG Pocket Photo 2.0 will be one of the smallest printing devices on the market. The printer will be 4 mm thinner than the first generation model, deliver more prints per charge, and will also print pictures at a "crystal clear" 313 dpi. To connect to the printer, users merely download the appropriate Pocket Photo app and connect wirelessly.

According to LG Electronics, the company has enhanced the Pocket Photo app's editing features, allowing users to experiment with an expanded range of customization options. For instance, there are a new set of filters and a "clever" frame augmentation feature. Users can even embed QR codes in photos.

"The Pocket Photo 2.0 uses the proven ZINK technology, eliminating the need for expensive ink cartridges, ribbons or toner. ZINK printing technology utilizes heat to activate the necessary color-forming chemistry imbedded in each sheet of paper," reads the company's announcement. "Compared to conventional printing processes, ZINK's inkless paper system preserves images for longer and produces less smearing. The Pocket Photo 2.0 can print 30 photos on a single charge."

The pocket printer is available now in China, and will be rolled out in pink, jewel white and lime yellow on a global scale sometime in 2014. Expect to see more of this printer during CES 2014 in a few weeks.

UPDATE: Congrats to winner Steve Soussana from Las Vegas, NV!

No matter how many mobile devices we incorporate into our lives, sometimes you just can't beat plain old paper. Today we're proud to announce that Tom's readers have a chance to win a Samsung Xpress C460FW multifunction laser printer (approximate retail value: $300).

Unlike your father's printer, this one can print via NFC and doesn't need a connection to a PC to operate. Even more, users can print using the Samsung Mobile Print App for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. Alternatively, users can also use Google Cloud Print.

There will be one Sweepstakes, which will run from September 13, 2013 9:00 AM PST to October 18, 2013 9:00 PM PST. The winner will be chosen based on a random drawing.

Eligibility: U.S. resident (excluding Rhode Island) 18 years or older as of the entry dates stated below. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received.
Click here to enter to win a Samsung NFC Multifunction Color Laser Printer.

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The 5445 is rated at 45 ppm/90 ipm, while the 5460 provides 60 ppm/120 ipm at 200 dpi and black and white jobs.

According to the manufacturer, both scanners are small enough "to fit on any desk" and weigh about 8.8 lbs. Both scanners come with a paper feeder that can hold 75 sheets of paper with sizes from 1.9 x 2.8 inches to 8.5 x 100 inches. The supported paper weights range from 5.4 to 55 lbs.

Xerox said both scanners are available now through online channel partners. The 5445 is priced at $1,195 MSRP and the 5460 at $1,595 MSRP.

_{Contact Us for News Tips, Corrections and Feedback}

While it is just part of the rifle, based on a design posted on cncguns.com, U.S. law considers the lower receiver to be a weapon. MakerBot only deleted the pointer files, but left the description and comments of the submission intact.

It is interesting to note that MakerBot said in February of this year that it would not allow printer files that could contribute to the creation of weapons. In a statement, a MakerBot spokesperson told Cnet:

"MakerBot's focus is to empower the creative process and make things for good. MakerBot Desktop 3D Printers make innovative products, new tools, models, fashion items, works of art, and 3D things of all types. MakerBot's Thingiverse website is designed to be the best place to get and share downloadable 3D "Things." Thingiverse's Terms of Service state that users agree not to use Thingiverse "to collect, upload, transmit, display, or distribute any User Content (ii) that...promotes illegal activities or contributes to the creation of weapons, illegal materials or is otherwise objectionable." If an item has been removed, it is because it violates the Thingiverse Terms of Service."

As it is the case with every other website, MakerBot said that it reserves the right to remove user content, if it violates its terms of service. MakerBot's attorney stated that the recent violent events convinced the company to take immediate action.

A recent demonstration showed that the 3D-printed part may not be a replacement of the original part, but it is good enough to hold up for a few shots.

_{Contact Us for News Tips, Corrections and Feedback}

The concern has led to the point where Wilson had to return his 3D printer to the manufacturer who feared that something illegal was going on.

So far, only parts of guns and rifles can be printed and even those parts may not become serious weaponry anytime soon. In a review posted on the WikiWep DevBlog, a group of testers downloaded only the lower receiver of an AR-15 automatic rifle, and showed that the printed part was strong enough to endure a total of six shots, which was shorter than the expected ability to last for about 20 shots. The forces created by the shots apparently exceeded the plastic's capability by a significant margin: "It seems like the off-axis force generated by recoil simply "popped" the whole ring area off the receiver in the area of the receiver tube anti-rotation plate," the blog entry reads.

Of course, some may argue that the rifle lasted for six fired shots is six shots too many for gun that can be printed from files that are freely available on the Internet. Wilson himself claims that the Wiki Weapon could go into testing by the end of this year.

_{Contact Us for News Tips, Corrections and Feedback}

Certain printers created by Samsung feature a hardcoded account that leaves them open to potential hacks.

Samsung printers and a select amount of Dell printers made by the Samsung have a hardcoded account which could see a hacker controlling and access information on the devices, so says the US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team).

Such printers contain a hardcoded SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) string delivering both read and write access. It stays active even if the user disables the network protocol.

"A remote, unauthenticated attacker could access an affected device with administrative privileges," US-CERT said. "Secondary impacts include: the ability to make changes to the device configuration, access to sensitive information (e.g., device and network information, credentials, and information passed to the printer), and the ability to leverage further attacks through arbitrary code execution."

Samsung responded by confirming it's aware of the flaw, with printers released after October 31 apparently not containing the security hole. A patch for the devices which are affected will be released by years end.

US-CERT advises those potentially affected to set their firewalls to allow connections from trusted hosts and networks. A Samsung spokesperson notified Cnet that the issue only affects printers that have SNMP enabled, subsequently seeing users disabling the protocol having the problem resolved.

Samsung's method of a fix, however, appears to contradict information provided by US-CERT within its security note. The technology giant clarified:

We take all matters of security very seriously and we are not aware of any customers who have been affected by this vulnerability. Samsung is committed to releasing updated firmware for all current models by November 30, with all other models receiving an update by the end of the year. However, for customers that are concerned, we encourage them to disable SNMPv1,2 or use the secure SNMPv3 mode until the firmware updates are made. For further information, customers may contact Samsung customer service at 1-866-SAM4BIZ for business customers or 1-800-SAMSUNG for consumers.

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Netgear has released what it calls an "industry first" with its new R6300 Wi-Fi router. So far it's the first 802.11ac dual band Gigabit Wi-Fi router enabling 5th generation Wi-Fi (5G WiFi) at Gigabit speeds. Naturally you'll need a compatible network adapter to reach those speeds, but legacy W-Fi devices will still be able to connect thanks to its support for the older 802.11 a/b/g/n specification.

"The Netgear R6300 Wi-Fi Router, powered by Broadcom’s 5G WiFi IEEE 802.11ac chips, is up to three times faster than today’s 802.11n routers," the company said on Thursday. "With an elegant new design that fits perfectly in consumers’ living spaces, the router increases the coverage area for HD streaming in the home. The Netgear R6300 WiFi Router has speeds of up to 1300 Mbps on 5 GHz and 450 Mbps on 2.4GHz enabling consumers to download web content from any device in the home in a fraction of the time it would take on a similar 802.11n device."

In addition to the speedier Internet access, Netgear's new router provides two USB ports for sharing storage and printers on the network. There's also guest network access, live parental controls, automatic Wi-Fi security, and DNLA support. The latter feature will stream content to any DLNA compatible device in the house including the latest Smart TVs, Blu-ray players, media players, game consoles, handheld devices, tablets and more.

Some of the technical specs include five 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports with auto-sensing technology (1 WAN, 4 LAN), 128 MB of flash memory and 128 MB of RAM, Advanced Quality of Service, support for IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6), Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack prevention, Wi-Fi Boost with high-powered radio amplifiers and more. IEEE 802.11 b/g/n signals will reside on the 2.4 GHz channel whereas the zippier IEEE 802.11 a/n/ac will reside on the 5 GHz channel.

As previously mentioned, the router is capable of sharing a connected printer via ReadySHARE. An additional Netgear Genie app for iOS and Android devices allows users to print directly to that "personal cloud" printer. The Genie app -- which also comes in Windows and Mac flavors -- also provides the ability to find photos, video or music files anywhere on the network and play them on a DLNA media player. Overall the Netgear Genie app enables home users to control, monitor, repair, and manage their home networks easily through a simple, elegant dashboard.

"802.11ac is the next-generation of WiFi connectivity and is set to revolutionize the way we consume content wirelessly by delivering Internet speeds up to three times faster than consumers are used to experiencing," said David Henry, vice president of product management, retail products at Netgear. "Netgear’s leadership in the industry, and collaboration with Broadcom to introduce the first 802.11ac router, will future proof your network by ensuring your home is capable of supporting new faster 802.11ac devices as they begin to roll out this year."

The Netgear R6300 WiFi Router will be available in May starting at $199.99.

However, researchers at the University of Cambridge now claim that ultrafast and long-pulsed lasers can be used to save printed paper from the trash bin and prepare it for reuse.

According to a paper published in Proceedings Of The Royal Society A, a 532 nm green laser light with a pulse length of 4 nanoseconds can evaporate printed toner from paper without significantly damaging it. The process works two to three times before damage would become apparent via a slight yellow tint of the paper, the scientists said. They do not claim that the process is perfect, but they believe that they are on a promising path to enable an un-printer at some point.

According to a press release released by the University of Cambridge, the print removal would be much more environmentally friendly than recycling and producing new paper. Compared to recycling, the un-printing process would save an estimated 50 to 80 percent of carbon emissions.

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14" Lenovo IdeaPad Y470 (08552EU) Core i7-2670QM 2.2GHz Quad-core Laptop w/8GB RAM, 750GB HDD & 1GB GeForce GT 550M for $749 with free shipping (normally $999 - use coupon code USPY42E1201).

14" HP dm4x Core i7-2620M 2.7GHz Dual-core Notebook w/8GB RAM, 750GB HDD for $669.99 with free shipping (normally $999 - use 33% coupon code).

11.6" ASUS Zenbook UX21E-DH52 Core i5-2467M 1.6GHz Ultrabook w/4GB RAM, 128GB SSD for $933 with free shipping (normally $999 - use coupon code LOGICBUY15).

Desktops:

Dell Vostro 260 Core i5-2400 3.1GHz Quad-core Mini Tower w/4GB RAM, 320GB HDD & Windows 7 Professional for $449 (normally $579).

(normally $999). 23" Dell Inspiron One 2320 Core i5-2400S 2.5GHz Quad-core All-in-one Touchscreen PC w/6GB RAM, 1TB HDD for $899 with free shipping (normally $949).

20" Lenovo C325 (30955AU) AMD E450 1.65GHz Dual-core Fusion All-in-one PC w/6GB RAM, 1TB HDD for $529 with free shipping (normally $709 - use coupon code WEEKLYDLC325).

Dell Vostro 260 Core i3-2120 3.3GHz Dual-core Mini Tower Desktop w/2GB RAM, 250GB HDD & 20" Dell E2011H LED-backlit LCD Monitor for $399 (normally $528).

Computing Hardware & Peripherals:

HP LaserJet M1212nf Monochrome Laser All-In-One Printer + $50 Gift card for $134.99 with free shipping (normally $199 - use coupon code LOGIC15).

Canon PIXMA MP280 Photo All-in-One Inkjet Printer + 4GB Flash Drive for $29 (normally $59).

Logitech N550 Speaker Lapdesk for $19.99 with free shipping (normally $39 - use coupon code).

27" Dell UltraSharp U2711 2560 x 1440 IPS-panel LCD Monitor w/3-year Warranty for $849 with free shipping (normally $1,099 - use $250 coupon code).

Two (2) Dell IN2020M 20" 1600 x 900 LED-backlit LCD Monitors Bundle for $169.98 with free shipping (normally $259).

Gaming:

Xbox 360 320GB Console Modern Warfare 3 Bundle for $319 with free shipping (normally $399).

Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Kinect Console Bundle + $75 Credit for $399.99 with free shipping.

Saints Row: The Third (Xbox 360/PS3) for $40 with free shipping (normally $49).

Just Dance 3 (Xbox 360/Wii) for $26 with free shipping (normally $36).

Nintendo 3DS Console (Flame Red/Cosmo Black/Aqua Blue) + $50 gift card for $170 with free shipping (normally $170 without gift card).

Home Entertainment:

51" Samsung PN51D7000 3D 600Hz 1080p Plasma HDTV (2011 Model) + Blu-ray Player + (2) 3D Glasses Kit + Wall Mount + HDMI Cable for $1,320 with Free Shipping (normally $1500 without the bundle).

47" LG Infinia 47LW5600 3D 1080p 120Hz Edgelit LED HDTV + (4) LG 3D glasses for $899.00 with Free Shipping (normally $1,100).

42" LG 42LK450 LCD 1080p HDTV with Free Shipping for $447.30 (normally $550).

40" Sony NSX-40GT1 1080p LED Internet HDTV (powered by Google TV) for $598.00 with Free Shipping (normally $700).

Sony HT-CT150 5.1 3D Sound Bar System for $210 with free shipping (normally $250).

The Boxee Box HD Media Player by D-Link + $30 Amazon Gift Card for $175 with free shipping (normally $179 without gift card).

Movies:

Dogma [Blu-ray] for $8 with free shipping (normally $11).

Outbreak [Blu-ray] for $8 with free shipping (normally $11).

Swingers [Blu-ray] for $8 with free shipping (normally $12).

Stranger Than Fiction (Special Edition + BD Live) [Blu-ray] for $8 with free shipping (normally $11).

Poseidon [Blu-ray] (2006) for $8 with free shipping (normally $12).

Phones & Tablets:

10.1" ASUS Eee Pad Transformer 16GB Tablet with Android 3.0 for $299.99 with free shipping (normally $399.99).

10.1" Lenovo IdeaPad K1 (130422U) 32GB Android 3.1 Tablet for $299.99 with free shipping (normally $449).

HTC Rhyme Android Smartphone [w/new 2-year Verizon contract] + free docking station, tangle free headphones and charm call indicator for $44.99 with free shipping (normally $99).

Nexus S 4G Smartphone [w/new 2-year Sprint contract] + Free Wireless Sphere Speakers for $0 with free shipping (normally $49).

Hosting & Domains:

50% off Yola Hosting and Domain Coupons.

Personal Portables and Cameras:

14MP Sony Alpha NEX-5 Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/ 18-55mm Lens for $450 with free shipping (normally $499 - use coupon code SONYNEX5).

16.2MP Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX7V/B Digital Camera (Refurbished) for $180 with free shipping (normally $248 - use coupon code OUTLETHX7V).

Apps:

TripIt - Travel App (Android) for $0 (normally $4).

Ultimate To-Do List Tablet License (Android) for $2 (normally $5).

Cool Stuff:

Ancestry.com: Access to WWII Military Records for $0.

Slice of Cheesecake (at Cheesecake Factory with $25 gift card purchase) for $0.

$10 or $20 Gift Cards (with select Blu-ray purchase at Best Buy) for $0.

Burger King Fries (on 12/16) for $0.

Top Deals

Dell Vostro 260 "Sandy Bridge" Mini Tower [Dual-core $269 | Core i3 $359 | Core i3 + 24" Monitor $499 | Core i5 $431] (use 10% coupon code).

13.3" Dell Vostro V131 Ultra-thin Laptop [Core i5 $599 | Core i5 + Mobile Broadband $669] (use $200 coupon code).

1TB Buffalo MiniStation Stealth USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive for $84.99 with free shipping (normally $99 - use coupon code).

Dell 1130 Mono Laser Printer for $54 with free shipping (normally $119 - use 55% coupon code).

Laptops:

17.3" HP Pavilion dv7t Quad Edition Core i7 "Sandy Bridge" Laptop w/8GB RAM, 1080p & Blu-ray upgrade $899.99 with free shipping (use $500 coupon code).

17.3" Dell Inspiron 17r "Sandy Bridge" Laptop [Core i3 $499 | Core i5 + 6GB RAM $649 | Core i7 + Blu-ray + 8GB RAM $849].

15.6" Dell Inspiron 15 Core i3 2.53GHz Laptop w/3GB RAM, 320GB HDD for $399.99 with free shipping.

15.6" Dell Vostro 3550 Core i5-2410M 2.3GHz Dual-core Laptop w/4GB RAM, Backlit Keyboard & Fingerprint Reader for $549 with free shipping (normally $649 - use coupon code 6DH031G7M1TBWM).

15.5" Sony VAIO VPCEH12FX/LC Core i3-2310M 2.1GHz Dual-core Laptop w/4GB RAM, 500GB HDD for $530 (normally $579).

14" Toshiba Satellite P740D-BT4N22AMD A6-3400M Quad-core Laptop w/6GB RAM, 640GB HDD for $659 with free shipping (normally $849).

14" Lenovo IdeaPad Y470 "Sandy Bridge" Laptop [Core i3 $615 | Core i5 $698 | Core i7 $749] (use repsective coupon code).

14" Dell Vostro 3450 Sandy Bridge Aluminum Laptop [Core i5 $549 | Core i7 $949] (use respective coupon code).

13.3" Dell Vostro V131 Ultra-thin Laptop [Core i5 $599 | Core i5 + Mobile Broadband $669] (use $200 coupon code).

Roundup of HP coupons for Pavilion, ENVY Laptops.

Desktops:

Dell Vostro 260s "Sandy Bridge" Slim Tower [Dual-core $269 | Core i3 $359 | Core i5 $512].

Dell Vostro 260 "Sandy Bridge" Mini Tower [Dual-core $269 | Core i3 $359 | Core i3 + 24" Monitor $499 | Core i5 $431] (use 10% coupon code).

Computing Hardware & Peripherals:

1TB Buffalo MiniStation Stealth USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive for $84.99 with free shipping (normally $99 - use coupon code).

Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX for $38 with free shipping (normally $49).

Dell 1130 Mono Laser Printer for $54 with free shipping (normally $119 - use 55% coupon code).

Logitech MK550 Wireless Wave Combo Mouse and Keyboard w/Unifying Receiver for $50 with free shipping (normally $64).

27" ASUS VE276Q 1080p 2ms LCD Monitor w/HDMI & DisplayPort for $270 with free shipping (normally $320 - use coupon code EMCJKHK22).

27" Dell UltraSharp U2711 2560 x 1440 (WQHD) LCD Monitor $824.00 (normally $1,099 - use coupon code).

Two (2) Dell ST2420L 1080p LED-backlit HDMI LCD Monitors for $359.99 with free shipping (use coupon code).

21.5" Dell ST2220T 1080p IPS-panel Multi-touch LCD Monitor for $229.99 with free shipping (normally $329.99 - use $100 coupon code).

Gaming:

Saints Row: The Third (Xbox 360. PS3) for $48 with free shipping (normally $59).

Assassin's Creed Revelations (Xbox 360, PS3) for $48 with free shipping (normally $59).

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Wireless Headset (Xbox 360) for $50 with free shipping (normally $69).

Home Entertainment:

60" LG INFINIA 60PK750 THX-certified 1080p Plasma HDTV for $1,199 with free shipping (normally $1,399).

55" Sony BRAVIA KDL-55HX729 3D 240Hz 1080p Edge-lid LED LCD HDTV (2011 Model) + Sony 3D Blu-ray Player + Sony 3D Deluxe Starter Kit Bundle for $1,500 (normally $1,848 - use coupon code VLZ46597).

55" Sony BRAVIA KDL-55EX720 3D-Ready 240hz 1080p LED HDTV (2011 Model) + Alice in Wonderland 3D Deluxe Starter Kit for $1,300 (normally $1,999 - use coupon code).

42" LG 42LK450 LCD 1080p HDTV for $492 with free shipping (normally $580).

Movies:

Gamera - Triple Feature Collector's Edition (Blu-ray) for $13 with free shipping (normally $20).

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete (Blu-ray) for $10 with free shipping (normally $15).

X-Men Trilogy (X-Men / X2: X-Men United / X-Men: The Last Stand) [Blu-ray] for $37 with free shipping (normally $44).

12 Monkeys [Blu-ray] (1995) for $9 with free shipping (normally $12).

Phones & Tablets:

Velocity Micro T103 Cruz 7" Android Tablet for $99.99 (normally $149.99).

Motorola Xoom 10.1-in Dual-Core Android Tablet [$339 Refurb WiFi | $449 WiFi | $579 3G Unlocked].

Samsung Galaxy S II 4G 4.52-in 1.5GHz dual-core Android Smartphone [w/new 2-year T-Mobile contract] + Free Activation for $134.99 with free shipping.

HTC Sensation 4G 4.3" 1.2GHz dual-core Android Smartphone [w/new 2-year T-Mobile contract] + Free Activation for $62.99 with free shipping (normally $99.99).

Samsung Conquer 4G Android Smartphone [w/new 2-year Sprint contract] + Free Activation + Free SD Card for $0 with free shipping (normally $99.99).

Samsung Fascinate Galaxy S 4G Smart Phone [w/new 2-year T-Mobile contract] + Free Activation for $0 with free shipping (normally $49.99).

Hosting & Domains:

Roundup of ALL GoDaddy.com Hosting & Domain order coupon codes.

Personal Portables and Cameras:

Skullcandy Store: 40% Off Entire Purchase.

Panasonic SC-HC05 iPod Docking System w/built-in Bluetooth (Black/White) for $100 with $2 shipping (normally $159 - use coupon code Q311HC0501 or Q311HC05K01).

12.1MP Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78 3.5" Touchscreen Digital Camera for $200 with free shipping (normally $250).

Apps:

iPhotoWall HD (iOS) for $0 (normally $1).

Tap-Translate (iOS) for $0 (normally $10).

Cinemek Storyboard Composer HD (iOS) for $15 (normally $30).

Rush Hour (Android) for $0 (normally $2).

WeatherGeek Pro (Android) for $1 (normally $3).

Cool Stuff:

Nescafe Peppermint Mocha sample for $0.

Photoshoot & Prints (at Sears Portrait Sutido) for $0.

Eleven (11) Blockbuster Express Kiosk Rental for $0.

Coffee Snob Facial Scrub sample for $0.

Jamba Energy Drink can for $0.

Top Deals

15.6" Dell Vostro 3550 Core i5-2430M 2.4GHz Dual-core Laptop w/4GB RAM, 320GB 7200RPM HDD, Backlit Keyboard, Fingerprint Reader & Dell 1350cnw Network Color LED Laser-class Printer for $739 with free shipping (normally $1,089).

40" Sony BRAVIA KDL-40EX523 1080p Ultra Thin LED HDTV (2011 Model) for $699.99 with free shipping (normally $799 - use coupon code SFF45544).

Logitech Z523 2.1-channel Speaker System for $49 with free shipping (normally $99 - use coupon code logi_z523_10511).

Ending tonight! 27" Planar PX2710MW 2ms 1080p LCD Monitor for $229.99 with free shipping (normally $299 - use coupon code 0LQ0SW30D3M3LB).

Laptops:

17.3" HP Pavilion dv7 Quad Edition Core i7 "Sandy Bridge" Laptop w/ Free 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD & Blu-ray upgrade [Base $849 | 1080p display $999].

Roundup of Toshiba Qosmio X775 17.3-inch Laptop Deals.

15.6" Dell Vostro 3550 Core i5-2430M 2.4GHz Dual-core Laptop w/4GB RAM, 320GB 7200RPM HDD, Backlit Keyboard, Fingerprint Reader & Dell 1350cnw Network Color LED Laser-class Printer for $739 with free shipping (normally $1,089).

15.6" Dell Latitude E5520 Business Laptop [Core i3 $529 | Core i5 $559 | Core i7 $709 | Core i3 + Mini Netbook $789] .

15.6" Lenovo IdeaPad Y570 "Sandy Bridge" Laptop w/ Intel Core i3 $719 | Core i5 + Blu-ray $699 | Core i7 $845 (use respective coupon code).

14" Dell Vostro 3450 Core i5-2410M 2.3GHz Dual-core Laptop w/4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, Backlit Keyboard & Windows 7 Professional for $599 with free shipping (normally $789).

14" Lenovo IdeaPad V470 "Sandy Bridge" Business Laptop w/ Intel Core i3 $539 | Core i5 $674 | Core i7 $749.

14" Alienware m14x 14-inch "Sandy Bridge" Laptop [Core i5 $1049 | Core i7 $1149 | Core i5 + TactX Headset + Backpack $1249 | Core i7 + 8GB RAM + 3GB Graphics $1,349].

Alienware m11x 11.6-inch Gaming Laptop [Core 2 Duo + 8GB RAM $649 | Core i7 $799].

Desktops:

21.5" Toshiba DX1210-ST4N23 1080p Core i7-2630QM All-in-one Touchscreen PC w/4GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Wireless Keyboard + Mouse & TV Tuner for $979 with free shipping (normally $1,049).

Dell XPS 8300 Core i7-2600 3.4GHz Quad-core Desktop w/8GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Blu-ray & 24" UltraSharp U2412M LCD Monitor for $999.99 with free shipping (normally $1,594 - use coupon code 91JMT99RHFJ8MZ).

Dell Vostro 260s "Sandy Bridge" Slim Tower [Dual-core $299 | Core i3 $399 | Core i5 + Windows 7 Professional $469].

20" HP TouchSmart 320m 2.4GHz AMD E2-3200 Dual-core 1080p All-in-one Touchscren PC w/4GB RAM, 500GB HDD for $569.99 with free shipping (normally $799 - use coupon code LOGICBUY30).

Computing Hardware & Peripherals:

Logitech Speaker System Z523 (Black) (normally $99 - use coupon code logi_z523_10511).

27" Planar PX2710MW 2ms 1080p LCD Monitor for $229.99 with free shipping (normally $299 - use coupon code 0LQ0SW30D3M3LB).

24" Acer D241H bmi 1080p LCD Monitor + Keyboard & Mouse for $149.99 with free shipping (normally $219).

Gaming:

Uncharted Greatest Hits Dual Pack (PS3) for $24.99 (normally $39.99)

ICO and Shadow of Colossus Collection (PS3) for $24.99 (normally $39.99).

Tony Hawk Shred Bundle (PS3) for $20 with free shipping (normally $30).

The Sims 3 (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, 3DS, DS or PC Digital Download) for $15 (normally $24).

Home Entertainment:

65" Samsung UN60D8000 3D 1080p 240Hz LED HDTV (2011 Model) + 3D Blu-ray Player + 2 Pair of 3D Glasses, Wall Mount for $2,819 with free shipping (normally $3,299 - use coupon code BUYDIGCLUB30).

47" LG Infinia 47LW5600 3D 1080p 120Hz Edgelit LED HDTV + LG BD650 Blu-ray Player + 3D Glasses (14 Pairs) for $1,150 with free shipping (normally $1,549).

40" Sony BRAVIA KDL-40EX523 1080p Ultra Thin LED HDTV (2011 Model) for $699.99 with free shipping (normally $799 - use coupon code SFF45544).

40" Westinghouse LD-4070Z 120Hz 1080p LED LCD HDTV (2011 Model) for $410 (normally $499).

Boston Acoustics SoundWareXS51 5.1 Speaker System for $298 (normally $499 - use coupon code ISZ45628).

Dell 1210S DLP Projector for $369 with free shipping (normally $449).

Movies:

The Mel Brooks Collection 9-discs [Blu-ray] for $43 with free shipping (Normally $54).

No Country for Old Men [Blu-ray] for $8 with free shipping (normally $10).

North America's National Parks Deluxe Box Set (DVD) for $8 with free shipping (normally $15).

Phones & Tablets:

ASUS Eee Pad Slider Tablet [16GB $479 | 32GB $579] .

Le Pan TC 970 9.7-Inch Multi-Touch LCD Google Android Tablet PC for $249.99 with free shipping.

Samsung Fascinate Galaxy S 4G Smart Phone [w/new 2-year T-Mobile contract] + Free Accessory for $0 with free shipping (noramlly $29.99).

LG Thrill 4G 3D Smartphone [w/new 2-year AT&T contract] + $15 Amazon Digital Bonus for $19.99 with free shipping (normally $99.99).

Motorola Droid Bionic 4G dual-core smartphone [w/new 2-year Verizon contract] for $134.99 with free shipping (normally $149.99).

Nexus S 4G Smartphone [w/new 2-year Sprint contract] + Free Accessory for $0 with free shipping (normally $49.99).

Hosting & Domains:

Roundup of 1&1 Domain & Web-hosting Deals.

Personal Portables and Cameras:

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V/B 16.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera for $279 with free shipping (normally $330).

Sony HDR-CX160 Full HD 16GB Handycam Camcorder for $379 with free shipping (normally $429).

Apps:

FishID (iOS) for $0 (normally $4).

PilotFAR / AIM (iOS) for $0 (normally $5).

TFTP Server (iOS) for $0 (normally $4).

Ghostwriter Notes (iPad) for $1 (normally $5).

Business Calendar (Android) for $2 (normally $5).

C25K Pro (Android) for $0 (normally $2).

Cool Stuff:

Greeting Card (from Cardstore) for $0 with free shipping (normally $3 - use coupon code FBFREE).

30-day trial of Intuit Websites Gold Package for $0.

The World Cafe Next 20 (MP3 Album Download) for $0.

Top Deals

Dell SMB: 30% off select Monochrome, Color and Multi-function Laser Printers (use coupon code).

LG Thrill 4G 3D Smartphone [w/new 2-year AT&T contract] + Free Activation for $0 with free shipping (normally $99.99).

up to $400 Gift Card with Samsung (3D Bundles) HDTVs.

Portal (PC/Mac Download) for $0 (normally $10).

Laptops:

17.3" HP ENVY 17 "Sandy Bridge" w/ 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 6850 [Quad Core i7 + Blu-ray $1049 | Quad Core i7 + 3D $1,119] (use 30% coupon code).

15.6" Toshiba Satellite L750-BT4N22 Core i3-2310M 2.1GHz Dual-core Laptop w/4GB RAM, 500GB HDD for $449 (normally $599 - use coupon code CPNL750SEP).

15.6" Lenovo IdeaPad Z570 (102497U) Core i7-2630QM 2GHz Quad-core Laptop w/8GB RAM, 750GB HDD & Blu-ray Burner for $769 with free shipping (normally $999 - use coupon code WKYDEALZ570).

15.6" Dell Inspiron 15R-2nd Gen Core i7-2630QM 2GHz Quad-core Laptop w/6GB RAM, 640GB HDD & 1GB GeForce GT525M for $725 with free shipping (normally $899 - use coupon code 4J4XPNDZ1PKR2B).

$375 Coupon HP Pavilion dv6 Quad Edition Core i7 "Sandy Bridge" Laptop w/Free 6GB RAM & Blu-ray upgrade [Base $774 | 1080p display $924] (use coupon code).

15.6" Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Core i3-2310M 2.1GHz Dual-core Business Laptop w/4GB RAM, 320GB HDD for $692 with free shipping (normally $769 - use coupon code THINK72).

15.6" Lenovo G570 (43344AU) Core i5-2410M 2.3GHz Dual-core Laptop w/4GB RAM, 500GB HDD & Blu-ray for $649 with free shipping (normally $849 - use coupon code WKYDEALG570).

14" Dell Alienware m14x "Sandy Bridge" Laptop [Core i5 $1049 | Core i7 $1149 | Core i7 + 8GB RAM + 3GB Graphics $1,249] (use $50 coupon code).

11.6" Alienware m11x 1.3GHz ULV Core 2 Duo Gaming Laptop w/8GB RAM, 500GB 7200RPM HDD & 1GB GeForce GT335M for $649 with free shipping (normally $799 - use coupon code BHW1L0MX0D?MCX).

Roundup of Fujitsu Direct Deals, Coupon & Offers for LIFEBOOKs, Tablet PCs, Accessories.

Desktops:

Dell Inspiron 570 2.9GHz Dual-core AMD Mini Tower Desktop w/6GB RAM for $354.99 with free shipping.

23" Lenovo IdeaCentre B520 1080p All-in-one Multi-touch PC [Core i7 $1299 | Core i7 + 3D $1599] (use coupon code).

21.5" HP TouchSmart 420t Core i7-2600S 2.8GHz Quad-core 1080p All-in-one Multi-touch PC w/4GB RAM, 750GB HDD for $900 with free shipping (normally $1,049 - use coupon code 50LOGIC).

$100 Stackable Coupon Dell Precision Fixed Workstations $899+.

Computing Hardware & Peripherals:

1TB Western Digital My Passport Essential SE USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drivefor $79.99 with free shipping (normally $95 - use coupon code F4TK6$W1J5B7MW).

Dell SMB: 30% off select Monochrome, Color and Multi-function Laser Printers (use coupon code).

Galaxy GeForce GTS 450 (Fermi) 1GB DDR5 Video Card for $59.99 with free shipping (normally $149.99 - use $40 mail-in rebate & coupon code).

Targus Universal USB Laptop Docking Station w/ Video (ACP51USZ) for $119.99 with free shipping (normally $159).

24" Acer D241Hbmi 1080p HDMI LCD Monitor w/ Keyboard and Mouse Bundle for $160 with free shipping (normally $210 - use coupon code EMCKAJE67).

18.5" Dell IN1920 5ms LCD Monitor for $69.99 with free shipping (normally $99.99).

Gaming:

Duke Nukem Forever Balls of steel Edition (PC) for $29.99 with free shipping (normally $99.99).

Steam Sale: 50% off Select Star Wars PC Games.

Portal (PC/Mac Download) for $0 (normally $10).

Home Entertainment:

up to $400 Gift Card with Samsung (3D Bundles) HDTVs.

60" Sony BRAVIA KDL-60NX720 3D-Ready 240hz 1080p LED HDTV + Sony 3D Starter Kit + Wall Mount + HDMI Cable Bundle for $2,299 with free shipping (normally $2,550).

46" Toshiba 46SL412U 1080p 120Hz LED LCD HDTV (2011 Model) for $700 with free shipping (normally $750).

42" LG 42LK520 120Hz 1080p LCD HDTV + Wall Mount + HDMI Cable Bundle for $500 with free shipping (normally $650 - use coupon code 42LK520KIT).

32" Samsung UN32D4000 720p LED HDTV for $382 with free shipping (normally $450 - use coupon code BUYDIGCLUB15).

Movies:

Soap: The Complete Series (DVD) for $26 with free shipping (normally $33).

North America's National Parks Deluxe Box Set (DVD) for $8 with free shipping (normally $15).

Stir of Echoes [Blu-ray] for $6 with free shipping (normally $10).

Get Smart [Blu-ray] for $9 with free shipping (normally $12).

Scream 2 [Blu-ray] for $5 with free shipping (normally $9).

Phones & Tablets:

Nook Color Android-based eBook reader (Refurbished) for $149.

7" Samsung Galaxy Tab 3G Android Tablet [WiFi $297 | 3G Contract $199 | 3G Prepaid $506].

Motorola DROID 2 Global [w/new 2-year Verizon contract] + 3 free accessories for $0 with free shipping.

Kyocera Echo Dual-Touchscreen Smartphone [w/new 2-year Sprint contract] + Free Activation for $0 with free shipping.

Motorola Atrix Tegra 2 dual-core 4G smartphone [w/new 2-year AT&T contract] + Free Activation for $9.99 with free shipping.

LG Thrill 4G 3D Smartphone [w/new 2-year AT&T contract] + Free Activation for $0 with free shipping (normally $99.99).

Hosting & Domains:

First 6 months of 1&1.com Web Hosting FREE + Free Domain (requires 1-year term).

Personal Portables and Cameras:

14.2MP Sony Alpha NEX3K/B Black Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera w/18-55mm Lens for $435 with free shipping (normally $499 - use coupon code VT1GL39W4?G203).

10MP Nikon Coolpix P7000 Digital Camera with 7.1x Wide Zoom-Nikkor ED Lens and 3-Inch LCD for $350 with free shipping (normally $397 - use coupon code 06LDKR38LV0TDZ).

Apps:

Stock TickerPicker (iOS) for $0 (normally $15).

Clicks Count for Twitter (iOS) for $0 (normally $1).

Whiteboard HD: Internet Collaboration (iOS) for $1 (normally $4).

MyPlaylists Creator (iOS) for $0 (normally $1).

PrinterShare Mobile Print (Android) for $0 (normally $13).

Sudoku Brainiak HD (Android) for $1 (normally $13).

Cool Stuff:

Night of Theater (at select locations during October) fo $0.

Ten (10) Moo Business Cards for $0.

FIX Energy Tea sample for $0.

Down Size Black Fat Burner sample for $0.

Cottonelle Brand Roll Cover (with quanlifying purchase) for $0.

Original Chili Dog (at Wienerschnitzel) for $0.

Wednesday NETGEAR launched a dual-band Gigabit router, the N900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (WNDR4500), that supports a full 450 Mbps in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. It also features six highly sensitive internal antennas that are boosted by ultra-high-power radio amplifiers, providing what NETGEAR claims to be more Wi-Fi range – and more wireless speed at any given distance – than any other competing home router available today.

"NETGEAR is very proud to introduce the world's most advanced wireless home router," said Sandeep Harpalani, Senior Product Line Manager for Wireless Networking at NETGEAR. "The NETGEAR N900 stands alone in delivering ultimate wireless speed, range and premium features, while the router's easy-to-use browser-based installation and NETGEAR Genie will help even the most non-technical users explore and enjoy all the possibilities of a modern home network."

In addition to the dual-band capabilities, the router offers ReadySHARE Printer support for connecting a printer's USB cable and sharing the printer across the network, DLNA support for streaming multimedia content from a USB-connected hard drive, and Access Mode support for turning the router into a network range expander. There's also guest network access, Advanced Quality of Service for prioritizing video streams, Gigabit wired Ethernet and more.

For parents, the NETGEAR N900 router also provides a centralized, flexible and cost-free way to establish what web sites children can visit and what times of day they can go online for all devices on the network, including Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets. It also provides another free utility for monitoring, controlling and repairing home networks via a simple dashboard.

The NETGEAR N900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (WNDR4500) is available now in the United States at $179.99 and will be available worldwide this winter.

Wednesday NETGEAR also launched the NeoTV Streaming Player (NTV200), a device that turns any television into a connected "smart TV." With this gadget, users can stream movies, TV shows, music, videos, news and games from Netflix, Vudu, YouTube and many other sources. The company also released compatible iOS and Andriod apps that turns any iPhone or Android-based smartphone into a NeoTV remote control.

"The NeoTV Player brings you a wide choice of news and information through channels such as The Economist, Engadget, Make Magazine, TED and TMZ; and connects you to friends through Facebook and Twitter channels," the company said. "Vudu Apps, a companion to Vudu HD movies, offers a wide selection of free channels with videos, music, photo browsing, news, weather and social networking. When it's time to play, there's a collection of free casual games including Blackjack Royale, Rockswap Adventures and Texas Hold'em."

The NeoTV Streaming Player connects to the local network either through an Ethernet connection, or wirelessly via its built-in 802.11 b/g/n (300 Mbps) adapter. Device output only includes an HDMI connection, so a TV with HDMI input is required (cable not included). The unit does come with a remote, so an iOS and/or Android device is not necessary.

The NETGEAR NeoTV Streaming Player (NTV200) will be available later in September in the United States at $79.99 and can be pre-ordered now from major retailers and online stores.

Say what you will about Hewlett-Packard's consistently terrible corporate management and laughable failures in tablets and smartphones, HP still knows a thing or two about amazing peripherals. Witness the just-announced HP TopShot LaserJet Pro M275, an impressive web-connected printer/scanner that can scan 3D objects and still comes in at a reasonable $399.99. Of course this doesn't mean the kind of 3D for which you probably spent way too much money on a 3DS. The function is intended to streamline the process of photographing objects and getting the images online, for people who make their living from boutique sites or on eBay.

The scanner works by using the camera mounted on the crane arm to take 6 individual images from different angles and exposure levels. Those photos are then combined into a single image that HP claims will be seamless. Pretty cool, but in addition to the whole "wow, it scans 3D images" thing, the HP TopShot will also come with some useful features, like apps for posting the images directly to online storage sites and auctions, and the ability to print directly from your smart phone or devices like iPad and iPod Touch. Scans are able to get up to 245 dpi, which isn't bad unless you consider the HP TopShot prints up to 600 dpi. Assuming HP doesn't experience yet another management shuffle that veers the whole company sideways, future incarnations will likely have higher quality scans.

The HP Topshot also has support for HP ePrint and AirPrint, connects to the internet without a computer and will also work on a wireless network. All in all it looks like a shockingly affordable gadget for small businesses. No release date has been announced though, so keep your fingers crossed this won't go the way of Microsoft's Courier tablet.

Your Cheat Sheet For The Best Prints

Isn't it odd that in a world where everything seems to be stored in digital form, we still wind up printing so much content to paper? Computers get all of the glory, but everyone still owns a printer.

And yet, you probably don't put much thought into the printer you use or the settings you choose beyond picking between color or greyscale right before you click the Print button.

Of course, that all changes when you're standing in the printer supply isle, cursing the prices of paper and ink, right? 

Even if you only occasionally print photos, invoices, and emails, you can easily spend $200 a year on inkjet printing supplies. That's enough to buy an entirely new printer, which is why you should carefully pick those components.

Cost isn't the only factor at play here, either. Your purchasing decisions have a real impact on the quality of your print, and that fact isn't just limited to photos. Ink and paper can change the quality of essays, stories, and articles comprised purely of text.

Whether you're just curious about printing technology, just want more for bang your buck, or were particularly entertained by Tom's Hardware Benchmarks Inkjet Printer Paper!, we're covering the basics of what you need to know to get the most out of your printing tasks.

Consider Paper And Ink

Producing high-quality prints requires the right paper and the right ink. You can't get by with just one or the other.

When you look at something on a computer monitor, light is passing directly from the screen to your eyes. Whether the lights are on or off, you still see what's being displayed.

The same can't be said for a reading a paper in the dark. Unless you have night vision, reading in the dark is almost impossible. If you use an alternate light source to illuminate your content, however, you change the way that paper looks. This is why your printer uses cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK; the K stands for key), whereas computer monitors employ red, green, and blue (RGB) subpixels.

Matte Paper: Look For ColorLok

Matte Paper

Whether you use cheaper third-party inks or your printer's official brand, the results can vary greatly depending on the paper you use. In general, there are two paper types: matte and photo paper. The former is the stuff you use on a day-to-day basis because it's cheaper.

Between brands, the differences are few, but if you're an Epson, HP, or Kodak customer, you should definitely find a matte paper with the ColorLok logo.

ColorLok makes your prints look better, even on plain paper. Paper with this logo has been pretreated with a solution that allows colors to look more vivid; blacks seem deeper and images appear sharper because of less horizontal bleed. This is especially true if your printer uses pigment-based inks. And if you enjoy printing double-sided pages, you'll find that you get next to no bleed-through, regardless of paper thickness.

The picture above demonstrates ColorLok in action. We used generic craft paper and placed a drop of ColorLok solution on the surface. Then, we added a drop of black pigment ink on top and did the same to an area of the paper without ColorLok. When you flip the paper over, you can see the difference. Even though we're only using cheap craft paper, ColorLok holds the pigment higher on the surface and reacts with the ink, causing it to dry faster.

Even if you own a printer brand other than HP, Epson, or Kodak, you should see some gains with ColorLok. The picture above shows the printing results from a Canon MG5220 on various matte papers. Notice how the text appears darker and sharper on the ColorLok-treated papers.

As a general rule of thumb, ColorLok helps increase ink saturation, which results in more vivid colors.

Deciphering Photo Paper

Stepping up to true photo-quality artwork requires photographic paper, which you can generally break down into three groups.

1. Matte Photo Paper
2. High-Gloss Photo Paper
3. Resin-Coated Photo Paper

Matte Photo Paper

Matte photo papers are better suited for well-lit environments or situations where you want the widest viewing angles. The lack of a glossy finish means that you're not going to get any glare (great for black and white pictures or a newspaper effect).

With that said, you need to understand the advantages and disadvantages.

High-Gloss Photo Paper

High-gloss photo paper feels more like a sheet of heavy stock matte paper than it does true photo paper. Generally speaking, it's cheaper than the best photo paper, but it offers more color vividness than matte photo paper.

List of High-Gloss Photo Paper

• Epson Photo Paper Glossy
• Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy (high-gloss with base)
• Canon Photo Paper Glossy
• HP Premium Photo Paper Glossy
• Kodak Photo Paper Gloss

Resin-Coated (RC) Photo Paper

Resin-coated photo paper is the most expensive of all photo papers, but it also gets you the best results. Not only are your prints waterproof, but they're also full of color and at their sharpest.

Not all resin-coated photo papers are created the same. For example, photo labs and kiosks where you submit digital images for later pick-up use wet-process photo paper. This is probably the best of the best in terms of quality, but it involves time-intensive process employing a darkroom and special equipment. Obviously, that isn't something you can do at home. But you can get close with paper you pull off the shelf. You just need to know the differences between the two types of resin-coated photo papers: swellable and porous.

Both types have a resin coat on the top and bottom, which makes prints waterproof. That's where the similarities end, though. Swellable resin-coated photo paper can only be used with dye-based inks, as pigments are too large to be absorbed. This allows swellable to be much glossier than porous paper. And since the ink is restricted to the top coat, the print is more resistant to abrasions or fade from airborne pollutants. The problem is that you need to wait several hours for the print to dry. If you handle the pictures while they're still wet, the dye smears and you end up with a blurry print.

Porous resin-coated photo paper actually refers to three sub-types: macro-, micro-, and nano-porous. All three have small pores that absorb ink, but they differ in the composition of the coating and size of the pore. Generally speaking, nano-porous photo paper appears glossier than the macro or micro papers. Smaller pores are difficult to produce, though, which is why nano-porous paper often costs more.

Regardless of pore size, you can use this paper with dye- and pigment-based inkjet printers, but the prints are not as glossy as what you get with swellable photo paper. Another problem is that the pores stay open, which leaves the print vulnerable to scratches, fading, and environmental contaminants.

Manufacturers often don't tell you if their paper is swellable or porous, but there's usually a clue or two in the description. Porous papers are advertised as "instant dry," while swellable papers are usually listed as "fast-drying" or "high-gloss."

List of resin-coated photo paper:

• Epson Premium Photo Paper Glossy (porous)
• Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-Gloss (porous)
• Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster (porous)
• HP Premium Plus Glossy Photo Paper (swellable)
• HP Premium Plus Soft-Gloss Photo Paper (swellable)
• HP Advanced Glossy Photo Paper (porous)
• Canon Photo Paper Pro II (porous)
• Canon Photo Paper Platinum (porous)
• Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy II (porous)

Test Your Ink: Bleed Resistance

If officially-branded inks weren't so expensive, no one would bother with third-party cartridges and refilled ink kits. In reality, you can often buy an entirely new inkjet printer instead of new ink cartridges. Most folks only spend extra on those official inks because they're the safe choice, and they've been conditioned to believe that third-party inks deliver poorer performance.

Usually, that's true only to varying degrees. Official inks offer good quality because the printer company can control the supplier and formulation of the ink before it hits the shelf. There is only one HP ink. There are hundreds of companies offering alternative inks. But there is no regulating body to tell you what is good or bad.

The basic composition of ink is fairly simple. The problem is that third-party inks often skimp on one or two ingredients, which affects some aspect of performance: water resistance, fade resistance, drying speed, and color gamut, for example.

Even so, there are ways to make sure that you get quality third-party inks (though they might not be very convenient). Ideally, you want a bleed-resistant ink, and there's an easy way to test this at home.

Procedure:

1. Place a few drops of yellow ink into a tray
2. Place a single drop of black ink into the pool of yellow ink
3. Wait 30 minutes.

Notice how the black ink on the left side stays clumped together. This indicates high-quality ink because the inks can be expected to dry separately. If the black ink starts to blend into the yellow ink, then you know it's not bleed-resistant, meaning the inks will blend when they're placed on the paper before they even have a chance to dry.

Test Your Ink: Stability

Ink stability is another important aspect of performance. When ink sits idle in the cartridge, there's a chance its components could separate over time. The result is like an oil and vinegar salad dressing you need to shake before each use.

You can test the stability of ink using thin layer chromatography (TLC). Chemistry students often use this technique to separate mixtures, and it's an easy way to make sure that ink exists as a stable mixture. Unfortunately, you'll need some special equipment: namely, a silica TLC plate. You can find that by shopping online science supply shops or rummaging around in your local university's chemistry lab.

The test itself is pretty simple.

1. Place a small drop of ink on the TLC plate.
2. Drop the plate into a dish with a small amount of water. The water level shouldn't be above the dot of ink.
3. Check the results every five minutes until 30 minutes pass.

If the ink is stable, you'll see little to no separation on the TLC plate as the water is drawn through capillary action. The animation above shows an extreme example of ink separation from a black permanent marker.

We did own our TLC test to show you what a good ink should look like. The ink on the right is resisting separation, which is an indicator of stable ink.

Test Your Photos: Water Resistance

Submerging a print in water tests more than the ink's water resistance. Some manufacturers try to cut corners by leaving out the top resin coat. While you don't need the top coat to protect the image from water, it is important because it adds structure to the photo paper. Without it, prints will curl when they're exposed to moisture. Obviously, that's not good if you live in a humid environment.

This isn't just a problem with third-party printer paper. We also printed on Kodak's Premium Photo Paper and we found out the paper curls. Incidentally, that's how we discovered this photo paper lacks top and bottom resin coats. When your photo paper is resin coated, you should see nearly no buckling, waviness, or curling.

There are several photo papers that can be considered faux resin-coated because they lack distinctive plastic layers. Many of Kodak's photo papers fall into this category, and as a result, water resistance tends to be poor.

While immersing a photo into a tub of water shows the worst-case scenario, tearing a corner of your photo paper is the only surefire way to check for resin-coated layers. Faux resin-coated paper imitates the quality of the real thing through special surface coats. But beneath that, it's all paper fibers. With true resin-coated paper, you see the plastic threads stretch when the paper is torn.

Test Your Photos: Fade Resistance

Fade resistance testing usually happens on expensive machines able to carefully control humidity, light, and temperature. But there are ways to test fade resistance at home.

1. Print out two photos.
2. Cover half of one photo with the other
3. Leave them both out in the bright sun

It's difficult to quantify fade resistance when you're testing at home. Luminance and UV intensity vary based on your location. Sunlight near the equator is different than Augusta, Maine. As a general rule of thumb, though, you can assume that a day of direct spring sunlight roughly equals 150 days indoors. If your picture is sitting in a frame on the living room table, you can guesstimate fade resistance by doubling that number to 300 days.

This is an example of weathering taken to an extreme. These two photos were subjected to about 30 years of light exposure, which simulates what your framed family pictures would look like after that period of time in the living room.

Look at the fade in the bottom picture. This is a case of poor quality ink and/or photo paper. The top picture was printed with official inks and official paper. This shouldn't be considered an endorsement of official inks, though. If you do this test on your own, you can and will find other inks and papers that get close to official quality.

Realistically, most of us don't care if our prints survive beyond 10 years. If the picture loses quality, simply print it out again (so long as you've managed to keep your digital data safe for that long). But if you're a shutterbug concerned with print preservation, these tests should provide a few easy ways to make sure that you're getting as close as possible to an optimal print at a fraction of the cost of tier-one-branded supplies.