"Every time a customer buys a printer, it's an investment for us. We are investing in that customer, and if that customer doesn't print enough or doesn't use our supplies, it's a bad investment."
A judge has ruled that a class action suit against #HP over its all-in-one #printers can proceed. The printers obnoxiously disable their document scanning and fax-sending capabilities when the printer's ink is low, even though those features don't require ink.
While I used color pen plotters in the late 80s as part of my schoolwork and internship using AutoCAD, I never knew such things existed as pen-based printers for home use.
I would have LOVED one of these when I was younger.
I would still love to get one and maintain one today.
TIL: the Silver Reed Color PenGraph EB50. While I used color pen plotters in the late 80s as part of my schoolwork and internship using AutoCAD, I never knew such things existed as pen-based printers for home use. I would have LOVED one of these when I was younger. I would still love to get one and maintain one today. #RetroComputing#Printers#PenPlotter
TIL: the Silver Reed Color PenGraph EB50. While I used color pen plotters in the late 80s as part of my schoolwork and internship using AutoCAD, I never knew such things existed as pen-based printers for home use. I would have LOVED one of these when I was younger. I would still love to get one and maintain one today. #RetroComputing#Printers#PenPlotter
#HP said in January that it hoped and dreamed to make #printing a #subscription. Now, the company has done just that, with the All-In Plan that allows HP customers a limited number of printed pages per month for a monthly fee, with a two-year commitment and potential overage charges, too. #printers
Never buy a laser printer that doesn't have PostScript. (It used to be an expensive extra, it isn't any more.)
Never buy a laser printer that requires driver software. (If it has PostScript, the most it should need is a PPD file to use with the PostScript driver your OS already has built in.)
Avoid buying inkjet printers. If you must buy one, get one that you can refill from bottles of ink, and make sure it supports IPP or AirPrint so you don't need drivers. Never buy an inkjet printer that takes ink cartridges.
These days, the only reason printers need driver software is that the manufacturer wanted to cut development costs for a product that they don't expect to support long term. That or enshittification.
Following these guidelines doesn't guarantee your printer won't suck, but they make it much more likely that it'll be at least OK.
Beyond that, check reviews for the cost per page, and buy accordingly.
that's how fast can it go... I hate #Printers but I like it when people who never done anything with electronics, manage to fix their crap with cheap tools and a lot of patience.
We have here a Samsung printer which flashed the orange warning light while turning on and it shutdown again.
My friend decided to try and repair it and found this lil rocket.
He replaced it with a new capacitor and the printer was working again.
how hard would it be to take a standard off-the-shelf printer and replace its controller board?
it's not like you can put DRM on a motor. and let's be honest, sourcing the parts for a printer is the real hard part. programming it/figuring out how to drive it is hard, sure, but it's just firmware, anyone can download it off the internet.
you wouldn't buy printer parts. but you can buy a microcontroller and download firmware.
:BoostOK: This is your friendly reminder that a majority of printers since the 1980's secretly prints a matrix of yellow dots to identify what printer was used to print the page, and can be used to de-anonymize people who print papers by not only those in power who deem it "unsavory", but potentially by ordinary people as well. Be careful what documents you print, as the secret tracking mechanisms your own printer prints could be used against you one day–even if the information printed isn't illegal or unethical.
Not buying it. Printers are the biggest scam ever. I have not printed a single sheet for ages. Kodak moment for HP. Their source of revenue is drying out - pun intended.
Is there already a conspiracy theory as to why #printers always fail completely when you want to #print the most urgent and important documents? If not, let's invent one! 😈
"#HP CEO Says They Brick #Printers That Use Third-Party Ink Because of … Hackers
The company says it wants to protect you from “viruses.” Experts are skeptical."
Best printer 2024, best printer for home use, office use, printing labels, printer for school, homework printer you are a printer we are all printers (www.theverge.com)
After a full year of not thinking about printers, the best printer is still whatever random Brother laser printer that’s on sale.