Aren’t acronyms fun? LOL (laugh out loud). However, they sure can be confusing when selecting printers and inkjet inks. Most sites are good about defining
acronyms they use at least once, but finding that “once” isn’t always as easy as it looks! Knowing how to speak “inkjet” will help you choose both printer and inkjet ink you need to get kind of results you want! Here are a few inkjet acronyms and other terms to help with your searches for inkjet printers and related products:AIO (all in one) and MFP (Multifunction Printer) — AIO and MFP are often used interchangeably and stand for printers that include a copier, a scanner, and frequently have fax capabilities as well. Relatively new in marketplace, All-in-Ones are an affordable way to set up a comprehensively equipped home office.
CMYK— Inkjet colors: C=cyan, M=magenta, Y=yellow, and K=black. The first inkjet printers were three-color printers (CMY) that mixed colors to produce black. Today’s printers generally have capability to simultaneously use both black and colored inks on same page.
DPI— Dots per inch. Measures resolution of images produced by printers, scanners, etc. Typically, more dots per inch means that image will display with more detail.
OEM— Another way to say brand name (or name brand). Actually means Original Equipment Manufacturer
PPM (pages per minute) and CPM (copies per minute) — How many sheets your printer will spew out per minute. PPM usually means printing directly from printer and CPM denotes copies from a scanned item.
Aside from acronyms, other inkjet terms frequently appear when searching for inkjet printers, medias, and inks:
Bulk ink— Sold either as compatible printer ink or universal printer ink (see below). The difference between bulk ink and refill kits is that bulk ink doesn’t come with either tools or instructions. Unless you are experienced in refilling inkjet cartridges and have necessary tools on hand, a better money-saving refill solution is a compatible inkjet refill kit.
