Looks like the flu won’t just negatively affect the nation’s workers. The feds are warning that it could put a big strain on the Internet as well. More…

Coming on the heels of a similar announcement by HP, Lexmark has released its own Web-connected printer. More…

What’s the first step toward cutting the costs of printing? More…

As more employees in our mobile work culture move towards the concept of working “any time and any where;” organizations are looking for mobile solutions. In this paper you can review the benefits and shortcomings of both the Research In Motion Blackberry solution and the Microsoft mobile solution.

Download your complimentary report now. More…

In 2009, 171 senior executives participated in a CFO Research Services survey about using profitability analysis for strategy setting, business decision making and performance management. This report explores the findings.

Download your complimentary whitepaper now. More…

We’ve all seen it. A dialog box pops up, informing us in urgent words that a virus has been found on our hard disk, and that by clicking OK, we can run a protection program to disinfect the disk. As we freak out, the temptation to click OK is almost irresistible. More…

In the past decade, Optical Character Recognition has gone from being an expensive curiosity to a no-brainer, something included in the box with every ink jet multifunctional. More…

British police are battling an outbreak of new fake ID mills, all powered by high quality color laser printers. They’ve shut down at least 20 “ID factories” over the last year and a half. More…

This new printer from Xerox contains some impressive green features. More…

HP’s shifting some of its attention away from hardware and toward managed print services (MPS). More…

In today’s economy, not many companies are worried about a talent shortage. But some experts say it’s time to start preparing for one. More…

Controversial rules regarding new hire documentation have been pushed aside in favor of widening the use of E-Verify. More…

We’ve all sent e-mails to the wrong address before. But hopefully the message didn’t include confidential information about 1,300 customers. More…

When it comes to reducing energy costs, are you looking in the right places? Probably not, says recent research. More…

Look out for this new application that can create realistic-looking receipts employees can print out and submit for reimbursement. More…

IT managers tired of hosting their own e-mail servers, but worried about recent problems with Web mail services like Google’s, may be interested in a new alternative. More…

New business demands require a new approach to end-user support.

This is leading organizations to a remote service delivery model that leverages the Web and Saas technology.

Download complimentary whitepaper now. More…

Find out which tool is right for you in this informative White Paper.

With the increasing popularity of workflow software, many IT departments are wrestling with the distinction between workflow programs and application automation tools. In this white paper, you will learn the important distinctions between both and why your ultimate goal should be full automation.

Download now  More…

We all worry about ultrasmart cyber-thieves breaking into databases and running off with key records that can be used to commit fraud. But there’s a more low-tech approach criminals are also using. More…

There’s a new Facebook scam that everyone needs to watch out for. It involves cyber-criminals impersonating victims’ online friends. More…

Seems like many Twitter users would qualify as addicted to using the site. More…

Think a thank you for a job well done is enough to keep employees around in this economy? Think again, says a new survey. More…

The recent indictment of a so-called “master hacker” should provide a warning to companies about keeping employees’ and customers’ personal information safe. More…

Nuance Communications, which sells a number of imaging –related products, has acquired eCopy, a major developer of imaging workflow software for copier/MFPs.  More…

When DVDs came on the market in the mid-1990s, it wasn’t just the movie fans that were happy — IT pros thought they’d been given a great data storage medium. But are DVDs really suitable for storing information long-term? More…

What’s the step businesses can take that could have the biggest impact on energy costs? Hint: It’s also one of the easiest. More…

Seeking to help close a common security gap, ICSA Labs has created a program to help businesses guard against intrusions through faxes, networked printers and other devices. More…

Nothing hurts office productivity quite like a paper jam. Here are some tips you can share with users that will help keep their printers running smoothly: More…

Earlier this year, Kyocera introduced its FS-C5200DN and FS-C5300DN color laser printers. Then, it added two new members of the same series, the FS-C5100DN and FS-C5400DN. Finally, it came out with the FS-C5350DN. All five models run at the same speed in color as in black-and-white. For the FS-C5100DN ($942) and FS-C5200DN ($1,424), the print speed is at 23ppm. For the FS-C5300DN ($1,739), it is 28ppm; the FS-C5350DN ($1,983) runs at 32ppm; and the FS-C5400DN ($2,593) has a speed of 37ppm. The two 23ppm models differ in terms of paper capacity and duty cycle.
As the DN suffix indicates, these models are Ethernet-ready and have standard automatic duplexing. PostScript and PCL are standard, and PDF and XPS files can be printed directly. All those features indicate that these are serious workgroup machines.

The processor runs at 533MHz on the FS-C5100DN and FS-C5200DN models. On the FS-C5300DN, it runs at 667MHz; 600MHz on the FS-C5350DN; and on the FS-C5400DN, it is 733MHz. Memory starts at 256MB, and it can be increased to a total of 1,280MB. A 40GB hard disk is optionally available on the FS-C5300DN, FS-C5350DN, and FS-C5400DN for $336. Aside from Ethernet, there is a standard USB port, as well as a USB port that can be used for printing from flash drives.

These models have respectable paper-handling capabilities. They support letter- and legal-size output. All models feature a standard 150-sheet multipurpose tray. The FS-C5100DN comes with a 250-sheet main tray, while the others have a standard 500-sheet paper tray. On the FS-C5100DN, you can add two 500-sheet trays for a maximum of 1,400 sheets. On the FS-C5200DN and FS-C5300DN, you can add up to three 500-sheet trays for a total of 2,150 sheets, while on the FS-C5350DN and FS-C5400DN, you can add a fourth 500-sheet tray. The multipurpose tray holds stock up to 120lb. index, while the other tray holds paper up to 28lb. bond in weight. Automatic duplexing, as noted above, is standard on all models.
Kyocera gives you a choice between two slightly different 500-sheet add-on paper drawers: one is called a “Multipurpose Feeder” ($399, each) and can handle card stock up to 120lb. index, labels, and coated stock. The other drawer type ($299, each) handles stock up to 28lb. bond. You can mix and match both drawer types.
On the output side, there is a 250-sheet tray, expanded to 500 sheets on the FS-C5400DN. We think that’s too little given the input capacity, but it’s typical in the industry.

Kyocera products typically feature impressive consumables costs, and these machines are no exceptions. These machines have four toner cartridges and a drum to replace. The black-and-white cost per page is very good for a color printer. For the FS-C5200DN, its cost runs at 1.8¢, while it costs around 2.1¢ for the FS-C5100DN. Cost per black-and-white page is around 1.3¢ on the FS-C5300DN, FS-C5350DN, and FS-C5400DN. Those costs would be very good for black-and-white-only printers, but among color printers, it’s extraordinary.

The color per-page costs are even better. While for the FS-C5100DN, color costs 12.7¢, it comes in at a little over 7¢ a page for the FS-C5200DN. The figure is around 5.8¢ for the FS-C5300DN and FS-C5350DN and 5.4¢ on the FS-C5400DN. At almost half the industry average for desktop color printing cost, that alone makes these printers standouts.

Like many Kyocera printers, these have a relatively high initial cost. But if you print a lot of pages, the value of the low cost per page will make a major difference. The official duty cycle given by Kyocera in two forms, the maximum and a range for recommended monthly use is:

• For the FS-C5100DN, 60,000 pages maximum, 1,000 to 5,000 recommended
• For the FS-C5200DN, 100,000 pages maximum, 2,000 to 7,500 recommended
• For the FS-C5300DN, 130,000 pages maximum, 2,500 to 10,000 recommended
• For the FS-C5350DN, 140,000 pages maximum, 2,500 to 10,000 recommended
• For the FS-C5400DN, 150,000 pages maximum, 3,000 to 30,000 recommended

Kyocera can provide accounting and remote administration utilities as well. It also boasts of excellent green credentials, thanks to the minimization of waste through high-capacity consumables.

If you plan to use the printer up to those volumes, and you need inexpensive black printing as much as color printing, these are great bets. Kyocera is usually the leader in total cost of operation, and these printers follow in the same tradition. We believe that these are very solid small to midsize workgroup printers, and they get our Editor’s Choice Award.

Sum-up: Outstanding per-page costs make these models stand out.

A lot of budget-friendly software is available, but there are certain items IT might not want to skimp on. More…