Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Idiot-proof color pays off for HP

We've all been amazed by the rave reviews which the Z-series has been getting from the photo crowd. Are they really that good ? I think they're simply idiot-proof.

Methinks many of the "Gag me with a spoon !" Z-series fans are seeing the effects of seamless working CMS for the first time. Decent color, and painless. And no consultant involved, either. Please, Sir, may I have some more ?

HP has figured out that any custom-profiled printer with decent native drivers will always beat an unprofiled printer.

When the fight involves third party media the fight is even more unbalanced. But the photo crowd do so love their esoteric paper choices. And the channel loves them for their conspicuous consumption. A bartender does like his alcoholics.

Epson and Canon have good print quality, when somebody bothers to make a custom profile for them. Which involves spectros, and/or consultants and/or dongled software and other nasties.

Which is why Epson and Canon should be afraid for their market share — when the sh*t hits the fan - excuse me, when the product hits the market, usability wins over quality every time.

Wait and see.

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