Dear Geek,
My printer at home is old and buying ink for it is almost as expensive as buying a new printer. My kids are bugging me to get a wireless printer. Why would I need one? And why are printers so cheap, and the ink so expensive?
Signed,
Print-less
Dear Print-less;
Let’s start with your last question first. Why does something that contains less liquid than a McDonalds ketchup packet cost so much? Some argue that it’s because of the technology that went into it. Others argue that it’s because ink manufacturers have a monopoly on the market and charge higher because they can. Others state that printer manufacturers make printers so cheap so that people will have to buy the ink. You can try the less-expensive ink refills, however some people complain that the ink cartridge goes quicker, and that the quality is lower. You can also make sure you choose the ‘black ink only’ option when you print black and white text, to make the colour ink last longer (which is more expensive than black ink).
Now for your second question. There are pros and cons to wireless printers. Printers that connect to your computer via a USB cable are more difficult to share with other computers because it has to be left on all the time in order for the other computers connected to your network to access it. A network-ready wireless printer simplifies the process, and makes it easier for everyone to access it. A wireless printer also makes it easier to place the printer in a location that’s convenient for everyone, without having everyone trip over cables everywhere.
If you’re printing big documents, a wireless printer could be slower to load the document. Also, depending on your wireless network and settings, wireless printers could be ‘glitchy’.
If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to: geek@tbyd.ca. We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!
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