Printers

A printer is one of the most popular PC accessories, and with good reason. Even in the age of the “paperless office” it seems that we are printing more than ever. Students, in particular, make extensive use of printers, with fall marking the time when home printers fire up to churn out essays, projects and artwork. Whether your printing needs lean toward term papers, family photos or quarterly reports, here’s what you need to know to get the most from your printer.

Printers are inexpensive nowadays, and while you can get one for far less than a hockey ticket, you might want to look at getting a printer that does more than average. It’s possible to get a printer that also scans, faxes, copies documents and prints lab-quality photos, all in one solid package.

Setting up an office in a compact space used to be a lot more challenging than it is now. For one thing, there were a lot more wires and cables to deal with in those pre Wi-Fi days, but space was also a major issue. PCs were bigger, but so were the peripherals essential to a home office. Keyboards were massive, external hard drives were in enclosures that dwarf those of today and a laser printer practically needed a desk to itself. Thanks to advances in miniaturizing components, some of these devices are even available as portable units now. In this latest installation on the evolution of the PC from room-sized appliance to today’s mini computers, I explore shrinking PC peripherals.

When was the last time you got excited about a new printer? Colour laser printers, multi-function printers that also scan and fax, high quality inkjet photo printers and wireless connectivity are pretty much taken for granted these days. 3D printing is another story. This cool technology lets you print physical objects. 3D printers have been improving rapidly, moving from industrial and hobbyist status toward mainstream. Each generation gets more capable, more compact and more affordable. The third generation Cube 3D printer (from 3D Systems) will be arriving soon at Best Buy and I got to spend a few weeks putting a review unit through its paces.

Two things have radically transformed photography in the past two decades. The first of course, is the rise of the digital camera with its ability to take limitless photos and instantly see results without having to wait for film to develop. The second is the growing popularity of photo printers. Thanks to the ability of these machines to produce high quality colour prints on demand, photo labs have all but disappeared. Photo printers have only gotten better, with higher resolution, faster printing and features on some like on-printer editing with built-in LCD displays, super-sized prints and wireless access. There are plenty of photo printers to choose from, but here are five of the best to consider if your printer needs are less about pages of text and more about high quality pictures.

Science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke famously said that “any technology sufficiently advanced would be indistinguishable from magic.” One of the more exciting new developments to hit the consumer market in recent years is 3D printing. And while the concept of going from a digital “blueprint” of a model to a three dimensional object you can hold in your hand might appear to have more than a little magic involved, it all makes sense once you understand the technology involved. How do 3D printers work? Read on to find out.