Lexmark unveils 'Flash Scan' print technology

Lexmark International will unveil a new all-in-one inkjet printer on Friday that includes an innovation in how photographs and other documents are scanned on printers.

"It's technology that is really addressing frustration and a need for our customers," said Bill Lucas, director of worldwide marketing for the Lexington-based printer maker's inkjet division.

The Lexmark Genesis includes what's called Flash Scan technology, essentially a digital camera lens in the printer that takes a snapshot of documents that need to be scanned. It replaces the standard scanning method in which the scanner moves across the image.

With the Flash Scan technology, the printer can take a document and make it digital in less than three seconds, the company said.

That speed also results in a near-instant preview of the document on the $399 printer's 4.3-inch touch screen. That will allow customers to prevent printing a document that wasn't scanned properly.

"Flash Scan gives them much more confidence, since they can have a preview of what they're doing," Lucas said.

The printer's scanning surface also includes clips to allow people to attach business cards, receipts or photos for easy scanning. Up to four photographs can be scanned simultaneously, and the printer will automatically save them as four separate digital files.

Besides the scanning function, the printer features another radical change — its own appearance. The Genesis, which will be available in stores after the first of the year, is a vertical design that's targeted for professionals and home office users "who value a really great design," Lucas said.

The device is 15.2" wide, 12.7" deep and 16.5" high. Compared to similar printers, it has a footprint that is anywhere from one-third to 40 percent smaller, Lucas said.

The printer will also feature Facebook and Twitter access on its touch screen to allow users to see their message feeds. Lucas said this is designed so businesses can see their Facebook walls or Twitter feeds "to see reaction to what you're promoting." The Facebook access also allows people to print photos directly from the touchscreen.

The printer's innovations are the reason its "Genesis" name was chosen, Lucas said.

"We're really trying to introduce a new segment or level of the all-in-one, so we wanted to come up with a name that would get people to think about things differently," he said.

This story was originally published October 15, 2010 at 12:15 PM with the headline "Lexmark unveils 'Flash Scan' print technology."