Portable And Smart Sony PictureStation DPP-FP70 and DPP-FP90

Sony introduces two compact portable photo printers producing pictures for less than a minute.

Sony PictureStation DPP-FP70 and DPP-FP90 have a carrying handle and a built-in display (2.5 inches for DPP-FP70 and 3.6 inches for DPP-FP90) to view and edit photos. The new products are based on Sony Bionz image processor that allows printing 4x6 in. photos for 45 seconds. Despite recently Sony has started to favor other flash-memory formats, the photo printers are only equipped with Memory Stick slot (Pro/Duo are available through adapter).

DPP-FP70 and DPP-FP90 provide users with functions of Auto Touch-up for white balance correction, sharpness adjustment and ‘red eyes’ effect removal. There are options for creation of congratulatory inscriptions and postcards. Those who want to use the portable printers to produce printouts, have a choice of six filter options (color filters, lighting filters, sepia, negative and fish-eye filters)

DPP-FP70 and DPP-FP90 are compatible with most of digital cameras supporting PictBridge. However, the press release notes the printers are optimized for use with Sony Cyber-shot и Alpha D-SLR cameras. The printers use sublimation printing technology; the printouts are laminated with SuperCoat 2 coating. Estimated cost of one printout is 29 cent.

Canon PIXMA iP90v: Printer For Mobile Profi

Canon has expanded its range of portable photo printers with new model PIXMA iP90v.

This device is positioned as a solution for mobile professionals. The printhead has 1088 nozzles that enables a droplet size of 2 picalitres and resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi.

PIXMA iP90v can print borderless images of up to A4 size. Maximum speed reaches 12 pages pre minute in color and 16 pages per minute in black and white. It takes 51 seconds to produce a 4x6 in. sized photo at best quality settings.

Composite Black Mode allows printing monochrome pictures even when black cartridge is dry empty, due to color ink mixture.

The printer supports PictBridge technology through built-in infrared port or optional Bluetooth-adapter. Optional Li-Ion battery should suffice to produce around 450 prints.

Recommended price for Canon PIXMA iP90v is $250.

Search for Canon Ink Cartridges at TonerCartridgeDepot.com

Multifunction Printer In Your Mobile

Quite unusual device was presented by Possio. Its MFP called GRETA combines mobile phone, scanner, copier, fax and printer. The device equipped with a Siemens GSM module, same as in MC55 и MC56 mobiles, and supports GSM-850/1800/1900 ranges.



Scanning and printing requires PC connection via USB. This multifunction uses thermal paper, just like faxes. One roll is enough for 50 prints of A4 size.

GRETA uses a Ni-MH battery as power source. The dimensions are 290х150х50 mm; weight is less then a kilo. No information on prices and market release date available so far.

Kodak Rocks Photo Print: Cheaper Inks and 100 Years of Prints Endurance

Kodak made a big announcement of its first for last 5 years full-format printers (the company did release compact photo-printers). This announcement could have been unnoticed, if not the declared efficiency of the printers.

The thing is, the inks used in these printers have quite outstanding features.

First, Kodak guarantees the endurance of printouts to be 100 years. Most photos printed on modern inkjet printers have average endurance of 15 years.

Second, a 4x6-inch print will cost only 10 cent (obviously, we’re talking about the cots of inks only), which is two times cheaper than that of HP, Epson or Canon. For monochrome print the cost will be 3 cent per print.

A black ink cartridge will come to $10, while a 5-color cartridge is priced at $15.

ISO Suggests New Method for Assessing Print Cost

Until recently, no one actual knew how much a single print costs. Every manufacturer has it’s own methods of measure, and information customers had was often far from real state of affairs.

It was in December 2002, that Office of Fair Trading (OFT) addressed the major manufacturers – Epson, Canon, HP and Lexmark – so that they developed a unified technique for assessing ink consumption, printer toner yield, etc.
Currently, the cost of consumables is several times of the printer, during its lifespan. Moreover, the manufacturers not always fully fill a printer cartridge with toner, so that a customer was quicker to come for the next one.

OFT affords resulted in new technique of assessment developed by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in cooperation with mentioned above brands. The technique provides for compulsory testing

• under standardized temperature
• on several type of paper
• several units of same printer model
• with several sets of cartridges

ISO suggests that manufacturers use this technique starting from now, despite it’s now approved as a standard so far. However, only HP and Epson have applied the technique, Lexmark is planning to do so at the end of this month. Canon has not yet responded to ISO recommendations and is using its own methods.

New 3D-printer Produces More Durable and Detailed Models

The other day, Dimension 3D Printing Group, a division of Stratasys, introduced a new device for fast 3D-prototypes production - Dimension Elite 3D Printer. “Volumetric printer” Dimension Elite is an addition to existing range of table plants by Dimension 3D Printing Group, which include Dimension 1200 (two models) and Dimension 768 (two models also). Thus, the Dimension family has total of 5 models.


Dimension Elite 3D Printer enables engineers and designers to get models of enhanced detailing and higher quality surface processing, more durable and functional than ever before. The maximum dimensions of processing model are around 20x20x30 cm. The construction material is ABSplus, an advanced modification of ABS. ABSplus allows creating models that are 40% more resistant to mechanical action. The new product is priced at $32,900.