June 10, 2009 - Hackensack (NJ) – After subjecting a wide range of color printers and printer MFPs to a battery of rigorous lab tests, BLI has announced the winners of its Spring 2009 “Pick” awards in the color printer category, with eleven products from seven vendors taking top honors for their outstanding performance in BLI testing. The tests evaluate products for a variety of important performance aspects, including reliability, image quality, productivity, print drivers, feedback to workstations, administrative utilities, ease of use, network setup, toner yield and more. The exceptional performers chosen as BLI “Pick” winners are:

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Canon Inc. Canon imageCLASS MF8450c Canon Color imageRUNNER C1022i Outstanding Small Workgroup Color Multifunction Printers, Spring 2009 Hewlett-Packard Company HP Officejet Pro 8000 Wireless Printer Outstanding Business Inkjet Printer, Spring 2009 HP Officejet Pro 8500 Premier All-In-One Outstanding Business Inkjet Multifunction Printer, Spring 2009 InfoPrint Solutions Company InfoPrint Color 1824 Series Outstanding Small Workgroup Color Printer, Spring 2009 Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. Konica Minolta magicolor 7450 II grafx Outstanding Mid-Size Workgroup Color Printer, Spring 2009 Lexmark International, Inc. Lexmark C540n Outstanding Personal Color Printer, Spring 2009 Lexmark C544 Series Outstanding Small Workgroup Color Printer, Spring 2009 Sharp Electronics Sharp MX-C311 (also sold as Sharp DX-C311) Outstanding Mid-Size Workgroup Color Multifunction Printer, Spring 2009 Xerox Xerox Phaser 6280 Series Outstanding Small Workgroup Color Printer, Spring 2009 Xerox Phaser 6128MFP Outstanding Personal Color Multifunction Printer, Spring 2009

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Exceptional Ease Of Use And Robust Feature Set Lead To “Pick” for Sharp
A hybrid product from Sharp, the 31-ppm MX-C311 provided an outstanding performance in BLI’s two-month lab test, earning a BLI “Pick” in the mid-size workgroup color multifunction printer segment. “The MX-C311 is unlike anything we’ve seen in our testing of A4 color MFPs, providing outstanding multitasking, robust scanning, superior color output and exceptional ease of use,” said BLI Manager of Laboratory Testing Pete Emory. “The control panel has a sleek, full-color 8.5-inch touch screen that is easy to read and a menu structure that is identical to that on Sharp’s newest A3 MFPs, which eases the transition from one product to another.” BLI Senior Printer Analyst Marlene Orr added, “The unique business model employed by Sharp allows dealers the option of providing preventive maintenance as with a traditional copier or to allow customers to replace routine maintenance items on their own as is common with printer-centric MFPs, making the MX-C311 a good fit for both customers who prefer traditional all-inclusive service contracts and those who prefer the more do-it-yourself model traditionally associated with printers.” “Sharp is very proud to be honored with this distinctive award in this strategically important growth category,” said Gary Bailer, associate director, product management, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “BLI is known for its rigorous testing methods, so winning this ‘Pick’ award speaks volumes about the innovation, quality and reliability that went in to the MX-C311 and DX-C311.”

Konica Minolta Takes “Pick” For Mid-Size Workgroup Color Printer
An outstanding performer in BLI’s exhaustive testing, the ledger-size Konica Minolta magicolor 7450 II grafx was a clear winner in the mid-size workgroup color printer category. “In our extensive testing, the magicolor 7450 had faster than average first-print-out times and above average efficiency, making it a good choice for general business color,” said Tony Maceri, BLI senior test technician. “Because it supports up to 12.25" x 47.24" for banner printing, has a PictBridge connection for printing photographic images directly from a digital camera and includes color-matching software, the magicolor 7450 II grafx is also a good fit for users with more complex needs.” The unit features Konica Minolta’s polymerized toner and advanced color controls, including support for SWOP, Commercial Press, Eurocolor, TOYO, DIC and SNAP press emulations, as well as standard RGB source profiles to further allow users to control color output.

Canon Wins “Picks” For Small Workgroup Color MFPs
The 17-ppm Canon imageCLASS MF8450c and the 22-ppm Canon Color imageRUNNER C1022i both offer a combination of productivity, ease of use and feature set unlike many products in this class, helping each to earn BLI “Picks” in the small workgroup color multifunction printer category. “In addition to its flawless reliability test performance, we were impressed by the wealth of ease of use features that Canon has added to the imageCLASS MF8450c, such as the swivel-mounted 3.5-inch color TFT screen and a scroll wheel for fast data entry when carrying out scanning tasks,” said BLI European Lab and Research Manager David Sweetnam. “The ability of the device to pull multiple jobs off the network at once also ensures that bottlenecks are kept to a minimum when the device is shared in a busy environment.” “Canon continues to bring big office innovation and technology into our line of small and home office MFPs,” said Jim Rosetta, vice president and general manager, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A. “Receiving the BLI ‘Pick’ award is a testament to our commitment to providing practical, well-rounded solutions. The imageCLASS MF8450c offers an affordable solution that incorporates many advanced technologies found in other Canon high-end commercial copiers.” The Canon Color imageRUNNER C1022i has the same above average feature set as the imageCLASS MF8450c, but has a faster print speed and adds SD card printing capability. “The Color imageRUNNER C1022i offers very robust scanning, including the ability to scan to searchable PDF format,” noted BLI’s Emory. “The included SD and CF memory card slots make printing digital photos very easy, and users can take advantage of the vibrant color screen to preview their images and use the index print feature to print up to four pictures onto a single page for album-size images.” “The Color imageRUNNER C1022i goes beyond the capabilities of other all-in-one devices and receiving a BLI ‘Pick’ award further exemplifies the practicality and capabilities of the device,” said Sam Yoshida, vice president and general manager, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A. “With an intuitive user-interface that eases operation, a compact design that allows for desktop or standalone installation and features such as duplex color scanning and support of portable memory media, the Color imageRUNNER C1022i offers exceptional productivity and quality within proximity.”

Lexmark Honored With Two “Picks” For Color Laser Printers
The highly-recommended 21-ppm Lexmark C540n and the 25-ppm Lexmark C544dn gave strong performances in BLI’s testing, leading to their selections as “Picks” in the personal color printer and small workgroup printer categories, respectively. Offering very good ease of use, the units employ compact toner cartridges, which some users might compare to inkjet cartridges in terms of the shape and the way they are installed. “Like all Lexmark printers we’ve tested, the C540n and C544dn are easy to set up and manage on the network thanks to Lexmark MarkVision Professional, and the included Status Messenger provides very good feedback on status and errors,” said BLI’s Orr. “Further contributing to their selection as ‘Picks’ is that both units excelled in our rigorous tests, demonstrating flawless reliability, good color output and very good productivity. The C540n and C544dn also provide a very good feature set and good overall economy, from their low purchase price to a competitive to low cost per page.” “Businesses demand products and services that enable them to create a powerful customer experience, and the Lexmark C540 Series of color lasers do exactly that,” said Marty Canning, Lexmark vice president and president of its Printing Solutions and Services Division. “These models offer a wide range of valuable features, a new, attractive design, and brilliant color output, making them welcome additions to a desktop or small workgroup. Lexmark is proud to have its C540 Series recognized with BLI’s prestigious ‘Pick’ awards.”

InfoPrint Solutions Company Wins For Small Workgroup Color Printer
The 25-ppm InfoPrint Color 1824dn excelled in BLI’s lab test, earning a “Highly Recommended” rating and receiving a “Pick” for its reliability, ease of use and value. “The InfoPrint Color 1824dn is an outstanding and economical choice for small workgroups,” said Orr. “This device provides high-quality color, is extremely easy to use and manage, and has a lower acquisition cost than most of its competitors. The unit also has an above-average feature set, including standard automatic duplexing, a Coverage Estimator to inform users of toner coverage on printed documents and an Eco-Mode to reduce power consumption, while a USB port on the control panel allows users to print files from a USB flash drive.”

Xerox Wins Two “Picks” For Entry-Level Color
In the personal multifunction printer category, the Phaser 6128 earned BLI’s “Pick” award for its admirable performance and user-friendly design. “The Phaser 6128 MFP consolidates print, copy and scan in a small footprint and provides good overall output quality at a low price, making it a great choice for low-volume users,” said Orr. “We also like the convenient side access for replacing toner and the open design of the output tray, which makes removing printed pages easier.” Receiving a BLI “Pick” in the small workgroup color printer category, the Xerox Phaser 6280DN provided an excellent overall performance in BLI's tests. “The Phaser 6280DN is a solid choice as an entry-level color laser printer. The unit offers above average output quality and fast speeds at a low price,” said BLI’s Maceri. “And, as we’ve come to expect from Xerox printers, the unit is easy to set up and use; the control panel and the drivers are very intuitive and software installation takes only four mouse clicks.” “The Phaser 6128MFP and Phaser 6280 are designed to meet the demanding needs of small businesses–high-quality color, ease of use, speed and multifunction capability–all at an affordable price,” said Robin Wessel, director of desktop product marketing, Xerox Corporation. “These ‘Pick’ awards reinforce the priority we place on delivering innovative products and value to our customers.”

Economy And Ease Of Use Lead To HP’s “Picks” For Inkjet Products
Based on the same engine, the HP Officejet Pro 8000 and Officejet Pro 8500 All-In-One Series earned BLI “Pick” awards in the business inkjet printer and inkjet multifunction printer categories, respectively. “Both the Officejet Pro 8000 and Officejet Pro 8500 are easy to set up and use, with highly automated installation, easy-to-use print drivers and very good feedback regarding errors, thanks to HP’s outstanding utilities,” said Maceri. “The touch-screen interface on the Officejet Pro 8500 is also a very nice feature we don’t usually see on low-priced units like this one.” “The Officejet Pro 8000 printer and Officejet Pro 8500 All-In-One breezed through our reliability test with no misfeeds or malfunctions,” added Orr. “And both provide good business color output and offer a low cost per page, making them a good value for low-volume environments.” “HP is very pleased to receive these awards for the HP Officejet Pro 8500 All-in-One series and HP Officejet Pro 8000 Printer,” said Andy Binder, director of market development, Inkjet and Web Solutions, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “At HP, our goal is to deliver innovative products that help small and medium-sized companies manage, protect and grow their businesses. We designed these products to meet our customers’ unique needs, helping them save up to 50 percent on printing and energy costs versus competitive laser printers.”

Stay tuned for upcoming Buyers Lab “Pick” award announcements in the following categories:

About Buyers Laboratory
For 48 years, Buyers Lab (BLI) has been the leading independent office-equipment testing lab and business consumer advocate. In addition to publishing the industry's most comprehensive and accurate test reports on office document imaging devices, each representing months of exhaustive hands-on testing in BLI's US and UK laboratories, the company has been the leading source of competitive intelligence for industry professionals on copiers, printers, fax machines, scanners, duplicators, wide-format devices and multifunctional products. The company's databases cover over 12,000 products globally and have a long-standing reputation for being the industry's most trustworthy and complete source for specifications and side-by-side comparisons, all of which are available as part of bliQ, BLI’s Web-based encyclopedic resource. Subscribers also have access to BLI's renowned Lab Test Reports, First Look Reports, Solutions Reports, Environmental Reports, news articles and a complete library of manufacturer’s product literature, as well as valuable tools including a Product Configurator and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator. Buyers Lab also provides business consumers with How-To-Guides, a Needs Assessment Wizard and Free Vendor Quotes via its Buyers Lab Advisor Web site, as well as independent purchasing advice and consulting from its Buyers Alliance procurement experts. Business consumers and manufacturers can also select from a vast array of confidential for-hire private testing services that include document imaging device beta and pre-launch testing, performance certification testing, consumables testing (such as toner, ink and photoconductors) and software solutions and print media testing (including virgin and recycled papers). For more information on Buyers Lab, please call (201) 488-0404, visit www.buyerslab.com, or e-mail info@buyerslab.com.