Lexmark focuses on Wi-Fi-enabled AIOs for 2008Since 1991, Lexmark has been offering affordable printers to consumers. Seventeen years on, the American company is still going strong, especially in its servings to corporate industries like health care and security. With the printer competition heating up and the market getting saturated, how is Lexmark going to stand out from the rest? We talked to some executives from Lexmark and they told us their plans for this year.
Focus in 2008Paul A. Rooke, executive vice president of Lexmark and president of Lexmark's Consumer Printer Division started by telling us that Lexmark will be concentrating on the home/student consumers, as well as SOHO (small office, home office) this year. To the company, affordability is one of the key characteristics of its products, and it intends to keep it that way for its Wi-Fi-enabled printers for home users and students. It recognizes that the size of the printer is one of the features consumers always look out for, so its new range of printers will have a smaller footprint.For its business printers, Lexmark will offer higher-yield ink cartridges. It also aims to incorporate automatic document feeders into more of its products which, as Rooke mentioned, "will increase productivity". Environmentalists will be happy to know that Lexmark will offer more printers featuring duplex printing. Wi-Fi will be available on certain models as well. Lexmark's edgeWith so many choices for printers, how is Lexmark going to stand out amidst the competition? Wi-Fi is not a new feature, so what can consumers expect from Lexmark that no other company can provide?Rooke commented that Lexmark was "one of the first companies that incorporated Wi-Fi into its AIOs (All-in-One)", and now it is going to introduce its third generation of printers with built-in Wi-Fi. "But that is not sufficient. It has to be easy to install," Rooke added. The new range of Wi-Fi printers will have visual feedback to the users, where color lights will blink to indicate which phase of installation the printer is at. According to its Web site, the whole process will take only 10 minutes. Jonathan Yeo, general manager of the Printing Solutions and Services of Lexmark in Asia Pacific mentioned that it is now more economical to print with its new printer drivers. A toolbar will be installed and when users print a Web page, they have the option of printing just the text (without the graphics) or everything on it. Final notesWhen asked if Lexmark is going to dish out a dedicated photo printer, Rooke commented that while these units are popular with families (especially during the holiday season), the company is more focused on engineering good, capable printers that serve the average home users and those looking to print quality photos.Rooke told us that sales for single function printers are going down and more people are snapping up AIOs. By making them more affordable, Lexmark is hoping to capture more consumers. "It's not just about making printers," Rooke said, "it's about focusing on the user's needs and the overall printing experience".
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