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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Is Hurd funding IPG's Demise with IPG's Revenue?

In a very interesting article by Ned Randolph at NewsFactor, he discusses HP's move into other, non-traditional printing areas like Photo Kiosks and on-demand, uniquely individualized newspapers.

Buried toward the end of the article is a quote from Gary Peterson, a principal analyst with Gap Intelligence in San Diego.

"... the printing industry is a mature one, and there is a movement within HP to use IPG's 18.5 percent profit margin not to grow the printing segment, but move it into IT services, where IBM Relevant Products/Services dominates..."


Peterson goes on, "What we've seen from (CEO) Mark Hurd is that he's very interested in infrastructure Relevant Products/Services services. He wants to slowly evolve HP into IBM."

And they're using IPG profits to power Relevant Products/Services that transition, he said.

"It's really a matter of IPG funding the transitional costs of acquiring EDS and funding how that division of HP grows and succeeds," he said. "They purchased EDS to get a better foothold in the enterprise Relevant Products/Services market."

For example, when IBM approaches a huge company like General Motors, it can give them high-level customized server Relevant Products/Services, software, hardware and support..."

-------

Over the past few months, HP has overtaken Dell in laptops, purchased EDS and is actively working with Intel and the G6 - CISCO is getting into servers now as well.

It isn't like HP is going to leave the printer and output space completely, just come at it from a different direction.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Managed Print Service Conference - Day One.

The rooms overflow.

Copious notes have been had.

Topics as mundane as remote monitoring and as unique as internally branded Managed Print Services dominate conversations.

And still, the definition of Managed Print Services eludes...


Memorable quotes of today:

Ashby Lowry, Vice President, General manager Enterprise Print Services Xerox Global Services:

"...it is our estimate that each knowledge worker represents $3,400.00 in annual printing related costs...this cost contains nearly 300 components..."

"...the goal of any good MPS is to lower the number of prints over the life of the engagement..."

Robert Simmons, Development Manager Printer Market, Samsung regarding MPS penetration:

"...we look to increase our MPS programs by 40%..."

Steve Pearl, Group Manager, Solutions Business Planning, Konica Minolta, regarding getting a Managed Print Services practice started:

"...you're not launching a new product, your launching a new business..."

Day one of the first annual Managed Print Services conference is in the history books.

Lyra's Senior Analyst Steve Reynolds Discusses 'State of the Industry and MPS Predictions' at 1st Annual Managed Print Services Conference

First MPS Conference, so far…Great!


Another Look into the World of An IT Guy: The Evaluation Process


More specifically, the IT person's process, not yours.

A post by Jay Rollins over at TechRebublic is very interesting.

The premise is software selection, but the basics apply to anyone approaching the IT folks.


The account is quiet funny - especially, because all the things he went through, we can all see happening.

Thomas the Tank Engine as a tool?

A Pizza Party for ALL THE SUPPORT TEAM?

Oh, and a pushy sales person - no way, can't happen.

The best quote from his post, "...The next time a vendor wants to impose their process on us instead of the other way around, I’ll tell them to take a hike..."

LOL!

Watch out!

Read it here.


From an IT Director: "How to Shut down vendor cold calls"...this is good stuff.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Do You Sell for A Living ? We all Sell.

Copiers, printers, Blades, paper, toner, MPS, PM, managed services, paperclips - if you sell, keep selling, sell today, sell in a recession, sell in a depression, sell even though the gov't takes half, never stop.

You sell. You don't run from history.

You make it.

It's tough out here - but here we are.

Thing is, it can always be worse -



Superbowl, 2002. Just months after 911.

The nation was in mourning - we needed something to get ourselves back up. Soldiers were cool again.

Do you remember the Empty Sky's of 9-12? That was scary.

Superbowl, for us, represented something more than a football game - it meant we were still here, the US, we Americans were still standing.

Still here to do what we Americans do: watch football, buy music, dance in the frickin streets, flaunt those who hate us, those who would kill us, and to sell.

We were celebrating life while remembering those who went before us.

It took a few crazy Muslims to tear down the towers.

But a rock band from Ireland, it's lead crooner sporting goofy blue shades, helped us remember who we are and helped us tell the world, we weren't going anywhere.



Let the cube rats play in the dark. Let the sales managers who have forgotten their passion and left their soul somewhere in the corporate cafeteria, try to keep score.

Keep going, no matter who, no matter what gets in your way - don't let them win.

Not the congressmen we elect, not the fat, lazy, bureaucrats, not your covetous neighbors, not the terrorists or that overly pompous PA can keep you down. You know the score.

It can all end tomorrow, for them it will be a period at the end of an empty life.

For us, we who make things out of nothing, we will be complete.

Go Sell.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Flying out to San Antonio Saturday: Will be Tweeting and Posting From the Managed Print Sevices Conference

The conference should be most xlint - I will be trying to get into every session.

Follow me on Twitter

Friday, April 24, 2009

Execs Leaving HP


Predictably, EDS executives leaving HP. Wonder if they will end up at Lexmark, Dell, or CISCO.

Hewlett-Packard Co. confirmed on Friday that as part of the recent merger and integration of Electronic Data Systems, four EDS executive leaders will be leaving their posts as the company realigns its structure.

The company confirmed that Mike Koehler will be leaving his position to pursue other opportunities, replaced by Andy Mattes who will oversee the company's Americas region.

As Mattes transitions into his new role, Robb Rasmussen will over Mattes' former job leading application services.

Bobby Grisham, who oversees EDS sales, is retiring in June. A search for his replacement continues, the company said in a statement.

Tom Haubenstricker, who leads EDS finance, is leaving the company in mid-May to explore other opportunities, while Pete Bocian, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, will serve in the role on an interim basis as the search for a replacement continues.

Mike Paolucci also is leaving as vice president of human resources at EDS. He will be replaced by Shawn Williams.

Both H-P and EDS employ thousands in the Sacramento area.



The Best Reason For Twitter: To Find Old Printers and Things That Cover Queen


4/2009

Frst there was the "musical road" out here in Cali and now, the signing, old skool printer...no really, you gotta check this out...


Wednesday, April 22, 2009

All Around The World : Copier Mouse Trap


This is the story of a mouse and a South African in Saigon, food crumbs, and a copier...

Read on, if you dare.


The Rodent Solarium of Death

Okay, I don't usually do a "what am I doing every five minutes"/stream of consciousness/now I'm eating cherry ice-cream/now my car broke down/now I have bowel problems kind of blogpost, but this is an extreme case in the morbid curiosity sort of way.

This morning I was on relief, no not relieving myself, but meaning I have to teach when other teachers pull a sicky and when no-one decides to sleep in, I hang around the office and do admin stuff. Anyways, this is one of those admin days and my girlfriend came out of her class (yes, we work together) to ask me to photocopy some of her students' in-class writing seeing as I wasn't doing much.

We have two photocopy machines at work and both had the Post Man-handled Shits this morning as the paper was constantly getting jammed in the one and the other one would photocopy with this thick, faded unreadable line down the middle of each page. So I asked the IT guy Phuong (he's the closest we have to a janitor/repairmen guy at our school) to sort the one out while I sort out the paper jam one.

I managed to unjam it and about an hour later the photocopy repairman walks in with his toolkit and gets to work on the one that's fading the copies. I'm sitting at the computer when Tom, one of the teachers on his break, calls out" Hey Henno, come check this shit out!"

Nice. Inside the copier, on the big roller part that inks the paper, lies our furry little workspace friend who has tasted his last office crumb. Yes, the office mouse had got into the machine, and nestled in all snuggly probably because of the warmth, and this morning some unknowing teacher happened to tragically nuke him with some ultrahot, ultraviolent ultraviolet rays. It was really gross because the little rodent was all seared and stuck onto the roller and the repair dude at to literally unpeel him.

No wonder the photocopied papers had these funny mouse-shaped faded parts on them!

Finally, Good News Around a School Board and Xerox

No sooner had I "gone off" in one of my comments around how school districts just don't understand "value" and only get the lowest bid which is usually supported by the heaviest RFP, a school district proves me wrong.

Unfortunately, the School District is in Canada. Not unfortunate because of Canada, it's unfortunate that US School Boards are not as "enlightened". No offense to our good friends to the north.

The Niagara Catholic School District Board handles 53 elementary schools, eight secondary schools, six adult education sites, and a central office.

The District is required to hold records for 55 years.

Noticing that file space was dwindling, and as part of Canada's Eco-Schools Initiative, the board reviewed the current process and looked to support Green initiatives.

They settled on an ECM solution composing of software Xerox hardware. From this article:

"...These combined systems gave the district that ability to automate leave-of-absence approvals, substitute teacher scheduling, HR documentation, and payroll steps -- without all the paper or wasted time. For example, processing a teacher leave-of-absence request once took threes pieces of paper and a lengthy approval process. It's now simply done online in about 30 seconds and approved in minutes..."

The new system has reduced fuel consumption, reduced paper consumption and saved $38,000.00 per year by publishing the newsletter online.

"... Furthermore, 8,000 old hanging folders previously used to store paper documents were given to the district's elementary schools, "thus giving them money to spend on other things rather than stationery for the school," says Pasto.

"We [also] took the used binders and sent them to schools with students whose parents couldn't afford to buy them binders. Other binders were shipped to third-world countries. We're all about recycling," says Pasto..."


Xerox Managed Print Services: In The US, Q3 - The Big X is In The Game


Xerox Unveils New Ways for Channel Partners to Save SMBs Money and Maximize Office Productivity.

"To simplify for our customers how to better manage their printing, we're taking a brand-agnostic approach to the value we provide to SMBs. Regardless of the type of document device or brand, Xerox Print Services can help lower print and copy costs, reduce IT support and increase office productivity."

Looks like the big X is taking their Managed Print Service programs, the same ones they used to secure the P&G deal, and allowing their channel partners to utilize training, infrastructure, supplies, software and technology in pursuit of the SMB market.

These are the same tools and ideas and programs that helped place Xerox in the best position, in the Magic Quadrant.

Having reviewed PagePack, and the supporting program, I see this as a major advantage for Xerox partners who want to get into Managed Print Services.

Monday, April 20, 2009

What's With Xerox and Buffalo?

Back in December I wrote about the Buffalo Bills committing to Xerox and today, thanks to Art over at P4P another interesting tid bit:

Xerox gets to bid for the Buffalo School district all by themselves...how nice.

Lately I have been railing against responding to any government/education based RFP that requests a Managed Print Services component. I will not get into the reasons here, perhaps at a latter date.

But - according to an news cast out of Buffalo, seems one can be the lone bidder on 300 copiers, unless a competitor gets wind of the shenanigans.

Oce plays the spoiler, claiming they can "compete head to head with Xerox..." except Oce is an off-shore concern and does not manufacture a product line as deep as Xerox. And apparently, the district was so happy with Xerox service and cost savings the CEO felt no need to "go to bid".

Now, of course, the district is required to go through the wasteful bid process and another Xerox rep's sales funnel gets clogged again.

You gotta love this stuff.



Friday, April 17, 2009

E.P.A. Clears the Way for Regulation of Warming Gases - Bad News for Trees

The New York Times
By JOHN M. BRODER
Published: April 17, 2009

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday formally declared carbon dioxide and five other heat-trapping gases to be pollutants that threaten public health and welfare, setting in motion a process that for the first time in the United States will regulate the gases blamed for global warming.


---- Because Trees breath Co2 -----


The E.P.A. said the science supporting its so-called endangerment finding was “compelling and overwhelming.” The ruling triggers a 60-day comment period before any proposed regulations governing emissions of greenhouse gases are published.

Lisa P. Jackson, the E.P.A. administrator, said: “This finding confirms that greenhouse gas pollution is a serious problem now and for future generations. Fortunately, it follows President Obama’s call for a low-carbon economy and strong leadership in Congress on clean energy and climate legislation.”

She said that combatting the emissions that create greenhouse gases would help create millions of new jobs and lessen the nation’s dependence on foreign oil by fostering a more fuel-efficient transportation industry.

As the E.P.A. begins the process of regulating these climate-altering substances under the Clean Air Act, Congress is engaged in writing wide-ranging energy and climate change legislation that could pre-empt any action taken by the agency. President Obama and Ms. Jackson have repeatedly said that they much prefer that Congress address global warming rather than have the E.P.A tackle it through administrative action.

The United States has come under fierce international criticism for trailing other industrialized nations in moving to regulate carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutants. With this move, and the parallel action by Congress toward a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases, the American government can now point to concrete progress as nations begin to write a new international climate change treaty.

However, the E.P.A.’s announcement on Friday did not include any specific targets for reducing greenhouse gases or new requirements for energy efficiency in vehicles, power plants or industry. Those would emerge after a period of comment and rule-making or in any legislation approved by Congress.

Two years ago this month, the Supreme Court, in Massachusetts v. E.P.A., ordered the agency to determine whether greenhouse gases harm the environment and public health and, if not, to explain why. Agency scientists were virtually unanimous in determining that they do, but top officials of the George W. Bush administration suppressed the finding and took no action.

In his first days in office, Mr. Obama promised to review the case and act quickly if the finding were justified. Friday’s announcement is the fruit of that review. The E.P.A. action was approved after two weeks of scrutiny by the White House Office of Management and Budget’s regulatory affairs arm.

According to the E.P.A. announcement, the proposed finding was based on rigorous scientific analysis of six gases — carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride — that have been widely studied by scientists around the world. Their studies showed that concentrations of these gases are at unprecedented levels as a result of human activity, the agency said, and these high levels are very likely responsible for the increase in average temperatures and other changes in the earth’s climate.

Among the ill effects of rising atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and the other gases, the agency found, were increased drought, more heavy downpours and flooding, more frequent and intense heat waves and wildfires, a steeper rise in sea levels, more intense storms and harm to water resources, agriculture, wildlife and ecosystems.

Environmental advocates applauded a decision that they had sought for years.

“At long last, the E.P.A. has officially recognized that carbon pollution is harmful to our health and to the climate,” said David Doniger, director of the climate center at the Natural Resources Defense Council and one of the lawyers in the Supreme Court case. “The heat-trapping pollution from our cars and power plants leads to killer heat waves, stronger hurricanes, higher smog levels, and many other direct and indirect threats to human health.”

“With this step,” he added, “Administrator Lisa Jackson and the Obama administration have gone a long way to restore respect for both science and law. The era of defying science and the Supreme Court has ended.”

Auto companies, utilities and other emitters have long dreaded this day but reacted with caution because the regulatory process has just begun and they hope to address their concerns in the legislation now before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Roger Martella, general counsel at E.P.A. during the Bush administration, said the finding marks the official start of an era of controlling carbon emissions in the United States.

“The proposal, once finalized, will give E.P.A. far more responsibility than addressing climate change,” Mr. Martella said. “It effectively will assign E.P.A. broad authority over the use and control of energy, in turn authorizing it to regulate virtually every sector of the economy.”

The E.P.A. said that it was not immediately proposing any new rules and reiterated the administration’s stance that a legislative solution is far preferable.

“Today’s proposed finding does not include any proposed regulations,” the agency statement said. “Before taking any steps to reduce greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, E.P.A. would conduct an appropriate process and consider stakeholder input.

“Notwithstanding this required regulatory process, both President Obama and Administrator Jackson have repeatedly indicated their preference for comprehensive legislation to address this issue and create the framework for a clean energy economy.”
--------

DOTC - how long until they try to regulate the CO2 emissions of output devices?

Xerox, Office Depot Strike MFP Point-Of-Sale Deal


"Xerox has installed AutoPay, a solution from Equitrac, a Xerox Alliance Partner, on some of its MFPs. Office Depot customers can swipe credit cards, store purchasing cards and gift cards. The solution automatically estimates the cost of the job, verifies there are sufficient funds on the card, applies Office Depot Worklife Rewards loyalty points and prints a receipt when the job is complete"

By Michele Masterson, ChannelWeb

11:25 AM EDT Thu. Apr. 16, 2009

Taking care of business, Office Depot (NYSE:ODP) Thursday said its customers will now be able to print and pay for copies directly from certain Xerox (NYSE:XRX) MFPs in its 1,1000 U.S. stores.

Xerox has installed AutoPay, a solution from Equitrac, a Xerox Alliance Partner, on some of its MFPs. Office Depot customers can swipe credit cards, store purchasing cards and gift cards. The solution automatically estimates the cost of the job, verifies there are sufficient funds on the card, applies Office Depot Worklife Rewards loyalty points and prints a receipt when the job is complete.

AutoPay integrates Xerox Secure Access Unified ID system card readers with Equitrac software for secure payments from the device. The solution works on the Xerox WorkCentre 5655, and on its WorkCentre 7655 printers.

Xerox and Office Depot have a 20-year partnership, which includes staffing its retail stores with Xerox Certified Print Specialists.

-----------------

I hope Office Depot doesn't apply the same "margin enhancement program" here as it did for all the government and non-profits around the country.

LOL! I found this - I like Xerox, I like the Phaser, alot. But this is Funny


The best line of this little video is "...save...the Chewbaca's..."





Thursday, April 16, 2009

Interview: Printing in the SMB market - Lexmark

In an interview with Kevin Goffi, Lexmark international vice-president and general manager of worldwide SMB and printing solutions, Matthew Sainsbury, at ARN, asks abut Lexmark and Managed Print Services.

Here are three questions, the complete interview is here.

Managed print services is an area generating a lot of interest. How is Lexmark involved with its partner in this space?

KG: We’re involved on a couple of levels, and it really depends on the maturity level of the partner. Some partners are more leading edge, and have already developed the capability to do managed print services. In that case, they’re not really looking at us for expertise – they are after a hardware and supply model that will fi t into the type of solutions they’re creating for end users. At a grander level, we will work with partners to help them understand the business – we have a managed print services offering that we do for very large enterprises and have been doing for a number of years. We believe we understand business well, and we will work with partners to educate them on it.

To what extent do you see managed print services penetrating into the SMB market over the next year?

KG: We see it as becoming significant, and it’s directly coupled with the economy. I see this as an opportunity for partners. If an SMB is looking to upgrade technology, in many cases they might put that decision off until they see how the economic situation pans out. I’m seeing great partners and customers moving more quickly when there’s a managed print services offering than a pure hardware acquisition.

Security in the SMB space around printing – is it much of an issue?

KG: It’s a similar discussion to environmental sustainability. The difference between an enterprise and an SMB is that typically an enterprise is going to have a strict security profi le that they implement through their IT department. SMBs, especially at the smaller end of town, may not have their own IT department or person looking after that. They will generally look to their IT reseller to help provide that. The desire is there, but the SMB’s ability to implement that is not going to be at the same level as an enterprise – and again that’s an area I see as an opportunity for our resellers\

Managed Print Services Selling in One Week, Three different Cycles, Three different Results

April 16, 2009

For your consideration, three, real-world situations:

1. Business Owner - 3 machines, 23 employees. After 3 week evaluation, MPS documents were signed and Level 1 MPS was engaged. Competitive landscape, typical copier Sales person pitching reducing costs with all-in-one functionality.

2. IT Director - 114+ single-function units, 15 copiers, 150 employees. One appointment/week in the past three weeks. Copier and MFP fleet separation achieved, MPS project moving forward; copiers to be dealt with upon lease termination, 12 months out. Executive Management wants the project to provide clear, verifiable, Green friendly results.

3. Purchasing Agent - 98, single-function machines, 14 copiers, 200 employees. After two meetings, multiple emails, and 2 direct phone calls; no forward movement. Competitive landscape, Xerox partner pitching MPS/PagePack.

Can you guess the details of each Selling Situation?

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

More Crime - Office Depot Alleged to have Over Charged us, the US citizen, by 100 Million


I first caught this story over at the AnswerCo | Office Products and Printer Supplies Cross Reference Guide about how a disgruntled employee is claiming Office Depot had been overcharging the Detroit Public School system for supplies.

Of course, I figured it was just another angry, laid-off, red apron wearing, part time clerk, working the system for some extra attention or cash - I was wrong, way wrong.

From the Detroit News:

"...David Sherwin, a former senior account manager with Office Depot, alleges that the company manipulated pricing on products that government agencies bought through the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance.

"Nationally, the overcharging amounts are somewhere in the range of $100 million annually to between 4,000 and 5,000 agencies around the country," Sherwin said..."

This accusation is not being leveled by some part-timer, he was a senior account manager, and according to reports, attempted time and time again to alert the authorities to O.D.'s activity. Finally, this whistle-blower, committed professional Hari Kari dispatching a terse communique to Office Depot CEO.

The story could end there in Detroit - but it doesn't.

Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Nebraska, Missouri and California all have cases, investigations or are expecting refunds from Office Depot.

California received 2.5 million back.

At issue, is Office Depot charging more than what was agreed to, on a national basis.

Apparently, this was easily done when government agencies and non-prof's ordered supplies via the Office Deport web site.

An Office Depot spokesman said the Detroit Public Schools has been buying supplies through the program since 2003.

"We are not aware of any complaints from Detroit Public Schools regarding overcharging," Jason Shockley an Office Depot spokesman said, denying the allegations.

Fact is scarier than fiction.

$100,000,000.00


UPDATE:

Apparently, the accuser threatened the CEO via email, while drunk. He has since gone through re-hab. I hate quitters.

Great read, here.

2009:First Annual Managed Print Services Conference and Association - Oh What a Difference a Year Makes!

4/2009-



The conference is fast approaching. We have had many "Go To Meeting" meetings. The awards have just about been determined, trophy's await the engraver.

I wrote my first article about Ed and the gang, April 15, 2008, one year ago, today.

They were the only ones out there talking about MPS - other than myself and a close circle of colleagues.

In that article, I quoted Ed, "“...It is important to note that the decision making process is less collaborative than might be expected. The market is shifting to an IT-controlled, printer-based MFP-centric environment, and study results indicate that IT is winning the battle to make the MPS decision for the entire fleet, including printers, MFPs and copiers..." - spot on.

In the beginning, there was no Xerox sponsorship, no special announcement from Samsung, no MPM (see the cool video, here.) And the idea of an association was months away.

Back then, HP sold Managed Print, Edgeline was "on fire" and IKON was, well, still IKON.

Today, MPS is just entering the "Trough of Disillusionment" on it's way to the "slope of enlightenment" - for reference, Confidential Printing is at the back end, on the Plateau of Productivity. If you don't know what the heck I am talking about, hit me up on email, I will share.

So it seems, today, there are dozens of MPS experts, hundreds of MPS providers and a growing number of consultants, advisers, mentors, blah, blah, blah - I know the real deal.

If you haven't got your seat, go register - it is going to be stellar.

I can say I was there, almost in the beginning.

Check this link.


Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Purchasers: You Wanna Know How to Work With Them? Read Their Book!

4/2009

In the movie Paton, the good General has read Rommel's book, 'Infantry Attacks' and in doing so, is able to anticipate and defeat the German in a key battle.

As Rommel's tanks retreat, the classic quote goes something like, "...Rommel, you magnificent b*stard, I read your book!"

As far as I am concerned, the Purchaser is the absolute LAST person you want to see, if at all, in the selling cycle.

But, for those of you who insist, I recommend you read their book. Find out what it takes to become a CPM and what exactly Strategic Purchasing means.

In this spirit, I submit to you an article written by Nancy Hitchcock over at Purchasing.com, New MFPs help meet cost-reduction goals and Green concerns.

Ricoh, Toshiba, Konica Minolta, Xerox and Sharp get good coverage - all A4 exposure and the article will give you a flavor for what some Purchasers may find important when considering MFPs.

Take for instance this passage: "...As companies strive to improve efficiencies and cut costs in this economy, office products buyers are taking a closer look at capabilities of new multifunction products (MFPs) which combine printing, copying, scanning and faxing in one device..." - Could this statement be any more "dated" ? Hello, the 2001 called, they want their copier brochure back.

Also:

"..In response to buyer demand, manufacturers of MFPs are designing systems that maximize workflow efficiency by offering faster print/copy speeds and making the systems easier to operate. They are also enabling organizations to add high-quality color to their documents at an affordable price to reduce the time and expense of outsourcing print jobs. High-performance products are packaged in smaller, more affordable machines. More advanced features enable users to automate workflow by distributing scanned documents to e-mail, FTP sites, archived folders and document management applications, for instance..." - Visionary, truly stunning...

Enjoy here:








Click to email me.




Monday, April 13, 2009

Ricoh can monitor Copier Power using IBM software

TOKYO, Apr 13, 2009 -- Japan's Ricoh Co. said Thursday that it has developed a system that can be used to monitor copy machines' power consumption in real time, managing multiple copiers simultaneously via a network to help a company save energy and cut costs.

This system uses Tivoli system management software from IBM Corp. and is the first fruit of the agreement forged by two firms in December to cooperate in information technology systems. Ricoh and IBM agreed to work together in development of products and services and to share global sales networks.

With the new system, the IT manager can use Tivoli to monitor all copiers connected to the network and remotely adjust the usage parameters for each machine in order to help the company meet its cost-cutting goals.

Ricoh said it plans to commercialize the system sometime this fiscal year.
-----------

DOTC - The IT guys are taking MPS.

Click to email me.




Xerox - Contracted Employee Stole Ink. Sold It on EBay


"Xerox Corporation, at its Wilsonville location initiated an investigation into the apparent theft of solid ink sticks.

The Xerox Corporate Security team cooperated with the Washington County Sheriff's Office in this investigation, which concluded today with the arrest of occasional contract worker Ayad Al-Musawi."- Xerox

In reports from news media in Oregon, Xerox has been the victim of an inside job.

Ayad Al-Masawi, 42, a contract employee of Xerox was arrested Thursday.

He had nearly 10,000 ink sticks at his home and was selling it on EBay, under the pseudonym, “dodo_6666".

He reportedly sold over $150,000.00 worth of ink over the past year or so.

News report here.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Ricoh Hot Spot Printer - Art Post "hips" me to this one...



Ricoh is pleased to announce the introduction of the new Ricoh Aficio SP C420DN-KP HotSpot Printer. The SP C420DN-KP replaces the SP C410DN-KP.

What is a HotSpot Printer?

A Ricoh HotSpot Printer allows users to print documents securely simply by emailing the file they wish to print to a HotSpot Printer or loading the file to the HotSpot Printer’s webpage. Any user with an Internet-enabled PC, laptop, PDA, or cell phone can use a HotSpot Printer. With HotSpot printing, there is no need for Drivers, additional Software or access to the network hosting the printer!

Printing to a HotSpot Printer is incredibly easy. Each HotSpot Printer has a unique URL (web address) and E-mail Address.



1. Upload files to the printer’s webpage (URL), or forward E-mails – with or without attachments – directly to the printer’s E-mail address.
2. Receives a unique Release Code for each print job.
3. Enter the secure Release Code at the printer and retrieve print job.

HotSpot printing is convenient, secure, and easy-to-use.

Thanks Art...original here.


Saturday, April 11, 2009

China becomes a regional leader in managed print service


China has become one of the leaders in Asia Pacific's managed print services estimated to reach US$1 billion by 2012, said Springboard Research Monday.

The managed print services (MPS) market is forecast to grow from US392 million in 2007 to US$825 million in 2011, according to the research house

"These robust growth figures indicate not just vibrant MPS marketplace, but they also reflect the emergence of MPS as the best growth bet for the print hardware vendors in the region, who have seen a decline of hardware sales amidst the economic slowdown," said Sanchit Vir Gogia, senior research analyst for Services at Springboard Research. "Enterprises in the region are eager to test and adopt the 'next level' of printing environment, presenting the MPS vendors with a growth opportunity in a difficult economic situation."

Friday, April 10, 2009

Doing More with Less:The PhotoShop Effect


Here's the deal, as technology helps us in all phases of our lives, printing, media, office, transportation, connecting and electing presidents at what point do the "machines" take over?

Social Media, Hyper-Media, Death of the Media, DiaMedia...all around us - at work and play and sometimes on more than one display.

When does the spectacular sunrise pop over the horizon only after the director says, "...cue the sun..."

When does, or when did, reality stop to matter?

This is a long way from Copiers and MPS - or is it?

To some degree, we in this industry are technology goofballs. We are. We know the difference between Kirk and Picard, between Starbuck and well, Starbuck; the difference between a BattleStar, DeathStar, and GunStar.

We grew up on Pong, The Brady Bunch and Charlie's Angels. We loved our first "carphone" and remember the first time we saw laser printer output held up against a 24-pin generated letter.

Oh, and we remember Gas Plasma displays, 256 shades of orange.

Want more proof of geekieness? As I am banging on the keys, in a HULU window, I am watching "Son of Godzilla" - you think that's wrong, it's a gift from mother nature.

So what?

From slick multi-pronged presidential marketing over Web 2.0, instant-on news tweets from Twitter to mob-journalism - What we see is not what is real.

Submitted for your approval - The PhotoShop Effect.

An example of how technology bend's time and space molding a psuedo-reality, first creating and then fulfilling our fantasies, one pixel at a time.




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Thursday, April 9, 2009

Konica Minolta Imaging the end of the Danka Legacy

Pirate Mike has some good information regarding a pretty healthy lay-off over at Konica.

It goes along with another blood-letting I heard about at HP last week or so.

Also, I am hearing more about manufacturers cutting back in advertising thus effecting some of the industry's print publications - like all other print.

And a quick look at some local layoff announcements, Toshiba will be telling 120 to "hit the bricks..." May 11.
The times...



Selling Managed Print Services 101

2009

MPS is all I talk about...ok, not ALL. I do talk about Half-Life, Land Rovers and Paintball, but enough about me, let's talk about me...

I have been performing MPS assessments pretty heavily over the past few weeks and I find that although we have a great deal of tools, I am still making things up as I go along.

After reading Ken’s post I knew I had to complete my current article. Ken’s post resonated with me regarding the Tools of MPS -

Current MPS tools consist of spreadsheets, interview forms, data collection sheets, automated data collection devices/software, supplies cost matrixes, etc. 

All geared around collecting the Technical data, i.e. volumes, lease end dates, lease payments, overages, 11x17, first copy out speed, duplex...blah blah blah...this data is mundane and acquiring it is fatiguing, but necessary.

The data is one dimensional and any “monkey” can collect it.

Unfortunately to some providers and many customers this is the extent of the information used in the analysis. Even more disappointing, the assessment to some, IS the proposal.

The Second Most Important MPS Tool: The Interview -

When interviewing, many issues are exposed, some that may not at first seem to be MPS related.
The idea here is simple - the End User interview, the Director interview, and the C-Level interview are all treasure laden conversations. 

Corporate directives, cultural issues, political hurdles, and decision making processes all become apparent as progression is made through the organization.

As an example, I am currently working 3 separate assessments for 3 clients - one is what I call a "Mini-Assessment"; which means we are only looking at 25 copiers out of a fleet of 220.

The idea is to analyze these units for fiscal '08, get the refresh approved, and continue the study into year's end for fiscal '09 upgrades. The goal of this study is to form a Standard Requirements List for all future hardware/copier acquisitions.

The overall organizational goals are:

  1. Reduce operational costs by 5% without “Reductions In Field”
  2. Increase employee job satisfaction
  3. Improve Customer Service
Covering All the Bases – Strategic Approach
When interviewing the questions asked important but the people you ask are much more important. This is my personal application of a strategic approach. I see four types of interviewee’s:


Your Coach
The Technicals
The End User
Project’s Economic Influence

Your Coach
This person is convinced that MPS is the way to go. And he wants to see the project (and you) succeed.
The Technicals
These folks hold “go/no go” over the final recommendations. Their perspective is on the functional issues of the program. They are focused on issues like network compatibility, end-user support functions, invoicing and billing procedures, and maybe all the way down to duplex capabilities of the hardware.
The End User
The End User must be satisfied. When interviewing and speaking with the End User you must have a clear idea of what direction the organization wants to move. For instance, if one of the basic goals is to reduce all the locally connected, desktop inkjet printers, check with IT to insure how they want to approach the subject.


  • The End User has a wealth of “everyday issues” that cause work flow bottlenecks. Their visibility into the organization is restricted but at the local level the information obtained can be very illuminating.



    Economic Influencer(s)
    This entity releases the funds necessary to move forward with the project. Interested in cost reduction and R.O.I. and is probably already spending a great deal of money.
    These interviews are most likely the C-Level players. I do not recommend asking the CEO if “duplexing is important…”
    Additionally, if while covering the Economic Influencer, it is revealed that MPS does not hold a high degree of attention, you may NOT want to proceed.
    (See Strategic Selling for more on the above influencers)

    Any successful project includes covering ALL these bases with relevant (from their perspective) questions.

    Imagine – if you were to contact ALL the above types of users - your picture of the organization’s output fleet would be detailed to the nth degree. And hopefully, this data would allow to make a solid, agreeable recommendation proven to positively impact the organizations overall goals.

    Want to know more? Check out Ken's articles:
    -------------------

    Managed Print Services: the Theory, the Tools, and the Targets (Part 1 of 3)

    Managed Print Services: the Theory, the Tools, and the Targets (Part 2 of 3)


    Managed Print Services: the Theory, the Tools, and the Targets (Part 3 of 3)



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    Tuesday, April 7, 2009

    Xerox To Manage Procter & Gamble’s Global Print Operations - MIF or NN?

    According to a report over at ZDNet, posted by Larry Dignan, Xerox landed a five year deal to manage P&G's print fleet.

    Reprint of the article:

    Xerox said Tuesday that it will manage Procter & Gamble’s global print operations with the aim to cut costs by 20 percent to 25 percent.

    Managed print services are becoming popular as companies look for ways to squeeze costs. All of those stray printers residing in offices add up to a big cost. In the managed print service market, HP and Xerox are duking it out as the largest players.

    In a statement, Xerox said it won a five year deal to manage P&G’s “print shops, offices and home-based work settings.” Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Xerox said it is aiming to cut print power usage by 30 percent and paper consumption by 20 percent to 30 percent.

    As part of the deal, Xerox will offer training to P&G employees and tips on reducing printing costs as well as a portal for procurement and support.

    Overall, print managed services is an interesting market that I’ll be learning as a user. HP is planning to provide print services to CBS, owner of ZDNet. I don’t have any local printers hiding under my desk so I don’t anticipate any problems.


    Are You Considering Managed Print Services ? - What You Should Know and What your Service Provider Should Know


    April 2009

    Managed Print Services is still being defined - or is it?

    I firmly believe in "the best advice is the advice you ask for...", so please don't give me any advice - unless I ask.

    I extend the courtesy to you if you're not asking for advice and don't want to know my opinion, skip this article.

    But if you are a prospective Managed Print Services client, and you're just a bit curious as to how to go about choosing a provider, read on.

    Introducing, Greg's Top 10 Must-Know's before engaging in an MPS assessment.

    Imagine, you're sitting across the table from a Managed Print Services representative. He or she seems to know a great deal about printing and output and supplies.

    After he gives his 5-minute canned intro, pull out the yellow pad with these questions written down, hopefully, you have left plenty of room for his responses.

    Let's begin:

    1. How do you(the client) define MPS? Have your prospective provider define MPS.

    2. What is his Process? Leave it at that, let him further define your question. You want to see the detail of his process if he has one.

    3. Tell me about your assessment. Get the gist of the assessment, the mechanics. You are trying to see if the proposal is the assessment - is that all he's got?

    4. Clearly define the goals of your MPS engagement and have him respond to them. You should think before you meet with the provider. You do not need concrete goals, just a direction.

    5. What goals does your prospective MPS provider have? Is his plan to replace all your existing equipment or supply source(s) with his?

    6. How important is the assessment? Again, is the assessment the only tool in the shed?

    7. How many units have the prospective MPS provider assessed in the last 6 months? This is simple and the numbers don't matter, it's how he answers that matters. Does he make excuses or wild claims?

    8. How many units does the MPS provider manage? How? Same as above.

    9. What percentage of savings has the prospective MPS provider achieved with clients and from what areas of cost? This is a great one, don't let him get away with quoting Gartner or All or InfoTrend or even Photizo, make him get specific. Again, the numbers don't matter as much as how he responds.

    10. What was the Core business of your provider before MPS? The best question. This will tell you where he is going with your account and exactly how much infrastructure he has to support your fleet.


    ----

    Some generalities and points to observe -

    • Does he use the word "partner" or "vendor"?
    • Does he say he has the cheapest program around?
    • What does he say he can not do?
    • Where did he learn about MPS?
    • What does he know about IT issues like power consumption and cooling?

    As the captain of the Titanic said, "...this is just tip of the iceberg..." 


    The ten points above can be expanded into even deeper discussions - would you like to learn more?

    Monday, April 6, 2009

    Somehow, This is Just Wrong - How many Trees must Die for Our Amusement?


    But then again, doesn't paper grow on trees?

    280,951 Sticky notes




    InfoTrends,Calculating Your Emissions Factor - It's All Local


    New study from InfoTrends:

    Average energy usage (kWh) * EF (lbs CO2/kWh) = Carbon Output (lbs CO2)

    Huh?

    From the summary:

    "...Office equipment in Delaware creates 400 times as much carbon output as it does in Vermont..."

    "Carbon dioxide emission factors (EFs) provide a localized translation from energy usage, often in kilowatt-hours (kWh), to equivalent pounds of carbon output (lbs CO2).For energy-consuming office equipment devices, the proper EF represents the indirect public electricity EF..."



    Interesting...



    Sunday, April 5, 2009

    Xerox Page Pak Analysis and Reflections: Let's Go To Church


    The Big X has it sights on the MPS market(duh), and not just through the Xerox lens.

    Toner Pack, an extension of PagePack, is a program allowing dealers to supply their customers with Xerox branded, HP compatible toner.

    But the primary thrust of the program is making MPS much easier on a select number of Xerox MFPs.

    With Page Pack, meter reads, Service Requests/Maint. Kits and Toner orders go directly to Xerox. Xerox fulfills toner orders, submits Service Requests over to the correct Xerox Partner and invoices the partner monthly - partner bills the customer directly.

    The Xerox partner's client never speak directly to Xerox.

    I am not as much an HP advocate as a I am proponent for what works for clients and what works VARs. If I see something I like and think will fit into business, I will mention it.

    Xerox PagePack works.

    Basically, those of us in the Managed Print Services niche, know that one of the most difficult items to calculate is a true per image, dealer cost. This being the variable that exposes a fledgling practice to possible huge losses in a MPS agreement.

    For instance, if we calculate our cost to be 0.004/image (example, not true) - cost meaning toner, maintenance kits, and labor - using this cost and selling at 0.012/image over the life of say, a 36 month MPS Engagement - I should make money on this account unless: toner prices increase, supplies increase, labor rates change or machines start to "blow up" after 12 months.(unlikely)

    In practice, this risk is spread out over the entire fleet - that is if you have a fleet(MIF).

    So, what Xerox did is what the copier makes have done, Xerox told the dealers what their cost is when running with the PagePack program.

    This sounds simple, and it is - which is the point.

    As a selling professional, or owner I just want to know what the cost is - tell me what my lowest cost point is and let me price it to win. Simple.

    I can not over stress this point - even HP VAR's have access to SPS costs - but the cost is wrong. Xerox made it easier to sell Page Pack, by providing a easy to understand all inclusive price structure.

    I won't go into all other reasons, if your interested, you can call Xerox.

    I will say this, Xerox is making it very easy to become a PagePack Partner.

    And I am sure there are other manufactures either providing this or about to provide a price matrix for their dealers.

    One point I want to make - the reason this program makes sense and is simple to understand is because Xerox asked their dealers what they would want. Just like we ask our prospects what they want and how they define MPS.

    Bold concept.
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    Saturday, April 4, 2009

    Dual Screens - Less Printing, and More Productivity

    2009

    Back in January,
    I picked up a little article through Jim Lyon's blog about how dual displays could reduce printing volume and increase employee productivity. 

     After assessing the print environment of a prospective client, I am considering dual monitors the main staple of future recommendations. According to a survey conducted by John Peddie Research, a 44% increase in productivity can be experienced when adding a second monitor - indeed, not just a second monitor, but large monitors. (22 inches and above) 

    Also, although finding hard data points is difficult, there are many anecdotal incidents of reduced printing - one monitor displays the "print" document, email, .PDF, or any other document typically printed for reference - while the other screen is filled with core applications like Order Entry, A/R, and Microsoft suite. 

    As a matter of fact, when recommending EDM systems, I have made dual monitors part of the standard, solution specifications; this makes the scan audit function much quicker. 

    With falling prices, increased productivity, reduced printing, and end-user happiness - this has got to be the easiest way to win end-user acceptance - replace the local, stand-alone, single-function printer with a dual monitor. 

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    Thursday, April 2, 2009

    HP - Managed Print Service Contract for TeleCommuters

    "Companies are searching for ways to reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve environmental soundness," said David Murphy, senior vice president, LaserJet and Enterprise Solutions, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. "The offerings announced today help customers meet their immediate challenges and provide a foundation for emerging stronger once the economy stabilizes."

    PALO ALTO, Calif., Mar 31, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) ----HP (NYSE: HPQ: 32.83, 0, 0%) today announced an expanded portfolio of offerings for enterprise organizations seeking to drive efficiency, cost savings and environmental responsibility into their imaging and printing operations.

    Designed to help enterprise customers optimize and manage their imaging and printing environments and improve document workflows, the new offerings include two high-speed scanners, extensibility platform capabilities, fleet management software, solutions for telecommuters, and five large-format devices.

    "Companies are searching for ways to reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve environmental soundness," said David Murphy, senior vice president, LaserJet and Enterprise Solutions, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. "The offerings announced today help customers meet their immediate challenges and provide a foundation for emerging stronger once the economy stabilizes."

    Optimized infrastructures - for the office and the telecommuter

    IDC estimates that by 2013 the telecommuter workforce will grow to nearly 10 million in the United States.(1) HP is making it easier for enterprise employees to work from home more effectively.

    Through an HP Managed Print Services contract, IT-sponsored telecommuters receive an integrated bundle of technical support, a multifunction printer (MFP: undefined, undefined, undefined%), up to three months of initial supplies and a convenient portal to replenish supplies over the life of the contract.

    The solution provides IT managers with a consistent, cost-effective implementation of a home office printing environment. The telecommuter bundles include the recently announced HP Officejet Pro 8500 AiO Series as well as the HP LaserJet CM1312nfi MFP and HP LaserJet M1522n MFP. These highly reliable and productive devices offer low cost of ownership, low energy consumption and compact, space-saving sizes.

    Optimize information capture with new scanners and software

    HP has broadened its portfolio of dedicated enterprise scanners to meet the needs of document-intensive environments. New scanners include:

    -- The HP Scanjet Enterprise 7000n Document Capture Workstation - featuring the HP Easy Select control panel - is an easy-to-use, shared, A4 sheet-fed document capture solution with fast, reliable paper handling and superb network manageability for large workgroups and enterprise customers. Designed to improve and simplify document workflows, the scanner attaches to the network through a direct Ethernet connection without a PC. With HP Precision Feed Technology,(2) users can quickly and securely capture and integrate a variety of sensitive hard-copy documents, such as loan applications, invoices and other records, into electronic workflows. Additionally, this ENERGY STAR(R: 29.21, 0, 0%) version 1.1 qualified product helps customers reduce energy costs by using HP Web Jetadmin to preset sleep and wake modes.

    -- The HP Scanjet Enterprise 9000 Sheet-feed Scanner helps streamline document workflows. Working at speeds up to 60 pages per minute (ppm) and 120 images per minute (ipm), the scanner digitally automates business processes - all at a touch of a button. In addition, the PC-connected scanner ensures secure archival of hard-copy documents with HP Precision Feed Technology.(2) The scanner is ENERGY STAR qualified, compliant with the European Union's RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive, mercury-free and can be managed by HP Web Jetadmin to preset sleep and wake modes to help reduce energy consumption.

    HP Scanjet document scanners support a broad range of centralized and distributed document capture applications and address industry-specific needs through HP Solutions Business Partner Program for Imaging and Printing.

    Optimize imaging and printing infrastructure with new large-format printing choices

    HP's expanded large-format printer portfolio includes a range of new workgroup and multifunction printers and software solutions to improve connectivity, security and fleet management for office users, IT managers and production operators in midsize and enterprise businesses.

    New devices include the HP Designjet T1120 SD-MFP, HP Designjet T1120 HD-MFP, HP Designjet 4520 HD-MFP and 4520 Scanner, HP Designjet T1120 Printer series and HP Designjet 4020/4520 Printer series. These offerings can save enterprises up to 15 to 30 percent off total large-format printing costs and provide up to 10 times faster response from click-to-print and improved overall print quality with crisper lines and smoother renders.(3)

    HP Web Jetadmin seamlessly integrates the expanded HP Designjet portfolio within existing networks and allows large-format printing devices to be remotely managed as part of a diverse printing fleet. The new large-format printers, MFPs and software are integrated into the HP Managed Print Services offerings, enabling customers to reduce printing infrastructure costs, increase uptime and achieve predictable, consistent service delivery across multiple locations.

    Secure fleet management of imaging and printing environments

    HP's new management solutions and extensibility platform capabilities enable businesses to reliably, efficiently and cost-effectively manage high-volume business document processes. The offerings include:

    -- HP Web Jetadmin Enterprise Edition enables customers to efficiently and affordably manage HP and non-HP enterprise fleets, compatible HP and partner software and hardware, and customer-specific applications that lead to increased IT productivity and reduced costs. Web Jetadmin EE, a fee-based offering, offers industry-leading technical support, maintenance and services required to maintain enterprise device management environments. Available with the new platform are:

    -- HP Business Intelligence Module offers business intelligence reporting for imaging and printing device management.

    -- HP IT Operations Module improves IT operations with scalable performance.

    -- HP Advanced non-HP Device Support Module manages non-HP print and multifunction devices.

    -- HP Application Integration Module provides web services interfaces to HP Web Jetadmin, allowing IT applications to programmatically retrieve device lists, device status information and fleet notification.

    -- HP Open Extensibility Platform (OXP: undefined, undefined, undefined%) and solution developer kits (SDKs) dramatically simplify the development and deployment of custom imaging and print solutions across HP's fleet of multifunction products. An industry first, the HP Solution Installer reduces the time and cost of deploying embedded solutions on a fleet of imaging and printing devices - in some cases from days to hours. In addition, OXP adds new management interfaces (OXP-Management) such that IT managers, system integrators and software solution providers can use web services to interact with HP Web Jetadmin to retrieve device information and status alerts.

    -- HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 helps administrators optimize device utilization, control color costs, set default PIN authentication, secure devices and streamline supplies management for HP and non-HP network peripherals. New features of HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 include enhanced remote management capabilities, improved device discovery and configuration and advanced supplies management that reduces maintenance time and overall device deployment costs. In addition, users can remotely schedule sleep and wake-up modes to conserve power and reduce energy consumption.

    -- HP Universal Print Driver 5.0, the award-winning,(5) feature-rich driver, now includes HP EasyColor, which optimizes color printing and improves print performance for image-intensive documents. In addition, users can set printing devices to automatic two-sided printing to reduce paper waste. Features in HP Web Jetadmin and Universal Print Driver software can set an organization's printers to duplex in a few simple keystrokes, saving up to 25 percent in paper costs.

    Transform document workflows with information management solutions

    HP provides a comprehensive suite of offerings to help businesses capture, create, secure, manage, retrieve and deliver documents. Using HP scanning and multifunction devices, enterprise customers can capture and deliver documents digitally - speeding up document-based workflows, eliminating the need for faxing and reducing the amount of paper the organization uses. Expanded solutions include:

    -- HP Output Server Solution offers new capabilities, including HP Smart Office Delivery, which delivers documents to all destination channels including printing, faxing and publishing to web and file servers, and HP Inbound Fax, which streamlines and automates the document process to improve inbound fax delivery efficiency. HP Output Server streamlines business processes and workflows by delivering a unified infrastructure that allows enterprises to centrally manage, transform and process business-critical information from any source to any destination - in a paper or digital format.

    -- HP Delivery Notification Solution for Manufacturing, powered by HP LaserJet MFPs, dramatically improves information shipping, tracking, billing and auditing processes for the manufacturing industry. Using partner software, this solution automates proof-of-goods delivery by scanning and capturing signed paper invoices and routing them through accounts receivable and customer service centers, enabling them to quickly receive status. This solution reduces inefficiencies and costs and improves customer satisfaction for manufacturers.

    Document workflow demonstrations on solutions including TRIM, HP Exstream, HP Output Server, HP OXP, HP Web Jetadmin, HP Scanjets, HP Designjets, HP MFPs with Edgeline Technology, and HP LaserJet MFPs, as well as solutions from EDS, an HP company, will be presented at the AIIM Exposition and Conference in HP booth 1400.

    More information on HP's expanded imaging and printing portfolio is available in an online press kit at http://www.hp.com/go/AIIM2009.

    HP and the environment

    For decades, HP has been an environmental leader, driving company stewardship through its HP Eco Solutions program, which spans product design, reuse and recycling as well as energy and resource efficiency. HP influences industry action by setting high environmental standards in its operations and supply chain by providing practical solutions to make it easier for customers to reduce their climate impact. More information is available at www.hp.com/ecosolutions.

    About HP

    HP, the world's largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com/.

    Note to editors: More news from HP, including links to RSS feeds, is available at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/.

    (1) "Telecommuter Update, 2008: Employer and Employee Profiles, Changing Work Dynamics, and Technology Use," Doc. No. 21372, IDC, August 2008.

    (2) HP Precision Feed Technology is a suite of technologies that ensure reliable paper feeding, including multi-phase pick process, advanced separation technology, automatic picking technology, mixed stack handling, and ultrasonic double feed detection.

    (3) Compared to the HP Designjet 800 Printer series, based on four copies of 50 A1 pages using normal print quality on plain paper. Intervention time not included.

    (4) Fee modules can be added individually or bundled in the Web Jetadmin Enterprise Edition Suite.

    (5) The Technological Innovation Award by Industry Analyst Inc. was granted to the HP Universal Print Driver in December 2006. Industry Analyst Inc.'s IATSD test lab reviews dozens of hardware and software solutions each year and identifies a product, service or solution they feel is truly innovative and worthy of recognition. Tests and analyses that led to this recognition were not funded by HP.

    ENERGY STAR is a U.S. registered mark of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

    This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; any statements regarding anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the achievement of expected operational and financial results; and other risks that are described in HP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2009 and HP's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2008. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

    (C: 2.67, n.a., n.a.%) 2009 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.


    SOURCE: HP

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    Greg Walters, Incorporated
    greg@grwalters.com
    262.370.4193