Before you buy another printer, make sure you read this article. The printing manufacturers actually don’t make any money on the printer itself. Instead, the real profits are made on the ink and toner. In general, the cheaper the printer, the more you will get gouged when it comes to replacing cartridges. But this is not always the case. The high end printer manufacturers are ready and willing to jump deep into your pocketbook. And if you let them, they will stay there for very long time.

The Microchip Scheme

The primary way in which the printing companies gouge your pocketbook is by placing a small microchip on the ink or toner cartridge. The cartridge will stop working when you print a fixed number of pages (usually around 5,000) even if you have plenty of supply remaining. Sometimes the chips are also programmed to stop working after a fixed period of time (e.g., six months) regardless of how many pages you have printed. The chips are usually patented so as to guarantee that you will always buy a new cartridge from the original manufacturer.

Just to illustrate how costly it can be to buy the wrong printer, here is a personal example. I fell for HP’s marketing scheme and bought a “low cost” HP 1500 Color Laser Jet two years ago for $499.00. I just checked with Staples.com and the cost of replacing all the toner cartridges and drum including tax (free shipping) is $597.33.

Is there a way around this?

Yes! If you do not have a chip on the cartridge then you can simply look on the internet and find a refill kit. This will work quite well. However, as a general rule, printing quality will decrease after approximately five refills.

If you have a microchip on your cartridge, there are a couple of options. First, with many cartridges you will be able to find a “chip reset” kit on the internet. Buying ink or toner and a chip reset kit is usually much cheaper than replacing the cartridge. You will be able to use the reset kit over and over again, so it will pay for itself. If you can’t find a reset kit for your cartridge, you can probably find a replacement chip. The microchips are usually glued on the side of the cartridge, so you can just pry off the old chip and glue on a new one.

The “Nuclear Option”

I saved the best for last! If this works, it is your best option, but you might have to do a little bit of internet research on your specific printer. What the printing companies don’t want you to know is that there is usually a way to configure your printer such that you are able to reset the chip memory. In some cases, you can completely disable the printer’s use of the chip. Getting back to my HP 1500 Color LaserJet, I was able to do this by holding down the big green button for 20 seconds when the power is turned on. On this printer, this causes what is known as a “hard reset” of all internal memory settings. Whereas I should have been forced to replace all of my toner and the drum, I have now been printing for months in normal operation without a glitch and with no error messages!

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will be able reset, replace, or bypass the microchip on your printer’s cartridge. Every year, it seems that the printer manufacturers become more and more skilled at preventing you from taking charge of your machine. However, now you are armed with a little bit of knowledge?and knowledge is power. The next time your printer runs out of ink or toner, don’t be so eager to go out and buy a new cartridge. Remember, if there is a way around it, you can find it! The personal satisfaction you get in saving money and beating them at their own game will put a little bit of excitement in what might have been a depressing and costly situation.

Copyright 2006 Majella.us

If you’re in the market for a brand new laptop, you’ll definitely want to scout around and find the best computer hardware for your needs. Although laptops  come in all shapes and sizes, the following tips should guide you well enough to make a smart purchase.

The “tech specs” of your laptop is perhaps the most important consideration. Nothing more, nothing less; exactly what you need to match your activities. For example, you need totally different system if you’re just planning to use it for work related purposes, as opposed to letting your notebooks be your entire home entertainment system.

Different applications need different type of laptops, and getting more than what you need is literally a waste of funds. However if you get less than what you need, it causes frustration and time-wasting.

The first thing you need to consider is the Central Processing Unit or CPU; it is the “brains” of your computer. Generally speaking a faster CPU is better as it will cut down on loading and processing time, but there is a choice between Intel processors, or the rest.

You should also think about the overall weight and size of your laptop. If light and portable is your cup of tea, choose the ones that weight less than 1.2kg – these are usually on the higher price range but it will be worth the money, and the lack of tired days!

Thirdly, and most importantly, the warranty period and service terms for your laptop. Generally speaking most laptops come with standard one-year warranty, but manufacturers like Fujitsu also offer “extended” three-year upgrades and on-site repairs. With this option they come to your home or office and troubleshoot your laptop problems. Expect a premium for the “on-site” repairs, but extended warranties are quickly becoming standard items and you should kep your eyes open for laptop models that offer them at no additional cost.

As for personal choice, I prefer Lenovo brand of laptops, especially the Lenovo Thinkpad series that is both affordable and sufficient for high-end processing. Ideally, any laptop you get should be good enough to get you through the next four years without needing an upgrade or replacement. Not many laptops fit the bill though, so shop for your notebook wisely!

Let’s face it: some of the printers on the market right now are way too expensive. Way too many of them cost as much as an entire desk top computer! Come on, no one wants to pay those prices. For that reason, an increasing number of people are going back to black and white printers, such as the Dell 1110. There are many benefits with printers like this, such as the fact that this one in particular comes complete with its own Dell 1110 Toner. Then, too, this particular printer is a Dell product, which is well known for high quality. Since many of this company’s printers are actually manufactured by the popular Lexmark company, you can see why they are so widely used.

Most experts consider this printer an entry level printer. It is also monochromatic, of course, thus prints in black and white. It is extremely inexpensive, compared to other printers in general and the Dell printer models in particular.

One reason this is a popular model is because of economy – of space, that is. It is a very small and lot model, so it will not take up a whole lot of space. This is always a plus, especially if you are in cramped quarters. Professional offices and home based studies and offices are well suited for this printer.

Printing of documents requires you to unfold the paper support. It can be found on the printer’s output tray. That is located on top of the machine. After this is done, you will have to open the front cover, which will then create the input tray. There is no paper cover with this printer. Therefore, you either have to remove your paper stack when you are not printing or deal with paper that may get dirty, crumpled, or stained.

However, this is somewhat neutralized by the fact that the printer will fit pretty much anywhere. Better still, it is set up to provide easy installation when it comes to inserting the printer cartridges. The Dell 1110 Toner Cartridges and drum are integrated. The printer has a handle which folds out, allowing for a good grip when you have to insert the cartridges.

On the top most surface of this model, you will find two indicator lights. One of the is the power button while the other is an error indicator. It will alert you to paper jams and all manner of other problems. The two lights blink in different combinations to show different things. For instance, one sequence denotes that the printer is getting information. Another sequence blinks when the printer is actually printing documents. There is also a control button, which will allow you to cancel current printing jobs. The power socket as well as a USB port are both located in the back of the machine.

It is easy to install this printer onto your computer as well. The applications included are very helpful. For instance, one of them will take you to Dell’s supply site when you begin running low on toner. That way, you will never risk running out of ink at an inopportune time.

The fact that you are automatically told when to purchase a new Dell 1110 Toner cartridge is clearly not the only reason why this printer is so widely used. Its small size and quality printing are the main reasons people can rely on this printer in a variety of situations and locations. For more information visit our website at http://www.qtoner.us/.