| Depending on your needs printing can be an | | | | $20 to $40 per cartridge which yields |
| integral and expensive part of your computer | | | | approximately 200 pages. |
| usage. Making a smart choice at point of purchase | | | | Thankfully, Kodak through a wrench into this sting |
| can save a lot of money over time and ensure | | | | last year by releasing the Kodak Easy Share 5500 |
| that you own a printer which is capable of your | | | | all-in-one ( a printer, scanner, copier and fax |
| desired performance. I will provide an overview of | | | | machine). This printer retails at approximately |
| two of the most common type of computer | | | | $200.00 and its cartridges are available for $9.99 |
| printers; the ink jet and the laser. | | | | in black and $14.99 in color. This yields a net |
| An Ink Jet printer operates by propelling droplets | | | | savings of 50% over your traditional ink jet |
| of liquid molten material, otherwise known as ink, | | | | printer. This resulted in other vendors slashing ink |
| onto a medium, otherwise known as paper. They | | | | prices. Furthermore, Brother, Canon, HP and |
| are the most popular type of computer printer | | | | Lexmark began selling more cost effective inkjet |
| due to its low cost, print quality, rich color and | | | | printers as well as small business-friendly inkjets. |
| ease of use. Four major manufacturers account | | | | There is also an extensive line of laser printers |
| for a bulk of the sales as follows; Canon, | | | | available. Laser printers can be set up on and |
| Hewlett-Packard, Epson and Lexmark. Each of | | | | excel on large sophisticated networks. Lasers are |
| these manufacturers claims a substantial share of | | | | durable on all media and provide the best overall |
| the credit for the development and evolution of | | | | print quality. They are better suited for high |
| the modern day inkjet. Your basic consumer ink | | | | volume printing with higher capacity supplies and |
| jet printer has print cartridges which contain a | | | | robust remote monitoring. Considering their high |
| series of tiny electronically heated chambers. The | | | | duty cycle these printers may be better suited in |
| printer runs a pulse of current through the heating | | | | an environment where IT support is available, |
| elements and this causes a steam burst in the | | | | although there are low intervention rates. The |
| chamber which forms a bubble and this propels a | | | | original purchase price is more expensive than the |
| droplet of ink onto the paper. | | | | inkjet but the yield per black ink cartridge is |
| A Laser printer is the second most common type | | | | approximately 1000 pages. However, color printing |
| of computer printer that produces excellent | | | | is approximately four times as expensive as black |
| quality text and graphics onto plain paper. Images | | | | and white. Hence, most people opt for the |
| are produced by the direct scanning of a laser | | | | monochrome lasers and office staff is instructed |
| beam across the printer's photoreceptor. Laser | | | | to save color for special occasions! |
| printers use a xerographic printing process similar | | | | Depending on your needs printing can be an |
| to digital photocopiers and MFPs. First, laser beam | | | | integral and expensive part of your computer |
| projects an image of the desired page onto it's | | | | usage. Making a smart choice at point of purchase |
| electrically charged rotating drum. Then ink is | | | | is going to require you to project usage and |
| sprayed onto the drum. The ink only adheres to | | | | desired quality of output and on what types of |
| the areas that were illuminated by the laser. The | | | | media. Occasional usage at home is most likely |
| image is then printed on the paper by direct | | | | best suited for an inkjet printer, keeping in mind |
| contact with the drum. | | | | that less expensive ink is available for certain |
| When trying to choose between an Ink Jet or | | | | models. In short, a laser printer is better suited |
| Laser printer for your home or business, ink jet is | | | | for mass printing on a shared network. There are |
| the easy choice at a glance. The average | | | | many in-between options available now especially |
| purchase price is approximately $50.00 and many | | | | in light of the cost competition heating up. This |
| vendors will "throw them in" with the purchase of | | | | overview provided you at the very least with the |
| other hardware. Ink is the catch. The cost of the | | | | right questions to ask while shopping! |
| ink used for inkjet printers is typically a whopping | | | | |