Lexmark Genesis: a printer for mobile, cloud, social times

I am not a big fan of inkpet printers. The last one we used had poor cartridge capacity and needed frequent and awkward (given small size of cartridge) replacements. And they were expensive.

But when I heard about the Lexmark Genesis multi-function printer I was willing to overlook the fact that was an inkjet, because I intrigued by its 3 second Flash Scan claim. That it does and you can store as JPEG, PDF, editable Word document, or auto attach in those formats to email. It does so because in effect it packages a 10-megapixel digital camera instead of using charge-coupled device (CCD) arrays found in traditional scanners. The speed has led Lexmark to call the printer a “Now-in-One”, a play on the traditional All-in-One designation for multi-functions.

The platen is also upright – another differentiator, though it somewhat limits under-desk positioning because of its just shy of 17 inch in height. The vertical feed does allow for easier scanning of bulky documents and the clip in the platen allow for holding in place smaller documents like photos or cards.

But beyond those 2 differentiators, I also felt like I was playing with a mobile device given the 4.3 inch, touchscreen LCD display. I felt like I was setting up a home cloud as you can use its Wi-Fi N connection for laptops, iPads, iPods all to print from, scan etc using the Genesis. (or you can use a port on its side to print directly from a USB device or memory card). The printer is also social with a suite of SmartSolutions which allow users to scroll through and search their Twitter feeds as well as view their Facebook walls and print photos right from the device. The SmartSolutions Store has a growing list of card scanning and other apps like such as Stamps.com, Evernote, Box.net and TripIt. It even has a sense of humor with a Print Doctor’s Excuse app :) (sure healthcare pros have a genuine use for that app)

It’s certainly the evolution of the printer for our mobile, cloud, social world. Yes, with all those features easy to forget it it is a printer which does useful tasks like two-side printing. And did I mention it is also a fax machine? I am sure Lexmark is thinking ahead to the next form-factor and will probably bring out a laser version for those of us who prefer those over inkjets.

Comments

[Mo Bradley]

This is very innovative of Lexmark. You know there are generic inkjet cartridges that are inexpensive. Find he nearest ink retailer near you or look online.