Preventive Maintenance Keeps Costs at Bay!

Does Your Printer Need More Memory?

Preventive Maintenance Keeps Costs at Bay!

In this day and age, it's rare to find an office that doesn’t have at least one laser printer. People depend upon their lasers almost as much as their telephones. And they give them about the same amount of care—usually none at all, until something goes wrong.

It’s unfortunate that the very qualities that make laser printers valuable—their ruggedness and reliability—also lull users into thinking they need no maintenance whatsoever. As a result, their printers don't last as long as they could, and they malfunction more often than they might if given periodic professional attention. Like a car, printers are machines that need occasional servicing to run properly.

We've made a concerted effort to inform our customers about the importance of professional cleanings and preventive care. Over time, dust, dirt, and toner build up in every printer. If not periodically cleaned away, these accumulations can damage internal parts, necessitating service and replacement. In addition to cleaning, preventive service also keeps your machines lubricated and maintains rollers, pads, and other parts of the mechanical assembly.

In short, the small price you pay for periodic preventive maintenance service far outweighs the cost of repairs and the expensive downtime you’ll experience when printer malfunctions occur. Check out our very affordable preventive maintenance programs. They offer exactly the kind of professional service your printers need and if you choose, even give you warranty protection. There’s no better, more economical way to extend the life of your expensive printing equipment.

Give us a call to schedule your printer maintenance today! ■

Are you getting a “Not Enough Disk Space to Print” message on your PC screen? Read on to discover simple ways to clear space:

First, try moving large files that you want to keep onto portable drives or burn them to a CD or DVD. Then uninstall any software programs or games that you no longer use.

Delete temporary files by following these steps:

1. Click the desktop Start button.
2. Select Find and then Files or Folders.
3. Type “*.TMP” in the Namebox.
4. Type “C:\” in the Look In box.
5. Make sure that the Include Subfolders box is checked and click the Find Now button.
6. Highlight any temporary files returned in the Search Results list by choosing edit, then Select All.
7. Click File and then Delete to delete the files.
8. Right-click on the Recycle Bin and click on Empty Recycle Bin.
9. Try again to print. If you still receive the “Not Enough Disk Space to Print” it’s time to contact your computer manufacturer. ■

HP recently debuted two new low-cost, Ethernet-ready, single function inkjet printers. The affordable Deskjets 6940 and 6980 are designed as replacements for HP’s 6620 and 6840.

Ethernet connectivity on both machines supports print sharing for up to five computers, making it easy for users who switch back and forth between home and office environments, thus creating an ideal product for those who work remotely or frequently take work home from the office.

Both models boast print speeds of 36 ppm in black and 27 ppm in color; an optimized resolution of up to 4,800 dpi, panoramic photo printing, and a 150-sheet paper tray.

These new products are chock-full of dynamic new features such as Broadcom’s SecureEasySetup software on the 6980 that makes it possible for users to construct Wi-Fi devices by just pressing a button on the printer. The 6980 then starts up the connection process and activates Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), a security standard that protects wireless networks from unauthorized usage. Wireless printing is available through an optional Bluetooth wireless print adapter. A duplexing unit and an extra-capacity paper tray are also optional items.

The 6480 automatically detects the paper type and adjusts the print quality for optimum results. For those who frequently print photos, the 6480 allows direct printing from PictBridge-enabled cameras via its front USB port.

Contact us to find out more information about these new feature-filled printers. ■

Does Your Printer Need More Memory?

Adding more RAM memory to your printer may help it print faster and handle more complex documents. Or it may not! If your printer is already churning out pages as fast as its rated engine speed (check your user’s manual), adding more memory can’t push it beyond that limit (It may be time to upgrade to a faster printer). However, if page output is below the rated engine speed, not counting the first page out, more memory is likely to help speed printing along.

Printers almost always ship with enough memory to handle jobs that mainly involve text. But the standard memory may not be enough if you’re printing complex text and graphics. Your printer will also require more memory if your workgroup uses both PCL and PostScript languages, and if you need to download forms, macros, or fonts. If you send jobs to print and frequently get “memory overload,” “overflow error,” and “out of memory” messages, your documents are too complex for the installed memory. Those messages mean your computer is sending more data at one time than your printer’s memory can handle.

Call us if you decide it’s time to install more printer memory. We’ll supply exactly what your printer needs at a great price! ■

Staying Current: Total Print Management Expands

HP recently debuted an expanded Total Print Management portfolio—the company’s integrated suite of devices, management software and services designed to help businesses streamline their printing and imaging resources and document output, reduce costs, and manage their printing environments more efficiently. The expansion includes enhancements to the industry’s leading web-based print management solution, HP Web Jetadmin, as well as updates to HP Output Management solutions, which help ensure reliable document delivery.

HP also unveiled an industry first: the HP Universal Print Driver Series for Windows, which eases deployment of new HP print drivers for IT managers. HP WebJetadmin version 8.0 is the only print management software application that offers robust management of fleets containing both HP and non-HP devices. The easy-to-use tool provides remote deployment, maintenance, supplies replenishment, and reporting.

To find out if TPM is right for your business, contact us today! ■

There has been much talk of the upcoming Microsoft XML Page Specification (XPS) printing and document workflow technology. XPS is a part of the Microsoft Windows Vista™ operating system, which is targeted for release in late 2006. Printer manufacturers have had to update their own technologies to support XPS. OKI Printing Solutions, for example has announced its commitment to support the new technology as well as its ability to support the newly announced Windows Workflow Foundation (WWF) providing end-users with rapid workflow customization of business processes and a powerful new platform to meet their unique business document requirements. Most printer manufacturers plan to make the new Vista and XPS printing drivers available at the same time that Vista launches to the market. We will continue to update you as new information becomes available. ■

Read EcoPrint News each month for timely
tips on printing and environmental news.