Although there have been no seismic shifts in the networked color printer market since our last look, improved features provide some intriguing new options. NDPS is probably the most important recent development. If your network uses NetWare, you'll want NDPS functionality. By letting end workstations print directly to the printer rather than through a queue, NDPS helps minimize network traffic.
Connectivity is the key to network printing.
For large color print jobs, Fast Ethernet connections are essential. What was a five-minute print job over Ethernet will take only 30 seconds with Fast Ethernet. The market also has begun to recognize and provide services for laptop users. Vendors have been including infrared ports on almost every laptop and printer vendors are equipping their machines with IrDA ports. Selecting the best color technology still depends on your quality requirements, duty cycle and budget.