| All in one printer, also known as multifunction office | | | | the faster it will print. |
| machines, give you several capabilities in one product, | | | | • A type of printing technology that uses |
| usually including printing, copying, faxing, and scanning. | | | | toner to create images. Printing in black and white is |
| These machines best serve a small office or a home | | | | available. (Color laser printing is available, but is |
| office, where you might not have desk space | | | | prohibitively expensive.) |
| available for several different products. | | | | • There is a reasonably close correlation |
| Before you purchase a multifunction office machine, | | | | between the low price of some machines and their |
| you'll want to do some homework. What functions | | | | high running costs that means that some machines |
| will you use most often and least often? Look for a | | | | are not the bargains they might at first seem. |
| multifunction office machine that contains | | | | • A higher-priced machine with a lower |
| better-than-average features for the functions you'll | | | | running cost in terms of ink cartridges is likely to pay |
| use most often. You can skimp on the features for | | | | for itself pretty quickly |
| the functions you'll use least often. Convergence of | | | | • A measure of the pages per minute (ppm) |
| technologies in one device is happening in the world | | | | a device can fax, copy, or print. For a single |
| of printers almost as fast as it is with mobile phones. | | | | multifunction office machine, each speed |
| You can now buy an all-in-one (commonly described | | | | measurement could be different. |
| as multi-functional devices or MFDs in the US) that will | | | | • Better equipped all-in-ones will be able to |
| give passable print, copy, scanning and fax results for | | | | print on different sizes and types of including glossy |
| less than the price of a good quality printer. If colour | | | | for photos. They will also be able to output overhead |
| reproduction and image manipulation matters more | | | | transparencies, labels and CDs or DVDs. |
| then you will need to pay more - but you can still get | | | | The price of replacement ink cartridges will have a |
| great results and have the convenience of just one | | | | significant effect on running costs for an inkjet-based |
| peripheral on your desk. | | | | all-in-one. The high prices have seen a small industry |
| Key features:- | | | | spring up in the refill market with 50 per cent savings |
| • A type of printing technology that uses | | | | to be made. However, continual refilling may |
| small dots of ink to create images. Printing in color or | | | | eventually have an effect on the printer and may |
| black and white is available. | | | | cause some conflict with manufacturer's warranties. |
| • All-in-ones require printer memory to store | | | | Avoid colour cartridges that combine three colours - |
| and process information while printing. Measured in | | | | when one runs out you have to throw away what |
| megabytes (MB), the more memory the device has | | | | remains in the other two sections. |