Canon, leader in photographic and imaging technology, is pleased to announce the launch of the super-fast 18ppm Canon Laser Shot LBP3200 laser beam printer. The stylish, sleek and remarkably petite design uses AIR (Automatic Image Refinement) technology to produce 2400x600 dpi equivalent resolution professional quality prints - one of the highest resolution printers on the market. Zero warm-up time and a first print in less than 10 seconds gives the Laser Shot LBP3200 one of the fastest ‘first prints' of any printer in its class.

Canon invented the laser beam printer in the early 1980s. It still earns royalties from having its patented technology at the heart of other popular manufacturers' machines.

“With the Laser Shot LBP3200, we are hitting the three areas that matter most to our customers: Speed, size and resolution,” explains Malcolm Hills, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging in the UK and Ireland. “The Laser Shot LBP3200 is part of Canon's drive to reconfirm leadership in the laser beam printer market”.

Faster, Intuitive Printing
Key to the Laser Shot LBP3200's generous 18 ppm print speed is the use of Canon's CAPT (Canon Advanced Printing Technology) print driver and SCoA (Smart Compression Architecture) technology. Unlike traditional printers that rely heavily on use of the printer's memory for data processing, the CAPT driver rasterizes the print job and ScoA compresses the data before transmission to the printer. This reduces the amount of memory required in the printer and eliminates the common print processor bottleneck, feeding the print engine fast enough to keep it running at full speed via its USB interface. The result is faster, continuous printing.

CAPT also employs an intuitive graphic user interface, which allows control of all printer variables from the Windows desktop*. The sound-assisted interface allows users to see the printer as an extension of their computer for seamless integration between applications and print jobs.

All-In-One Cartridge
Canon's groundbreaking All-in-One cartridge integrates the most essential elements of a laser printer - toner, drum and cleaner unit - into one container. The quick, clean and easy process of inserting a new cartridge replaces all core elements subject to wear, essentially putting a brand new printer on the desk for crisp, clean, maintenance-free copies at every use. Each cartridge yields an incredible 2,500 A4 pages at 5% coverage.

Tiny Footprint
The tiny footprint of the printer makes it ideal for environments where space is at a premium or where users wish to eliminate clutter, such as reception areas, small offices and home offices. The stylish casing is consistent with Canon's move toward fashionable, chic design for its consumer office products, in recognition of the increasing importance of aesthetics in the work place.

All Types of Media
To reduce the frequency of paper changes, the printer features a generous 250 page cassette. As expected from a laser printer designed for professional small office / home office use, the Laser Shot LBP3200 accepts a wide range of print media, including A4 transparencies, envelopes (98x162mm to 176x250mm), plain paper from 76.2x 27mm to 216x356mm (including Letter, A4, Executive, B5 and Postcards).

Environmentally Sound
Consistent with Canon's stringent environmental policy to ensure that all its products have a low impact on the environment, the printer is Energy Star Compliant and the All-in-One cartridge is completely recyclable at any of Canon's worldwide cartridge recycling plants. The printer's new engine also has a very low operating noise level, making it ideal for desktop use.

Pricing, availability and reader enquiries
The Laser Shot LBP-3200 will be available from December 2003 for around £209 inc VAT.

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