Has Kodak Revolutionized the Inkjet Industry?

Is Kodak Really Listening To Their Consumers, Or Are We Repackaging the Same Old Thing?

One of the bigger news items this week concerns inkjet printing, and Kodak trying to more seriously jump back into this lucrative market. I've just added the original press release to our database here, which is worth a look.

Over the last several months, I moved from inkjet printing to laser printing. This was primarily motivated by the overpriced inkjet cartridges drying up and clogging the print heads before I could use the overpriced ink up. I will say that it's great to be able to print pages quickly, and the laser printer's output is quite crisp and fast. However, I had to give up color printing (although color lasers keep dropping in price so when I upgrade this printer, I may be able to add the color back in...).

Every time a page comes out of an inkjet printer, the coins roll into the printer manufacturer's account. Many folks try to beat the printer companies by using off brand refills, using a refill service, or even refilling the cartridges themselves. These methods have varying success, and while they can save money short term, they may not be worth it in the long run when a printer is damaged. The printer companies have countered with expiring cartridges to discourage the refill attempts. This has led users to develop strategies to tricking their printer into thinking it's a new cartridge, and this leapfrog game continues.

Kodak's announcement looks to level the playing field. By charging a more reasonable $10 price tag for a black cartridge, and a $15 price for a 5 color cartridge, this seems like an attractive deal. There are even some bundled packages that offer cartridges and photo paper all in one low priced deal. Kodak tosses in some rhetoric about "Save 50%" on printing, and prints as low as 10 cents. By Kodak charging less than what an off brand refill would cost, it makes it brain dead simple to just buy the manufacturer's cartridge, and not futz around with some off brand ink.

While this all sounds attractive, I think that Kodak realizes that the market has shifted, and consumers are shifting with it. Most people realize that they will spend far more on ink then they will on the printer. Also, in the long run, most laser printers are far more economical, and have equal or better output for text. Finally, for printing photos, the local Wal-Marts and neighborhood pharmacies offer great output at ridiculously low prices anyway. Why buy a printer, the paper, and the ink, when the store can do it for less, and the output is better anyway?

So far, I'm real excited about Kodak's new printer line, and wondering if rather than buy a new scanner for $100, maybe I'm better off with the least expensive all-in-one, the EasyShare 5100 which goes for $149. (The 5300 adds a color screen and will sell for $199. I'm surprised there is no printer only device that they could sell for around $100.) However, as I go through these specs, I already have some concerns. More specifically, under Ink Life I see: "minimum 2 years life from manufacture; 6 months in product." Further down under the warranty, I read regarding the length of coverage for the ink cartridges: "13 months from date of manufacture or until replace cartridge message, whichever comes first."

Now I'm really confused. Does this mean that the cartridges have to be replaced every 6 months? Will I get a message if the cartridge is old, even if I purchased it new after it sat on the shelf for several months? If I get the "replace cartridge" message, is this a nice suggestion, or will the printer become inoperable forcing me to buy a new cartridge that's not really needed? How much ink comes in these cartridges anyway which is a secret thus far?

There has been a lot of initial enthusiasm for this type of more affordable inkjet printer and cartridge system from the blogosphere, but in my mind the verdict is still out if Kodak is delivering the goods with their new EasyShare line of printers. I think the other manufacturers should see this, and if Kodak hasn't made what they promised, then maybe they should.

--Jonas