I did a post a while ago spelling out exactly how you can eliminate (at least in part) the massive ball of hopelessly intertwined cordage on your desktop, as well as share you printer with a bunch of computers at once.  I spelled out everything from bluetooth enabled printers to the various types of wired and wireless print servers. Well, those are cool and all, but one thing is still painfully clear: its still a pain to set up one of these systems.  That is until the latest announcement from D-Link unveiling their new router technology.

Basically, it works like this: new routers from D-Link will have a USB port on the back that feature technology called USB over TCP/IP, which D-Link has cutely named SharePort.  It’s kinda self explanatory, and it’s essentially the best thing ever if you’re in the cord elimination business.  What happens is that almost ANY USB device plugged into the router can be shared over the wireless network. Old print servers requried specific drivers for each device to be built in to the router and so were limited to a finite list of compatible printers.  Say goooodbyyye to that stuff.

If you’re wanting to share a USB device with a certain computer, just download a free update from D-Link and you’re ready to go.  Share your scanner, external hard drive, printer, USB coke fridge…um just kidding. But the possibilities are great for this platform.

The technology is supported on D-Link’s new Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router, and also on D-Link router models DIR-655, DIR-825, DIR-855 and DGL-4500 Gaming Router with GameFuel. If you happen to be one of the lucky many to own one of these routers, you can install the update containing SharePort technology by visiting the D-Link download page.

The only thing I can see as a problem here is that these routers only have one USB port supporting USB over TCP/IP, something that needs to be fixed ASAP.  I’m sure later versions will take care ofthis, and for now its nice enough to have a little more convenience in setting up a cordless office. And ahem, boosting productivity.

Via  Gadgetress

So you’ve got a problem with you little document-producing friend, huh? Won’t print, jams ALL the time, costs both your right limbs to keep running, has made you late for school, a meeting, whatever? Well, apparently you’re not alone. One or two people around the Internet have recorded the mayhem they’ve inflicted on their printer, and left it as a warning for all other disobedient printers.

Oddly, it hasn’t stopped printers everywhere from malfunctioning. Idiots. Anyway, if your rage isn’t sufficed with shouting at that piece of grayish plastic, you might try some of these more satisfying tactics to get your point across.

#10 Good Old Fashioned Butt-Kicking

Sometimes you gotta just haul that waste of office space outside and have it out. Good solid way to get the job done, with a little spice of creativity with the Jeep.

#9 Office Space Posse Beat Down

No printer-destruction compilation would be complete without the Office Space clip, so get the homies together and let’s pound some plastic. The only reason it didn’t rank higher is because it’s a wee little bit overplayed. And over-parodied; children give your father back the camcorder!

#8 Redneck Response

Yep, sometime you gotta just go out to the back 40 an let ‘er rip! This is just simple gun-totin’ American goodness. And yes, it does carry a redneck warning.

#7 Hire the Mob

Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. And make it quiet at a boat dock somewhere.

#6 Connect with the Neanderthal Inside

When that primal rage sets in you don’t WANT a tool. Zog! Give me rock! HP printer jammed again!

#5 ‘Splode it. Like big time.

Who needs firecrackers? I love those printer explosions where the printer door flies open upon detonation and the three year-olds shriek with delight…yeah. Um excuse me, do you have anything with concussive force?

#4 Quick Hatchet Discipline

Ok, how many times would you love to do this: printer breaks, bang! hatchet through the toner cartridge. It’s kind of like living in the People’s Republic of China, only you know, funny.

#3Dragged Through the Streets

Total pwnage + public humiliation; revenge doesn’t get much sweeter than this.

#2 Acrophobia Anyone?

Possibly one of the most satisfying videos simply because of that repeat sequence. You have to say Die! Die! Die! with every repeat, though, or it’s not as fun.

#1 Ride It into the Ground

This one wins for originality and total gleeful randomness. I think this kid can say he’s got the fastest printer ANYWHERE.

CNET Reviews the Oki C5510 MFp

Drivers, owner’s manuals:

Oki C5510 Driver Links

Oki C5510 Owner’s Manual (click to the left menu to reach manuals)

As is often a gripe with other Oki products, sometimes the OEM toner products can become expensive, so consider trying compatible if you find that is the case. We supply you with both OEM and compatible toner options at the Supplies Guys; if you’re interested, check out our Oki C5510 MFP page for more prices and other information.

On the fence about getting a Oki C3400?  Need to review the performance specs of your C3200N?  That’s what I’m here for; take a look at a couple of these reviews to refresh your memory:

ZDNet’s C3200N spec list

Here’s a random user’s C3200 review

PC World also had a pretty comprehensive C3200 review

The Oki C3200 isn’t the newest printer around, that much is apparent just from reading the above reviews.  Still, if you don’t deem it necessary to upgrade to a newer printer and you’ve lost your driver or owner’s manual, click on one of links below:

C3200N drivers from the Oki site.

The C3200N owner’s manual is available through the left navigation link on this page.

Have a problem with your trusty little C3200?  Here’s a great site compiling Oki C3200 repair info that you might find useful.

If you happened to read the PCWorld review above, you’ll recall that they dinged the printer points for having high printing costs per page.  Keep in mind that while color printing is more expensive than monochrome, you can keep color costs down by buying compatible ink.  Check out what the Supplies Guys offers in the way of costs savings for your C3200N by visiting our C3200N toner page.

The story, reported by Fox Business News, indicates that the Air Force chose HP based on a variety of factors, but mainly because they deemed HP capable of managing the global scale of the USAF printing needs. And that IS a huge job. HP VP of Public Sector Imaging and Printing Group Jackie Wynn triumphed about the contract,

“Being selected by the United States Air Force, an organization that demands the highest standards of performance, is a true testament that we continue to produce and deliver innovative, comprehensive and reliable solutions for our customers around the world.”

Good news for HP, bad news for other printer manufacturers tying to get more than a toehold in the market. HP is definitely a monster; Hewlett Packard is the world’s largest technology vendor in terms of sales, surpassing IBM in 2006. HP also was the first technology company to post sales in excess of $100 billion in sales in 2007. They’re also the largest seller of personal computers in the world in addition to being a printing hardware powerhouse. Pretty impressive.

Well for better or worse, look out Air Force personnel, there’s an HP printer of some sort coming to a barracks near you (if its not already there). I’m sure almost everyone will be completely fine with that, but maybe not this guy.

So here we go, continuing our series on some high quality office printers that are currently on the market today, and leading today with the Okidata C3400N. Check out some reviews on the Oki C3400:

PC Mag: Oki C3400N Review

CNET’s got a good review: Oki C3400n Laser Printer Reviews 

PC World adds their voice: Oki Printing Solutions C3400N

And drivers if you need them:

Oki C3400N Drivers

Oki C3400N Manual  (click on the manual link on the right)

Oki C3400N Linux Driver 

Supplies Guys also has on Oki C3400N toner installation guide in case you’re having difficulty popping those bad boys in and out.

And finally, you can find competitive prices on both compatible and OEM Oki C3400 toner cartridges from the Supplies Guys as well, just check out our Oki C3400 toner page. You can also find the Supplies Guys review there along with a wealth of other information.

Checking out until next time!

Straight from the horses mouth - or at least its customers: Dell 5110 user reviews at Dell.com

A British take on the Dell 5110cn from Computer Shopper: Dell Colour Laser Printer 5110cn (love that ‘colour’ spelling)

Ok, you probably have enough of the reviews, but if you want some news about the Dell 5110cn brought back from the dusty archives of May 2006, check this article on Dell’s attempting to steal HP’s market share with the Dell 5110.

Obligatory manuals and drivers stuff:

Dell 5110 Drivers

Dell 5110 Owners Manual

And of course, you can find toner for the Dell 5110cn at our Dell 5110cn toner page.  That’s all we’ve got for now on the Dell 5110cn.  Please leave a comment and help me refine what sort of information to put in these posts so it will actually be useful for you people!  I believe we’ll hit some Oki printers next time.  Until then, adios!

Let’s get this straight right off the bat. If you need Dell 5100cn toner, you’re already at a really great resource, the Supplies Guys. You have OEM and compatible toner options, with pretty straightforward prices on both. Check out our Dell 5100 toner page for more product information.

Ok, that aside. All things considered, the Dell 5100 is a pretty good looking and high performing printer. Really, I’m serious. But, you don’t have to take my word for it, read several reviews on it:

PC Mag Dell 5100 review: Lose the Paper Wait - Dell Laser Printer 5100cn

CNET Dell 5100 Review: Dell Color Laser Printer 510cn Laser Printer Reviews

PC World Dell 5100 Review: Dell 5100cn Review

What if you already have a Dell 5100? Need some resources to keep it running so you don’t have to? I’ve put together some quick links to 5100cn owner’s manuals, drivers and some other stuff you might fight useful.

Dell 5100 Drivers: Dell.com

Dell 5100CN Owner’s Manual: Dell.com

Also, be sure to check out Supplies Guy’s toner installation guide to make sure you don’t get a fine coating of toner from head to toe:

Dell 5100cn Toner Installation Guide

Hope you find all this stuff useful to some degree in either choosing to purchase or maintaining your existing Dell 5100cn. We’ll keep these types of posts going for a little while, so check back in for more stuff on more printers. Also, leave a comment and let me know if you’d like me highlight your printer as well.

The company has launched a cooperative effort with a company called ClimatePositive to provide carbon offsets for every HP printer sold. Ahhm…ok, moving on. The program is currently being tested in New Zealand and Australia, who are arguably a couple of the most environmentally conscious nations today. HP explained the program in a promotional brochure, “Customers who buy any HP LaserJet printer before 30 April 2008 can claim a bonus carbon offset, funded by HP at no cost to them, for the carbon emissions produced over the lifetime of the HP LaserJet printer.”

The actual amount of carbon that is produced by the laser printer is determined by the Engery Star Program requirements, and would be paid over the course of an estimated five year printer life. But what if your printer lasts longer than five years? What if you’re getting a little LJ 1022 or other small office printer that just refuses to die? Well, there’s always the option of paying for the offsets yourself, which are only AUD $20 ($18.42 in USD) per ton of carbon emitted.

So the marketing heavyweights are at it again. Xerox says their Phaser 8860 solid ink printer doesn’t hurt the environment in the first place, and HP retorts that they’re helping build carbon sinks in exotic Australian isles. Meanwhile, both company marketing directors fixate on corporate sales reports until their eyes water, vainly attempting to see not how clean the earth is getting but how much of an edge they have over the other. But at least HP and Xerox customers everywhere can rest easier at night knowing that they contributed to the bonuses of several corporate visionaries. Or, I mean, the environment or something. Right.

It appears that researchers at PARC are working on a new type of printing paper that will effectively eliminate ink and toner printing. The project, led by manager Eric Shrader, is focused on the erasable qualities of the paper, calling it transient document paper. The paper is coated with special molecules that create an impression on the paper when exposed to a certain light. The paper is reusable because the “print” fades in about eight hours, permitting its use for the short term, but then allowing the paper to be used for another print when you don’t need that one anymore. The paper eliminates the need for ink and toner, and since the molecules never fade, you can use the paper for as long as you can keep in from becoming a crumpled ripped up mess. Which for most of us would be two minutes flat, but hey.

As of right now, the research groups is developing this paper’s special printer as an attachment to existing printers so you can create ‘transient’ and regular prints from the same printer. All in all, this sounds pretty sweet, and think of the freedom from the clutches of the evil ink and toner giants! Alas however, even if transient printing is an omen of the future of the ink industry, you can bet that the big guys like HP will just switch to selling $8,000 per gallon ink to $8,000 per ream of paper. Shrader indicated that the new paper is in the prototype stage and still quite a way from market. Still, who knows, maybe next year you can be blaming your lack of productivity at work on that blasted erasable paper. And then join me in the unemployment line.

The story is reported by Palo Alto Online.