Printers Aint a Box of Nails

Printers Aint a Box of Nails

Written By
M. David Stone
M. David Stone
Oct 2, 2007
1 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

Printers—both single function and multifunction printers—are sometimes accused of having reached generic status.

The truth is, theyre far from it.

A box of nails is generic. Theres not much chance of telling one brand from another or finding one with better features. And if you found one, how would you know?

Printers each offer their own constellation of features. And for any model, its not hard to think of other features youd like to add.

Broadly speaking, the AWOL features fall into three categories. Most are available on some printers, but should be far more common. Some are available on most printers, but inexplicably missing from a few. And some are good ideas that we havent seen in any real products yet.

The following come from a little of each, but all of which, should see a greater representation in the next class of printers just hitting the drawing board.

Check out eWEEK.coms for the latest printer news, reviews and analysis.

eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.