The Simply Smarter Blog

Educators and school support staff already have a tough enough job as it is. Add outdated and malfunctioning technology to the mix, and you have an academic perfect storm. This is what faced the Macon County School District, located in southwestern North Carolina near the Appalachian Trail. They were dealing with outdated printers and copiers and needed to modernize quickly in order to spend less time worrying about tech and more time focusing on their 4,400 students. As such, they turned to Sharp for updated and innovative solutions to their printing environment needs.   

Multifunctional devices and printers are essential tools for professional use, allowing us to bring digital content into the physical realm. But when it comes to choosing the right printer, it is not always clear which one is right for your organization’s needs. Two common types of printers and multifunctional devices used in printing are A3 and A4. In this blog, we will explore the difference between A3 and A4 printers to help you make an informed decision when selecting the right printer for your business’ needs.

Hey there, savvy print enthusiasts! Imagine this: blazing printing speeds, colors that dance, and helpful features to unleash your creativity. As you probably know by now, Sharp recently announced the launch of its latest light production printing systems, the BP Color Pro Series. Today, we're catching up with one of the production print geniuses behind it all, Kent Villareal, Sharp's Senior Product Manager, to give you the lowdown on these pioneering Color Pro Series models that are creating a stir. Sit back, relax and learn some key takeaways about these newly released light production models.

Legal professionals operate in a detail-oriented environment, where effective collaboration and document management are key to efficiency, security, and client service. To keep up with the evolving demands of the legal landscape, law firms are turning to modern technologies that streamline workflows, strengthen information security, and foster seamless communication. In this blog post, we’ll review the evidence proving that collaboration tools, interactive whiteboards, and copiers/printers are 3 superpowers that help alleviate common challenges, reduce billable leakage, and enhance productivity in the legal sector.

A 2023 study found that 68% of organizations in the United States and Europe experienced data loss due to unsecure printing. Modern multi-functional printers (MFPs) offer a wide array of advanced productivity features to keep employees engaged and connect them to various business applications. Given their strategic importance in today’s workplace, how can we ensure MFPs have proper security measures in place so that they avoid becoming weak points that open doors to bad actors? Following are some steps Sharp has taken to address this.

Getting a new copy machine shouldn’t require a college degree. But with all the options out there, it sure can feel like it. Last time I checked, there was no University of Copy Machines, so I’ve tried to point out a few features that are worth looking into when renewing your school’s copier lease.

Of course, there are the obvious decisions such as monochrome or color, print speed and budget. While these are most certainly important, there are other aspects to investigate. Teachers have busy schedules, so when they have 5 minutes to print worksheets or copy student documents, the copier better work as expected, and be easy to use! To find the best copy machine for your school, make sure you’ve considered these five things.

Flu and COVID and colds, oh my. Lots of hands touch your copier, so the touchscreens and operation panels should be cleaned and sterilized! But, is it as easy as taking a Clorox wipe to your multifunction printer surfaces, or will that cause more harm than good?

The short answer is – kind of? Although cleaning your copier is easy, there are some things you may not be aware of, so we answered common questions in the following blog.

So, you’re looking to reduce print costs in the workplace, hey? In fact, you’re wondering to yourself right now, “Why? Why does this happen and how do I avoid spending a fortune on toner / ink / paper?” Luckily for you, there are three stages to resolving the eternal challenge of avoiding spending loads of money on print costs. And the good news is you can choose any stage you’re comfortable with (and can afford)! Let’s explore…

When shopping for a new copier or multifunction printer (MFP), things can get tricky. When you look at the specification sheets of similar devices from different manufacturers, at first glance, it may not seem like there is much differentiation among the group. But just because these devices look the same on paper doesn’t mean there isn’t a difference between them. And if it’s been a while since you’ve been in the market for a piece of print hardware, you may be surprised at what today’s devices offer.

For years we have been hearing that print is dead. Digital technology has certainly cornered the market in the past 15+ years. Medical offices started transferring paper records to digital and many schools stopped using hardback textbooks in favor of digital textbooks.  Newspapers, magazines and books have gone digital. A lot of companies have decided to make the switch from print advertising to web advertising. It is obvious that print is no longer the only game in town. But is print really dead? Not so fast.

Hybrid workstyles have driven the need for secure access to the cloud for all technology used in the workplace. As a result, you are no longer tethered to your desktop, and neither are your files! Meet the new Advanced and Essentials Series workgroup multifunction printers (MFPs) from Sharp. They provide seamless and secure access to enterprise workflows from wherever you are working.

These new MFPs check all the boxes when it comes to today’s diverse workstyles.

Organizations strive to reduce expenses and increase efficiency, but one area that is often overlooked is their print environment. According to Small Business Trends, 64% of small businesses can't track printer usage or cost. Managing a fleet of printers can require a significant amount of work, especially since printer management is rarely centralized. And, when multiple departments are involved with managing a fleet of printers, it's challenging to fully understand and keep tabs on critical elements like unforeseen issues, uptime, cost and productivity.

Rather than dedicating internal resources, organizations can consider subcontracting the management of their print environment. When outsourced, external providers can implement Managed Print Services (MPS) to manage and optimize an organization's document output so internal teams can focus on business development. If your organization is on the fence about implementing MPS, here are some things to consider.

I am a proud Gen Xer. I loved growing up in the age where we experienced seismic technology shifts. We are a strange hybrid of digital users who are extremely comfortable with technology but still remember a time when things were a bit more primitive.

There is no question that life is much easier today with the influx of technology, especially in the workplace.  If this past year and a half has taught us anything, it’s that in the education field and business world at least, you have to be somewhat tech savvy to keep up with the times. Read on to learn how tech has evolved.