Printer (computing)
hideIn computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a hard copy (permanent human-readable text and/or graphics) of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most newer printers, a USB cable to a computer which serves as a document source. Some printers, commonly known as network printers, have built-in network interfaces (typically wireless or Ethernet), and can serve as a hardcopy device for any user on the network. Individual printers are often designed to support both local and network connected users at the same time. Chetan
In addition, a few modern printers can directly interface to electronic media such as memory sticks or memory cards, or to image capture devices such as digital cameras, scanners; some printers are combined with a scanners and/or fax machines in a single unit, and can function as photocopiers. Printers that include non-printing features are sometimes called Multifunction Printers (MFP), Multi-Function Devices (MFD), or All-In-One (AIO) printers. Most MFPs include printing, scanning, and copying among their features. A Virtual printer is a piece of computer software whose user interface and API resemble that of a printer driver, but which is not connected with a physical computer printer.
Printers are designed for low-volume, short-turnaround print jobs; requiring virtually no setup time to achieve a hard copy of a given document. However, printers are generally slow devices (30 pages per minute is considered fast; and many inexpensive consumer printers are far slower than that), and the cost per page is actually relatively high. However this is offset by the on-demand convenience and project management costs being more controllable compared to an out-sourced solution.The printing press naturally remains the machine of choice for high-volume, professional publishing. However, as printers have improved in quality and performance, many jobs which used to be done by professional print shops are now done by users on local printers; see desktop publishing. The world's first computer printer was a 19th century mechanically driven apparatus invented by Charles Babbage for his Difference Engine.
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News tagged with printer
Scientists Use Inkjet Printer to Manipulate Genes in New Ways
Oct 05, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- With recent advances in biochemistry, researchers can control the circuitry in a developing cell, thereby influencing cells to develop into specific phenotypes. Taking a step forward in this ...
University lab demonstrates 3-D printing in glass
Sep 24, 2009 |
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A team of engineers and artists working at the University of Washington's Solheim Rapid Manufacturing Laboratory has developed a way to create glass objects using a conventional 3-D printer. The technique ...
Scientists Make Ink Disappear, Make Paper Reusable
Oct 27, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Despite ongoing efforts to save the trees, many offices print high volumes of paper documents on a daily basis. Although many companies encourage paper recycling, both disposing of and recycling ...
Smart memory foam made smarter
Sep 24, 2009 |
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Researchers from Northwestern University and Boise State University have figured out how to produce a less expensive shape-shifting "memory" foam, which could lead to more widespread applications of the material, such as ...
Black-and-white printing goes green with soy toner
Apr 22, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Every time you print out a page on a laser printer you're using toner made from petroleum-based products. Now there's a greener choice that shows promise: a toner product derived from soybean oil.
The Shrinky Dink solution
Sep 09, 2009 |
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Toys don't usually inspire high-tech innovation, but Michelle Khine's childhood favorite did just that.
Dell Launches World's Fastest Office Color Laser Printer
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
Nov 12, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Dell today announced three new commercial workgroup printers to help businesses of all sizes increase productivity and lower their total cost of printing.
Xerox looks to make color printing more affordable
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
May 07, 2009 |
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(AP) -- The economics of color printing in big offices are simple: A page of black and white costs about 2 cents per page, while color runs about 8 cents.
HP unveils Web-connected printer
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
Jun 22, 2009 |
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Hewlett Packard unveiled a printer on Monday with a built-in Web connection that allows printing directly from the Internet without a personal computer.
Sluggish PC, ink sales hurt HP; results still beat
Aug 18, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co.'s 19 percent drop in quarterly profit shows that the company still relies heavily on printer ink and the troubled personal computer market, despite the aggressive transformation ...
Gadgets: Epson Artisan 800 printer does it all
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
Apr 08, 2009 |
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The Epson Artisan 800 5-in-1 printer (copy, fax, printing, scanning and Wi-Fi) is so good you almost wish it were a 50-in-1.
HP profit drops 17 pct; PC, ink sales stumble
May 19, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co.'s quarterly profit dropped 17 percent on lighter sales of personal computers and printer ink, two of its biggest sellers and a sign that the woes in consumer technology spending dragged on beyond ...
Xerox CEO Mulcahy retiring, Burns to replace her
May 21, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Xerox Corp. said Thursday that Chief Executive Anne Mulcahy will retire July 1, to be succeeded by Ursula Burns, the printer and copier maker's president.
