Apple Computer Inc has, as reported briefly (CI No 2,080), introduced a new line of printers and scanners, including a revised version of its ink-jet printer and new colour printer, which it says brings professional imaging to mainstream Mac users. First are two new 600 dpi workgroup laser printers: the Apple LaserWriter Pro 600 and Apple LaserWriter Pro 630, for Macintosh, Windows or mixed environments. The LaserWriter Pro 600 is a mainstream cost-effective, high volume laser printer with 4Mb RAM, expandable to 32Mb. The LaserWriter Pro 630 is a high-performance printer for users in small and large businesses. It prints at 600 dpi, or 300 dpi using Apple’s PhotoGrade grayscale printing software and has 8Mb RAM, expandable to 32Mb. Both printers are based on Motorola Inc’s 25MHz 68030, have Canon Inc’s EX engine with up to eight-page-per-minute throughput, and come with Adobe Systems Inc’s PostScript Level 2 software. The LaserWriter Pro600 costs $2,100; the LaserWriter Pro630 is $2,530. The new colour printer has GrayShare software for enhanced printing, and ColorSync colour matching software. It is based on Canon’s BJ820C engine, produces 360 dots per inch, and ships with a full library of 64 TrueType fonts. It also features four self-contained ink cartridges – cyan, magenta, yellow and black – and a self-cleaning printhead. It is available now for $2,350 – nearly twice the cost of a colour ink-jet from Hewlett-Packard Co. Apple’s revamped StyleWriter II personal printer offers 360 dots-per-inch laser-quality printing, has GrayShare software and can also be networked. It can handle more paper and envelopes and is twice as fast as the original version, Apple says. It costs $360 and is available immediately. Finally, there is the new 24-bit Color OneScanner, also with colour-matching software and Ofoto 2.0 image-capture software. Ofoto was co-developed with Light Source Inc of Greenbrae, California. The software improves colour fidelity from scanner to computer screen to printer. It enables brightness and contrast setting, and the straightening, cropping and adjustment of images for the printer or output device to be carried out at a stroke. The scanner is $1,350 and will be available next month.
