Canon Intros Sub-$1000 Multifunction Color Laser Printer

The Color ImageClass MF8170c offers color laser printing and copying, color scanning and faxing in a single device. It prints and copies at up to 16 pages per minute for black and white and 4 pages per minute for color.

The $999 MF8170c includes a 50-sheet automatic document feeder, a 250-sheet paper feeder, and built-in networking and USB 2.0 capabilities, , said Tin Eng, product planning specialist for the Lake Success, N.Y.-based company's Imaging Systems Group.

While there are several sub-$1000 color laser printers on the market, including the Okidata C5150 LED printer which sells for as low as $499 after rebate, the MF8170c is the first to integrate color copy and scan functions as well, Jake Wang, a senior analyst at Current Analysis, said in research report.

The MF8170c makes color multifunction laser-based devices suitable for small business customers, Wang said.

The new model should spur the adoption of such devices in the home, with prices expected to fall to under $600 for multifunction devices and under $300 for single-function color laser printers by year-end, Wang said.

Canon also introduced a new multifunction device with monochrome printer and copier capabilities and color scanning for the SOHO market. List price is $249.

Also new from Canon is a series of personal copy machines for small business and SOHO users.

The monochrome ImageClass D880 and D860 offers 18-pages-per-minute copying and 16-pages-per-minute print speeds, a 500-sheet front-loading cassette, a 100-sheet multipurpose tray, and a 30-sheet automatic document feeder. The D880 also incorporates a fax machine.

List price for the D860 is $599, and the D880 lists at $699.

For copying on-the-go, Canon introduced the PC 150. It weighs under 19 pounds, and folds for travel. The unit can make up to nine copies at a time at four copies per minute. List price is $149.

For the consumer market, the company unveiled a number of new photo printers and scanners, as well as a couple all-in-one photo printers with copy and scan functions selling for as low as $99.99.

All the products are available through IT distribution channels, said Eng. Specific programs for solution providers are in the planning stage, he said.