HP's Printers Deliver Fast Printing, Optical Paper Sensing, Wireless Printing

Hewlett-Packard 's three new inkjet printers deliver true-to-the-original photo quality; fast print speeds; and advanced time- and money-saving smart features, such as optical paper sensing and infrared wireless printing. The new printers are the HP DeskJet 990Cse/Cxi Professional Series printer, the HP PhotoSmart 1218/xi printer and the HP PhotoSmart 1215 printer.
Designed for the business professional or anyone who demands professional results, the HP DeskJet 990Cse/Cxi Professional Series printer features enhanced color layering technology, which precisely places and layers tiny drops of ink to produce results that are true to the original. The printer also includes an alternative photo mode that offers 2400 x 1200 dpi2 on photo paper. The printer provides unrivaled everyday printing that delivers laser-quality black text on plain paper.

HP PhotoSmart 1218/xi and 1215 printers, in addition to delivering the same quality and versatility as the HP DeskJet 990Cse/Cxi printer, provide additional photo-printing capabilities. The printers come with CompactFlash and SmartMedia memory card slots that enable printing directly from a digital camera -- no computer required. Additionally, the memory card slots can be used to quickly save images to the computer.

Fast Performance and Smart Features Save Time and Money
The HP DeskJet 990Cse/Cxi and PhotoSmart 1218/xi printers deliver HP's fastest DeskJet and PhotoSmart printer speeds ever, with up to 17 pages per minute (ppm) black and 13 ppm color. The HP PhotoSmart 1215 printer prints up to 15 ppm black, 12 ppm color.

"HP inkjet printers provide not only great print quality in best mode, but great print quality in normal and draft modes as well," said Vyomesh Joshi, vice president and general manager of HP's Inkjet Systems. "Customers shouldn't have to compromise print quality for speed. Our high print quality at faster print speeds is one of our key competitive advantages."

All three printers feature a new optical paper-sensing technology exclusive to HP. An optical sensor detects the type of paper in the printer's paper tray and adjusts the print settings automatically to deliver optimal print quality. Customers retain the ability to control the print settings by turning off the optical paper sensing feature and manually selecting paper type and print mode. The feature will detect most manufacturers' plain papers, photo-glossy papers, specialty coated papers and transparency media.

Infrared, a wireless technology that transfers information via light (like a television remote control), enables customers to beam information and print from compatible digital cameras, palmtop and laptop computers, and other mobile devices, eliminating the need to first download the information into a computer. HP's expansion of wireless printing options anticipates the growing need for wireless printing from mobile devices. Ken Dulaney, an analyst for GartnerGroup Companies, recently stated, "By 2003, there will be 30 million personal digital appliances in use worldwide."

Automatic two-sided printing are standard on the HP DeskJet 990Cse/Cxi printer and the HP PhotoSmart 1218/xi printer and optional on the HP PhotoSmart 1215 printer, delivers professional results and helps control costs by reducing paper use.

Other smart features include the following:

• print-cancel button;
• low-ink warning;
• 4x6 photo paper tray on the HP PhotoSmart printer eliminates having to change papers to print photos;
• high-capacity (150-sheet) paper tray on the HP DeskJet 990Cse/Cxi; and
• automatic print-cartridge alignment.

All three printers have parallel and USB ports, and are PC and USB-connect Mac-compatible.

Availability
All three printers are now available.

About HP
Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services -- is focused on making technology and its benefits accessible to individuals and businesses through simple appliances, useful e-services and an Internet infrastructure that's always on.

HP has 86,000 employees worldwide and had total revenue from continuing operations of $42.4 billion in its 1999 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at www.hp.com.

Source: Hewlett-Packard