Toxin Detection As Close As An Inkjet Printer - Introducing Bioactive paper

"...researchers demonstrated the concept on the detection of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors such as paraoxon and aflatoxin B1 on paper using a "lateral flow" sensing approach similar to that used in a home pregnancy test strip.

The process involves formulating an ink like the one found in computer printer cartridges but with special additives to make the ink biocompatible..."

OK - HUH?



I found this article over the weekend and because we here at DeathOfTheCopier care about all things printer and nano-technology related I had to delve in.

The article goes on, "...An ink comprised of biocompatible silica nanoparticles is first deposited on paper, followed by a second ink containing the enzyme, and the resulting bio-ink forms a thin film of enzyme that is entrapped in the silica on paper. When the enzyme is exposed to a toxin, reporter molecules in the ink change colour in a manner that is dependent on the concentration of the toxin in the sample..."

Essentially it's this - certain elements can be placed in ink and utilized in ink jet cartridges. The ink is then applied to paper.

The special components in the ink will react in a certain way when exposed to particular substances/toxins. The ink will change color depending on the amount of toxin.

Just like a pregnancy test.

But this application will be used to assist in detecting toxins, pathogens and viruses, without the need for sophisticated instrumentation.

"...Portable bio-sensing papers are expected to be extremely useful in monitoring environmental and food-based toxins, as well as in remote settings in less industrialized countries where simple bioassays are essential for the first stages of detecting disease..."

Hang on to those DJ500's.

Death of The Copier and MFP Solutions Blog - Greg To Art

7/2009

A little self-promotion - article written by Scott Cullen and published over at BERTL.

WHAT’S THE DEAL? TELLING IT LIKE IT IS

By Scott Cullen

The truth is out there and it’s only a few clicks away on of the imaging industry’s cutting-edge blogs.

Blogging is nothing new, but feet on the street sales reps in the imaging industry who blog are certainly something you don’t run into every day. Meet two of the most prolific and opinionated bloggers in the imaging industry-- Greg Walters and Art Post.

Walters works in the managed print services division of a West Coast IT integrator and HP value-added VAR. His “Death of the Copier” blog (http://thedeathofthecopier.blogspot.com/) is hip, happening, and sometimes irreverent, and a must-read for anyone doing business in the imaging industry.

Post is a self-proclaimed “docusultant” with a Ricoh dealership in Highlands, New Jersey who, like Howard Cosell, tells it like it is. He started his blog, (www.mfpsolutions.blogspot.com) 15 months ago and the hits just keep on coming.

The inspiration for Walter’s blog, at least its eye-popping title, was the introduction of HP’s Edgeline technology, a technology that was going to be the death of traditional copier technology as we know it. Well, we all know what happened there.

“The Death of the Copier was because we had the Edgeline engine and it was going to take over the copier world,” recalls Walters. “That’s how it started and very quickly evolved into content and information about managed print services, the print industry in general, copiers, printers, and all that stuff.”

It’s all that stuff that makes Walter’s blog a fascinating read. He knows what he’s talking about having been in the imaging industry for 20+ years, including a stint at IKON. He’s no shill for any manufacturer, including HP. Honesty is Walter’s best quality and his blog does indeed make for scintillating reading even when he’s sharing stories from other sources.

Walters’ blog gets 14,000 views a month, which is pretty darn good considering the topic. Are there really that many people who want to read about the imaging industry each month? Guess so. He has no idea why so many hits, but isn’t wasting time figuring it out. When he’s not integrating and providing added value to customers in his day job, he’s blogging, and he’s making appearances at industry conferences and events. From the looks of it, Walters’ 15 minutes of fame is just beginning.

"With bloggers like Post and Walters, it’s refreshing to find two industry veterans willing to cut through the hype and tell it like it is."

Oki Printing Solutions Launches Total Managed Print: Stage One - "PageStart"

Details of Oki's MPS programs are beginning to take form.

Today, Oki announced their Total Print Management MPS program for re-sellers.

A three level offering, the first of which is active today, PageStart, will be followed later this year with FleetAssist and FullAccess.

This first level is designed to get interested resellers into the MPS niche with little risk or cost.

Oki reportedly has simplified a pricing structure making it much easier for a provider to quote a CPC engagement with confidence.

But, what exactly is, "...the industry's only MPS Ready line of color and black and monochrome single function printers..."?


PageStart is a simple, turnkey program that provides the fastest way to start supporting MPS opportunities.

Partners requiring more support or those requiring complete support will benefit from the two other levels, which look to go live later this year.
-------

DOTC -

A big couple of weeks for the manufacturers and Managed Print Services programs. And compared to the recent Ricoh and HP announcements, Oki's could go unnoticed.

But MPS is for everyone - there is plenty of room.

What I find interesting is Oki seems to be either pacing the reluctance of their resellers, introducing MPS to the willing in baby-steps or Oki's programs haven't completely "baked" or Oki Print Solutions is itself wary of the MPS niche.

So they tip toe into the water.

But is this "only MPS ready printer" aspect?

What does that mean?

Are the cartridges "keyed" to the reseller?

Do the machines only report meters to Oki-based collection agents?

And once again, what about "blended MPS engagements"? Certainly, there will be other manufactures' machines in an Oki fleet - correct?

Interesting.

Now, the only two left are Toshiba and Canon - so I guess that really only leaves one.

Okidata Into the Fray: A Three Level Managed Print Services Offering For Dealers

Oki is in and is approaching dealers. Especially those who are tentative about entering the MPS arena.

"The channel is struggling to learn MPS, there's a little bit of a handicap there because they're just focusing on printers and copiers," Krentzman, President and Chief Executive Officer at Oki Data Americas, Inc. said. "Partners have to rethink the way they do business from "hardware centric" to "service centric."

Details are sketchy at this point, as always. There are two different pricing plans; monthly flat cost and a cost per image.

Dealers can either dip their toe or jump in head first - Oki appears to have different levels of commitment each with a higher access to all of Oki's MPS tools.

The market is certainly crowded and Oki has stiff competition. Citing Xerox's MPS program, Okidata said that there are some major options that its program offers that Xerox doesn't, including hardware training and proactive service alerts. I wonder how factual that statement really is.

Remotely interesting announcement, relative to the last few days - Ricoh, HP.

Odds are, One Day You Will Not Get Your News/Information in Print or On Your Computer

2009 -

Hyper-Local information - Point your smart phone at a building, take a picture and receive every piece of data available on that building.

"We're finding that an increasing number of young people are getting their news from smartphones," says Geeta Dayal, a Ford Foundation Fellow who teaches a class on mobile phones and journalism at University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. 

"And the more people use their phones to access information, the more they want to know what's happening where they are right now."

Imagine, the face recognition applications.

Picking someone up at the bar will be wild - aim, shoot, download everything - Facebook, Twitter name, blog, work website, phone, email addy - even background checks.

No need to exchange business cards, simply snap a pic and rock and roll.

No print, all your output presented on bended plastic, not bio-mass.

"We're finding that an increasing number of young people are getting their news from smartphones," says Geeta Dayal, a Ford Foundation Fellow who teaches a class on mobile phones and journalism at University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. "And the more people use their phones to access information, the more they want to know what's happening where they are right now."

I suggest a day when there is very little being printed at all.

As we know, the primary reason for print media is cheap portability - but cheap comes with a cost - static versus dynamic, old news versus late breaking, news/information for everyone, edited by strangers versus custom and personal- analog versus digital.

Submitted for your consideration, a "Minority Report" view from Microsoft.

In this world of 2019, there is no "print", no CPC, CPI or MPS.

Caution - when you think you see a newspaper, you are seeing an iteration of the Kindle.

Enjoy.

Canon Joins the Rest of The Imaging World: Announces 12 Steps To Managed Print Services: Wait, That's not Right...

As the rest of the industry stumbles, tumbles and clamors their way towards MPS nirvana, Canon stays the course - announcing that they will introduce a new line of copiers.

In light of the recent forays into MPS by Xerox, HP and other manufacturers, Canon's relative quiet, is deafening.

What is going on?

In a statement made today, Canon announced that their first new line in nine years will consist of three series composed of 12 machines. These units will be sold under the "ImageRunner Advance" nameplate.

The machines will be geared toward 12,000 images/month. One unit, the C7065 will produce color, A4 images at 60 ppm and prices out at around $35k(retail).

These sound like great boxes - I can't wait to include them under my MPS Engagements.

Strange Twist - Managed Print Services is Redefined Again: Printing Industry of America

In an unpredictable and amusing way, HP's announcement today regarding the Printing Payback Guarantee, triggered negative reaction from the PIA.

You will remember the PIA is the Printing Industries of America.

They bill themselves as "...the world's largest graphic arts trade association..." and today chastised HP for leaving it's core business to start printing greeting cards.

Hang on, this is going to be fun...


From the PIA Press release...

"...It is with disappointment, therefore, that Printing Industries of America learned of HP's latest offering -- managed print services, which was advertised with great fanfare in this morning's Wall Street Journal. "We are always concerned when a major vendor in our industry deviates from its core offerings to venture into managing print solutions, which the private sector has competitively provided for hundreds of years," notes Michael Makin, President and CEO of Printing Industries of America..."

Go ahead, read it again...

HP is deviating from "its core offerings to venture into managing print solutions..."?

Whiskey...Tango...Foxtrot!

LOL! The PIA are the folks printing your wedding invitations, posters, handbooks,etc.

What is your definition of Managed Print Services?

I am pretty sure it is not online customer job tickets, soft proofing of files on line, job status, retrieval of jobs and files, instant notification of job arrivals and proof approvals, and a product catalog.

Wait. It might not now be, but maybe it SHOULD be someday---?

I was in absolute shock - stunned actually.

I didn't understand when murmurings appeared on Twitter about "PIA's negative reaction to HP's announcement" - who the heck is PIA?

Did Ben kill a fly during the press conference?

How could anyone respond negatively to a simple guarantee?

Alias, a PR was issued, and the third ugly head of ignorance around the definition of Managed Print Services spewed forth.

I doubt very much that my comment will be posted on their board - I have been accused of sometimes being "blunt".

The PR is here. Go now, enjoy. My comment, that will never see the light of day, or smell the sweet scent of ink, is below:

OMG!

There is no way an organization that has been around for "100 years" can be so stupid...right?

"HP...Compromising their position..."

LOL! Bufoons!

I would urge all PIA members to re-evaluate their membership if this is the kind of direction the PIA leadership hands down.

Stunning...absolutely stunning...

You could have at least Googled "Managed Print Services" - even on dial-up the correct information could have saved you this embarrassment.


Too much, do you think?