At $699, MINOLTA-QMS Introduces the World's First Personal Color Laser Printer.

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MOBILE, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 2003

MINOLTA-QMS:

New magicolor 2300W color laser printer hits home with

affordable price, compact size, and outstanding color quality

Highlights

-- At only $699 (est. street), the magicolor(R) 2300W is ideally priced for individuals who need the performance, quality, and durability only a color laser printer can offer.

-- It's designed for personal, home, and small office use with both USB and parallel quick-connect interfaces and a modest footprint ideal for the desktop.

-- The magicolor 2300W prints up to 16 black-and-white and 4 color pages per minute and is compatible with Windows(R) XP, 2000, Me, 98SE, and 95 operating systems.

-- From set-up to operation, the magicolor 2300W is easy to use. Most supplies, including toner cartridges, are pre-installed making it ready to run out of the box. The printer uses a convenient, desktop Status Display utility to clearly communicate activity and status information.

-- The printer's 1200 x 600 dpi-resolution produces vibrant, saturated photographic images and graphics. Its polymer-based toner has particles that are uniform in size and shape for cleaner, sharper text & lines.

-- The magicolor 2300W features a discreet 200-sheet multipurpose tray that supports all types of business papers, including envelopes, labels, plain- and thick-stock papers, and transparencies. A duplexer for two-sided document printing is also available.

With a price of only $699 (est. Street), MINOLTA-QMS today announced the magicolor 2300W--the first color laser printer for personal use. Featuring a small price, compact size, and user-friendly design, the magicolor 2300W is well suited for small businesses, home use, and executive offices that need a reliable color solution. Compatible with Windows operating systems, the affordable magicolor 2300W is at home on any desktop.

"At $699 individuals can easily justify the cost of having a personal color laser printer on their desktop," said Stephen Fletcher, president and COO for MINOLTA-QMS. "Finally home users, small business owners, and senior-level management have an ink jet alternative for high-performance, confidential, and convenient printing."

Based on the same engine technology used in the popular-selling magicolor 2300 DL, the magicolor 2300W has been adapted for personal use, while retaining many of the features that have made the 2300 DL one of the fastest selling color laser printers on the market. Print speeds are comparable to many black-and-white workgroup printers at 16 ppm monochrome as well as 4 ppm in full color. The printer also features a 200-sheet multipurpose input tray, USB and parallel interfaces, 1200 x 600 dpi print quality, 32 MB RAM, printer drivers and software utilities for use with Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98SE, and 95.

Affordable, User-Friendly Choice

The magicolor 2300W's low price and its affordable cost of operation will appeal to any budget-conscious business--especially home-based operations and single-users within larger organizations (such as executive-level personnel). These individuals can easily justify the price of $699 for the convenience and security benefits a personal color laser printer offers. The magicolor 2300W will also save money through improved productivity as small color print jobs that would normally be sent to a local copy shop for production can be fulfilled more quickly, conveniently, and cost-effectively in house.

Set up of the magicolor 2300W is extremely easy as most supplies, including toner cartridges and OPC drum, are already installed. The printer includes a desktop Status Display software utility that offers a convenient method for checking the printer, job status, and supply levels. The magicolor 2300W has USB and parallel interfaces for local connectivity, both of which provide "Plug & Play" compatibility with Microsoft Windows. For added convenience, the magicolor 2300W can be equipped with an automatic duplexer to perform two-sided printing.

Small Size, Great Color

Featuring a streamlined desktop size measuring 14" wide, the magicolor 2300W uses about the same desk space as a typical inkjet or personal black-and-white laser printer. Its multipurpose input tray is positioned discreetly on the printer's side and can hold up to 200 sheets of paper.

An innovative toner technology and 1200 dpi resolution work hand-in-hand to produce exceptional output from the magicolor 2300W. The toner is composed of smaller particles that are uniform in size and shape to create finer lines, better halftones, and improved image quality. This new toner eliminates the need for fuser oil, reducing costs even further.

The magicolor 2300W doesn't require special media to obtain the best output quality, unlike many ink jet printers. It produces excellent prints on ordinary office paper as well as other business media, including recycled paper, transparencies, labels, heavy stocks, and envelopes.

The magicolor 2300W ships with a complete set of standard-capacity supplies (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black toner cartridges, OPC drum, and waste toner pack) and includes a one-year exchange warranty.

                                                              Price US
                                                               $ (est.
Printer                     Specifications                     Street)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
magicolor 2300W             -- 55 lbs. / 14" x 19.7" x 15.4"     $699
                               (WxDxH)
                            -- Up to 4 ppm color / 16 ppm
                               black and white
                            -- 32 MB RAM
                            -- Up to 1200 x 600 dpi
                               resolution
                            -- Letter/A4, legal page sizes
                            -- USB 1.1 and parallel
                               interfaces
                            -- Windows XP/2000/Me/98SE/95
                               compatible
                            -- 200-sheet multipurpose tray
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Accessories & Supplies
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Automatic Duplexer          For two-sided printing               $399
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Black Toner - High Capacity 4,500 prints @ 5% coverage            $79
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cyan Toner - High Capacity  4,500 prints @ 5% coverage           $119
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Magenta Toner - High
 Capacity                   4,500 prints @ 5% coverage           $119
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellow Toner - High
 Capacity                   4,500 prints @ 5% coverage           $119
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cyan Toner - Standard
 Capacity                   1,500 prints @ 5% coverage            $69
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Magenta Toner - Standard
 Capacity                   1,500 prints @ 5% coverage            $69
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellow Toner - Standard
 Capacity                   1,500 prints @ 5% coverage            $69
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Waste Toner Box             25K @ 5% coverage continuous mode     $19
----------------------------------------------------------------------
OPC Drum Cartridge          45K continuous mode                  $149
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Availability

The magicolor 2300W is available through MINOLTA-QMS' broad network of authorized distributors, resellers, retail outlets, and e-commerce partners. To find the location nearest you, call 800-523-2696 or visit the MINOLTA-QMS Web site at www.minolta-qms.com.

MINOLTA-QMS, Inc.

MINOLTA-QMS, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Minolta Co., Ltd., is an innovative developer, manufacturer, and supplier of document printing solutions. The product line includes color and monochrome laser printers, and associated supplies and accessories for general office, electronic publishing, graphic design, advanced imaging, and home office applications. MINOLTA-QMS' US headquarters are in Mobile, Alabama USA, and products are distributed through a broad network of e-commerce, retail, reseller, and distribution partners.

Editors' Note:

If your publication prints direct reader contact information, please use the following:

MINOLTA-QMS, Inc.

One Magnum Pass

Mobile, AL 36618

800/523-2696 or 251/633-4300

Internet Address (http://www.minolta-qms.com)

The MINOLTA-QMS logo and magicolor are trademarks or registered trademarks of MINOLTA-QMS, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All prices shown are manufacturer's estimated street prices.

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