Printerland Blog

With the development of technology and emerging needs, Hewlett Packard plans to introduce a smart printer that will not require physical connection.

Although no definite date has been set, the company said increased use of mobile devices means consumers constantly on the move have little time to look for a printer to make connections before printing documents.

Mr Thom Brown from the competitive media intelligence and imaging group, while delivering a talk on development of paints and printing, said the latest technology embraced both pigment and dye colours.

“Wireless printing is the way forward. People should be able to make an e-print from their mobile phones. “This will enable the printer to be used by many people at the same time,” he said at the company’s plant in Dublin, Ireland.

Mr Brown said that HP had come up with a number for each type of cartridge for clients to easily distinguish the different types. Printing costs were not uniform, he added, noting that they depended on individual users and the size of company.

At the same time, fake and counterfeit products are costing global businesses up to $750 billion (Sh60 trillion) annually. This, the black market achieves, through packaging fake goods in genuine packs or filling up used equipment.

According to HP, the maker of printers and cartridges among others, counterfeiting is big business that steals hard-earned revenues from companies that strive to produce genuine products.

“These people make huge returns from low investments. This drains the world economy and businesses of billions of shillings yearly,” said Mr Chris Merchant, who is in charge of security at the firm.

During a tour of the company’s plant in Dublin, the official said that it would take a long time before the menace could be dealt with effectively.

Among the countries where the practice is rampant are Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE and Egypt. So are Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

“These Middle East countries get these products from China. Some are used for packaging fake goods given the tight controls at border points,” said Mr Merchant.

“In future we will come up with intelligent printers that will inform the user if the cartridge being used is fake,” he said.