Lexmark Digital Camera/photo Printer Bundle
Published by ClubPrinter, on May 31 2010, in the categories: Lexmark
The Lexmark X4550 was designed as a multifunctional device, equipped with printing, scanning, and copying options. It can be used as a home multifunctional device, which can be used by the whole family, or in small offices that need to benefit from standard qualitative options. The Lexmark X4550 multifunction machine was also equipped with built-in 802.11 Wi-Fi connectivity; this means it can print, scan or send files from PCs and memory sticks without any additional cables. You can configure the wireless option following some easy steps and using the given USB 2.0 cable, and then you can disconnect this cable.
However, the Lexmark X4550 text printing is not very accurate and clear, which can be a little annoying, but it doesn’t look too bad either, compared to other devices of its class. The photo printing is not extraordinary either, while the color cartridges are separated in two: one black cartridge, and one tricolor cartridge. To escape the standard four-color printing, you can install the Lexmark Photo cartridge for six-color printing, which will improve the images’ quality.
The speed of printing isn’t too fast either, which is specific for a home destined multifunctional. You can print 20 pages in black in two minutes time using the draft mode. For 10 colored pages the time will be even more expanded, of up to four minutes and thirty seconds. If you use the four color cartridge, the time will be less, of two minutes and twenty-five seconds. The black and white documents will spare more time, of fourteen seconds per page. The average time spent to copy a color page is one minute and twenty-four seconds.
The scanner works better than the printer, and it has an 8.5 x 11.7 inch flatbed hinge technology and 600 x 1,200 dpi. It can handle well books, magazines, or photos scanning, and the images rendered are crisp and clear. The copies made on simple or photo papers have a nice overall appearance, though they had a slightly red shade.
The scanning can be done to either a wired or a wireless network, and it is closely related to Adobe Photoshop Elements and Microsoft Word software, to which the scans can be directly sent. If you want to scan during a long time printing process, you may have problems with the scanning process, because the Lexmark X4550 device was not equipped with enough power so that it can all times work as a multifunctional device. It is a multifunctional device that will not allow you to multitask too much, but you will benefit from each of its options for faxing, scanning and printing, each option being recommended for individual use.
There is a flash card reader that supports MultiMediaCard, CompactFlash, SD, and xD-Picture Card formats, which can be used with the wireless connectivity option. You also have the possibility to print from the card at once. You don't have a preview option, which can be consider a con for this multimedia device, but you can print a proof sheet that will guide you to the selection of pictures and sizes you will want to print.
However, the Lexmark X4550 text printing is not very accurate and clear, which can be a little annoying, but it doesn’t look too bad either, compared to other devices of its class. The photo printing is not extraordinary either, while the color cartridges are separated in two: one black cartridge, and one tricolor cartridge. To escape the standard four-color printing, you can install the Lexmark Photo cartridge for six-color printing, which will improve the images’ quality.
The speed of printing isn’t too fast either, which is specific for a home destined multifunctional. You can print 20 pages in black in two minutes time using the draft mode. For 10 colored pages the time will be even more expanded, of up to four minutes and thirty seconds. If you use the four color cartridge, the time will be less, of two minutes and twenty-five seconds. The black and white documents will spare more time, of fourteen seconds per page. The average time spent to copy a color page is one minute and twenty-four seconds.
The scanner works better than the printer, and it has an 8.5 x 11.7 inch flatbed hinge technology and 600 x 1,200 dpi. It can handle well books, magazines, or photos scanning, and the images rendered are crisp and clear. The copies made on simple or photo papers have a nice overall appearance, though they had a slightly red shade.
The scanning can be done to either a wired or a wireless network, and it is closely related to Adobe Photoshop Elements and Microsoft Word software, to which the scans can be directly sent. If you want to scan during a long time printing process, you may have problems with the scanning process, because the Lexmark X4550 device was not equipped with enough power so that it can all times work as a multifunctional device. It is a multifunctional device that will not allow you to multitask too much, but you will benefit from each of its options for faxing, scanning and printing, each option being recommended for individual use.
There is a flash card reader that supports MultiMediaCard, CompactFlash, SD, and xD-Picture Card formats, which can be used with the wireless connectivity option. You also have the possibility to print from the card at once. You don't have a preview option, which can be consider a con for this multimedia device, but you can print a proof sheet that will guide you to the selection of pictures and sizes you will want to print.
Lexmark Color Printer
Published by ClubPrinter, on May 04 2010, in the categories: Lexmark
While Lexmark wasn't the first company to release a multifunction printer on the market, Lexmark all-in-ones were probably the first printers to be seen in stores, especially because of their affordable pricing. One of the newer printers from Lexmark that costs about $120 is the Interpret S405.
This particular printer was designed for use in a home office and it offers some of the best features on the market compared to similar devices. The Interpret S405 is part of a whole series of Lexmark printers, all featuring relatively odd but interesting names that start with an 'I', the Impact S305, Intuition S505 and Interact S605. All of the four printer are designed and based upon roughly the same model, with a tweak here and there. In fact, the print speeds, ink used and print head are the exact same.
Another thing the four printers seem to share is the design. They come with a black and gray shell with glossy accents here and there. On top of the S405 you can find an automatic document feeder, that function that makes our lives much easier when we have to manipulate a higher number of sheets we wouldn't really want to feed one by one. The input tray sits at the back of the device and the paper eventually ends up on the output tray sticking from the front.
The control panel lays on the front of the printer and is pretty hard to miss. A number pad is present for easier faxing. Navigation is done through a four button set and with the help of a 2line backlit display. There are also buttons for every available function of this all-in-one printer, namely copy, scan, fax and photo print.
A USB slot works for both normal connections as well as for direct printing straight from compatible PictBridge camera. The single memory card slot comes with support for SD, Memory Stick and xD formats. If you also consider the Ethernet port and WiFi for networking you could say you're getting a full set of options for printing from any given device (or devices). In an home office this is a very nice thing to have as you might want to use the digital camera you have around as well as hook up two computers to printing without any kind of wire.
If all of the above sounds decent, then things are about to become even better when talking about this Lexmark color printer. Lexmark claims 17 pages per minute for black printing and the Interpret S405 can do about half of that in reality. The printing speed of photography is not bad either and overall you could say this Lexmark color printer is pretty fast for an inkjet all-in-one.
Print quality varies based on what you're actually printing. Black text is satisfactory but far from what a pretentious user would expect (who'd be much better off with a laser printer). Color graphics and photo printing are pretty good for a printer of this class and price. As a conclusion the only flaw you could find with this printer is the high price of consumables.
This particular printer was designed for use in a home office and it offers some of the best features on the market compared to similar devices. The Interpret S405 is part of a whole series of Lexmark printers, all featuring relatively odd but interesting names that start with an 'I', the Impact S305, Intuition S505 and Interact S605. All of the four printer are designed and based upon roughly the same model, with a tweak here and there. In fact, the print speeds, ink used and print head are the exact same.
Another thing the four printers seem to share is the design. They come with a black and gray shell with glossy accents here and there. On top of the S405 you can find an automatic document feeder, that function that makes our lives much easier when we have to manipulate a higher number of sheets we wouldn't really want to feed one by one. The input tray sits at the back of the device and the paper eventually ends up on the output tray sticking from the front.
The control panel lays on the front of the printer and is pretty hard to miss. A number pad is present for easier faxing. Navigation is done through a four button set and with the help of a 2line backlit display. There are also buttons for every available function of this all-in-one printer, namely copy, scan, fax and photo print.
A USB slot works for both normal connections as well as for direct printing straight from compatible PictBridge camera. The single memory card slot comes with support for SD, Memory Stick and xD formats. If you also consider the Ethernet port and WiFi for networking you could say you're getting a full set of options for printing from any given device (or devices). In an home office this is a very nice thing to have as you might want to use the digital camera you have around as well as hook up two computers to printing without any kind of wire.
If all of the above sounds decent, then things are about to become even better when talking about this Lexmark color printer. Lexmark claims 17 pages per minute for black printing and the Interpret S405 can do about half of that in reality. The printing speed of photography is not bad either and overall you could say this Lexmark color printer is pretty fast for an inkjet all-in-one.
Print quality varies based on what you're actually printing. Black text is satisfactory but far from what a pretentious user would expect (who'd be much better off with a laser printer). Color graphics and photo printing are pretty good for a printer of this class and price. As a conclusion the only flaw you could find with this printer is the high price of consumables.
Color Ink Jet Printer
Published by ClubPrinter, on Mar 11 2010, in the categories: Ink Jet type, Lexmark
Lexmark is best known for their affordable all-in-one printers that offer decent quality as well as a low price tag. This type of device is what sells best, as customers of higher quality printers are in most cases determined to buy from more popular names like HP or Canon. However, Lexmark does obviously have a Professional high-end range. The Platinum Pro 905 for example, is aimed at the professional that still wants to save a bit of money when purchasing a color multifunction printer.
Now most office users may prefer a laser printer. This is because the maintenance cost of a laser is said to be way under the one of an inkjet. Lately this has changed, as at least consumables will get you to around the same costs. Toners may be more expensive but they are higher capacity so overall you’ll spend more money less often. What inkjets shine in, however, is photo print and color quality.
Lexmark tried their best to come up with a high quality printer that at the same time is as affordable or more so than a laser. This all-in-one color inkjet offers the possibility of equipping a 105XL black ink cartridge instead of a 100XL. The 105XL costs about ¼ of what the latter does. The cost per black page you end up with is actually below the one of lasers.
When considering a Platinum Pro 905 what you'll be getting is printing, scanning, copying and fax machine. For all it features, the printer's size is average, at 12.1 x 18.31 x 15.42 inches. The darker, more serious design, with round edges makes this printer look professional and blend in an office environment very well.
The color ink jet printer features a 4.3 inch display that's bright and extremely to read. On the LCD you'll find a button that Lexmark calls 'SmartSolutions' which can be programmed for one-touch execution of a series of actions. The Platinum Pro 950 comes with a few presets but this feature is being offered specifically for the user to make special ones for that particular office's needs.
One of the good points of this printer is definitely paper capacity. There are two 150-sheet input trays. The top tray can store photo paper. To further sustain it's office qualities the printer also features a duplexer, which will allow printing on both sides of a paper and an automatic document feeder with a 50 page capacity. Quality of the prints is good towards very good, regardless of the type of media used. The speed is however slower than in the case of most competitors and the Platinum Pro 905 will reach around 6 pages per minute on default settings for plain text.
As a conclusion, the Lexmark Platinum Pro 905 is an all-in-one color ink jet printer with plenty of useful features that can handle an office perfectly. Because it provides great flexibility there are few tasks that it won't manage to do properly. Monochrome print costs are highly affordable, but otherwise this printer isn't cheap at all. Of course, as always high-end printers don't come with cheap price tags.
Now most office users may prefer a laser printer. This is because the maintenance cost of a laser is said to be way under the one of an inkjet. Lately this has changed, as at least consumables will get you to around the same costs. Toners may be more expensive but they are higher capacity so overall you’ll spend more money less often. What inkjets shine in, however, is photo print and color quality.
Lexmark tried their best to come up with a high quality printer that at the same time is as affordable or more so than a laser. This all-in-one color inkjet offers the possibility of equipping a 105XL black ink cartridge instead of a 100XL. The 105XL costs about ¼ of what the latter does. The cost per black page you end up with is actually below the one of lasers.
When considering a Platinum Pro 905 what you'll be getting is printing, scanning, copying and fax machine. For all it features, the printer's size is average, at 12.1 x 18.31 x 15.42 inches. The darker, more serious design, with round edges makes this printer look professional and blend in an office environment very well.
The color ink jet printer features a 4.3 inch display that's bright and extremely to read. On the LCD you'll find a button that Lexmark calls 'SmartSolutions' which can be programmed for one-touch execution of a series of actions. The Platinum Pro 950 comes with a few presets but this feature is being offered specifically for the user to make special ones for that particular office's needs.
One of the good points of this printer is definitely paper capacity. There are two 150-sheet input trays. The top tray can store photo paper. To further sustain it's office qualities the printer also features a duplexer, which will allow printing on both sides of a paper and an automatic document feeder with a 50 page capacity. Quality of the prints is good towards very good, regardless of the type of media used. The speed is however slower than in the case of most competitors and the Platinum Pro 905 will reach around 6 pages per minute on default settings for plain text.
As a conclusion, the Lexmark Platinum Pro 905 is an all-in-one color ink jet printer with plenty of useful features that can handle an office perfectly. Because it provides great flexibility there are few tasks that it won't manage to do properly. Monochrome print costs are highly affordable, but otherwise this printer isn't cheap at all. Of course, as always high-end printers don't come with cheap price tags.
Lexmark X6650 Color Printer
Published by ClubPrinter, on Mar 09 2010, in the categories: Lexmark, Photo quality devices, Review
Lexmark is known for its affordable and convenient printers. The type of device Lexmark seems to specialize in would be the 4-in-1 multifunction with low maintenance cost and a low initial price tag. In the case of the X6650 you'll be getting a copier, scanner, faxing machine, printer and WiFi all for around $130. This particular printer is a part of the Home and Student Series. of Lexmark color printers. It also has a twin brother, the X6675 that belongs to the Small Office Pro Series and comes with a longer warranty period.
Add to that an automatic document feeder with a capacity of 25 sheets that ensures easy copying and faxing of multiple pages without having to manually put the sheets of paper into the scanner, PictBridge that allows printing directly from a compatible digital camera and two memory card slots on the front of the device (supporting SD, xD, Compact Flash, MMC and MemoryStick cards) and you can say you got yourself a deal.
The design of the printer was kept nice and simple and you won't have to be a scientist to figure out what every button does, or to set the printer up when you receive it. It will take a user probably under a minute to insert the two ink cartridges in their designated places. As soon as that is done the printer will ask for paper so that it can print an alignment page.
Before someone considers purchasing this device, mostly because of its extremely convenient price, they must be aware of the fact that low prices usually involve some sort of compromise on quality, speed, functionality or sometimes maintenance cost for the future.
There are several such compromises to be made in the case of these Lexmark color printers. One of them is versatility when it comes to wired connectivity. Its user will be limited for using this printer on a single PC with the help of a USB 2.0 connection. There is no Ethernet port on it so through wires it won't work as a workgroup printer. The list of ‘what you won’t be getting’ also includes the duplexer (so if you want to print on both sides of the paper you’ll have to do it manually). Instead of a color display you’ll be getting a small two-line display that works just for setting things up and not for previewing photos.
The printer makes perfect use of the two ink cartridge system and is equipped with a black and a tri-color cartridge (cyan, magenta, yellow). To get better quality for photo printing you do however have the option of switching the black cartridge for an extra tri-color photo cartridge that switches you to six-color printing. Obviously no user expects to buy exceptional quality and the speed of light from a printer that costs less than $150 and offers several functions, including faxing which is usually expensive. In fact, the Lexmark X6650 should look and act cheap, but it manages to offer average. Which is obviously more than you're paying for.
Add to that an automatic document feeder with a capacity of 25 sheets that ensures easy copying and faxing of multiple pages without having to manually put the sheets of paper into the scanner, PictBridge that allows printing directly from a compatible digital camera and two memory card slots on the front of the device (supporting SD, xD, Compact Flash, MMC and MemoryStick cards) and you can say you got yourself a deal.
The design of the printer was kept nice and simple and you won't have to be a scientist to figure out what every button does, or to set the printer up when you receive it. It will take a user probably under a minute to insert the two ink cartridges in their designated places. As soon as that is done the printer will ask for paper so that it can print an alignment page.
Before someone considers purchasing this device, mostly because of its extremely convenient price, they must be aware of the fact that low prices usually involve some sort of compromise on quality, speed, functionality or sometimes maintenance cost for the future.
There are several such compromises to be made in the case of these Lexmark color printers. One of them is versatility when it comes to wired connectivity. Its user will be limited for using this printer on a single PC with the help of a USB 2.0 connection. There is no Ethernet port on it so through wires it won't work as a workgroup printer. The list of ‘what you won’t be getting’ also includes the duplexer (so if you want to print on both sides of the paper you’ll have to do it manually). Instead of a color display you’ll be getting a small two-line display that works just for setting things up and not for previewing photos.
The printer makes perfect use of the two ink cartridge system and is equipped with a black and a tri-color cartridge (cyan, magenta, yellow). To get better quality for photo printing you do however have the option of switching the black cartridge for an extra tri-color photo cartridge that switches you to six-color printing. Obviously no user expects to buy exceptional quality and the speed of light from a printer that costs less than $150 and offers several functions, including faxing which is usually expensive. In fact, the Lexmark X6650 should look and act cheap, but it manages to offer average. Which is obviously more than you're paying for.
Lexmark Photo Printers
Published by ClubPrinter, on Mar 04 2010, in the categories: Ink Jet type, Lexmark, Review
If you've been shopping for a portable photo printer lately you're probably very familiar with Epson's PictureMate line or the Canon Selphy printers simply because they are the best known options for mobile printing. Lexmark, also based in the USA like many other technology companies specializes in providing more affordable alternatives to products from consecrated brands.
They develop and manufacture printing as well as imaging products. While the many Lexmark photo printers on the market do offer good quality, you'll be pleased to know that they also joined the portable printer race with their P350. The Lexmark P350 comes with a white and silver case and a handle that folds up and it's meant to inspire portability.
It measures 9.2 x 5.8 x 5 inches and weighs 4.1 pounds and can in fact be carried around with no problem. Sadly the printer ceases to appear such a great travel buddy the moment you find out that there is no optional battery pack available on the market. It is true that similar products released in the same period of time don't have battery options either, but it would have been nice to be able to purchase one nonetheless. As technology, the Lexmark P350 is a thermal inkjet printer.
Right on top of the printer you'll discover a 2.4 inch LCD screen that swivels allowing for multiple viewing angles depending on what's more comfortable for its user. For control you'll be getting four directional (arrow) keys, an OK button and a back button. Aside from the aforementioned ones you'll also be getting print and one-touch red-eye-removal buttons.
The input tray is situated on the back of the printer and can handle as many as 25 sheets of photo paper whereas the output tray is right in the front. Also on the front you will find a USB port and the memory card slots. There is a very high number of memory cards the printer supports including Compact Flash, Memory Stick, SD, MMC, xD and variations.
The printer uses a single cartridge (tri-color) with pigment ink and can handle quite a few sizes of paper of up to 4 by 8 inch (which is a somewhat atypical format). Upon it's release on the market this printer also introduced two new technologies to the public, Lexmark's Evercolor II ink technology and Perfect Finish Photo paper. The Evercolor ink is, as mentioned before, a pigment based ink that promises a quicker dry time as well as prints that are waterproof.
P350 is pretty versatile as printing and can offer direct prints from a memory card, compatible digital camera, PC or even Bluetooth devices (provided you buy a Bluetooth adapter separately). At the moment of release P350 was one of the most affordable Lexmark photo printers around. While this doesn't make it the highest quality printer and it's printing speed is rather on the slow side compared to competition it remains a satisfying choice. Only clear inconvenience is the lack of a battery pack (optional or included) because it makes the device feel less portable.
They develop and manufacture printing as well as imaging products. While the many Lexmark photo printers on the market do offer good quality, you'll be pleased to know that they also joined the portable printer race with their P350. The Lexmark P350 comes with a white and silver case and a handle that folds up and it's meant to inspire portability.
It measures 9.2 x 5.8 x 5 inches and weighs 4.1 pounds and can in fact be carried around with no problem. Sadly the printer ceases to appear such a great travel buddy the moment you find out that there is no optional battery pack available on the market. It is true that similar products released in the same period of time don't have battery options either, but it would have been nice to be able to purchase one nonetheless. As technology, the Lexmark P350 is a thermal inkjet printer.
Right on top of the printer you'll discover a 2.4 inch LCD screen that swivels allowing for multiple viewing angles depending on what's more comfortable for its user. For control you'll be getting four directional (arrow) keys, an OK button and a back button. Aside from the aforementioned ones you'll also be getting print and one-touch red-eye-removal buttons.
The input tray is situated on the back of the printer and can handle as many as 25 sheets of photo paper whereas the output tray is right in the front. Also on the front you will find a USB port and the memory card slots. There is a very high number of memory cards the printer supports including Compact Flash, Memory Stick, SD, MMC, xD and variations.
The printer uses a single cartridge (tri-color) with pigment ink and can handle quite a few sizes of paper of up to 4 by 8 inch (which is a somewhat atypical format). Upon it's release on the market this printer also introduced two new technologies to the public, Lexmark's Evercolor II ink technology and Perfect Finish Photo paper. The Evercolor ink is, as mentioned before, a pigment based ink that promises a quicker dry time as well as prints that are waterproof.
P350 is pretty versatile as printing and can offer direct prints from a memory card, compatible digital camera, PC or even Bluetooth devices (provided you buy a Bluetooth adapter separately). At the moment of release P350 was one of the most affordable Lexmark photo printers around. While this doesn't make it the highest quality printer and it's printing speed is rather on the slow side compared to competition it remains a satisfying choice. Only clear inconvenience is the lack of a battery pack (optional or included) because it makes the device feel less portable.