Epson claims that it has solved one of the most infuriating aspects of owning a printer - being out of ink at that moment when you need the printer most.
It has unveiled a new range of EcoTank all-in-one machines aimed at consumers and small businesses that can scan and copy and, most importantly, print for up to two years before the inkjets run dry.
"The introduction of EcoTank marks a fundamental shift in the way we think about using color in business and in the home," said Keith Kratzberg, Executive Vice President, Epson America. "Epson EcoTank sets a new standard for colour printing, convenience and value."
The range consists of five printers, starting at $379 and going all the way up to $1,199 for the pro, workstation edition. However, regardless of which model you opt for, Epson claims that it will come pre-loaded with sufficient ink to meet the user's needs for up to 24 months thanks to something it's calling 'Supertank' technology.
This is basically a set of larger reservoirs for each of the four colours needed for full colour printing but topping up each is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traditional replacement cartridges.
Instead of traditional cartridges, replacement ink is sold in bottles which will cost $12.99 separately or $52 for a full set. In terms of capacity a bottle is the equivalent of 20 inkjet cartridges.
But as well as 'Supertank' technology, the printers are also WiFi-enabled so that they can be added to the home network without any fuss or cables and this also means that they can be used with smartphones and tablets as well as a PC.
Even as we move further and further into the digital age, there is still a demand for paper and for printing - whether it's notes and sketches or family photos - that's still in very rude health.
Even Evernote, the ingenious app and application developer, which initially declared war on the written note and the printed document has accepted that paper will always be paper and in recent years has realigned its offering to complement, rather than replace words, sketches, doodles and notes. It even has a range of notebooks.
As for the Epson printers, the base Expression ET-2500 EcoTank All-In-One model will doubtless be the most appealing for home use. For $379 it offers one-touch copying, a 100-sheet paper tray and a full-colour printing speed of 4.5 pages per minute.
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