September 2004 15
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The workgroup scanner category is highly competitive with numerous scanner
manufacturers and models. The scale of feature/functionality differences among
departmental scanners is much less than the scale of feature/functionality differences
among production class scanners. It is clearly a challenge for manufacturers to achieve
features-based product superiority in such a competitive category. To be successful, we
must leverage all of the differentiators (both product and non-product) including our
service and support, our entire scanner portfolio, and relationships with all of our
partners, including resellers, distributors, and software providers.
Competitive scanners
Some document scanners are not very reliable and often cannot be repaired when they
break. The cost of the repair usually exceeds the scanner’s price. Other scanners may
not scan in duplex mode and may have weak ADFs. On some scanners, you cannot
even replace the consumables. Image processing functions usually do not exist and
professional drivers are not available.
Less expensive scanners usually have a less advanced feeding mechanism, which
tends to jam or double-feed documents. Also, on most scanners, the feed rollers must
be frequently replaced. The i30/i40 Scanner has only one consumable part, the feed
module, which is simply snapped in.
Workgroup, network scanners, and MFDs
Occasionally, you may be confronted with comparisons of workgroup, network scanners,
or multifunctional devices (MFD) against the i30/i40 Scanner. There are dozens of
makes and models on the market with many new models introduced every year. We do
not plan to benchmark all of these devices; however, the following information is offered
to assist you in your efforts.
Nature of these other devices
These other devices are typically higher-end consumer products with fewer features.
They generally have high optical resolution and much higher output resolutions (2400
dpi).
Scanner speed specifications often rival departmental class scanners, but be sure to
check the fine print. These speeds usually do not specify document size, or dots per
inch. To achieve these scanning speeds, these devices generally require less than
lettersize/A4 documents, lower dpi, or both.