TAG | Printers: Samsung’s new license to print money |
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| by Alex Zaharov-Reutt | |
| Wednesday, 14 May 2008 | |
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Page 3 of 3 There are three new colour laser printers, one of which, the CLP-310 is the “world’s smallest and quietest colour laser printer with wireless capability”, while the CLP-660 offers mono and colour printing at the same speed. The CLP-350N has noise levels at lower than 48 decibels, with Samsung calling it “whisper-quiet” and dubbing the technology “NO-NOISE”. There are also a range of enterprise copier/printer/scanner models which make up the rest of the 26 printers and will obviously be targeted at medium, large and enterprise class businesses, with many of the previously mentioned models designed to appeal to all segments of the market, including consumers. Samsung have also designed a range of document management solutions. The first is called the “SmarThru Workflow network solution” for corporate data-distribution. This enables users to “digitise and send scanned and faxed documents to multiple locations at the same time – including e-mail, fax, server message blocks and FTP sites”. Plug-ins have been developed in partnership with Microsoft and EMC for Samsung’s SmarThru Workflow to work with Microsoft SharePoint Portal, and EMC’s Captiva storage solution, which allow users to “convert hardcopy documents into a variety of formats including editable Microsoft Office documents”. High security is ensured with user authentication verifying that data is sent to the intended person. When it comes to device management & billing solutions, Samsung is offering a SyncThru Web Service. This is an “embedded web service found on all Samsung network printers that enables IT managers to easily and remotely manage a network printer in a network without additional software installation.” There’s also the SyncThru Web Admin Service which provides “remote management of multiple network print devices by enabling IT managers to easily integrate Samsung products with current printers.” Clearly, Samsung’s big new push into the printer market will have competitors quick to defend their turf, and it will ultimately result in keener customer service from all the existing players, none of whom will want to cede any of their market share to Samsung. Customers from consumers through to the enterprise will be the beneficiaries as all the printer companies fight hard to deliver the best deals, the best cost per page, the best service contracts and more. Although Samsung’s competitors will complain, competition is good for the marketplace, and while no existing market player wants to see a new competitor, or an existing competitor, really ramp up their marketing and product range, it’s a simple fact of life and it will certainly be interesting to watch the market react. Already HP is promising an upcoming “Printing Revolution”, while Fuji Xerox very recently launched a new range of models, including LED printers and solid-ink printers that Samsung does not offer (nor, so it says, does it intend to). With such an emphasis on laser technology, the biggest loser in this battle may well be inkjet printers, but clearly huge market shifts will still take time. As previously noted, the printer market is hotting up, and just how the sands will shift will be very interesting to watch, as the dream of the predicted paperless office gets pushed ever further into the distant future, sliced up by the laser in today’s primarily laser-based printing market. Alex Zaharov-Reutt travelled to Samsung’s printing press event in Bali, Indonesia, as a guest of Samsung Australia.
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