HP Launches Eco-Friendly Printers, Solutions - By Tony Hoffman

Hewlett-Packard on Monday launched two monochrome printers that include energy- and paper-saving features, along with new solutions designed to reduce the impact of printing on the environment.

HP seems to be going to extra lengths to try to shore up its green reputation with consumers. Although the company was the target of a Greenpeace protest in July over delays in its commitment to remove hazardous materials from its laptops, it was actually recently ranked the "greenest" Fortune 500 company.

The HP LaserJet P2055 d/dn devices are monochrome, networked Energy Star-qualified printers geared to small- and medium-size businesses as well as small, enterprise-level workgroups. According to HP, their instant-on technology provides up to 50 percent energy savings over traditional fusing technology.

Both printers also support automatic duplexing (two-sided printing) and use 100 percent recycled paper. They include n-up printing, which allows for multiple document pages on a single printed page, as well as a rated print speed of up to 35 pages per minute, printing at up to 1,200 by 1,200 dpi, and a 2- by 16-inch LCD display.

The HP Eco Solutions Print Console, available later this winter as a free download for HP LaserJet P2055 d/dn printers, helps SMBs easily manage a printer's energy and paper-saving settings directly from a PC. The HP green IT action plan for office printing and imaging, also announced Monday, is described by the company as leveraging tools such as the HP Carbon Footprint Calculator for printing to guide SMBs through an easy process to assess their carbon footprint and build an environmental printing strategy.

The HP LaserJet P2055 dn and LaserJet P2055 n will be available this month, and will sell at estimated street prices of between $300 and $400.