Thursday, December 15, 2011

Use your old printer to save 50% off a new one.


If you have any printers that are more than 3 years old, or any old printers in your closet, then now is the time to consider trading it in for a new.  
  • ·         Straightforward printer trade-in program lets you trade in any laser printer and receive a credit towards a new Dell laser printer.
  • ·         Award-winning, newly-expanded printer lineup to create the optimal mix of single and multifunction printers.
  • ·         Print management solutions to enable printing anywhere on the network while reducing unnecessary printing.


Get an instant 50% off when you trade in any working laser printer for a new Dell laser printer.

  • ·         Offer valid from 11/1/2011 through 1/31/12.
  • ·         No minimum requirements trade in as many working laser printers as you like. Any manufacturer accepted.
  • ·         Instant discount. No waiting 90 days for rebate checks.


Example Dell Laser Printer
Service
Price
Trade-in
Discount
Customer Price
Savings
1130n
Single function Mono
3yr Advanced Exchange1
$220
$110
$110
50%
2155cn
Multifunction Color
3yr Next Business Day2
$730
$365
$365
50%
2335dn
Multifunction Mono
3yr Advanced Exchange1
$559
$280
$279
50%
5130cdn
Workgroup Mono
3yr Next Business Day2
$1550
$775
$775
50%


Call SE Laser today for more information.  865-675-5900


Thursday, December 1, 2011

Xerox Driver Issue with Mac O/S X 10.7.x Update

We received some new information from Xerox regarding the solution to the problems printing to Xerox printers from Apple computers.

As noted in our previous post, many people are experiencing strange problems or annoying messages after updating to Mac OS X 10.7.2.  We have heard from users of Xerox Phaser printers series 6000, 7000 and 8000, including Phaser 6360, 7760 and 8570.  Troubles reported so far include false consumable messages, the inability to print multiple copies and the inability to select paper trays.

According to Xerox tech support, Xerox is working on fixing these problems in the printer driver.  Previously, we thought the solution would come from Apple, but that is not correct.  The solution will come from Xerox via the driver.  The current driver which is available on the Xerox support site for Mac OSX 10.7 is version 2.0.9, dated August 19 2011.  We recommend watching this site for an updated version of the driver.

The site address is www.support.xerox.com.

In the mean time, work around solutions include ignoring the annoying false messages and saving files in .pdf format.  We will be happy to help users who are having trouble with Xerox Phaser printers.

For more help, call us at 865-675-5900.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Why does my Brother MFC still display "CHANGE DRUM SOON"?

Don't worry. You're not alone. And the drum isn't defective.

This is a common question for users of Brother laser printers and multifunction devices.  After replacing the drum unit, the machine still displays the message "Change Drum Soon".

First of all, you should know that this is the final message which will be displayed when the drum unit approached end of life.  At this point, you can change the drum any time, preferably after you've gotten all the useful life out of it.  You will know it's time to replace it when the print/copy quality degrades.  Look for dark lines down either side of the paper.

Be advised that there are two cartridges or "units" inside the machine - the toner and the drum.  They are combined which often creates more confusion.  The toner sits in or on the drum.  The drum looks more like a holder for the toner cartridge.  Pay careful attention to which unit the machine is calling for and replace the correct one.  Usually, toners are used up at a faster rate than drums, about four or five to one.  

After replacing the drum, the machine will not automatically reset the message.  You must perform the drum message reset procedure.  Here's how:
  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Then:
    1. For MFC-9700 Users: Press the Right Arrow key. 
    2. For MFC-9800 Users: Press the Clear key.
  3. The LCD will display REPLACE DRUM?  1.YES 2.NO
  4. Press 1 to reset.
  5. Close the front cover, pressing firmly on each side until they click into place.
  6. Call Southeastern Laser and order another one to keep on hand for next time.
This reset procedure applies to Brother models MFC-9700 and MFC-9800.  The procedure for most Brother models is similar to this, but vary from series to series.  

Feel free to contact us if you need help.

877-233-2599 Toll Free
865-675-5900 Local

Friday, October 28, 2011

HP to stay in the PC business.

 We received the following letter from HP today.









 
HP Channel Partners;

Partners like you have made it clear to us how important HP’s entire portfolio of products, services and solutions is to the ongoing health of your business. On behalf of all us at HP, thank you for sharing your views and for your support. We appreciate your partnership.

After a deep data driven analysis, we have decided that HP and the Personal Systems Group (PSG) are stronger together. What this means for you is that HP will continue to partner with you across our complete technology portfolio.  We are committed to making the world’s #1 PC business even better for you, from the products and services we offer to the programs designed to grow your business.

Back in July, we restructured PSG to align with customer segments rather than product form factor. This approach improves our focus on capturing customers’ evolving needs and delivering innovation for them across our portfolio – from hardware to software to services. We will continue to drive initiatives that improve our quality, responsiveness and cost-competitiveness.

In closing, thank you for your ongoing commitment. You remain critical to HP’s overall success. We’re happy to follow up with you directly to discuss this or answer any questions you may have.

Meg Whitman
President and Chief Executive Officer

Todd Bradley
Executive Vice President, Personal Systems Group

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

False OPC low message on Xerox and Mac.

Lately, we've seen several occurrences of a problem with Xerox Phaser 6350 and 6360 series print drivers on Mac OS/X 10.6 and 10.7.

The driver causes a false message to display that the OPC or Optical Photo-conductor unit needs to be replaced.  The message is displayed only on the Mac, not on the printer.  Having checked the supplies via the embedded web page or the supplies status info on the printer, it shows the correct status is not low or needing replacement.

We have not seen this problem on Windows systems.

I was confused the first time I heard this from a client because Xerox does not use the term Optical Photo-conductor.  That was my first clue. Xerox refers to this consumable item as an Imaging Unit.

In an attempt to correct the false message, we deleted the driver and all files related to Xerox on the Mac.  Then we re-installed the driver from a fresh download.  This made no change or improvement.  The false message was still there.

With this false message, the printer will function normally.  The only effect is the annoyance of a pop up message.

At this time, we have no solution for this problem.  We expect Xerox will issue an update to the printer driver at some point.

Hang in there for now.

SE Laser.


Monday, August 1, 2011

HP Introduces Its Most Compact Color Laser Multifunction Printer

HP LaserJet Pro 100 color MFP M175nw delivers increased efficiency and productivity for small and midsize business.

The HP LaserJet Pro 100 color MFP M175nw,(2) ideal for small to midsize businesses, provides professional-quality print, copy and scanning capabilities along with time- and cost-saving features that make the printer a smart strategic investment.

Priced at $349,(3) the HP LaserJet Pro 100 color MFP M175nw helps businesses save time and money over competing laser products through efficient operations and energy savings from built-in features such as HP Auto-Off,(4) Instant-on Technology(5) and both Ethernet and wireless connectivity.(6)


Businesses gain the ability to print from virtually anywhere with HP ePrint, a mobile print solution that allows customers to conveniently print emails, photos, business materials and more directly to any ePrint-enabled HP printer using a smartphone, notebook or other mobile device.(7)


“The M175 printer series enables SMBs to demonstrate the quality and professionalism of big companies while addressing the needs of a smaller business,” said Heidrun Gross, product manager, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “With its vivid color output, small footprint and low power consumption, the HP LaserJet Pro 100 color MFP M175nw will become a trusted and valuable business tool.”

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Printer apps??? What's the use?

The battle of the apps was started long ago in the mobile phone industry.  All the cell phone manufacturers are trying to outdo each other with the most apps.

HP is putting apps on some printers now.  I am not sure I get it. 

Click here to surf over to Hewlett Packard's web site where you can see all the cool apps they are putting on printers.

Here's my question:
  • Why would you go to your printer rather than using your computer to print the same thing?
Let's look at some of the apps from HP's app store:

Delta Air Lines:
"Avoid long lines at the airport. Check-in and print your boarding pass for your next Delta flight."
Wouldn't you just print your boarding flight from your computer?


Sesame Street Printables:
"Enjoy Sesame Street coloring pages, educational activities, and books from the Sesame Street eBookstore."
When my kids ask for coloring pages, we usually google the character name with the words "coloring pages".

Yahoo! Digest:
"Get today's top stories from the internet's #1 source for news."
Why would you print the news?



I love gadgets.  Others like me may like the idea of printer apps just because it's cool.  So I'll give a high-five to HP for that.  I've certainly wasted my share of time making something work just because I could.

Give me your opinion.  Do you think printer apps will be the next big thing?

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

HP affected by toner shortage

Hewlett-Packard warns distributors:

When parts of Japan were devastated by a earthquake a month ago, there seemed little doubt that the printer and supplies industry would be seriously impacted and there would be shortages of some key products. Now, according to an April 12 article, it seems that the industry’s top vendor, HP, which is dependent on Canon for production of laser printers and MFPs and toner cartridges, has sent a letter to various partners indicating that it is concerned about the future availability of certain toner cartridges and LaserJet devices. According to the CRN story, HP has warned its partners that in response to potential shortages it is restricting distribution of some toner cartridges.

HP has been experiencing shortages of the HP CE285A (or 85A) toner cartridge for months now, and just before the earthquake struck, it was said that another SKU, the CE278A (or 78A), was in short supply.

Canon had problems in ramping up production to meet demand for certain HP toner SKUs before the disaster in Japan, and now the firm faces an even bigger challenge. Some of its manufacturing facilities have been offline for weeks, and transportation systems and other key infrastructure in Japan have been disrupted. Although more manufacturing facilities in Japan are coming back online, all it takes is a disruption somewhere in the supply chain, a shortage of a crucial component in a toner cartridge or laser printer, to impact Canon’s ability to manufacture finished SKUs. HP is expecting to see some shortages and is taking the necessary steps to limit their impact by rationing distribution of some toner cartridges.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Why didn't Okidata go with new model numbers here?

Okidata sent me the following service notice.  They updated some printer models which require unique replacement parts when compared to the previous versions of the same models.  Manufacturers usually change the model numbers to accommodate parts identification and compatibility.  

This could get confusing...

ML600/ML300T/ML400 Serial & Network Card Compatibility Information

Oki Printing Solutions has recently released the ML600 Series and updated versions of existing printer models for the ML300Turbo Series and ML400 Series. The model names and equipment part numbers have not changed. However, there are changes to internal parts and also an updated RS-232 interface option for these products. In addition, there is a new NIC, part# 72008701 replacing part# 70046502, which will work in all versions of the printers. Please see the chart below for the serial # revision changes to determine compatibility of these two options for the newer version of printers.
If you have any questions please contact Oki Customer Service at 1-800-OKIDATA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 The revisions referenced in the table below can be found on the S/N label of the printer.
See serial number example directly below, the last two characters determine the rev level, which determines compatibility.

 
Additional Note for Service Providers - Due to internal part changes to the latest revision printers, there are updated iIlustrated part manuals, based on the revision of the printer serial number. These include many new part numbers, and these new numbers are identifed on the RSPL with the latest revision as part of the description, see example below:
ML420 Example: PCB: EXB ASSY MAINTENANCE SPEC (REV. E0)

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Here's a unique way to recycle old printers.

It's like The Monster Mash, but it's The Printer Smash:


The event was hosted by The Hacktory in Philadelphia, PA.  The people at The Hacktory say they usually send old laser printers and inkjet printers to a recycling facility.  That's exactly what we do with them, too.

BTW, if you ever wanted to know what to do with your old printers, to keep them out of landfills, then you could drop them off at SE Laser.  We offer free printer recycling.

Drop off old printers at the rear of our facility, please.  Address:

Southeastern Laser
1738 Louisville Dr.
Knoxville, TN  37921

Hours: M-F, 8-5.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Surgeon Creates New Kidney by ‘Printing’ It

A surgeon specializing in regenerative medicine on Thursday "printed" a real kidney using a machine that eliminates the need for donors when it comes to organ transplants.


"It's like baking a cake," Anthony Atala of the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine said as he cooked up a fresh kidney on stage at a TED Conference in the California city of Long Beach.

Scanners are used to take a 3-D image of a kidney that needs replacing, then a tissue sample about half the size of postage stamp is used to seed the computerized process, Atala explained.

The organ "printer" then works layer-by-layer to build a replacement kidney replicating the patient's tissue.

College student Luke Massella was among the first people to receive a printed kidney during experimental research a decade ago when he was just 10 years old.

Read more here.  And here.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Take a picture. It'll last longer.

Take a picture.
Send us a picture of your printer problem for quick trouble-shooting.
Send by email.

New Product: HP CP4025 Compatible Toner


HP CP4025 Compatible Toner
HP CP4025 Compatible Toner

Replaces CE260A-CE263A

Black
Retails @ $157.99
Our Price $130

Colors
Retail @ $285.99
Our Price $185

Free Delivery Nationwide.

Do compatible cartridges void the printer's manufacturer warranty?

QandA
Q:  Do compatible cartridges void the printer's manufacturer warranty?

A: No.  HP's warranty statement says, "If a non-HP print cartridge is found to be the direct cause of printer failure or damage, HP will not cover the repair related to that non-HP cartridge."  The same is true for other manufacturers, including Dell, Brother, Canon, Okidata, Samsung and Xerox.  At Southeastern Laser, we further warrant our print cartridges so that we will repair any printer damaged by one of our compatible cartridges.  This type of damage is extremely rare.

Color prints for less than a dime, including the printer.


Xerox ColorQube 8870DNWhen is the last time you bought something for less than 10 cents?
Now you can enjoy an integrated, in-house color printing solution that costs less than making color copies at a quick-print shop.

Xerox  ColorQube 8870/DN solid ink color printer:
  • Up to 40 brilliant color pages per minute
  • Automatic two sided printing
  • Compact desktop size
  • A low, fixed price per page, even on full color prints
  • On-site printer service
  • Consumable supplies shipped directly to you with no shipping costs
All for less than 10¢ per color page.

Click here for more details.

Information is your greatest asset. Keeping it secure is critical.


Document SecurityYour doors may be locked.  But are your windows wide open?
It's amazing the lengths to which some will go to keep their workplaces safe while completely overlooking their multifunction devices. After all, MFPs are networked devices, complete with IP addresses and loaded with company-sensitive information-and vulnerable to attack.  If you're not controlling physical and electronic access to your multifunction devices, now is the time to start. And we can help.

The threat is real:
Attacks can be as simple as someone picking up documents left in the output tray, or as complex as worms designed to pull sensitive information from your network. A few more common methods of attack:
  • Entry through a phone line connected to your MFP
  • Viruses disguised as print files
  • Through the vulnerable web server that manages your MFPs and printers
  • Images of documents saved on the internal hard drive of your MFPs and printer.
     
The good news? Each Xerox device is designed with security in mind. And each function, the individual parts that print, copy, scan and fax, has a separate firewall subsystem built right in. So there are no soft spots or cracks for attacks to slip through.

Read more.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Job Opportunity in Knoxville TN - Sales Manager

I know there are a lot of people out of work right now.  Yesterday I received the following email from Steve Suggs, one of our valued clients.  Maybe we can help someone who needs a job:

Please help someone you know. A friend of mine, Glenn Frazier, owns New Horizons Computer Learning Center. He is looking for a sales manager. If you have a friend or family member who qualifies for this sales manager position, please have them respond to the ad below. Thank you for your consideration.
At YOUR Service,
Steve Suggs
Sales Manage Solutions
865-567-2871
www.CanTheySell.com

Sales Manager Needed: 
Location:  9115 Cross Park Drive
Building C Suite 100
Knoxville, TN 37923 
Pay:  60-120k
Employee Type:  Full-Time
Industry:  Training, Computer Software, Education - Teaching - Administration
Manages Others:  Yes
Job Type:  Sales, Management, Education
Education:  4 Year Degree
Experience: At least 3 year(s)
Travel:  Negligible
Relocation Covered:  No
Post Date:  1/11/2011
Contact Information
Contact: Glenn Frazier
Ref ID: NHKSM11111
 
Description
New Horizons Computer Learning Center of Knoxville, TN is currently seeking a Sales Manger to lead our B2B sales team.
When New Horizons started training in 1979, our customers were using computers to automate independent, routine and manual tasks. Today, our customers manage global information networks and they are using information technology to enable business strategy. Computer work can no longer be separated from other types of work. Technology has changed how companies interact with their customers and how individuals build successful careers.
Change has its challenges. Every day business and individuals are faced with the challenge of acquiring, integrating and applying the latest technology to create value and to remain relevant in a highly competitive, global marketplace. New Horizons has been there every step of the way providing practical and innovative training to help our customers overcome these challenges and take advantage of emerging opportunities. 
As the pioneer of revolutionary learning methods and with a global network of 300 centers in nearly 60 countries, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers has transformed businesses and helped 25 million students reach their goals. New Horizons will remain at the forefront of technology and business skills training, to empower people and enable organizations around the world to succeed through learning.
New Horizons has been in Knoxville since 1979 under continuous family ownership and is the established market leader in East Tennessee for IT and professional training.
ARE YOU ??? • Honest • Results-oriented • A "coach" at heart • Experienced in technology sales • Looking for an opportunity with an industry leader that has no cap on earnings • Energetic and enthusiastic • Organized • Self-disciplined • Passionate to achieve goals ???
DO YOU ??? • Have major account experience • Love of coaching and mentoring younger sales staff •  Have the ability to teach and execute a sales system • Have IT technical knowledge or the demonstrated ability to learn ???
Responsibilities
Summary: Direct the overall operations of the Sales Department; responsible for achieving sales goals; responsible for sales team hiring, retention, and development.
Recruit, hire and develop Account Executive staff.
  • Effectively recruit, screen candidates, and approve employee hires.
  • Coordinate an intensive, high quality training program for newly hired Account Executive.
 Direct, supervise, and develop the Sales Department personnel to ensure a highly motivated and efficient staff. 
  • Daily management of a team of Account Executives to meet sales and revenue goals through by applying an efficient sales and opportunity management process. Coach and direct and provide corrective action as necessary to improve performance.
  • Design, implement, and supervise special sales contests to motivate Account Executives and to increase revenue.
 Oversee center territory management.  
  • Effectively distribute and manage individual territories by Account Executive
  • Set territory sales and revenue expectations with Account Executives
  • Monitor performance against expectations
  • Manage territory conflict and transfer accounts as necessary
 Meet or exceed sales and revenue goals 
  • Compare the monthly net income results with training center objectives. Formulate plans to meet and exceed objectives.
  • Monitor cash collection results by Account Executives and initiate corrective actions to meet cash flow objectives.
 Maintain technical knowledge of primary technologies taught in the classroom including: Windows Server, Exchange, SharePoint, SQL, Visual Studio, .Net, Cisco, Citrix, VMware, Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Project Management, etc.
 Monitor sales trends; recommend new products and marketing strategies as appropriate.
 Requirements
  • Three or more years consultative sales experience with demonstrated managerial abilities.
  • Bachelor degree.
  • Three or more years in the IT industry.
  • Effective oral, written and interpersonal communication skills are imperative.
  • Overwhelming passion to exceed goals
  • Ability to identify, work and secure major account business in coordination with sales staff
Qualified candidates are encouraged to respond with resume, cover letter and salary history; interviews are being conducted immediately

Friday, January 14, 2011

No more Cartridge Confusion
Online Ordering
We know how difficult it can be to order toner and ink cartridges for your office.  There are so many brands and models.  It's easy to order the wrong item.

Save yourself the hassle.  Use our online ordering system.  To get started click here.

It doesn't get any easier.

Wireless, Web-connected, Cloud Print.

The new way to print to your office printer?
Cloud print
"If you can email it, you can print it."  According to HP, regarding their new ePrint feature.

We've been hearing a lot about wireless, web-connected or "cloud" printing.  But what is it?  And what's in it for you?
 

What is it?:
  1. Wireless printing happens locally, over your wi-fi or wireless network.  This means you could share a regular printer from a computer, if it is connected to your wireless network.  We did that at my home so my wife could print from her wireless laptop computer to the printer connected to our family pc in the kitchen.
  2. Cloud printing, aka web-connected printing, also enables you to print wirelessly, but involves sending the print command over the internet to the printer.  Most notably, HP has introduced this feature, they call ePrint.  To use ePrint, you set up your printer to be accessible on the web (it's secure, no worries).  Then you send your print job to the printer via email.  Google and others are also working on cloud printing.  Google has the feature in beta right now.  I'll let you know how it works out.

What's in it for me?
My answer is, "not much yet."  It's cool.  And it will lead to nice benefits in the future, but cloud printing needs more development.  When it is ready for main stream use, it could eliminate the need for print drivers or network connections for printers.  With the printer's web address and password, for example, you could print from any computer or mobile device, like an iPad or Android phone.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Free Tech Support

Free Tech Support
Your clients expect you to know printers like you know computers.  We understand the difference.  You can call us when you have a question or need help with any printer or mfp.  
 
Telephone and remote support are free.
 
Call 865-675-5900 or email here.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Brother drum counter reset.

Brother has a unique method of clearing the "Replace Drum" message on their printers and MFPs.  Your client may call you and say, "Why didn't the message go away after I replaced the drum?"
Open the printer.

Even with the instructions in hand, users often can't make it work.  The instructions are below.  Here's the trick.  Make sure you perform the steps with the printer open. 

Drum reset procedure (for most Brother models):
   1. Open the front cover, exposing the drum/toner cartridges.
   2. Press the Options key on the control panel.
      The display will show "REPLACE DRUM - 1.YES 2.NO".
   3. Press 1 to reset the drum count.
   4. Close the front cover.

If you encounter one that you can't get to reset, you can contact us for free tech support.  The phone number is 865-675-5900.