Apple Selling Printer Supplies through 10.4?

[Twinkie]

You don't have to "stock the closet" in order to be prepared.

I always keep one black and one color cartridge in the house for my HP. When one runs out (usually in the middle of the night, it seems), I swap it immediately. I'm then free to do all the web-searching and other shopping I need to get a replacement at a good price. Often, this means waiting a few weeks for a computer show to come to town, where I can usually beat out every major store's prices. I can take this much time because I have the spare on-hand and won't need the replacement for close to a year.[/b]

My point really is that unless you are stocking your closet with inkjet cartridges, or happen to be burning through them on a weekly (or even monthly) basis, the savings over retail is quite negligible.

And when you're buying one or two cartridges, it's often cheaper to just get them at a retail store after you've factored in shipping. (Unless someone here can tell me with a straight face that Newegg doesn't have some of the best prices around).

Keep in mind too that I'm talking about OEM stuff. I'm sure I could save 40% of more by going with Crazy Jim's Haus Of Ink replacements. Personally, the off-brand replacements I've used were all of lesser quality and generally not worth the cost savings.

 

[shamino]

My point really is that unless you are stocking your closet with inkjet cartridges, or happen to be burning through them on a weekly (or even monthly) basis, the savings over retail is quite negligible.

Maybe I'm only saving $20 a year ($10 each on two cartridges per year), and maybe that isn't very much to you, but it's still $20 that's remaining in my pocket. That's enough to buy a new game, or a nice-size meal at a restaurant (or a tank of gas )

And when you're buying one or two cartridges, it's often cheaper to just get them at a retail store after you've factored in shipping. (Unless someone here can tell me with a straight face that Newegg doesn't have some of the best prices around).

Who said you have to buy from Newegg to get the best prices? I've done lots of web searches and they never come up as the best price.

I usually end up buying from local family-owned stores, either at their storefronts or at local computer shows. I get about the same prices as the fly-by-night stores you find on the internet, but without paying shipping and without worrying about the store's reputability. (I really don't care if the store is run by crooks if I'm paying cash for a sealed name-brand package.)

Keep in mind too that I'm talking about OEM stuff. I'm sure I could save 40% of more by going with Crazy Jim's Haus Of Ink replacements. Personally, the off-brand replacements I've used were all of lesser quality and generally not worth the cost savings.

I never said anything about generics. Generic ink cartridges produce lousy quality prints and often fail prematurely. On Epson printers, they often clog the heads, leading to the need for a new printer. (Replacement Epson heads cost more than new printers.) I don't buy them, I don't recommend them, and I wasn't talking about them.

 

[narco]

Er....Bill Gates' mom died eight years ago.

Maybe you mean his stepmom?


[though it struck me as a new slogan...."The computer so easy even dead people can use it"][yeah, yeah, I know....really bad taste.....]

I didn't mean recently, this was back in the original Mac days.

Fishes,
narco.

 

[Sedulous]

I'm not too worried about that button. Heck, right under the "blue apple" on the top menu there is a "Mac OS X Software..." And it's been there a while.

 

[calvin]

Um, I'm afraid I'm going to have to be dim here...

Where is the button to buy supplies? I can't see one when I click print.

(I've got an HP Deskjet 960 if that makes any difference?)

Not that I;m overly bothered, but having already discovered one thing that didn't properly install with Tiger I'm a bit worried about anything else!

 

[yg17]

Um, I'm afraid I'm going to have to be dim here...

Where is the button to buy supplies? I can't see one when I click print.

(I've got an HP Deskjet 960 if that makes any difference?)

Not that I;m overly bothered, but having already discovered one thing that didn't properly install with Tiger I'm a bit worried about anything else!

see screenshot.


They don't even have supplies for my printer. I dont care though since I just buy ink at Target and get 10% off, and no one I've seen has been able to beat that price

 

[seashellz]

not just a 'profit center' but more like 'rip-off center';

Soon you will see: Printers- 5 for a dollar!
(Ink cartridges, those 75 cents worth pieces of plastic and ink go for $50.00.)

Screw the b*stards.

 

[wdlove]

Apple selling printer supplies, reminds me of the days of yore when Apple sold printers. The last one that I owned was a StyleWriter III, a stable little printer.

 

[javiercr]

dotMac

As long as it's not obtrusive, I suppose I can deal with it. But honestly, as much as we pay for our software and hardware, I don't think we really need Apple pimping their store to us.

If MS was doing this, we'd all be crying foul, for sure.

what about the pimping of the .mac accounts?

 

[calvin]

Nope, not there...

see screenshot.

Mmm... something might be going wrong with Tiger for me here - I've attached my shot of the same location.

Could it be that Tiger is detecting I'm in the UK and not doing it? Which wouldn't make sense, I guess, since there is a UK apple store?

 

[hulugu]

I was installing a Dell 3000cn color laser printer yesterday. When printing a document, a window popped up showing the toner levels and had a link to Dell's site, labeled "order supplies." Additionally, they place a shortcut on the user's desktop labeled "Order Printer Supplies." Whatever Apple's doing doesn't sound as bad as that...

It's really unobtrusive, the menu item is hidden in the Print Dialogue or in the Printer Setup Utility and then links to the Apple Store. It's not my favorite thing, but I don't think it constitutes a problem like Quicktime's annoying new 'look-how-much-you-can't do' greyed-out menu items.

 

[hulugu]

You don't have to "stock the closet" in order to be prepared.

I always keep one black and one color cartridge in the house for my HP. When one runs out (usually in the middle of the night, it seems), I swap it immediately. I'm then free to do all the web-searching and other shopping I need to get a replacement at a good price. Often, this means waiting a few weeks for a computer show to come to town, where I can usually beat out every major store's prices. I can take this much time because I have the spare on-hand and won't need the replacement for close to a year.

I do the same for other key supplies at home. I buy a ream of paper when the one I'm using is more than 3/4 used. I buy a spindle of 100 CD-Rs when I'm down to 10-15 left. I don't wait to actually run out, because then I will have to scramble to get repalcements immediately, making it impossible to take the time needed to properly shop for bargains.

You do the same thing I do, but for different reasons: my karma has guarenteed me to a life of dead printer cartridges, running out of paper (or any other necessary bit) at 1:00 a.m under deadline. But, then that might just be because of my workflow.

 

[Crunchy]

what about the pimping of the .mac accounts?

I am surprised at how little of an outcry that yielded.

 

[Stephen.Bedford]

QuickTime Pro nag

Both on Mac and PC you could get rid of the QuickTime Pro nag by setting your clock forward by say 10 years, launching QuickTime player, when prompted select "Later" then rest clock. You then won;t be reminded for another 10 years.

 

[After G]

I'm kind of sad that Apple doesn't have ink for my printer (A Samsung ML-1740).

I'm even more sad that there is no U.S.A. support for my printer now, as of recently. (I used the global driver, works the same)

I think this was a good idea for those new to computers, but I wish there was an option to turn it off.

 

[Flickta]

what about the pimping of the .mac accounts?

I have succesfully deleted the .mac system pref. and lived happily ever after...

 

[weg]

As long as Apple keeps it unobtrusive and low key (as well as maintaining a large selection at low prices) I dont think it's too bad... I definitely don't want the OS to become a freakin' Apple billboard/banner-infested system though.

Such "features" are only acceptable if they are turned off by default and
must be turned on by the user. PERIOD. Additionally the user should be
allowed to customize the links (i.e., use Amazon instead of Apple webshop).
Consider what would happen if Microsoft would insert links to their
webshop into Windows at various places.

 

[pubwvj]

If it worked this could be very nice from the average user's perspective. Getting the right ink or toner for the right printer is often a difficult process for many people. It is all too easy to get the wrong thing. This could help.

 

[wdlove]

If it worked this could be very nice from the average user's perspective. Getting the right ink or toner for the right printer is often a difficult process for many people. It is all too easy to get the wrong thing. This could help.

I personally don't have any trouble purchasing the correct ink. They have the proper number prominently displayed. I have been purchasing my ink at Costco, it is also displayed in a understand matter. I would only be interested in the online from Tiger if it turns out to be cheaper and with the same quality.

 

[Johnny Rico]

I personally don't have any trouble purchasing the correct ink. They have the proper number prominently displayed.

I agree with this, long gone are the days of 8-character-long ink identification numbers that were only a character or two different from each other depending on the type of ink and the printer you were using. ("Do I need the EKG-96859 or the EKG-98749?! ***** they only have EFG-96854! Will that work??") No, with the advent of personal computers in everyday life, printer manufacturers have wised up to this problem because, I'll let you in on a little secret here: they don't actually sell printers. They sell ink. And they want average everyday people (you know, the kind who get vertigo and lose 30-40 iq points when they walk into a store that sells more computer equipment than it does food) to be able to differentiate between different types of ink. So now, my hp inks have numbers like "56" printed on the ink slot, the ink cartrige, the box the cartrige comes in, the instructions, their website, etc etc etc in order to insure that anyone, regardless of intellect or amount of illegal drugs ingested, will be able to figure out what kind of ink they need.
In summation this is less likely an attempt at making things easier for people than it is a broad spectrum marketing technique. Yay profit!

 

[pubwvj]

HP OfficeJet 7130 or 7310. Just one number transposition and you got the wrong ink. It is easier than you think.

 

[firewired]

I was installing a Dell 3000cn color laser printer yesterday. When printing a document, a window popped up showing the toner levels and had a link to Dell's site, labeled "order supplies." Additionally, they place a shortcut on the user's desktop labeled "Order Printer Supplies." Whatever Apple's doing doesn't sound as bad as that...

How were you able to get the 3000cn to work? I am running 10.4 and have been unable to find a driver that works for it.

Thanks for any help.

 

[smebs]

Dell 3000cn on Tiger?

Hey ottergoose.... do you use the Dell 3000cn on your mac? Does it install easily on Tiger? B&W and color? I've read some places that it requires a lot of 'workarounds', but it's a good deal for a color laser. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

I was installing a Dell 3000cn color laser printer yesterday. When printing a document, a window popped up showing the toner levels and had a link to Dell's site, labeled "order supplies." Additionally, they place a shortcut on the user's desktop labeled "Order Printer Supplies." Whatever Apple's doing doesn't sound as bad as that...

 

[HiRez]

You mean like the $49.99 printer whose replacement ink costs $52.90?

I completely replaced my inkjets (Epson, Canon) with a laserjet (HP Laserjet 1012) and I couldn't be happier with it. If you don't need color, a laserjet is just so much better in every way (faster, cheaper, quieter, better-looking, smudgeless). With the bubblejets I had to worry every time I printed a page if the ink was going to be dry, now I never even think about it, it's wonderful.

 

[skoker]

Wow! Apple has my laser printer toner for cheaper than what I pay now!