Earlier this month, Funai Electric Company announced what, at first blush, seems to be a truly terrible idea: it is going to sell Kodak-branded consumer/SOHO printers and consumables. Maybe that is too harsh a judgment. After all, it is not a terrible idea for everybody involved. It is a pretty good idea for Kodak to
On February 24, Canon announced the conclusion of another of its patent-infringement disputes, this time with X com shop in Russia. Canon filed its Russian suit in the Moscow City Economic Court August 2014 (see “Canon Files Toner Cartridge Patent-Infringement Lawsuit in Russia”), alleging that the distributor sold infringing cartridges on its website, www.xcom-shop.ru. Canon’s
Canon is close to reaching a settlement agreement with plaintiffs that filed class action complaints against the OEM last year, alleging that Canon sold PIXMA inkjet all-in-ones with defective print heads. When we last reported on the litigation against Canon (see “Inkjet Class Actions against Canon Are Consolidated, Is Settlement Agreement Forthcoming?”), three similar but
On February 17, Xerox updated the low end of its A4 color printer and MFP lineup with the introduction of the Phaser 6022 printer and the WorkCentre 6027MFP. Matthew Raab, worldwide product marketing manager for Xerox, tells us the Phaser 6022 replaces the Phaser 6010 and the WorkCentre 6027 replaces the WorkCentre 6015. The previous
On February 16, International Data Corporation (IDC) released its most recent data regarding the Western European printer and MFP markets. According to IDC’s “Worldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker,”unit shipments in the region decreased very slightly in the fourth quarter, although revenues increased, and the research firm reports that, overall, the hardcopy market in Western Europe
History would appear to be repeating itself. The final active respondents in Canon’s “dongle gear” toner cartridge investigation currently before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) have settled with the OEM, and the parties jointly filed a motion asking for the hearing that was supposed to get underway on February 18 to be suspended. That
On February 18, Canon announced it had obtained a default judgment against European Cartridge Warehouse Limited (ECW) and Printer Supplies Technology Limited (PST) in a patent-infringement complaint that the OEM had filed in the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. Canon commenced legal proceedings against these firms in July 2014 (see “Canon Files
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will hold its hearing in Canon’s toner cartridge patent-infringement complaint from February 18 to 24. With the hearing so close, some additional respondents/defendants have come to terms with the OEM, including Calabasas, CA-based remanufacturer International Laser Group (ILG) and two interrelated Midland Parks, NJ-based firms, American Internet Holdings and
On February 3, OKI Electric Industry Company announced its financial results for the first nine months of its fiscal year that will end on March 31, 2015. The firm does not break out its quarterly results separately in its financial statements, providing only the results for the period from April 1, 2014, to December 31,
On January 30, Ricoh announced its fiscal results for the third quarter of its fiscal year, as well as for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2014. The year continues to be one of slowed growth for Ricoh, which was reliant on the weak yen and favorable foreign exchange rates to achieve positive numbers in