Multifunction printers 'offer greater convenience'

Home and small office users could find that the latest wireless and all-in-one printers offer greater convenience and simplicity, a reviewer has claimed. Paul Taylor, writing for the Financial Times, said such developments could allow people to print from any computer on their wired or wireless networks far more easily than was previously the case.

Testing the Lexmark X7675 and the HP Photosmart C680, he revealed that both wireless all-in-one devices had proved simple and problem-free to set up. Mr Taylor said the products functioned well as wireless network printers and could "come into their own" in offices where it may be difficult to run cables. "All-in-one or multifunction printers combine the features of an inkjet printer, scanner, copier and often fax machine in a single, convenient unit," he wrote.

Although they may not always offer performance to rival the best-in-class devices in each category, the benefits could appeal to many people looking to purchase office supplies, Mr Taylor added.

The report comes after a study commissioned by Samsung found that companies could make "significant savings" by selecting the most efficient printers according to their office needs.