October 22, 2015
Sharp to receive another bailout?
– A public-private fund might invest in struggling Sharp Corp. to lead the electronics maker’s turnaround, sources close to the matter said.
– The investment might amount to around $1.7 billion, the sources said. Sharp’s liquid crystal display panel business is expected to post a higher than expected operating loss of 50 billion yen in the first half because of the economic slowdown in China.
– If Innovation Network Corp. of Japan chooses to invest, its support would be broader than earlier thought. Sharp, which secured a $1.9 billion bailout from major banks in May, initially planned to accept investment only in its key display panel division.
– Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, was said to have been interested in acquiring Sharp. But Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which has jurisdiction over INCJ, has expressed concern that Sharp’s unique technologies, including its Igzo display panels for smartphones and other devices, could be siphoned off abroad.
– With a stake in Sharp, INCJ would be comprehensively involved in its reconstruction.
– Sharp incurred a huge group net loss in the year ended in March amid a slump in its LCD panel division.
– Sharp has also forecast a loss for the April to September half of this business year.
Sharp launches robot smartphone
– Called the “RoBoHoN”
– 19.5 centimeter tall bipedal robot smartphone
– Calling, messaging, camera, WiFi and 2” color LCD touch panel
– Small projector function to project photos and movies onto flat surfaces
– Also talks, walks, gets up, dances and recognizes human faxes
– Will ship in early 2016
Sharp ships 3 new A3 b/w MFPs
– Named the MX-MX266N, M316N and M356N
– All are b/w laser units with scan/print/copy standard
– 26ppm, 31ppm and 35ppm respectively
– 1200x600dpi
– Scans in color and b/w
o Document feeder holds up to 100 originals
o Top scan speed of 56opm
– 20 second warm up time
– 7” color touchscreen LCD control panel
– Optional fax board
– Maximum of 2,100 sheet paper supply
– Bypass supports up to 110lb. index stock
– Built-in print controller
o PCL print driver standard
o 2GB RAM
o Optional 250GB hard drive offers data erase feature standard
o Optional PostScript print driver
o 10/100/1000BaseT & USB ports
Man arrested for making fake currency
– Delaware County, NY Sheriff’s Office announced they have arrested Richard T. Swislosky, 38.
– Apparently was making fake $20 bills using a color copier to purchase illegal drugs.
Woman arrested for making fake currency
– Texarkana, Arkansas police announced they have arrested Shantrell Hall, 31.
– Apparently was making fake $50 bills using a color copier in her apartment.
Okidata to have booth at upcoming show
– OKI Data announced its participation in the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s (NBWA) 78th Annual Convention and Trade Show taking place Oct. 11-14, 2015, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada
– On display includes: Okidata C931e color LED printer that can handled polyester, envelopes, magnets, banners and heavyweight cardstock up to 360 gsm
o The C931e has the ability to print the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) mandated keg collar labels
- optional EFI XF server or Harlequin raster image processor
- C711WT desktop A4 digital color LED printer featuring white toner.
- The C711WT replaces the black toner cartridge and image drum with a white toner cartridge and image drum, resulting in a CMYW four-color configuration.
o MC873dn is a color LED multifunction device featuring standard print, copy, scan and fax functionality.
Copier dealer buys managed IT reseller
– All Copy Products Inc. announced it has acquired Verticomm, a managed IT services company headquartered in Denver, CO.
– All Copy, also headquartered in Denver, with locations in Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Arizona.
IDC reports on PC sales
– Shipments fell 10.8% year over year in last quarter to 71 million units worldwide
– Gartner believes that sales fell 7.7% to 73.7 million units
– Top market share = Lenovo with 21%, then HP with 19.6%
– Apple has 7.5% market share.
Ricoh wins production print contract
– Award from KKP, a commercial printer in Barrie, Ontario, Canada
– Installed a Pro C7100X production color system with optional white toner
– Print shop claims it chose the device due to its ability to print white toner on metallic stocks
Ricoh expands partnership with Nuance
– Ricoh announced it is expanding its selection of Nuance software solutions that can be bundled with its MFPs
– Ricoh now official resellers for Nuance eCopy ShareScan, AutoStore, and Output Manager
Ricoh launches new A4 color laser MFP
– New model is the MP C306
– Base MSRP of $4419
– Top speed of 31ppm
– Copy/print/scan/fax
– Document feeder holds up to 50 originals, with scan speed of 32opm
– Unit is 20.1”W x 23.1”D x 19.9”H
– 10.1” color touchscreen LCD control panel
– Can fit on desktop, or make floor standing with optional paper drawers
– Maximum of 1,350 sheets with options
– Built-in print controller
o NFC touch to print
o 533MHz processor
o 2GB RAM
o Optional XPS print driver
o 320GB hard drive standard
o Optional data security kit
o Java OS
o PCL and PS print drivers standard
o 10/100/1000BaseT & USB ports
Highfive Inc. publishes survey results
– 36% of men are likely to send texts during meetings
o 25% of women
– 27% of men are likely to check email during meetings
o 17% of women
– 27% of men are likely to browse the Internet during meeting
o 17% of women
– 55% of men bring their laptop computer to a meeting
o 33% of women
Hewlett Packard sells new wide format
– HP announced that ADC Reproservice of The Netherlands, which was a beta test site for the new HP PageWide XL 5000 Multifunction color inkjet wide format system, has decided to acquire the unit.
– Top speed of 14 D-sized printers per minute
HP donates production color system
– Installed an Indigo 5000 production color system
– Donated to the graphics program at Clemson University of South Carolina
Canon launched new wide format units
– Both use production color inkjet technology from Memjet
– Models are the Oce’ ColorWave 810 and 910 models
– 42” wide paper path
– 1600x1600dpi
– Come with Oce’ Repro desk 2.5.3 software
– 5 ink channels (cyan, magenta, yellow, black and black)
– Top speed of 9 meters per minute on 810 and 18 meters per minute on 910 model
– Handles media up to 190gsm
– Optional in-line folder, and/or dual tray high capacity stacker
Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation
– Published new study and found:
– U.S. Economy expected 2.6% in 2015
– Predicts that the annual GDP will be below long term historical average of 3%
– Growth in equipment and software investment slowed from 3.9% to 1.7% in Q2
HP supplier being investigated
– The company, Wistron of Taiwan, makes servers for Hewlett Packard, Dell and Lenovo
– The location in question, in Guangdong, China, supposedly forces students to work 10-12 hours per day, for up to 5 months, as “servant server”, or they will not graduate
Heidelberg wins production print contracts
– Award from Mount Royal Printing and Communications of Baltimore, Maryland
o Installed a Linoprint CV, which is a relabeled Ricoh C7100X production color laser system
o Will be used to produce brochures and marketing pieces for customers in education, non profit and association customers
– Award from Rick’s Printing of Portland, Oregon
o Installed a Linoprint CV production color system
o Included the 5th toner option for clear or white toner
– Award from Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
o Installed a Linoprint CV production color system
o Acquired the unit due to its ability to apply clear toner for spot coating
3D printer maker downsizes
– MakerBot announced it will layoff 20% of its worldwide workforce
– CEO Jonathan Jaglom stated that reason for layoffs were “result of a 3D printing market that isn’t necessarily meeting company expectations”
– “Not hitting our numbers equates to financial difficulties and burdens”
Fuji of Japan launches new MFPs
– Since Fuji makes most of Xerox’s product line, these new models will most likely be marketing by Xerox in near future in U.S.
– Models are 20, 22 & 30ppm, 4 are b/w and 4 are color MFPs
– 4 tandem OPC drum design
– Off white plastic exterior with dark blue accents in middle
– Optional fax board
– Built-in print controller
o Support for AirPrint, Google Cloud Printing and Mopria Print
o Optional wireless LAN converter
o Optional WiFi Direct
o Server-less on-demand printing
EFI makes another acquisition
– Electronics for Imaging announced it acquired Corrugated Technologies Inc.
– CTI is a provider of software for the corrugated packaging market
– Purchase price not announced
Corporate Express Board survey results
– CEB advises large companies on business practice
o On average, 5.4 people are now involved in most B2B buying decisions
o Purchase likelihood drops from 81% to 55% when a second person joins a buying group
o When 5 people are involved in buying decision, it drops to 40%
o Reason given is that today’s solutions are complex, technological and integrated, and touch multiple departments from across company
o If stakeholders are left out of buying process, they may withhold the necessary resources to ensure successful implementation
CompTIA releases results of MPS survey
– Ask dealers what their managed print services revenue as compared to last year
o 45% = grown 10% or more
o 38% = grown modestly
o 15% = flat or no change
o 1% = decreased modestly
o 1% = decreased 10% or more
– Where is business growth coming from?
o 60% = net new client acquisition
o 40% = existing client growth
– What vertical market interests you the most for growth?
o 52% = healthcare
o 40% = education
o 32% = legal
o 30% = finance
o 23% = state/local government
o 16% = retail
o 13% = federal government
Dell in talks to buy EMC?
– Industry analysts claim that Dell and private equipment firm, Silver Lake, are in advanced talks to buy EMC Corp.
– EMC is a provider or ECM and data storage
– EMC has a current market capitalization of $50 billion
– Dell currently carries more than $11.7 billion in debt
PwC publishes results of security survey
– Survey of CIOs and CSOs
– 69% use cloud-based security services
– 59% are leveraging data powered analytics to enhance security
– 91% have adopted a security framework
– 36% have a security strategy specifically addressing the Internet of Things
– 65% are collaborating with others to improve security
– Average boost of 24% of their security budgets in 2015
– 54% have a CISO (chief security information officer)
– 59% are purchasing cybersecurity insurance
Samsung offers new solution option
– Announced that it now offers an option for its MFPs that allow them to scan directly into Laserfiche
– Laserfiche is one of the world leaders in document management and enterprise content management solutions
Coleman Parkes Research on Gen Z
– Study of people aged 19 years and younger, and what their impact will be when they enter workplace
– Will become frustrated far more easily when they enter workplace
o 46% will be irritated by a lack of communication from colleagues
o 40% will find a lack of flexibility in hours a serious frustration with their job
o 30% will be frustrated by lack of info sharing
o 28% will be frustrated by lack of responsibility
– 42% are attracted to work for a company that enables them to feel like they are making a difference in the world
– 29% are attracted to companies that offer technology to enable people to work more efficiently
– 72% believe they will bring exceptional tech skills to work
o 63% will bring new ideas and fresh thinking
o 55% will bring new ways of working
Xerox’s CFO steps down
– Kathryn Mikells announced that she is leaving her position as CFO at Xerox, and becoming CFO of Diageo (maker of Smirnoff, Johnny Walker, Captain Morgan, etc.)
– Leslie Varon will serve as interim CFO until a permanent successor is found
Xerox partners with Mitsubishi
– Will explore, globally, on a case-by-case basis, potential joint Intelligent Transport Systems opportunities
– Will focus on electronic toll collection, high traffic management, telematics and intelligent urban parking
Toshiba dealer wins copier contract
– Laser Resources of Urbandale, Iowa chosen as winning vendor by Iowa State University
– 5 year contract.
