Data Point: EFI is an OEM for the cloud to the box. With Vutek they keep growing in physical space.

Print in physical space - signs and banners, etc. - keeps growing nicely with good margins.

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS -- FESPA Digital Europe -- May 12, 2009 -- EFI™ (Nasdaq: EFII), . . today announced two new additions to their line of industry-leading VUTEk® superwide format UV printers, the GS2000, a revolutionary 2-meter hybrid that delivers photorealistic quality at incredible speeds without compromise, and the QS3220, a 3.2-meter hybrid printer with High Definition Print (HDP) technology and an extended application range.

and

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS -- FESPA Digital Europe -- May 12, 2009 -- EFI™ today announced a new 64-inch (162.56 cm) addition to their popular Rastek™ line of environmentally-friendly, wide-format printers, the Rastek H650 UV hybrid flatbed . . .

The Kodak Advantage: The commercial offset workflow

"Productivity, improves quality, and flexibility is a reasonable value proposition. Much better than Print is Good or digital blablabla.

Kodak Digital Plates Help Derksen Printers
from WhatTheyThink:
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Derksen Printers Ltd., a full-service commercial printer and newspaper publisher in Canada, has been making headlines since 1932. Specializing in short-run web printing of newspapers and flyers, the Manitoba-based printer delivers high-quality printing and exceptional service and support to its customers. With the installation of a KODAK TRENDSETTER NEWS 70 Thermal Platesetter with KODAK SWORD EXCEL Thermal Plates and KODAK PRINERGY EVO Workflow, Derksen Printers drives productivity, improves quality, and boosts flexibility in its operations."

Data point: Don't forget about Konica Minolta or EFI

Notice the sentence about "the desktop to the print shop" in the snippet below. Now if they could coordinate the sales efforts from the desk top and the print shop . . .

Konica Minolta bizhub MFPs Driven by Fiery Technology
from WhatTheyThink:
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Ramsey, N.J. and Foster City, Calif. -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, and EFI, the world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, today announced a new Fiery controller for the recently launched Konica Minolta bizhub C652/C552 Series of digital color multifunctional printers (MFPs) designed for the office environment."

The standards that enable the global printernet

Experts from the Ghent PDF Workgroup Speak at Special Session -
from WhatTheyThink
"The GWG's mission is to transcend borders and work together to develop common best practices that help to improve graphic arts workflows and foster business success,' said Zwang."

DataPoint: Screen gets a beachead in grand format.

The Garvey Group Installs Truepress Jet2500UV
from WhatTheyThink
"The Garvey Group Installs Truepress Jet2500UV
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

The Garvey Group, a network of advertising, marketing, print production, support, and fulfillment divisions located in the Midwest, has become the first printer in the United States to install Screen’s Truepress Jet2500UV grand format UV inkjet printer."

Datapoint: HP (OEM) talks to their OPM/VARs. Nice.

Now that's a global doing the right thing. Mid May is any day now. If they can get to a modified go to market strategy that fast it's a big win for everyone.

I'm hoping that it will be independents and franchises selling MarketSplash from the their counters to compete with Staples. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Industry Coalition and HP meet to Address Concerns with MarketSplash Program
from WhatTheyThink
"During the meeting, HP and the group discussed opportunities to work more effectively together, grow digital market opportunities and reconsider how MarketSplash could be implemented. HP accepted the group's input and agreed to revaluate their go-to-market strategy so that it continues to pursue its goal of enabling digital print while supporting its print service provider industry partners. HP committed to communicating their go forward strategy in mid May."

Datapoint: Transpromo in Sweden

3 Scandinavia Selects StreamServe
from WhatTheyThink:
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

BURLINGTON, Mass., USA -- StreamServe, Inc., a leading provider of business communication solutions, today announced that 3 Scandinavia has chosen StreamServe to dynamically create, produce, automate and distribute customer bills. The 3 Group is the world’s leading operator of 3G and mobile broadband services with more than 19 million customers in ten countries."

I wanted to call the column The Newspaper Printernet Emerges on the Iberian Peninsula

But my editor at PBS.Mediashift.org went with Press Terra Tests Newspaper 'Printernet' on the Iberian Peninsula.

Data Point: Keep your eye on Adobe AIR

1 + 1 = 3

Rich Internet applications
Adobe AIR:
The Adobe AIR™ runtime lets developers use proven web technologies to build rich Internet applications that run outside the browser on multiple operating systems."

Data Point: Color E paper soon to market

The more e readers, the more there will be new uses for customized print. It's a 1 + 1 = 3 situation.

Pixel Qi - Home
"The readability and legibility of our new screens rival the best epaper available today. What's new about our screens: fast video rate update (refresh), and fully saturated color at very low pricing because we use standard manufacturing materials, processes and factories. Our screens use 1/2 to 1/4 the power of a regular LCD screen, and when integrated carefully with the device can increase battery life between charges by 5-fold."