Printer Troubleshooting

Searching for a multi-purpose fax, scan, copy and print device for office use is far more difficult than it should be these days, mainly because there's such a wide range of products out there that all do a fairly similar job. Dell has made a solid, if uninspiring, shift in the printer market recently, and the 1135n complements associated models in the same range by adding multi-function capabilities along with wired network support. Despite its tilt towards an office environment, this is really a medium-yield laser printer with a 250-sheet main tray, 80-sheet output bin and a 40-sheet automatic document feeder.   <A target="_blank" href="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/jump/vnu2.uk/reviews/bus-hard/peripherals/laser-printers/;page=article;artid=2267082;topcat=business-hardware;cat=peripherals;tag=hardware;sect=hardware;pos=mpu1;tile=3;dcopt=;sz=200x200,300x250,336x280;gs_cat=&quot;+gs_channels+&quot;;ord=1664423074?"><IMG alt="" borde...

Printers will now come with a regular cartridge instead of a start-up one, designed to give only limited prints. The Mumbai Suburban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (Bandra) on Tuesday directed Hewlett Packard (HP), “to discontinue the adoption of the unfair trade practice by supplying a regular cartridge instead of an ‘introductory’ or ‘start-up’ one with the sale of a new printer”. Rajan Alimchandani, a Worli resident, had approached the forum in 2008 saying he had purchased a printer from Bisty Infotech, Borivli, in 2007.  However, the printer he said, could only print 22 pages. When he contacted the Sales manager of Bisty Infotech he was told the cartridge supplied to him was a start-up cartridge and he will have to purchase a regular one. According to Alimchandani’s complaint, it was not mentioned anywhere in the ad or the bill that the cartridge will be a start-up one. Bisty Infotech in its affidavit said there is no evidence to show the cartridge printed on...

HP PhotoSmart e-All-in-One D110a It’s hard being a printer manufacturer in an age in which people want to cut down on paper. But tough times tend to prod innovation, and that’s exactly what seems to have happened within HP’s printer division. Starting this month, all of HP’s new $100-plus consumer printers will feature built-in web-based services; ways in which consumers can use their printers without their computer being switched on and without even being in the house. I had a chance to try one of the most basic models, the $139.99 PhotoSmart e-All-in-One D110a. Setup took a little longer than I was used to. Rather than just plugging in a USB cable (which is optional) and installing some software, I needed to use the device’s 2.4-inch display to connect to my router and enter my network password. I also needed to copy the printer’s IP address to my computer during installation and print out a code to log into HP’s website so that I could delete old apps and download new ones. Apps, y...

The Lexmark Interact S605 color inkjet multifunction printer avoids being just another $200 (as of May 22, 2010) printer/scanner/copier by including a 4.3-inch color LCD touchscreen for its control panel (think iPod Touch or iPhone). Unfortunately, that embellishment doesn't fully compensate for the machine's pricey inks and other shortcomings. Overall, the HP Officejet 6500 Wireless is a better deal in the same price range. The Interact S605 's 4.3-inch touchscreen control panel is its standout feature. Not only does the touchscreen look great, but Lexmark did an excellent job with its icons and menu structure, making it intuitive, easy to navigate, and well thought out. The touchscreen also gives the machine a cleaner look than a raft of buttons would. Automatic duplexing (two-sided printing) is the other big plus. But otherwise, the I nteract S605's features are unremarkable: There is no automatic document feeder, just a letter-size flatbed scanner. The rear, ve...