| The printer, one of the more important | | | | principle behind photocopier technology. One such |
| peripherals for any computer these days, is a | | | | toner-based printer is the laser printer, which |
| must-have for producing hard copy. It allows | | | | makes use of dry powdered ink and laser beam |
| users to get hold of the tangible results of | | | | technology. Laser printers are the preferred |
| electronic data created and stored in the | | | | printer for a speedier turn-out of high quality |
| computer. | | | | prints. They are usually the printer of choice for |
| While printing presses still hold the number one | | | | office or corporate settings. |
| spot for mass production of high definition results, | | | | Color printers, on the other hand, produce not |
| many professional print and graphic businesses | | | | only black or monochrome hard copy prints, but |
| utilize a computer printer for fast and good quality | | | | the whole color range. With the advent of digital |
| prints. | | | | cameras, photo printers have seen an increase in |
| There are many printer types, and one of these | | | | popularity. Formerly high-priced and used only by |
| is the local peripheral printer, or computer printer. | | | | professional photographers, the photo printer is |
| It is attached directly to the computer via a | | | | now more accessible to the digital camera-owning |
| printer cable to enable the user to print data | | | | public. |
| directly from the source. Another type of printer | | | | Photo printers normally contain more ink |
| is the network printer, which is connected to | | | | cartridges compared to the standard inkjet printer |
| many computers on a built-in network and allows | | | | in order to duplicate the color range seen in the |
| local or network connected users to print hard | | | | viewfinder of a digital camera and to produce |
| copy results. | | | | more realistic, high definition pictures. There is |
| A user can choose to print data using an impact | | | | currently a surge of compact photo printers in the |
| printer, a printing device that utilizes a print head | | | | market today. These photo printers turn out |
| containing several metal pins that strike against a | | | | standard size 4" by 6" prints and do not even |
| ribbon to produce print on a page. An example of | | | | require the use of a computer. |
| an impact printer is a dot-matrix printer, which is | | | | Modern printer technology has also brought the |
| a low-definition device normally used in the printing | | | | multifunction printer, also known as the All-In-One |
| of cash register receipts or invoices. | | | | (AIO) printer. This type of printer caters to the |
| Meanwhile, a non-impact printer is a faster and | | | | user who prefers an all-purpose device in a single |
| quieter printer. Thermal printers fall under this | | | | unit. Most standard All-In-One printers can be |
| category. Thermal printers use heat to print on | | | | directly linked to outside peripherals like memory |
| special heat-receptive paper and are normally | | | | cards, flash drives, or even image-capture devices |
| found in portable calculators. Another kind of | | | | like digital cameras. The multifunctional |
| non-impact printer, the ink-jet printer, squirts fine | | | | characteristic of the All-In-One printer allows it to |
| jets of ink from ink cartridges unto the paper. | | | | function as a scanner, a printer and a fax |
| Another printer type is toner-based and uses the | | | | machine, all found in just one printing device. |