The Kyocera TASKalfa 552ci is the newest addition to one of the copier industries leading manufacturers. It has recently won a very strong rating from BLI test labs, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The unit features copy, print and scan capabilities, as well as optional faxing. With a highly customizable control panel, users can program up to 18 shortcuts for quick access to commonly used features tailored specifically for their businesses. The unit even has a web browser as a standard feature of the control panel.

Strengths:

Outstanding Value

• Very good overall test performance in BLI’s job stream test (which simulates usage in a real-world, multi-user environment).

• Fast first copy times in both colour and black – for greater office efficiency.

• Outstanding black image quality, and very good overall colour image quality.

• Preventative maintenance interval design means one of the lowest service call rates of any copier or MFP in its class.

• Dual scan document feeder (sheets only go through once meaning less wear and tear on ADF).

• Robust customization capabilities from the control panel.

• Simple overall procedures for removing mis-feeds and replacing toner.

• Print from and scan to any USB drive right from the touch screen control panel.

• Standard web browser access from the control panel.

Weaknesses:

• Cumbersome procedures for switching between the PCL and Postscript drivers.

• Slightly more cumbersome procedure for adjusting the size of paper drawers compared to some competing models.

• Standard Max paper capacity lower than average for the group.

The colour touch screen is highly customizable and even comes with a standard web browser!

Download the Full BLI Test Report Here

Multifunctional Print Devices Are Showing Strong Growth

Multifunctional Print Devices (MFP’s) show year over year growth in Q4 2009 / Monochrome beats out Colour.

The end of 2009 has shown positive signs for office equipment sales, and the economy as a whole. In the fourth quarter of 2009, the worldwide hardcopy device market grew 3.6%. It is determined that the increased popularity of multifunctional printers  has fueled a majority of the growth.

A surprising note was that mono (black & white) devices took the lead with 9.3% growth over colour devices at 8.0% which have previously maintained higher growth patterns in this industry.

(Source: International Data Corporation).

It could be that more companies are switching back towards mono devices as a cost cutting strategy, despite the fact that the impression cost on some colour devices is very competitive with some commercial units these days.

News Alert:

4 Office has expanded its product offering to include the OCE 9522, a highly efficient multifunction laser printer / copier / scanner / fax, with an average monthly volume of between 60,000 and 200,000 (within published specs).

Some of the basic specs below:

• 95 A4 images per minute

• 2 GB shared RAM

• 2 GHz Print/Scan processor

• 160 GB Hard drive disk

• Ease-of-use designed for the office

• Maximum security, including data encryption and user-specific authentication

• High paper capacity via four media trays

• Sorting, offset stacking, stapling, hole punching, booklet finishing and trimming

For this model and other exciting multifunction / laser printers & photocopiers see our product center.

Click Here to Download the OCE 9522 Brochure

For an amazing selection of photocopiers and MFP’s visit the product center on our website,

or

schedule a product demo at one of our locations.

To compliment this great feature, 4 Office has created a new version of our “Index Search” software which provides the user with a simple web based search function for easy access to all your scanned documents. With OCR (optical character recognition) technology – you can literally search for any document by any number or letter reference within the document. You have to see it to appreciate how good this is.

Compared to some of the products that are out there, this makes a document management solution an affordable option for some of the small and medium businesses that might not otherwise consider this as an option.

For more information on scanning solutions and electronic documents, contact sales.

Now supply cost is one thing, but what happens when your device starts having problems down the road? Even if your device is covered by a warranty in the first year, can you really afford to have your business offline for the time it takes to repair or switch your machine? Not to mention – the hassel of having to take care of it yourself? If you or your staff are running a serious business, it is likely that your collective time is worth more than that.

A retail unit is suitable for a small home office, but even for a single user – it can become expensive over time. It’s hard to believe, but there are still many offices out there where there is a laser printer on every persons desk. In recent years, more businesses have moved toward leasing decentralized multifunctional devices which can be printed too by many individuals in one department – reducing the total number of print devices, lowering the cost per copy, saving on electricity costs as well as maintenance costs as well. It is almost like the difference between heating your house with a bunch of tiny electric space heaters, or investing in a fuel efficient natural gas furnace that is built to heat the entire house. That is what some businesses are actually doing out there – running on a bunch of tiny expensive devices.

Smart business owners understand the principle behind investing in a more robust machine that will ultimately have a lower cost per copy and cost of ownership.

Ultimately the choice is yours, and I have advice for both scenarios. If you choose to get by on a small retail machine for now, make sure you measure how much it is costing you. If you decide that it is time to invest in a more suitable machine for your business, make sure you research the quality of the unit. You will want to invest in something that is reliable and user friendly. Also – make sure you buy from a dealer or VAR that can provide you with a 4 hour service guarantee. Your business can not afford to wait for a technician two days after you have placed a service call.

For an amazing selection of copiers and MFP’s visit the product center on our website,

or

schedule a product demo at one of our locations.

Next time, when you use your photocopier or multifunctional device, perhaps reflect on how this device makes your life easier – and picture how your business would run without it.

The Samsung 6345 is a powerful multifunctional in a smaller package.

Designed to be a business solution that fits into any budget, the 6345 is loaded with features and can be easily integrated into any business environment. Quality images, useful features and a simple interface round out this all-in-one machine. The Samsung 6345 is a high-capacity machine that copies, prints, scans and faxes and relies on digital technology. With a duty cycle of 200,000 pages and a small footprint design built for multi-tasking, it is a great addition to any medium sized office or workgroup.

Simple Interface:

Users can see why the 6345 stands out right from the start. The easy to use interface makes operation a breeze. Based on touch screen technology and fully integrated software, the screens are easy to navigate. This allows users to manage print and copy jobs from the interface. Easily move jobs in the queue to ensure important jobs finish first and use the advance functions to complete manage job functionality – all from the 7-inch screen.

Modular Design:

Samsung has designed the 6345 with the end user in mind. From paper handling to operation, the machine is built around the belief that adding modules, paper and toner should be easy. It comes with a 520 page cassette as well as a 100 sheet tray, but users can opt to add up to 3 more 520 page cassettes, meaning paper will need to be refilled less often. Because of the modular design, adding extra memory, a finisher or changing toner cartridges is easy – they simply slid in. Finally, the 6345 was designed to reduce paper jams by adding additional paper clearance. In the rare event a jam does occur, the easy to read display walks users through clearing the jam.

Office Copier: 45 ppm

See how the 6345 stands out from other copiers. The copier function is exceptionally powerful and is designed to create clear and crisp copies while saving paper. With a speed of 45 copies per minute, users can choose from a variety of paper saving options such as ID copy and auto-fit copy. Other features like poster copy, which allows users to print images onto multiple sheet to create a poster images and margin shift, which shifts the image to allow for binding or hole punches, make it possible to create professional posters, displays, books and more.

Office Printer: 45 ppm

The printer function is just as powerful. The 6345 allow users to store letterhead and other forms into the memory and then print documents right onto this stock. This reduces the need to preload letterhead. With a speed of up to 45 pages per minutes, the 6345 also has a special toner saving feature that allows users to select TonerSave and save as much as 40% of the toner without a noticeable reduction in the quality of print. Features like collating, proofing, private printing and job storage make the 6345 one of the most useful multifunction printers available today.

Office Fax:

The fax feature allows users to easily send and receive faxes. For additional security, users can request their incoming faxes be held in the 6345’s memory until they wish to retrieve them.

Office Scanner:

Finally, the 6345 can serve as a great tool for storing and managing your paper documents into digital form. Additional software can turn this machine into a full document management and digital archiving center.

Visit http://www.4office.ca to learn more about the Samsung 6345, Samsung Copiers and other great products from 4 office.

“Which Office Product is Right for Your Organization?”

4 Office Automation Ltd. is a leading supplier of photocopiers, Multifunction Copiers, fax machines and printers to businesses, organizations and the public sector. We specialize in providing “all in” cost per-impression plans, that help you better manage the cost of your devices.

Choice: We sell and service products from four top rated brands. Not every office has the same requirements, but with four of the top brands, we are sure to have the right product at a price to fit your office budget. Contact us today for a full, no obligation quote.

Satisfaction Guaranteed: At 4 Office, we’ll let you switch brands or even return your product if you’re not completely satisfied. We guarantee every new product for 8 full years. See our guarantees.

Office Locations and Contact Information:

GTA Head Office:
425 Superior Blvd., Unit 1 & 2
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2W5
Phone: 905-564-0522
Fax: 905-564-2865

Ottawa Regional Office:
2615 Lancaster Road, #15
Ottawa, Ontario K1B 5N2
Phone: 613-248-1500
Fax: 613-248-1501

Kingston Regional Office:
593 Norris Court, Unit 4
Kingston, Ontario K7P 2R9
Phone: 613-384-8676
Fax: 613-384-7817