Canon U.S.A.

BACK IN 1996 or so, at the On Demand Show in New York City, there was a pleasant reception at an artsy gallery with great munchies, a bunch of gorgeous fashion models and a plethora of digital print visionaries, illuminati, vendor execs, and assorted hangers-on. It was the launch of PODi—the Print On Demand Initiative.

The power of 20/20 hindsight is important, especially if we actually apply some of the lessons we learn in order to make our present and future better. What follows is a reflection on my past career as a print sales person.

All the major print-engine vendors offer business development programs comprised of software, print samples, assorted support materials and more, all aimed at helping customers better market digital printing. Canon’s RevGen—as in Revenue Generation—takes a hands-on mentoring approach.

Two new videos on the IPG site show scenes from Editor Bob Neubauer's recent trip to Minneapolis. There, he toured the University of St. Thomas' in-plant, then met with several in-plant managers at a Canon open house.

As a business process “plug in,” Business Ink focuses on compliance document production for target markets that include healthcare verticals and more than 2,000 state and local governments. This is the first such installation of an imagePRESS C7000VP in an existing Océ account in the western United States.

Digital printing news from the PODi AppForum, Xerox, Kodak and Konica Minolta in Printing Impressions’ March 2011 edition.

Commercial printing industry supplier company and personnel news from Printing Impressions’ March 2011 edition.

An artist at heart, Frank Oliver has designed a fast, efficient 
in-plant to serve more than a dozen rural New York school districts.

IPG Editor Bob Neubauer met with in-plant managers in Minneapolis recently, where he spoke at a Canon open house.

Canon has announced two new DSLR cameras bearing the Rebel T3 and Rebel T3i branding. Judging by the announced specs and features of these two new camers, it looks like the Rebel T3 is an entry-level DLSR while the Rebel T3i is a step-up version of this shooter. In fact, the Rebel T3’s kit lens which is the old and trusted EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II zoom is an indication that this camera is geared more for photography enthusiasts who want to progress from point and shoot to DSLR.

Next Wednesday, February 9, IPG Editor Bob Neubauer will be in the Twin Cities to take part in an open house event geared toward in-plants. Called “Take Your In-plant Operation to the Next Dimension,” the event will feature several speakers and include numerous equipment demos.

As printers become more specialized, it makes the in-/near-/off-line decision making process clearer. Turnover times and run lengths continue to shorten, but the need for quality hasn't been compromised, prompting many printers to take their finishing functions off-line.

Always on the move, the On Demand Conference & Exposition will take place in Washington, D.C., next month for the first time. We asked some of the participants what they plan to have on display.

IT'S BEEN kind of a snowy winter out here in Philadelphia. For those of us who like the snow (me), it's been nice. For those who don't (everyone else) it's been tough. But we've had our share of warm winters in the past, so I say it's about time (no matter how many icy glares I get).

At Innovationdays, over 5,000 international experts and professionals in the areas of print-on-demand, data center, direct mail and web finishing are expected to gather to see demonstrations of real-world workflows utilizing the latest in digital print and paper processing technologies.

FedEx Office Print & Go enables customers to access and print documents directly from BlackBerry smartphones and USB flash drives on select Canon printing devices within the self-service area at the company’s retail locations. It’s available at more than 1,600 locations.

The number of U.S. patents awarded jumped significantly from 2009 to 2010 among the 10 companies that got the most. There's plenty of criticism of the U.S. patent system for granting intellectual property protections for ideas that aren't original enough, but that hasn't stopped the corporate patent frenzy. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted 219,614 patents in 2010, a 31 percent increase over 2009, according to statistics from IFI Claims, a division of Fairview Research that tracks patent grants. As usual, IBM topped the list--this time with 5,896 patents, a 20 percent increase over 2009.

To fight dwindling camera sales, manufacturers are slashing prices for point-and-shoots - often below $100 - and offering more features for the money. Camera makers unveiled dozens of models this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the largest gadget show in the U.S. Here's what to look for once they go on sale over the next few months. Lower prices It used to be nearly impossible to buy a digital camera for $100. Now, Casio America Inc., Canon Inc., Eastman Kodak Co. and Olympus Corp. all sell them, and other big brands

A Jordan Edmiston Group Inc. year-end overview of mergers and acquisitions on Monday reported a strong 2010 rebound and predicts a robust market in 2011.

There was a time, not so many years ago, during which imaging retailers sold cameras and various photo accessories, offered photography advice, perhaps sold and developed film and enjoyed life in what appeared to be a rather mature industry—one many referred to as a "cash cow."