A quick review: HP Photosmart C5280.

Went out at lunch and bought myself another printer - this time it's a HP C5280. Typical all-in-one multifunction with scanner and printer, but a CD/DVD printer, one of the main reasons I bought it! I burn a lot of DVDs, and wanted some nice looking artwork rather than my usual handwriting.

I also thought of buying a very cheap inkjet and sticky labels for DVDs, but these labels sometimes come off while in a DVD drive, which isn't ideal. Plus, the labels are relatively expensive for a bit of sticky paper, and I like the idea of direct print to DVD. Another bonus is the 80gb external HP hard drive currently on promotion. Pity there's no wireless function - there was a slightly cheaper HP MFC that had wireless but no DVD printing - doh!

Anyway, it's a nice enough unit aesthetically, matches my current Samsung laser MFC pretty well, even though now there's no room on my desk for anything else. The main annoyance I had was that the CD software provided with the unit is absolutely, horrendously, unforgivably bad. Shame on you both, HP and Roxio, for crippling such a unit with terrible software!

But if you were stuck in the same boat as me, I quickly ditched that piece of junk and found a great solution in Acoustica (go Google it) which is a free trial download (but I'm going to pay up for this one, because they deserve it!). I've been burning and printing DVDs all night; even Tina is impressed with the print quality!

Another note; a major factor in buying was the consumables cost - let's just say that printer manufacturers should give everyone a free printer; because obviously they're making the bucks on ink. $25 for 3ml, or a bargain $55 for 18ml? Then let's add up the multiple colour ink cartridges... anyway, the 5280 uses a single black, and a combined 3 colour cartridge. There's a deal on now where both together is about $45. I need minimal colour printing to add some flash to my marketing material for 88SPEED.com and JDMSTYLEDECALS.com, so I'll do the bulk work on my laser printer, then refeed it through the colour printer for highlights. They also had a great deal on a HP colour laser for $169 (after rebate). Not bad? I thought so, then checked out the toner costs. You need 5 toners at approx $150 each, or $750. See what I mean about giving away the printer for free?

Anyway, it's nothing new. Companies with some ability should try to achieve proprietary platforms and lock their customers into a lengthy cash cycle - the most obvious example is Gilette and shaver blades, but here it's printers and their ink supply. In other industries, it's new cars and dealer servicing schedules, Nintendos and game carts (for the 80s among us!) and Krispy Kremes with 110% sugar laden doughnuts. The lesson to be learned here is pretty simple - if you've got the product to back it up and legal defense around your IP, give away your platform and charge big bucks for the consumables.

I've got 2 more days of work this week, then it's the Australian Open on Monday, and off to Shanghai on Wednesday. My team hasn't really got anything planned, but I'm optimistic we'll wing it successfully on the ground! Hmm.. I better start booking some accommodation!

Tim