HP Refreshes Printers for Emerging Markets

By Geoff Duncan Published May 5, 2006

HP Refreshes Printers for Emerging Markets — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Hewlett-Packard has refreshed its line of printers and all-in-one (printer/fax/scanner/copier) devices aimed at the home, home office, and small business markets with new units ranging in price from a measly $129 to a hefty $2,500+ SMB offering. However, perhaps more notable than these printers’ features is on of their common design elements: they’ve all been engineered with “emerging” markets and geographies in mind, where the printers are expected to perform reliably under comparatively harsh environmental conditions (no air conditioning, high humidity) and with low-quality paper. According to HP, all these printers are available immediately.

The least expensive of the bunch is the $129 LaserJet 1018, which HP repeatedly stresses is a small personal printer aimed at emerging markets, but will be available in the U.S. through big-box retailers. The monochrome 12 ppm printer still costs more than Dell’s least-expensive laser, but offers USB 2.0, HP’s “instant-on” technology, and a per-page cost of about 3.5 cents.

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