Sharp

Mahwah, NJ, January 21, 2010 -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) today introduced the new MX-C400P and MX-B400P color and monochrome laser printers. Augmenting Sharp’s Frontier Series, these new workgroup printers provide dealers and end-users with an easy-to-use printer that provides a low total cost of ownership and a robust feature set. Based on the award-winning engine of its MFP counterparts, the MX-C400P and MX-B400P deliver speed and functionality in a single function product that can meet the output needs of mid-volume business workgroups with integration and networking features that make them extremely versatile.

The new MX Series printers are an extension of the award-winning A4 Frontier Series from Sharp. Engineered using a common architecture, the MX-C400P and MX-B400P employ the same engine, print controller, supplies and maintenance items, paper drawers and finishing items. These printers have been designed for workgroups with a monthly print volume of 5,000 to 8,000 pages and can yield up to four times more pages than traditional stand-alone units that employ mono-unit consumables, which are, ultimately, limited by toner yield.

“Because these new printers utilize the same engine as our Frontier MFPs, end-users who don’t need scanning and copying capabilities will still get the same powerful controller, output quality, throughput, paper handling, connectivity and security features, but at a fraction of the cost,” said Gary Bailer, Associate Director A4 MFPs, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “These products provide our dealers with the ability to provide a full, end-to-end Frontier solution that will greatly reduce an end-user’s cost of ownership. By blending the cost per copy between fully-networked MFPs and printers, offices operate more efficiently and manage their document processing more effectively.”

LAS VEGAS, NV, January 6, 2010 -- Sharp continues to contribute to the achievement of an overall green society, and at CES 2010 this is evident in the company’s new product introductions, led by a revolutionary LCD technology that will not only change the way consumers see color, but will greatly increase energy savings.  It is equally evident in Sharp’s energy and solar innovations, as well as developments in room environments to help foster healthy, safe lifestyles.

“As we move into a new decade, Sharp is prepared to bring consumers the utmost in quality home entertainment products while helping to ensure the smallest footprint possible on the environment,” said Michael Troetti, president, Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America. “We’re ushering in a new phase of LCD technology, led by our new four primary color technology, and are excited to roll out our new energy-efficient AQUOS^® LED LCD TV lines.  Sharp’s booth also offers a look into the future of solar and LED lighting innovations to further improve the consumer lifestyle.”

Four Primary Color Technology
Sharp’s proprietary four primary color technology, which will be employed in several new AQUOS LED LCD TV models introduced at CES, adds (Y) yellow to the traditional (R) red, (G) green and (B) blue, enabling more than a trillion colors to be displayed.  In addition to this groundbreaking technology, Sharp is introducing a wide assortment of LED-backlit LCD TVs with increased performance, energy-efficient panels and contemporary new designs in the widest array of screen size offerings.  Sharp’s four primary color technology truly expands the color gamut, faithfully rendering nearly all colors that can be discerned with the unaided human eye.  Four primary color technology enables the display to reproduce colors that have been difficult to portray using conventional LCD displays, such as the golden yellow color of brass instruments.  When combined with Sharp’s 1080p X-Gen LCD panel, which incorporates UV²A Technology, the displays offer dramatic reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional fluorescent-backlight LCD TVs.

MAHWAH, N.J., December 9, 2009 – Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, today announced that its MX-C401, DX-C401 and MX-B401 A4 MFPs have received 2009 Pick of the Year Awards from Buyer’s Laboratory Inc. (BLI). These awards acknowledge “outstanding performance” and excellence “in areas of importance to IT professionals” in the MX- and DX-C401 models (Outstanding Mid-Size Workgroup A4 Color MFP), and the MX-B401 (Outstanding Mid-Size Workgroup A4 Monochrome MFP).

"We are very happy to accept these Pick Awards for the MX- and DX-C401 Models," said Gary Bailer, associate director product management, A4 multifunction printers, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "Along with the BLI Pick Awards their counterparts (MX- and DX-C311) received in the spring, the Frontier Series is quickly becoming one of our most popular and critically acclaimed lines. These awards further validate Sharp's commitment to manufacturing high-quality MFPs in a number of different segments that meet our customers' needs for superior functionality, connectivity, security and reliability."

These products bring brilliant output closer to the workgroup with a design that has a small footprint to fit in to environments others won't, yet isn't small on functionality. A large 8.5 inch (diagonal) W-VGA color touchpanel display simplifies operation by providing an intuitive user interface. Incorporating next-generation common controller architecture, these Frontier Series models provide the same uniform functionality and operability that can be found across Sharp's award-winning MFP product line. These models offer modular expandability, remote-access capabilities, and a value-added approach to network and software integration. They also incorporate Sharp's award-winning Sharp OSA® platform and the industry-leading Sharp Security Suite to protect data and control access.

Mahwah, NJ, December 7, 2009 -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, today announced that it has received the 2009 "Line of the Year" Award from Buyers Laboratory, Inc. (BLI), the leading global provider of information and testing services to the digital imaging industry. BLI's "Line of the Year" is awarded once a year to the vendor whose product line is determined to be the best overall based on its cumulative test results in BLI's rigorous two-month laboratory evaluation. Among the many factors considered are reliability, image quality, productivity, ease of use, scanning, a host of connectivity attributes and overall value. Also considered is the breadth of each vendor's line.

"We are honored to once again receive this award. We believe it to be the result of our continued focus on where the market is heading, not just where it is today," said Mike Marusic, vice president of marketing and service, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "In doing so we work closely with end users to understand their needs and where their business is moving, and then design products that will help them work more efficiently and ultimately improve their bottom line. The result is our award winning line of MFPs – from A4 to production class - that are customizable, easy to operate, secure and reliable."

Last year Sharp became the first of the traditional copier vendors to launch workgroup-level A4/letter MFPs that, like copiers, feature separate drums, developer and toner. These are the BLI highly recommended MX-B401 and MX-C401 / DX-C401, along with the MX-C311 / DX-C311, which received a BLI "Pick" Award earlier this year.

This award acknowledges that Sharp offers A4 products that meet the differing service requirements of various customers alongside A3 models that offer a host of innovative features, including the industry-first standard retractable QWERTY keyboard and the third generation of Sharp OSA technology^®.

MAHWAH, NJ, December 2, 2009 -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, today announced that several of its A3 MFPs have received 2009 Pick of the Year Awards from Buyer's Laboratory Inc. (BLI). The awards acknowledge "outstanding performance" and excellence "in areas of importance to IT professionals" in a number of different Sharp A3 MFPs, including the MX-M283N (Outstanding 21- to 30-PPM Monochrome MFP), MX-M363 (Outstanding 31- to 40-PPM Monochrome MFP) and the MX-M453 and MX-M503 (Outstanding 41- to 50-PPM Monochrome MFPs).

"We are proud to accept this year’s BLI Pick of the Year Awards because we believe Sharp's best of breed engineering has reached a new level with these products," said George Grafanakis, senior manager, Product Planning and Marketing, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "All of the newest Sharp innovations can be found in these MFPs, from the durable, standard pull-out keyboard, to the 8.5" touchscreen display, to our Sharp OSA^® development platform that features a growing number of certified and customizable applications. We would like to thank BLI for this award and will continue to develop products that meet our customers’ needs as we head in to the new year."

In addition to award-winning Sharp features such as a large color touchscreen; standard retractable keyboard; and the Sharp OSA development platform, Sharp's MX monochrome and color series models broke new ground by incorporating a common architecture among all models, minimizing the need to stock two different sets of options.

MAHWAH, N.J., July 23, 2009 – Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, today introduced the FO-2080, a digital document communication system that packs Sharp’s multi-functional capabilities into a compact footprint for the SMB market. The versatile FO-2080 combines high speed Super G3 fax functionality with high-quality digital copying, network printing, and direct-to-PC color scanning in an easy-to-use machine that is easily accessible to anyone in the workgroup.

Providing an enhanced level of user-friendliness, the FO-2080 provides auto switching between dual paper trays as a standard feature, eliminating the need to manually switch between legal and letter sized paper for incoming faxes. With an overall maximum capacity of 550 sheets, the two standard 250-sheet paper trays simultaneously accommodate different paper sizes such as letter or legal, along with a 50-sheet bypass tray that can handle heavy paper, labels, transparencies, and envelopes, to keep workflow moving seamlessly. The FO-2080 also delivers features such as 2-sided printing, copying and scanning, as well as E-Sort and Offset Stacking, making tasks such as collating, separating, and sorting absolutely effortless.

“The FO-2080 is a highly functional office document solution that puts the capabilities of multiple machines in the footprint of an average fax machine,” said Andre Pimentel, Associate Product Manager, A4 Multifunction Printers, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “This is a product that can help enable office administrators to greatly resolve and streamline workflow issues and reduce cost of operation in a number of ways.”

MAHWAH, NJ, June 30, 2009 -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, today announced that it received six "Pick" Awards from Buyers Laboratory Inc. (BLI). The awards acknowledge "outstanding performance" and excellence "in areas of importance to IT professionals" for a wide range of Sharp products, including Sharp Printer Administration Utility version 5 (PAU5); Sharp’s newest A3 MFPs (MX-2600N; MX-3100; MX-4101 and MX-5001); and the MX-C311/DX-C311, Sharp’s first color A4 MFP and part of its Frontier Series.

"This year's BLI Pick Awards truly underscore Sharp's dedication to developing a complete line of solutions-based products," said Mike Marusic, vice president, marketing, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "Our line of MFPs, coupled with our software offerings such as PAU5 can help businesses operate more efficiently and keep service costs to a minimum."

The Sharp MX-C311 and Sharp A3 segment MFPs feature a number of award-winning features that consistently draw rave reviews from customers. These features include an 8.5-inch high-resolution touch-screen color display; Sharp OSA^® development platform; and a stylish, textural exterior that compliments any office design. Furthermore, the MX-2600N, MX-3100, MX-4101 and MX-5001 include a standard, retractable keyboard that makes data entry at the MFP quick and easy.

"We put these models through their paces and they passed with flying colors," said Lynn Nannariello, BLI's assistant managing editor. "Sporting a distinctive design that includes a textured exterior and rounded corners, these highly reliable devices offer an array of features that make them very easy to use."

MAHWAH, NJ -- 05/06/09 -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) : today introduced three new monochrome models that leverage Sharp's award-winning color-series platform and provide enhanced workflow capabilities while delivering superior image quality. Sharp's new MX-M503N/M453N/M363N : workgroup document systems are the first of seven new monochrome models that will be introduced this year to provide enhanced functionality for mid- to high-volume workgroups.

In addition to award-winning Sharp features such as a large color touchscreen; standard retractable keyboard; and the Sharp OSA® : development platform, dealers will also appreciate the common architecture between these new MX monochrome models and Sharp's MX color series models. This new design approach minimizes the need to stock two different sets of options.

"Sharp's MX line of MFPs is changing the game with advanced integration features such as Sharp OSA technology, robust web-based device management and remote front panel capabilities to enhance serviceability," said George Grafanakis, senior manager, product planning and marketing, SIICA. "Add to that a brilliant high-resolution color touchscreen display for enhanced ease-of-use plus a standard retractable keyboard and users have a fully integrated document system that greatly streamlines workflow. These new monochrome models fit perfectly in to the Sharp product lineup, giving dealers and end-users more options when integrating an end-to-end solution that meets their workgroup document requirements."

Designed for Exceptional Performance and Reliability
Featuring an 800 MHz true multi-tasking controller that delivers copy, print and fax jobs continuously, and can also process network scanning jobs while existing jobs are output, the MX-M503N/M453N/M363N models are extremely versatile. These MFPs are manufactured with Sharp second generation micro-fine toner technology, which provides more uniform image coverage and a lower consumption rate than conventional toners, resulting in crisp, high-quality output that is also economical.
These new models feature automatic duplexing, electronic sorting and integrated offset stacking; an on-board paper capacity of up to 5,600 sheets; and a 100-sheet duplex single pass document feeder with color Scan2™ technology standard. Sharp's award-winning Scan2 technology enables users to scan two-sided documents in a single pass, speeding up workflow, reducing misfeeds and improving reliability.

MAHWAH, NJ, March 23, 2009 -- Sharp today introduced the next model in its dynamic Frontier Series: the MX-B401. The MX-B401 is the first monochrome Multifunction Printer (MFP) in the Frontier family of A4 MFP products, and has been designed to blend simplicity with multi-tasking productivity and advanced functionality.

With the ability to print up to 40 black-and-white pages per minute, the MX-B401 provides crisp output with greater ease and efficiency. The MX-B401 includes hallmark Sharp features that bring its level of functionality to new levels, including an 8.5 inch (diagonal) W-VGA color touchpanel display, the award-winning Sharp OSA^® platform, and remote-access capabilities that can significantly reduce operating costs and downtime. With Common Controller Architecture, the MX-B401 provides uniform functionality and operability as found in Sharp’s award-winning MFP line, helping to reduce training costs and increasing user adoption.

“The Frontier Series continues to break new ground in the A4 space with IT-friendly remote management features, Sharp OSA technology, and a brilliant color LCD display,” said Gary Bailer, associate director A4 MFPs, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. “In particular, the compact size and robust feature set of the MX-B401 make it ideal for offices that might not need ledger size paper and are looking for an alternative to a bigger, bulkier A3 model. This is another high-quality Frontier model that gives both dealers and end-users more options when integrating an end-to-end solution that meets their workgroup document requirements.”

Remote Access Capabilities
As with other Frontier models, the MX-B401 incorporates Sharp’s newest developments in device management, with Remote Front Panel capability that provides the IT administrator or helpdesk professional with the ability to see exactly what the end-user is seeing. They can remotely change settings, show the user how to perform a function, or diagnose and often rectify problems without deploying a technician to the device. This unique MFP capability dramatically reduces unit downtime and support costs.

Cornelius, NC, March 16, 2009 -- X-Solutions, a leading provider of digital archiving software, today announced the release of SimplifyScan for Sharp OSA™ enabled MFPs. Based on the power of the Sharp OSA development platform, SimplifyScan allows users to easily capture documents and distribute copies to any location on their network, directly from their Sharp multifunction device. This allows users to quickly and efficiently integrate their documents into their existing digital workflows. SimplifyScan ensures that the document is stored in the preferred/selected destination as a text searchable file, such as PDF/A, Word or Excel files. SimplifyScan combines ingenuity with user friendliness to create an easy and intuitive scanning solution and can be integrated into any workflow.

“Adding value and creating a positive user experience is what we want to provide with SimplifyScan,” said Stephanie Bourgeois, VP, X-Solutions. “Sharp shares in our dedication to delivering best in class service to our customers and we look forward to working in tandem to deliver valuable document management solutions to the marketplace.”