Konica Minolta Introduces the bizhub™ C350 Color Printer/Copier/Scanner. First Product Launched Under the bizhub Brand is an Ideal Replacement for Monochrome and Color Units, Providing Businesses with Cost-Effective Color On Demand.
The bizhub C350 brings the universal design concept of the bizhub brand - network functionality and management, security features, document management, superior image quality, data handling, high reliability and concern for the environment in one platform - to fruition. A central document resource that places professionals at the "hub" of their business scene, the bizhub C350 offers the following standard features: a built-in PCL print controller, networking, advanced scanning capabilities, Konica Minolta Simitri® Color Polymerized Toner, ISO-15408 Level 3 Security (currently in evaluation), network and document management tools through the PageScope software suite, and Energy Star certification.
"Business are going to have to think twice about replacing a monochrome system with another monochrome system now that the bizhub C350 has entered the market. With the bizhub C350, businesses have access to an advanced color imaging system at the price of a monochrome device, enabling them to have cost-effective color on demand," said William H. Brewster, Jr., vice president, marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. "The bizhub C350 gives business professionals more flexibility and more opportunities to capitalize on the real power of color, and it serves as a central resource for all of a business' document imaging needs. The combination of features, functionality and usability make the bizhub C350 a much better value than other available replacement options."
Enhanced Imaging and Paper Handling
With its advanced color imaging system, the bizhub C350 is better able to distinguish dark blue/green text from black text, has improved text over halftone dot patterns for maps and Excel files, and enhanced text over yellow background for an overall improvement in text reproduction.
Featuring 256 levels of grayscale per pixel, 600 x 600 dpi copy resolution and 600 x 1800 dpi enhanced print resolution, the bizhub C350 produces clear text, sharp edges and consistent color. The bizhub C350 uses Konica Minolta Simitri® Color Polymerized Toner, which maintains the uniformity of the toner particles for more even distribution, significantly better halftone definition and better solid fills. It also employs registration correction, Fine Edge Enhancement Technology and Multiple Exposure Tone System.
With these image quality features, plus a monthly maximum duty cycle of 100,000 impressions; standard paper capacity of 900 sheets, including a 150- sheet intelligent bypass tray; expandable paper capacity up to 3,400 sheets; and an optional Reversing Automatic Document Feeder, the bizhub C350 easily meets the color and monochrome document needs of busy workgroup environments.
Finishing Options for Maximum Productivity
For added productivity and convenience, Konica Minolta has enhanced the finishing options available for the bizhub C350 to meet, and in some cases exceed, the options found on competitive monochrome and color devices at similar speeds. Finishing options include: the FS-501 Staple Finisher with sort, group and corner staple capabilities, and the modular FS-601 Booklet Finisher, which allows for sorting, stapling and saddle stitching; as well as two- and three-hole punching with the addition of PK-501 Punch Kit.
Printing and Scanning Capabilities are Standard
The standard configuration for the bizhub C350 includes color and B&W print and scan capabilities. The standard Konica Minolta PCL print controller offers PDF printing, enhanced scanning capabilities and increased RIP speeds. In addition, users can store printed documents in the unit's optional hard disk drive; save print jobs in RAM; print documents securely with Lock Job functionality; and Proof and Print, which prints one copy of a multi-copy job and stores data in memory for easy editing. Scanning capabilities include: scan-to-email, scan-to-FTP, scan-to-URL, scan-to-HDD, Internet faxing, TWAIN scanning and scan-to-hold queue.
For graphic-intense environments, an IC-401 Image Controller (EFI) with PostScript® 3 support, graphic arts functionality (Auto Trapping, Hot Folders and Spot On Color Matching), DocBuilder™ Pro, EFI Densitometer and the EFI Color Profiler Kit are available options.
Enhanced Security Features
Because document security has become increasingly important, the bizhub C350 is currently being evaluated for ISO-15408 security certification to Level 3, which applies to network IT products. Some of the bizhub C350's security features include: hard disk drive password protection and random erase formatting, SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption for PageScope WebConnect and LDAP Servers, and a security penalty function that locks the machine from unauthorized users.
PageScope Suite Provides Document Processing and
Network Management Functions
bizhub C350 customers also have access to PageScope, Konica Minolta's powerful family of integrated software applications and utilities that help businesses manage their documents and devices. Included in this suite of products is PageScope Net Care, which provides network administrators with detailed information about the operating conditions of all output devices containing a Management Information Base (MIB) on a network from any Web browser. This means that not only can administrators monitor their Konica Minolta device, they can see any network printers from Lexmark or HP, for example. Network administrators can also get total print, copy and scan meter reads all from one PC. By using the information available from Net Care, businesses can lower management costs and maintain the optimum condition of their devices.
Also included is PageScope Web Connection, which allows users to instantly check device conditions on all network-connected Konica Minolta printer/copiers from their desktop; PageScope Network Setup, to setup the controller from the desktop; and PageScope EMS Plug-Ins and PageScope NDPS Gateway, for seamless connections to Enterprise or Novell Distributed Print Services.
In addition, a single workstation license of PageScope Cabinet Pro is offered. PageScope Cabinet Pro is a personal document management application that enables users to display scanned documents in thumbnail form, group related documents, use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to perform full text search for information. OCR converts image files to editable text or RTF files so information can be edited, annotated, updated or even incorporated into new documents. Additional licenses can be purchased.
PageScope Router is available as an optional software package. PageScope Router speeds information flow by allowing customers to scan and distribute color documents in a single step, sending documents to virtually any destination.
Highlighted bizhub C350 Features
-- Copy and print speeds of 22ppm color and 35ppm B&W
-- Konica Minolta Simitri® Color Polymerized Toner
-- Network scanning standard integration, including scan-to-email, scan-
to-FTP, scan-to-URL, scan-to-HDD, Internet faxing, TWAIN scanning and
scan-to-hold queue
-- 512MB standard memory
-- 600 x 600 dpi copy resolution; 600 x 1800 dpi enhanced print
resolution
-- Toner yield of up to 11,500 impressions
-- Imaging unit yield of up to 50,000 for color and 80,000 for B&W
-- 900-sheet standard/3,400-sheet maximum paper capacity
-- Standard Konica Minolta PCL print controller with 350 MHz processor
and 256MB of standard memory
-- Currently being evaluated for ISO-15408 Level 3 Security (standard
controller only)
-- Optional IC-401 Image Controller (EFI) for graphic-intense
environments
-- Multiple advanced finishing options, including the FS-501 Stapling
Finisher with sort, group, and corner staple capabilities; and the
FS-601 Booklet Finisher with standard sort, staple and saddle-stitch
capabilities, and optional two- or three-hole punching
-- Energy Star certified
Pricing and Availability
The bizhub C350 is available through Konica Minolta's North American direct sales, authorized dealer and value-added reseller channels. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the bizhub C350 is $11,500. The MSRP for the optional IC-401 Image Controller is $3,950, for the FS-601 Saddle Finisher is $3,000, for the FS-501 Staple Finisher is $1,580, for the PK-501 Punch Kit is $525.