At $799, New MINOLTA-QMS Printer Makes Color Laser History; Compact magicolor 2300 DL Debuts With the Lowest Price Point Ever Seen in Color Laser Printing.

Business Editors & High Tech Writers

NOTE TO MEDIA: Multimedia assets available

MOBILE, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 2002

MINOLTA-QMS, Inc.:

Highlights

-- At only $799 (est. street), the magicolor(R)2300 DL sports the lowest introductory price in color laser printer history.

-- With its modest footprint, the magicolor 2300 DL is at home on any desktop--at a residence or in a small office.

-- Compatible with Windows(R)XP, 2000, NT4, Me, 98, and 95, the magicolor 2300 DL is a smart PC companion.

-- For uncompromising workgroup use, the magicolor 2300 DL features print speeds of up to 4 ppm in color and 16 ppm in b&w. It also includes built-in 10/100BaseTX Ethernet(R), USB, and parallel interfaces for seamless connectivity.

-- To deliver benchmark color quality, the magicolor 2300 DL features 2400 x 600 dpi print resolution and a new toner technology that creates detailed, sharp lines, text and images.

-- A 200-sheet multipurpose input tray provides a convenient source for printing on a variety of business papers, including envelopes, labels, transparencies, and heavier papers stocks.

-- For added convenience, a 500-sheet paper feeder and automatic duplex unit (for two-sided printing) are available.

MINOLTA-QMS, Inc. today introduced its most inexpensive and smallest color laser printer yet--the magicolor 2300 DL. Priced at just $799 (est. street), the next-generation magicolor 2300 DL is powerful enough for small workgroups yet affordable enough for the home office user. It includes standard TCP/IP network and USB connectivity, 2400 x 600 dpi print quality, print speeds of up to 4 ppm color and 16 ppm b&w, and is designed for use with Windows operating systems. All these features are packed into a compact, space-saving design sure to appeal to the space-deprived office.

"With the magicolor 2300 DL, MINOLTA-QMS has streamlined the price and size of color laser printing without compromising performance," said Steve Fletcher, president and COO for MINOLTA-QMS. "Businesses, especially small offices and at-home companies, that never considered color laser printers in the past due to sheer size or cost will appreciate the magicolor 2300 DL. It provides the speed, output quality, and networking they need while staying within tight space and budget constraints."

Sized Just Right

On the desktop it takes up a mere 14 x 19.7-inches of space--about 30% less than its predecessor. It stands 15.4-inches high and weighs only 55 lbs. The magicolor 2300 DL's small size makes it a good fit when space is limited. Also sized just right is the magicolor 2300 DL's cost. Its estimated street price of just $799 signifies a trend in color laser printing from MINOLTA-QMS--reduced prices without reduced performance. For a workgroup of four, the magicolor 2300 DL's acquisition cost per person would be a mere $200. At that price, it's comparable to a low-cost inkjet printer with the added performance only a laser can offer.

"In Quarter 2, 2002, MINOLTA-QMS became the no. 1 color laser printer manufacturer in regard to unit shipments," Fletcher stated. "We anticipate the magicolor 2300 DL's price and size will appeal to a mass market, further strengthening our leading market position."

Equipped to Perform

As a network color laser printer, the magicolor 2300 DL is equipped with a 10/100BaseTX Ethernet interface to support an entire office team. Parallel and USB connections, both of which provide "Plug-and-Play" compatibility with Microsoft(R) Windows (including XP), are also included on the 2300 DL.

The magicolor 2300 DL's speed is comparable to a black-and-white only workgroup-level printer as it can generate up to 16 monochrome pages per minute (ppm). Unlike a black-and-white only printer, however, the magicolor 2300 DL can also deliver four-color prints at up to 4 ppm. The 2300 DL has 32 MB of RAM on board the controller and supports up to 288 MB of memory for improved performance when printing more complex documents or using the automatic duplex option. Designed exclusively for PC users, the magicolor 2300 DL operates with Windows XP, 2000, NT4, Me, 98, and 95.

Output at its Best

An innovative new toner technology and 2400 x 600 dpi resolution work hand-in-hand to produce exceptional output from the magicolor 2300 DL. This polymerized toner is composed of smaller particles that are more uniform in size and shape than conventional toner to create finer lines, better halftones, and improved image quality. A lubricant encapsulated within the toner particles eliminates the need for fuser oil--an often messy consumable in color lasers.

The magicolor 2300 DL uses a variety of office papers (up to 8.5" x 14") including recycled and plain copier paper, transparencies, labels, heavy stocks, and envelopes. Unlike many ink jet printers, the magicolor 2300 DL doesn't require any special media to obtain the best quality output. All media types can be fed through the printer's 200-sheet multipurpose input tray, which adjusts to handle any of the approved paper sizes. If additional input is needed, a 500-sheet feeder is available. To improve productivity even more and reduce paper costs, an automatic duplexer for two-sided printing can be added.

The magicolor 2300 DL has a one-year exchange warranty and ships with a complete set of standard capacity consumables, including cyan, magenta, yellow and black toner cartridges, OPC drum cartridge, and waste toner pack. For easy maintenance, the consumables are user replaceable and install conveniently from the front of the printer.

Product Pricing & Specifications

------------------ ------------------------------------ -------------
Printer            Specifications                       Price US $
                                                        (est. Street)
------------------ ------------------------------------ -------------
magicolor 2300 DL  -- 55 lbs. / 14" x 19.7" x 15.4"     $799
                      (WxDxH)
                   -- 4 ppm color /
                      16 ppm black and white
                   -- 32 MB RAM std. / 288 MB RAM max.
                   -- Up to 2400 x 600 dpi resolution
                   -- Letter/A4, legal page sizes
                   -- Ethernet (10/100BaseTX),
                      USB 1.1, and parallel interfaces
                   -- Windows 'Plug and Play'
                   -- 200-sheet multipurpose tray
                   -- 500-sheet lower paper feeder
                      (optional)
                   -- Automatic duplexing unit
                      (optional)
------------------ ------------------------------------ -------------

MINOLTA-QMS and Corel Strategic Partnership

Recently MINOLTA-QMS and Corel Corporation partnered to offer customers the essential elements for successful graphic communication. The partnership's initiatives include an interactive product tour of MINOLTA-QMS' high-quality laser printers and Corel's powerful creative software. Also, purchasers of both CorelDRAW(R) 11 and the magicolor 2300 DL (or other magicolor color laser printers) will be eligible for special incentives.

Availability

The magicolor 2300 DL 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
[phone] or [phone]
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.

Note: A Photo is available at URL:

http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.091802/bb4