Konica Minolta launches Multifunctional A3 Colour System bizhub C257i

Konica Minolta South Africa is pleased to be welcoming the newest member of the bizhub i-Series portfolio, the bizhub C257i in 2021.  This A3 colour multifunctional peripheral (MFP) provides the full IT capability of other i-Series products but, as it is an entry-level model, it is particularly attractive at a lower cost.
“MFPs have transformed in the wake of digitalisation. They are no longer merely a printing device — they are a link between printed, physical workflow steps and their virtual, digital counterparts. They are designed to make the transitions between the two types of workflow as seamless and smooth as possible,” says Mohammed Vachiat, Head of Sales & Innovation at Konica Minolta South Africa.
bizhub i-Series machines are designed to link digital and physical workflows. Thanks to the IT6 platform, this colour A3 MFP is connected to the innovative and intuitive Konica Minolta MarketPlace, which is pre-installed on the device. This software allows users to securely access, implement and manage a wide range of cloud-based services and applications quickly and easily, even without IT skills. This makes cloud-based documents use even more practical for printing on the go.
Konica Minolta ensures that these solutions are updated regularly and are compatible with the customer’s IT system. With Open API support, the bizhub C257i can also be easily integrated into existing document workflows with several server-based or device-based print and scan applications. This is very helpful if a company is changing its document workflows and adaptations are required.
 
Big performance on a small budget
As the bizhub C257i offers a print speed of 25 ppm — as well as greatly improved print quality in comparison to its predecessors — these devices can perfectly meet the demands of a large segment of the market. This is particularly true since the bizhub C257i comes equipped with full IT functionality offered by other models in the series, despite being an entry-level multifunctional device that targets SMMEs with small budgets. “Simply put, the bizhub C257i gives customers big performance on a small budget,” adds Vachiat.
The bizhub C257i has 6 GB memory - three times more than its predecessors. The system storage has been changed from HDD to 256-GB SDD for faster read and write speeds, a noticeable performance boost, low energy consumption and no data loss due to vibration. The scanning speed has increased to 55 ppm in simplex. The bizhub C257i comes with an upgraded Automatic Document Feeder and a new 50-sheet finisher with manual stapling as new functionality.
 
Prevent MFPs becoming a gateway for cyber attacks
In these times, security is more important than ever, and printer security is often misjudged as a possible gateway for cyber-attacks. For this reason, Konica Minolta has equipped the bizhub C257i with the same optional security standards as the other systems from the bizhub i-Series.
The leading-edge anti-virus solution, BitDefender, has been embedded in the firmware and monitors all scanned files and transferred documents in real time. It immediately detects viruses or malware and sends an alert about the potential threat. It also enables manual scanning on hard drives as well as scanning on demand, preventing the spread of viruses to other PCs and servers while ensuring that the multifunctional device does not become a springboard for losing corporate information.
Furthermore, the bizhub i-Series can be equipped with bizhub SECURE, a special function for MFPs on which different security levels can be set to ensure the security of office devices and protect device memory and network settings. A notifier app also warns the responsible project owner when settings are changed.
 
Self-diagnosis minimises downtime and ensures uninterrupted use
Equipped with many sensors enabling self-diagnosis and use of the Konica Minolta Customer Support Remote Care, the bizhub C257i minimises downtime and ensures uninterrupted use. Consumables such as toner are delivered proactively, and a maintenance technician can be called automatically when needed. Thanks to these capabilities, tasks like stock maintenance and day-to-day issue management are no longer the responsibility of IT departments. This can be of great benefit, especially in small- and medium-sized companies with fewer IT personnel.
 
Ease of use externally confirmed
Recently, Keypoint Intelligence awarded Konica Minolta the Buyers Lab (BLI) PaceSetter Award 2020–2021 in Ease of Use: Enterprise Devices. To determine who leads the market, Keypoint Intelligence carried out a study on functionality in every-day usage situations in enterprise work scenarios. In addition to MarketPlace, the Konica Minolta touch-screen panel and Personalize app were deemed the most striking features. With an intuitive smartphone-style user interface, the bizhub C257i screen provides easy access to all basic settings and touch navigation for a convenient user experience.
“Ultimately, device users need to be able to focus on their day-to-day job requirements and core competencies rather than spending large amounts of time trying to figure out how to work with a multifunctional device.  With the Personalize app - available via MarketPlace — users can customise the functionalities available from the home screen to adjust the device to suit their individual working behaviour” concludes Vachiat.



The newest member of the bizhub i-Series portfolio, the bizhub C257i in 2021