Photizo Group Launches MPS Insights.com Portal

And by Portal, I mean doorway.

There are a good number of MPS News sites popping up.

I remember the good ole days when it was just me and Google Alerts.

No worries, the more MPS-news-type sites that sprout up, the more readers I attract - odd.

Anywho - Photizo is re-vamping and relaunching their MPS Specific Portal.

As I am sure some reading this may "feel" that DOTC is colluding with Photizo, I do quote them often, please know, that if there were better MPS sources, I would mention them as well.

Just remember I define what "better" is.

Press Release:

March 5, 2010 – Lexington, KY –

Photizo Group announces the launch of MPSInsights.com, an online news portal focused entirely on events and information about the managed print services (MPS) marketplace.

Dealers, resellers, vendors and other readers will find ideas and case studies to help them achieve better MPS program development and delivery. HP, OKI Printing Solutions, and Ricoh have signed on as inaugural sponsors.

A variety of content has been aggregated on the site, making it one of the richest sources of information about the MPS marketplace:

· Daily MPS Insights news feed

· Daily updates to the MPSInsights Blog

· Quarterly MPS Insights Journal (paid subscription access only)

· Business directory listings

· Industry events calendar

· White papers

· Case studies

“The MPS market is exploding, and the amount of information is, too. Trying to run and grow a business, and deal with a fire hose of information is just not possible. MPSInsights.com tames the flood of information with quick reads, succinct ideas and a repository for information readers can come back to,” said Ed Crowley, CEO and founding partner of Photizo Group.

Readers can visit MPSInsight.com at their convenience to read and research articles on:

· Channel development

· End-user purchase criteria

· Decision-maker evolution

· End-user MPS deployment

· MPS current events

To submit news releases, articles and other content, contact Misty Hamel, Photizo Director of Marketing at mhamel@photizogroup.com.

# # #

Media contact:
Misty Hamel

Director of Marketing
+1-617-921-5725
mhamel@photizogroup.com

ABOUT THE PHOTIZO GROUP

The Photizo Group is the premier source for ongoing business intelligence about the rapidly growing opportunity of Managed Print Services (MPS). MPS involves managing hardcopy device fleets (copiers, printers, multifunction devices, and fax machines) in a unified fashion, often outsourcing this to an external vendor. Photizo Group provides the most complete body of research on the Managed Print Services market. From its landmark MPS study in April 2008 to ongoing research covering North America, Europe and Asia, Photizo has emerged as a leader in dynamic business intelligence about the MPS market. The firm also offers proprietary studies and custom consulting. Vendors, dealers and enterprises can find MPS information and resources at http://www.managed-print-services.com, including an “MPS Quick Facts and Figures” page.




“Photizo” is a trademark of the Photizo Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


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The Death Of Edgeline, Again...This Time for Real. No Really. I Mean It this Time

March 2010

OK - Sorta. 

As reported here back in November of 2009(The Word From Hurd: IPG Growth Includes Wal and K*Mart), Edgeline may see the light of day, under a flashing blue light. 

I can't say how official it is, but a reader informed me that the vaunted Edgeline, the Destroyer of Copiers, the New Way, will be at End of Life, on April 1, 2010. 

Parts, supplies, and support will be provided for five years. So ends another chapter in an odyssey that is HP. And like Obama voters today, six months from now, you won't be able to find anyone willing to admit they ever heard of Condor. In a recent WSJ article, it was stated that HP, since last year, has been quietly placing photo kiosks in WalMarts across the country. 

To the chagrin of Kodak. (talk about the Death of Something) 

The word on the street is that HP will be providing these in all 3600 Wal*Mart stores across America. 3,600? No wonder nobody at HP returns my calls. (just kidding) 

What does this have to do with Edgeline? The top image is an HP ML1000D mini lab - the backbone of the Walmart photo kiosks. This image is a CM8060 with a finisher and a large capacity paper tray, much like the 40 or 50 I have installed around SoCali. 

What do you see? Let me tell you what I see. I see a huge commission check - this "takedown" will generate growth of over 300 percent for HP's global retail publishing line. 

I see a machine that is based on Edgeline technology, housed in an identical chassis, utilizing the identical LCT. I see a strong printing engine that will be able to run on "retail" hours. I see a company that consciously got out of a dying, copier industry. Alias, poor Edgeline, I knew you well...

"These kiosks stay installed for nine or 10 years," H-P Chief Executive Mark Hurd told investors at a conference in San Francisco on Tuesday morning. H-P gets "100% supplies connect," he said, referring to the sales of the additional printing products.

Ah yes, remember the good ole days, here? 

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Lexmark Get's a Win: And they Have a Facebook Page?

I was going to let this pass without comment.

Indeed, the press release is impressive: Moving BB&T from 30,000 to 10,000 machines, managing supplies and providing initial document work flow - all components of a real MPS. (At what margin, I wonder)

So a mention here may have been warranted.

But then, at the bottom of the release this:

"For more information, see the "Lexmark" Facebook page and the "LexmarkNews" Twitter feed..."

Ok, I am about the biggest MPS Nerd I know, but not even I would "friend" or "follow" any printer manufacturer. Or admit it if I had...

Am I off on this?

Anyway, just an observation - remember when pagers first came out?


LEXINGTON, Ky., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BB&T Corporation (NYSE: BBT) has awarded an exclusive, five-year managed print services contract to Lexmark International, Inc. ( LXK).

"Lexmark is providing BB&T with an output solution that will significantly reduce costs, while scaling as the company expands and grows," said Marty Canning, Lexmark vice president and president of its Printing Solutions and Services Division. "With Lexmark's managed print services solution across its business, BB&T will have a holistic, streamlined approach that will pay dividends for its employees, customers, the environment and BB&T's bottom line."

Lexmark was evaluated and selected in a strategic sourcing event from among many other printing and imaging providers. As part of the agreement, Lexmark will standardize and optimize the number and type of output devices throughout BB&T's 1,800+ retail branches and at its headquarters in Winston-Salem, N.C. Lexmark expects to reduce the total number of devices at BB&T from 30,000 competitive devices to approximately 10,000 new Lexmark laser printers and multifunction products (MFPs) in support of the company's cost savings and business initiatives.

"Lexmark's extensive managed print services capabilities and experience became clear to BB&T during this print optimization project," said Ken Hernandez of Enterprise Spend Management at BB&T. "We selected Lexmark because of the company's thought leadership and the clear experience they have to drive this type of initiative successfully. Lexmark's strong technology offering and competitive pricing make them the right choice for BB&T."

Lexmark will monitor, manage and maintain BB&T's output devices and provide proactive services to ensure toner and other supplies are replenished when needed, eliminating the need to store inventory of these items. In addition, Lexmark will provide ongoing value by automating and streamlining paper-based processes to help BB&T further reduce costs.

Lexmark will also install its Print Release solution, which will enable BB&T employees to authenticate before documents can be printed, faxed, scanned or copied. This approach will improve document security and reduce the number of pages printed annually, thereby further reducing BB&T's costs.

For more information, see the "Lexmark" Facebook page and the "LexmarkNews" Twitter feed.


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