Epson Introduces a Recyclable Printer

Epson’s EC-01 inkjet printer is the top product in their new Environmental Vision 2050 initiative. Epson has set the following four key conditions in order to work towards achieving Environmental Vision 2050:

• Reduction of CO₂ emissions by 90% across the entire product life cycle.
• Inclusion of all products in the resource reuse and recycling loop.
• Reduction of direct CO₂ emissions by 90%, and elimination of global warming gas emissions other than CO₂.

The printer is shipped in an unpainted recycled cardboard box, the manual is printed on recycled paper, and the included driver CD is stored within an envelope made of recycled paper. But what really sets this printer apart is that you don’t replace the ink: when the cartridge runs out, you replace the whole printer. Great, huh?

Via TCD blog

Another Use of An Inkjet Printer

Epson is steadily expanding inkjet printing into different fields of application. One such field is textile industry. Epson already cooperates with Italian company Robustelli on production of large-size textile printers based on Epson’s Micro Piezo inkjet technology.

Next area where Epson plans to use inkjet printers is akin to textile printing – a production of wallpapers and tiles.

Another thing was truly amazing to me. I never thought an inkjet technology could be used in production of in the manufacturing of LCD panels. LCD panels rely on a grid of RGB color filters each of them make up a tiny tri-colored pixel in the entire panel.

Currently, production of these color filter panels involves a three-step process, where each step requires laying down a grid of one color, followed by laying down the next color and so on. To reduce the steps required, Epson worked together with Sharp Corporation to create the first inkjet-based color filter printer ever which prints all three colors simultaneously.

Next innovation to follow is a printable TV content. Epson has been working with TV makers and stations to develop such service. Imagine you’re watching a cooking show, pretty usual, huh? But! Soon you’ll be able to print out the recipes given! Of course, it’d require a printer connected to your TV-set, likely via USB.

Currently, Epson is promoting this innovation with Japanese TV stations.

Well, seems like we are entering an era of new types of multifunction – first, printer showing video, now TVs printing text. Can’t wait to see what’s coming up.

Epson Leaves Customers with No Choice

The other day Epson won another trial against third-party manufacturers that produce compatible ink cartridges for Epson printers. Epson sued a list of defendants for patent infringement based on two patents: 7,008,053 and 7,011,397 (the first patent describes the cartridge, the other one deals with ink flow method). The judge ruled that 24 companies did violate Epson’s patents and banned they from importing and selling cartridges in US.

Filing the complaint with the US International Trade Commission in February of 2006, Epson accused side ink cartridge manufacturers of their products coming close to Epson’s design. Since then, many companies from Germany, Hong Kong, Korea and US decided to settle, not to fight, and stop importing aftermarket ink cartridges for Epson's printers.

Sure, the Epson reps claim they pursue unfair competition, and that they will take whatever actions necessary to protect Epson’s patents, blah-blah-blah, and Epson has been successful in its efforts to do so. Business model of inkjet printer manufacturers has long been selling cheap printers and making profit on original cartridges, it is make sense to keep the third party companies away from consumables market, since printer ink is a $32 billion market worldwide.

Given all that, no doubt Epson’s going to be persistent in taking away compatible ink cartridges manufacturers. So, soon we may have no choice but to use only costly original inks for Epson printers.

Epson Stylus Photo 1400: Printing A3+ Photos

Epson introduced a new photoprinter Stylus Photo 1400, designed, as the manufacturer states, for those in love with photography. The new printer produces 4 x 6 in. to A3+ outprints at 5760 х 1440 dpi resolution.

The model uses six separate cartridges for more effective use of inks. Proprietary Advanced Variable Sized Droplet Technology (Advanced VSDT) allows ajusting ink droplet size depending on printing image. The minimal size of ink droplet is 1,5 picolitre.


Stylus Photo 1400 features CD and DVD printing, supports direct printing from digital cameras over USB using PictBridge technology.

The printer appears on European market next month. The expected price of 399 euros seems reasonable for such solution.

Search for Epson ink cartridges at TonerCartridgeDepot.com