Seamless Solutions Blog

 As Lexmark continues to build our MFP offerings in the BSD program, Lexmark’s status as a technology leader was confirmed by the recent announcement that Lexmark has been positioned by industry analyst firm Gartner, Inc. in the Leaders Quadrant of their 2011 MFP and Printer Magic Quadrant¹.

“We believe being positioned in the Leaders quadrant by Gartner affirms that the innovation in Lexmark’s sophisticated smart MFPs extends us beyond just output and into providing productivity-enhancing workflow solutions,” said Marty Canning, Lexmark executive vice president and president of Imaging Solutions and Services. “When adding our award-winning devices with enterprise content management from Perceptive Software, we go even further to help our customers solve pain points, move information faster and work more efficiently.”

 For the full story, please click here.

¹ Gartner, Inc., Magic Quadrant for MFPs and Printers, Worldwide, Sharon McNee, Federico De Silva, October 24, 2011.

Here is an email from an Administrative Assistant in Nursing Administration at a local Hospital talk about one of Seamless Solutions Technicians.

“I work with several directors and all inpatient units within this hospital and often call for service.  Andre is ALWAYS very helpful and timely with the answers to my calls.  He consistently goes above and beyond whenever he is here in the hospital.  For instance, if he is working on one of my copiers and I inform him of other issues on the same machine, he will fully break the system apart and solves those issues.  He has to sometimes order extra parts, and always completes the repairs necessary.  Here at the hospital, the physicians and nurses don’t often have time to call in repairs and I sometimes don’t even know what is wrong with the machines, so when Andre is down, he is always willing to do the “detective” work needed to make the repairs.”

At Seamless Solutions we work everyday to deliver great customer service.

NEW YORK (AP) — Two generous tax breaks that small business owners got during the recession are going to shrink dramatically in 2012. That makes yearend tax planning more important than usual.

The changes affect the deductions for purchases of equipment. One is called the Section 179 deduction, a name taken from a provision of the Internal Revenue Code. The other is called bonus depreciation. Congress approved the breaks as an economic stimulus move — they were intended to make it easier for small businesses to expand and hire workers. Although the economy is still slow, the breaks are being scaled back.

Ed Smith, a tax partner at the accounting and consulting firm BDO in Boston, says he’s talking with clients about whether it makes sense to buy equipment before the changes take effect. “Understand that we’re not going to have this deduction in the next couple of years,” he said.

Read the whole story at the Houston Chronical

Takeaway: Now that we’ve had a chance to see some of the things Windows 8 can do, let’s talk about a few of the things it SHOULD do.

Tons of speculation has surrounded Windows 8, and while the recent Microsoft BUILD event and release of the Windows 8 Developer Preview have answered many of the questions, there is still plenty of time for Microsoft to unveil new features and strategies for the OS. Here are some things Microsoft can do to make Windows 8 a true game changer in the industry.

1: Better legacy apps experience

Right now, the experience of using legacy applications in the Developer Preview is just awful. You bounce between the slick Metro UI to a Windows 7 style desktop that is utterly crippled. For example, there is no Start menu. It feels like the old Windows 3.1 days, where many apps were still DOS apps and running them under Windows was a completely different experience from Windows apps — and that is not a good feeling. If Microsoft wants Windows 8 to get quick uptake, this needs to change.

2: 100% Binary compatibility with Xbox, Windows Phone

You know what would be awesome? Having one OS to rule all my devices and applications. Right now, we know that Microsoft intends for Windows 8 to be for desktops as well as tablets. By bringing the Xbox successor and phones into the mix, game developers wouldn’t need any extra effort to reach a bigger audience, and enterprises would be falling all over themselves to buy Windows 8 phones so their apps could be written only once.

3: Cloud selection

We’re currently seeing a fair amount of cloud integration (via Live) with Windows 8. Application data can get synced to the cloud, as can settings, so that you can effortlessly transition from one computer to another. It would be nice if the OS allowed you to specify a public cloud (great opportunity for Microsoft vendors here) or a private cloud (for enterprises and advanced home users) for this purpose. This would let enterprises feel comfortable having users syncing so much to a cloud, since they can pick it and control the data retention and storage.

4: Social networking hooks

Windows Phone 7 is innovative in its use of social networking. It is easy to have your pictures end up on Facebook, for example. While I doubt that people would want a desktop PC to tie everything to social networking, a level of integration like WP7 has would be great, especially when used on tablets.

5: Docking

Tablets are now powerful enough to run most applications pretty well. Sure, you don’t want to be running Photoshop or encoding video on a tablet. But for most basic productivity tasks, a tablet (or even a phone) can get the job done. We’re starting to see innovative devices like the Droid Bionic that can dock with other accessories such as monitors and keyboards to expand their capabilities. If Windows 8 has built-in provisions for this, in a way that applications can scale up or down (preferably automatically, without the developer needing to write special code), Windows 8 will be a winner for tablets and even phones.

6: Built-in Office

If Microsoft really wanted to impress us, it could put Office into the OS. Sounds nuts, right? Well, not really. WP7 devices already come with a portable version of Office that can handle Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, as well as a separate Outlook version (that is much more integrated into the phone), which covers most people’s needs. Maybe Microsoft shouldn’t give away the farm with a full version of each application, but a stripped-down copy of each would be a real winner. It would ensure that Office maintains its dominance and keep Windows 8 useful. After all, why should someone pay for the full Office suite just to get features they aren’t going to use anyway?

7: A refocus on business capabilities

Windows 7 is a solid OS for business. Unfortunately, at least in the Developer Preview, Windows 8 is not. The legacy apps, as mentioned, feel out of place, which is bad for businesses that rely on all sorts of specialized applications. The Metro UI is just awful for multi-tasking or side-by-side work, which is a big problem for people trying to get important projects done. While there is multi-monitor support, of course, the idea of trying to perform tasks when applications must consume an entire screen is frightening for most kinds of sophisticated information work.

8: Lighter system requirements

Windows 8 needs to be lighter than Windows 7. While Windows 7 performs pretty nicely, Windows 8 needs to be usable on low-end desktops or tablets, if not phones. Microsoft is claiming that Windows 8 is much lighter than Windows 7, and it’s already been shown that system startup is lightning quick. Microsoft needs to do better. If they want Windows 8 to be a smash hit for tablets or phones, it needs to snap alive instantly.

9: Platform for locally hosted Web apps

One of the big changes in IT has been the move to Web applications. A real killer feature would be allowing applications to easily install and self-host a Web backend. This would allow developers to use their existing tools and code base, combine it with backend database synchronization, and instantly see applications with true offline capabilities without much additional effort. The pieces are already in place (IISExpress, LocalDB, and the cloud sync). The question is whether Microsoft can put it all together in one slick package. Enterprises would like to be able to self-host applications, either on the desktop or server level, rather than trust public cloud vendors. This would be a great step in that direction.

10: A price drop to free, or nearly so

This is the least likely of all, considering that Microsoft’s #1 source of revenue is Windows, followed by Office. Windows 7 took a while to start replacing XP, in no small part because while it was good, it wasn’t good enough to justify paying for an upgrade. By dropping the price significantly, along with reducing system requirements, Windows 8 looks like a good upgrade for existing machines, keeps the cost of Windows 8 powered notebooks, netbooks, and tablets low enough to compete with Android tablets and the iPad, and keeps the partners happy. HP has already announced that it’s pulling out of the PC game entirely, in no small part to cratering profit margins. Getting Windows 8 more attractively priced would help ensure better margins for those who are left.

This is a repost from TechRepublic

If you are looking to get the most out of your document management program, investing in multifunction may be the best avenue. Multifunction gives your office the ability to constantly maintain your digital archive by scanning and indexing any new materials as they are created.

Maintain Your Digital Archive

Utilizing Multifunction printers and scanners to create and maintain your digital archive is simple. Paired with document management software, indexing and capture is a breeze. Digital files are the superior option, as they help increase productivity and save your company money. Simply making the switch will heavily reduce your printing expenditure and will allow your employees to easily search and retrieve any file in your digital archive, right from their desks.

There are many ways that digital document management can benefit your office. Aside from increased productivity and a reduction in costs, your office will also greatly increase security of your confidential documents and client materials. By setting permissions, your documents are safe from prying eyes.

There are many reasons to begin optimizing your document management methods. Contact us today to learn more!

Originally posted at Office Product News

Wednesday’s announcement that Apple founder and chief executive Steve Jobs was stepping down from the helm of the firm caused a sell-off of the company’s stock in after-hours trading, knocking $17 billion off Apple’s market value in spite of reassurances from analysts that the company remains in good hands. The Guardian (London)

Repost and link to SmartBrief on ExecTech

When
it comes to proof of the durability of Lexmark printers, this story may top
them all.

A
Lexmark XS654 monochrome laser MFP was pulled from the rubble of the tornado
that destroyed nearly a third of Joplin, Mo., on May 22. The dealer that sold
it – Lakeland Office Systems – recorded a video showing how the printer not only
survived, it still works.

While
at first glance this may seem like a story about a Lexmark printer, dig a
little deeper and underneath is the real story about Fred D Warden, Jr. and his
family-the true survivors. Fred is the Joplin Area Sales Manager at Lakeland
and just celebrated his 22nd anniversary which might be considered rare for a
salesperson in the copier industry.

Fred
and his family nearly lost their lives in the tornado. They did lose their
home, the majority of their possessions and three vehicles. Fred returned to
the office to help customers recover and had the video recorded. Lakeland
Office Systems continues to facilitate the needs of the Joplin business
community with Lexmark devices as it recovers.

To
see the video, click here.

December 9, 2009 – Hackensack (NJ) – Thanks to the overall strength of their product lines as tested this past year, Ricoh Corporation has been recognized by Buyers Laboratory as “Color Printer Line of the Year” and Lexmark International, Inc. has been selected “Monochrome Multifunction Line of the Year.” The prestigious “Printer Line of the Year” awards are given once a year by the world’s leading evaluator of document imaging products to the vendors whose product lines surpass those of all other competitors in their respective categories.

The selection is made by BLI’s highly experienced staff of technicians and editors after subjecting scores of office printers of all types from every major vendor to BLI’s unique battery of exhaustive laboratory tests. In order for a vendor to be eligible for this award, at least one product each from the low-, mid- and high-volume categories must have been subjected to laboratory testing by BLI and all or most must have demonstrated excellence. Among the many factors considered by BLI in selecting line of the year are reliability, overall economy, print quality, ease of use and setup, productivity, administrative utilities and feedback to user workstations.

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LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC. Most Outstanding Monochrome Multifunction Printer Line, 2009 THE RICOH FAMILY GROUP Most Outstanding Color Printer Line, 2009 (also includes Lanier and Savin)

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Lexmark Sweeps The Monochrome MFP Printer Category
Every one of the eight Lexmark monochrome MFPs tested by BLI in 2009 received high praise from BLI’s editorial and lab staff and seven garnered individual “Pick” awards in their respective segments, making Lexmark the obvious choice to receive BLI’s “Monochrome Multifunction Printer Line of the Year” award for 2009. “The consistently outstanding performances of all these models is truly an impressive accomplishment that’s unmatched by any other vendor,” said BLI Associate Editor Carl Schell.

Schell added, “Lexmark monochrome multifunction printers always turn in impressive performances in our lab testing, Not only do they offer the speed and reliability offices need to be productive, but from their-entry-level devices to their more powerful workgroup-level models they also offer the ease of use that’s critical to user productivity.”

Lexmark has always been on the leading edge of printer technology, and this year they continued to build on their many strengths. This past spring, Lexmark earned an “Outstanding Achievement Award” for leveraging its embedded platform to provide value-added capabilities standard on its newer MFPs. Lexmark’s Embedded Solutions Framework platform allows users to enhance the device with workflow solutions without the need for additional hardware because the solutions run on the device itself. “Lexmark’s embedded solutions, MyMFP, Eco-Copy and Remote Color Copy, are available at no additional cost to the customer and enhance the functionality of their Lexmark MFP,” said BLI Senior Printer Analyst Marlene Orr. The MyMFP feature allows users to save commonly used copier, printer, scanner or fax settings on a USB memory drive. When users insert their drive, their customized selections appear on the touch-screen display. Eco-Copy provides a copy button that automatically defaults the device to more environmentally friendly settings, including duplexing, lighter toner darkness and N-up copying. Remote Copy allows users to make a color copy on a monochrome machine by scanning a color document on a monochrome Lexmark MFP and having it automatically printed on a color Lexmark printer on the network.

“Over the last year, Lexmark has refreshed and expanded its entire monochrome laser MFP lineup, bringing more innovation, value and choices to the marketplace than ever before,” said Marty Canning, Lexmark Vice President and President of its Printing Solutions and Services Division.  “From our desktop-friendly models for small workgroups to our enterprise devices equipped with the e-Task interface, solutions and flexible media handling options, it is a great honor to have BLI recognize this Lexmark line for its combination of intelligent features, outstanding reliability, quality and productivity. Lexmark’s customers want monochrome laser products that are solid and dependable, and they can feel confident putting ours to the test.”

Superior Performance Earns Ricoh Color Printer Line Award
The six Ricoh color printers tested by BLI outperformed those of other vendors in several key areas, earning the company BLI’s “Color Printer Line of the Year” award. “A clear testament to the breadth, quality and value of its color printer portfolio, Ricoh has now received the ‘Most Outstanding Color Printer Line’ three times since the award’s inception in 2005,” said Orr. Offering printers in every category of the color market, from inkjet and small workgroup models to large workgroup and departmental models, Ricoh printers are designed to meet the diverse needs of business users. Orr continued, “Not only are Ricoh printers easy to use, set up and manage on the network, thanks to Ricoh’s outstanding utilities, but they offer high toner and ink yields, which translate to decreased downtime and low cost per page.” Indeed, four of the five Ricoh color printers, as well as the one color printer MFP tested by BLI in 2009 were found to be very good values, and all received high marks for ease of use and demonstrated excellent reliability in testing.

“To once again receive the ‘Color Printer Line of the Year’ is truly an honor for Ricoh, as we take pride in the diversity of our product offerings and our ability to meet, and exceed, customers’ color needs,” said Matt Sakauchi, Vice President of Ricoh Americas Corporation’s Office Printer Business Group. “Having previously won this award in two consecutive years, we’re thrilled to be recognized again as it highlights our steadfast commitment to constantly improving our product line in order to stay on top of the market and be considered the ‘go-to’ source for advanced color printing solutions.”