Lexmark Ink Cartridges

I have facts by the bucketload (well, opinions, but I know I'm right!), but I just cannot put my finger down on my feelings for Lexmark.

I dislike how expensive their machines are to run. I appreciate the quality the investment gives.

I dislike (but understand) their attitude to the third party market, and attempts to remove their cartridges from circulation. I appreciate the environmental impact of the Return Program that resulted from this.

I dislike retailer-specific agreements which impact competition within the market (ever wonder why we don't sell Lexmark 3 and 4's?). I appreciate the simple Numbering of cartridges, making browsing and repeat buying simple for customers.

I love, I hate. It blows my mind.

Why are you babbling about Lexmark?

Well, my love-hate relationship is being reinforced by movements for Lexmark Ink. Lexmark have abandoned their focus on low-end inkjet printers at the budget end of the market, and have moved more into the higher-end products, with customizable interfaces, touch screens, quality multi-functionality amongst other great offerings.

Some of the printers they are releasing really do provide some great quality printing, and the Lexmark 100 ink cartridges using the Vizix technology are a great set of cartridges. Higher capacity cartridges, especially the Lexmark 105 Black, so comprehensively addresses consumers complaints at the cost of ink that a third-party market becomes nigh-on obsolete. If they could expand that value for money into the colour cartridges I think they really would be onto a winner.

I appreciate the innovation they are showing with printer designs, but I just cannot help but feel I still would not recommend a Lexmark. I still point people towards HP's, Canon's, Epson's depending on their requirements, and struggle to think of an area Lexmark truely excel in? Should we worry they are switching their focus too quickly to the high end area of the market, without the performance to back it up? If you own one and feel it is brilliant, please do let us know your experiences!

Hating Lexmark  toner as well?

Me? Hateful? I don't need to, they have actually shot themselves in the foot a little bit. A growth in 30 percent in work group lasers and multifunction printers has come paired with a shortage in their components, leaving them in the rather awkward situation of potential demand that they are unable to satisfy. Always a pleasant situation to be in, but perhaps not so desirable in a market that is so incredibly competitive.

However, with claims to have the most critically awarded laser printer line in the industry, I should for once keep my opinion in check and accept their machines are doing something right. Still though... I'd prefer Oki toner :-)

Lexmark, manufacturers of the new range of brilliant Lexmark 100 ink cartridges, have taken time-saving to a whole new level today.

Apparently striving for a computer-free world where all you need in your back pocket for your daily life is your printer, Lexmark looked at the time consuming nature of visiting Facebook/Twitter to talk to friends and print off photos as a few too many steps to be enjoyable. Well no more!!!

Lexmark Printer Cartridges - Made for Social Networking

Lexmark have announced the SmartSolutions app for Facebook and Twitter. Toss away your printers and smart phones, you can now view your twitter feed and Facebook updates on your printers LCD screen, and even reply! Ignoring the obvious benefit of ready access to your plethora of memorable photos stored on Facebook, there are some important implications for users.

Is your employee spending too long at the printer nowadays? Sending printouts in batches of ones and twos? Social networking is spreading to every facet of the business world and the impact on workers output should not be dismissed!

We may joke, but this is a strange addition to the SmartSolutions selection of applications. I don't think it is much of a stretch to assume the vast majority of home users do not own a printer without a pc.

Are there really that many scenarios in life where someone is in a desperate rush to print off a must-have 6x4 before leaving the house that the time saved in booting up the PC is the difference between happiness and suffering?

That is only considering the photo printing benefit as well, what of the Twitter feed? Do many individuals use Twitter whom do not have ready access to a smartphone or similar device?

This screams of Lexmark trying to provide functionality for their printers which is just not needed, stick to your rapidly improving selection of ink and lexmark toner cartridges please. Though, maybe this is just me being bitter I can't get the new app to work on my Lexmark printer.... maybe.

Lexmark this weekend has just celebrated its 20th birthday with parties and celebrations around the company's plants worldwide.  Launched in March 1991 as a spin off from IBM and headquartered in the US, it how has a presence in 170 countries around the world.

Early Days at Lexmark...

Lexmark announced its first new products, the IBM Personal Printer Series II and IBM 4226 dot matrix printers during 1991 and launched its first inkjet printer, the IBM Colour Jetprinter PS 4079 in 1992.

In 1995 they launched the Medley in North America, the industry’s first printer-fax-copier-scanner combination product with colour printing capability.

In 2002 Lexmark partnered with Dell to produce printers and associated ink and toner cartridges for the new printer range.  This added massive growth to the company, but reduced margins.  This strategic partnership lasted for about 5 years, but Lexmark determined to plough their own furrow and focussed their sales and marketing onto vertical markets, dominating the banking sector with the laser printers in many countries.

Lexmark today...

In 2010 Lexmark introduced our favourite printer at the moment the Lexmark Genesis, a powerful inkjet All in One (AIO) that has built-in, innovative Flash Scan camera technology, transferring a page from document to digital in as few as three seconds.

You can read our review of the Lexmark Genesis printer here.

Lexmark have consistently failed to challenge the big boys of the printer market HP, Canon and Epson, but with their new range of all in one inkjet printers they are certainly consolidating their position and probably taking some market share from the smaller players.

According to IDC’s market analysis for Q4 2010 they don’t yet appear in the top 5.

Here at Stinkyink towers we are certainly seeing a much increased level of sales of Lexmark inkjet cartridges since the launch of their new AIO printer range.  So happy Birthday to Lexmark and keep on trucking!