HP introduces color DeskWriter; color scanner, PostScript LaserJets also aimed at Mac market. (HP's DeskWriter C, ScanJet IIc) (product announcement)

Hewlett-Packard's peripherals division has decided to pursue the Macintosh market with the same vigor it applies to the PC market. It used Macworld Expo in Boston to introduce a new color printer and color scanner, as well as Macintosh/PostScript versions of its LaserJet laser printers.

DeskWriter C

The product that will undoubtedly attract the most attention is a color-capable version of HP's successful ink-jet printer. The original monochrome machine is offered in two versions: the DeskJet 500 for the PC and the DeskWriter for the Macintosh. These are now complemented by a color version, which is being first offered for the Macintosh. We presume an equivalent color printer for the PC will be along shortly.

"Color capable." Think of the DeskWriter C as a monochrome printer that can also print color.

Virtually all of the color printers available until now have been specialist units. They have been much more expensive and/or much slower than a monochrome printer of equivalent performance. Often, they cannot match the quality of a good monochrome printer when they are called upon to produce monochrome work.

The result is that color printers only make sense for people who have a fair amount of color materials to print. Most often, they will use a standard monochrome printer for all their routine monochrome output and use a separate color printer when they need to produce color output. You would really have to want or need color …