| While they've lost much of their novelty as combination | | | | While these devices exist in both home office (ink jet |
| devices, and become much more routine, multifunction | | | | versions) and professional (high end copier |
| printers are still a fascinating trade off; an attempt to | | | | functionality), the exact mix of features will vary from |
| turn your local USB printer into some sort of electronic | | | | model to model. With just a bit of research, it's entirely |
| Swiss Army Knife, capable of copying, faxing, printing | | | | possible to find one that will handle most of your |
| and scanning all in one gadget. These generally aren't | | | | business printing or copying needs. For bigger |
| as effective as the most advanced specialised | | | | businesses, some of these printers can handle 50 to |
| devices at performing the individual functions, but they | | | | 70 pages per minute, with deep paper drawers |
| do have some significant advantages, and if you're | | | | capable of handling large print jobs without the need to |
| nursing along an old printer, they make a compelling | | | | refill. |
| case for upgrading. | | | | The ultimate choice when it comes to deciding |
| The first major advantage is that they take up less | | | | between models is ultimately based on the total printing |
| space; this is a concern for home based offices, and | | | | you intend to do. If you're just printing off receipts for |
| people working in dormitory rooms out of college, but | | | | customers, an inkjet based model may be sufficient; if |
| it's even important for small offices outside the home. | | | | you're using this as a means to print off products for |
| Finding a place to put your scanner, copier, fax | | | | sale (as a do it yourself print shop), you'll want to go |
| machine and printer on one desk or one work surface | | | | with a laser system. Don't immediately rule out color |
| has raised a significant challenge. | | | | laser multi-function printers; their cost per print has |
| The second advantage is price; these devices have | | | | come down considerably in the last four years, and the |
| plummeted in cost as their hardware components | | | | color correction technology, including use of paper and |
| have been commoditised and then some. Usually a | | | | printer profiles, have expanded considerably. They can |
| good multifunction device will cost about 50% more | | | | churn out quite professional results if you're willing to a |
| than a standard printer and associated components of | | | | little extra money into the gear. |
| the same capabilities. | | | | You will also need to decide how much you're going to |
| A third advantage is upgradeability; while you can't | | | | use the fax or scanning functions; copiers and fax |
| really upgrade, say, the dots per inch on the scanner | | | | machines are close cousins in terms of what they do, |
| bed, you can often upgrade the amount of RAM in | | | | and they habitually are the least useful of the functions |
| one of these devices, or on higher end models, replace | | | | on the printer, and often the hardest to get the full |
| the flash based short term storage with a small hard | | | | functionality out of. Even so, multifunction printers can |
| drive to increase the capacity for storing faxes or | | | | do a lot of good for your business, and as such are still |
| images for reprints. | | | | an indelible part of the modern office. |
