Essay on Choosing Right Printer

Introduction

A printer is a device connected to the computer/laptop which allows printing reports, books, photos and other printable materials. A printer comes in various shapes and sizes suitable for different set of people and serves different purposes. A printer can be shared with the local and the network users. In the big networks (example offices), a print server is a dedicated computer that handles the printing requests only. A network printer is another type of printer which can also be a dedicated device and the users on network are attached to it through the Ethernet port. Every user can send print requests to the print server.

Connectivity and availability of printer is critical to users. A printer can be connected to the computer through a cable. Nowadays, printers are available which connects to computers through USB ports. Wireless connectivity has allowed printers to connect to any computer without the hassles of a cable. The main features of any printer are the colour quality, resolution, speed and memory. Today speed of a printer is measured in the pages printed per minute and this measure is used as the marketing term also.

Choosing the right printer can be a daunting task for anyone. There are several types of printing technology to choose from which are all suited for different needs for different users. Printers are available in all shapes and sizes, from small travel companions to workgroup printers; some are for personal usage, some are geared toward photographers, others are for multiple usage (Including scanner, photocopier and fax). The home user demands a lot from a printer. Printer must address everything from a book report to a newsletter to the occasional snapshot, all without breaking the budget. The challenge from a manager's point of view is to be able to decide on combination of attributes for a printer to be able to satisfy a customer's basic needs while keeping in view his/her price sensitivity.

Based on the specifications, speed, quality and performance the printer can be classified into the following main categories.

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