Frank Romano has spent over 60 years in the printing and publishing industries. Many know him best as the editor of the International Paper Pocket Pal or from the hundreds of articles he has written for publications from North America and Europe to the Middle East to Asia and Australia. Romano lectures extensively, having addressed virtually every club, association, group, and professional organization at one time or another. He is one of the industry's foremost keynote speakers. He continues to teach courses at RIT and other universities and works with students on unique research projects.
Displaying 501-600 of 744 articles
Published February 5, 2014
Frank gives a history lesson on the birth of the modern phone system. He focuses on a letter written to President Wilson from the President of AT&T. The end result of the coming regulated monopoly? The Internet!
Published January 29, 2014
Frank joins us from the New York Stock Exchange floor where he was invited to celebrate Kodak being re-listed on the exchange. He talks about the job Antonio Perez did in guiding the company through bankruptcy and re-inventing itself.
Published January 22, 2014
Frank reminisces about using a word processor (via cassette) in 1972 and meeting Isaac Asimov. Frank chases down an article by Asimov that mentions the use of the word processor and talks about some of Isaac's predictions. How close did he come?
Published January 15, 2014
This week, Frank catches a "blurb" in a local newspaper and as always uses it as a jumping off point for a rant for print. Will kiosks be the downfall of print? Of course not! See why.
Published January 8, 2014
Frank gets sent an article which gets his attention. The title: "No, Paper Isn't Dead". The title got his attention, but what gets his focus is the article's claim that paper making hasn't changed much since it was invented in China. The final solution to the digital challenge? Chocolate paper!
Published December 20, 2013
Predicting the future is easy; predicting what will happen next month is almost impossible. Prediction is especially difficult in the printing industry because we adapt technologies from other disciplines.
Published December 18, 2013
This week Frank uses his issues of AARP to highlight something new he noticed - inkjet messaging. He then talks about an unrelated story involving a new emoticon to express sarcasm. Yes, he's serious.
Published December 11, 2013
This week, Frank talks about the future. A recent article he read discusses books that predicted the future and he uses this as a jumping off point to discuss the fact that nobody ever predicted the Internet.
Published December 4, 2013
Frank gets a sample from Lumejet and is compelled to research the methods and share them with us. He calls the output the highest quality printing he has ever seen.
Published November 27, 2013
Frank talks to Professor Howard Vogl at CalPoly about the PDF/VT standard. Professor Vogl explains what the format is and talks about student samples on PDFA.org. They also discuss what's next with the standard.
Published November 25, 2013
Last week, with no public announcement, the Printing Industries of America dismissed 15 employees with little or no notice, according to sources. Some had over 30 years of service to GATF, with whom PIA merged in the late 1990s.
Published November 20, 2013
Frank visits InTouch Labels and talks to Lauren Hayes about their label production and how she got into the business. They also cover the digital label finishing that follows the label printing.
Published November 13, 2013
This week Frank addresses the changing nature of how larger industry vendors are displaying their products using technology and demo centers and the impact that has on shows that are essential for smaller vendors to reach the market.
Published November 6, 2013
Frank takes us on another journey - this time to a warehouse where he shows us some things he's been accumulating that he is parting ways with. All the catalogs that arrived at his house in 1999, a total of 490 catalogs! He used them to do analysis at the time of the types of paper used, size, and number of pages. Today he uses them to explain the changing nature of the printed catalog.
Published October 30, 2013
This week Frank sweeps up around the office and gathers some "miscellaneous stuff that's been hanging around". From Mr. Romano romano cheese graters to thumb drives that look like thumbs, Frank has you covered.
Published October 23, 2013
This week, Frank talks about things that people send him. The latest (personalized) edition of American Printer magazine is among the items as well as HP Indigo printed samples, and a direct mail piece with a nickel in it.
Published October 16, 2013
The government may be shut down, but that doesn't stop Frank from talking about them. From the GPO name change, new public printer, federal printing plants, to Canada wanting to move to "e-printing", Frank tries to figure out "what is it with governments and printing".
Published October 9, 2013
Frank visits the HP demo center in Alpharetta Georgia and gives us a tour along with commentary on what he calls "the most amazing demo center I have ever visited". The 68,000 square foot space houses virtually the entire HP printing product line.
Published October 2, 2013
This week, Frank visits St. Jude School in Waltham Massachusetts and talks to three wonderful young ladies about books. What do we learn? We find out that despite their having electronic devices, these youth still read books and will continue to do so. This one's cute factor goes to 11.
Published September 25, 2013
Frank joins us again from the 10th Annual Printing Arts Fair in North Andover, Massachusetts. This time he shows us printing with a steamroller! (Yes, he even rides the steamroller)
Published September 18, 2013
Frank joins us from the 10th Annual Printing Arts Fair in North Andover, Massachusetts. He shows us all the great equipment running and demonstrations of classic printing techniques.
Published September 11, 2013
Frank visits with Jon Tardiff of J.S. McCarthy Printers in Maine and reviews their work and their business. As expected, there are samples!
Published September 4, 2013
This week Frank discusses inkjet label printing and the various different types of labels seen in our daily life (more than we think). As usual, Frank has samples and isn't afraid to use them.
Published August 29, 2013
Frank joins us again from the Pencil to Pixel exhibition and gives us a tour of the things on display. Frank risks being shushed to bring us a glimpse of the exhibition.
Published August 21, 2013
Frank talks to Dan Rhatigan at the Pencil to Pixel Exhibition and learns more about Monotype and the development of the exhibition.
Published August 14, 2013
Frank joins us this week from the 56th Annual Book Builders Book Awards Show as he gives us a tour of the many different books on display - including ebooks!
Published August 7, 2013
Frank reviews several items from the news, including the US Navy no longer using all caps anymore, RFID on plain paper and the implications of that, and a library with no books.
Published July 31, 2013
David Spencer, President of Spencer Labs, talks to Frank Romano about a new system that measures the productivity of digital presses. The system measures only sellable output and not simply uptime.
Published July 24, 2013
This week Frank talks about visiting the America East Conference where he meets three gentlemen and talks about newspaper production in the new age. As usual, Frank has samples!
Published July 17, 2013
Richard Cichelli, President of Software Consulting Services, talks to Frank Romano at the Seybold Reunion about wearing a Rasberry Pi personal server around his neck.
Published July 10, 2013
Frank Romano visits Tom Zotos, a noted pioneer in the licensed art movement and talks about his new work with dimensional printing using Scodix technology.
Published July 3, 2013
In this week's video, Frank discusses the value of print by highlighting some rare printed items that recently sold for high dollar. In other news, Adobe releases a blank font you can't see and MGI installs a press in the Vatican print shop.
Published June 26, 2013
This week, Frank talks about an article in the Wall Street Journal about "The Personal Printing Revolution That Never Happened" and how consumer's transition to digital impacted it.
Published June 19, 2013
This week, Frank talks about getting not one, but TWO phonebooks and questions why he would even get one.
Published June 12, 2013
This week, Frank hopscotches the world for headlines - or brings us short news clips with his always witty commentary at a rapid pace. Frank is always looking for interesting tidbits and delivers them to us in a way only he can.
Published June 5, 2013
Frank talks about seeing a Tripp Company demonstration of laser engraving at a New England Graphic Communications Club that impressed him greatly.
Published May 29, 2013
This week, Frank finds a personalized mailing from a local bank and uses it as a jumping off point in explaining why print as a marketing medium will prevail.
Published May 22, 2013
This week, Frank finds small things including the world's smallest gas engine that goes in the world's smallest smart car (don't worry it's a joke). He also finds news of the world's smallest printed book and reveals the escalating war going on to lay claim to the world's smallest book.
Published May 15, 2013
This week, Frank talks about the history of phototypesetting while doing a photo shoot for a book cover on the subject.
Published May 8, 2013
Frank joins us from the Museum of Printing in North Andover Massachusetts where he talks die-cutting on old letterpress presses.
Published May 1, 2013
This week, Frank shows us some beautifully printed magazines he receives in the mail (probably because he has a certain credit card). In one, he finds an ad for a printing company!
Published April 24, 2013
Frank Romano joins us from America East Technology and Operations Conference and talks about the changes in the newspaper industry while walking around booths at the show before it opened.
Published April 17, 2013
Frank joins us again from Graphics of the Americas where he discovers some cool stuff, including a premium that helps you locate where stars are in the night sky at a given time. Frank uses it as a jumping off point to talk about tapping new markets.
Published April 10, 2013
This week, Frank shares his observations from the Graphics of the Americas Show in Orlando earlier in the year and highlights the packaging segment of the industry and why it's a growth area.
Published April 3, 2013
This week Frank talks about the first magazine for printers, American Printer (formerly The Inland Printer) and discusses its history and continuation as a quarterly by OutputLinks. Frank takes a look at the personalization features of the new incarnation.
Published March 27, 2013
Frank Romano joins us from the EFI Connect Conference in Las Vegas earlier in the year where he talks to Giselle de la Morineier of MGI about their JETvarnish product. We get a feel for their ability to add up to 100 micron raised 3D effects.
Published March 20, 2013
Doug Wilson, Director and Producer of "Linotype: The Film" hijacks Frank Romano's office to tell us about his documentary and how he traveled the world to preserve the history and modern day use of Linotype.
Published March 13, 2013
Frank joins us from the EFI Connect Conference where he encounters the folks from Bunting Magnetics and wonders "what the heck they do". Frank learns about reusable die rollers and shares it with us viewers.
Published March 6, 2013
Frank joins us from EFI Connect in Las Vegas with his thoughts on the event as well as EFI, the company.
Published February 27, 2013
This week, Frank talks about the new Kingston thumb drive that holds 1 terabyte and uses the news as a way to comment on the ever increasing consumption and use of data.
Published February 27, 2013
Frank Romano talks about winning the 2013 GALA Award just after the awards dinner and also shares being named the "Last Standing Industry Curmudgeon Award".
Published February 20, 2013
Frank Romano joins us from Toronto Canada at the Print World show where he gives us a tour and talks about small shows in the modern age of the printing industry and what these new dynamics mean for the commercia printer.
Published February 13, 2013
This week, Frank uses the last print edition of Newsweek magazine as a jumping off point to talk about the print and digital mix and argues for "bi-textuality" - or that we need both print and electronic media.
Published February 6, 2013
Frank Romano joins us from the Museum of Printing in Andover, Massachusetts where a letterpress workshop is happening and we get a front row seat to expanding interest in the craft.
Published January 30, 2013
Frank joins us from Boston where he shows some interesting direct mail pieces that feature dimensional printing that makes them more compelling. The point? You can't do this kind of thing and get this kind of impact on The Internet!
Published January 23, 2013
This week, Frank gets his hands on an old issue of Graphic Arts Monthly and finds some interesting early information on inkjet printing including what the 1979 industry thought about the applications.
Published January 16, 2013
Frank talks with Nick Gawreluk, a 4th year RIT student, about his upcoming degree in Media Sciences, where he sees the industry going in the future, and his experiences doing co-ops with industry vendors.
Published January 9, 2013
This week, Frank joins us live from the Kodak demo center in Rochester New York where he reviews samples printed on the Nexpress that demonstrate new features and capabilities available.
Published December 14, 2012
The skeptics have all but writen us off The pundits call us a sunset industry Misguided marketers think electronic substitution replaces print But print will prevail
Published December 12, 2012
This week Frank Romano gives us an ode to the thumb drive, that ever-present device now seen at most media events. He has many and they keep getting smaller - just like his real memory.
Published December 5, 2012
This week, Frank talks about the changing nature of magazine printing by showing his latest edition of AARP magazine and BusinessWeek. He covers inserts, promotions, and the emerging digital version.
Published November 28, 2012
This week Frank Romano talks about attending his first industry event - The 7th Educational Graphic Arts Exposition at the newly built New York Coliseum in 1959. (Yes, he still has the flyer)
Published November 14, 2012
Frank Romano joins us from Boston at the XMPie User Group Conference and speaks with Dr. Jacob Aizikowitz about listening to users, social media, and personalized video.
Published November 7, 2012
Frank Romano opines about the future of books and tells us they'll be read both electronically AND in print. That's good, right?
Published October 31, 2012
Frank Romano comments on two news items that caught his eye: Scholastic discontinuing the printing of Weekly Reader and The Daily Press selling off it's printing press. He uses this news as a jumping off point to comment on the changing nature of the printing industry.
Published October 24, 2012
Frank Romano talks about Dioss from Antwerp Belgium who are doing some interesting marketing pieces with digital printing.
Published October 17, 2012
This week, Frank Romano visits the site of the former foundry started by John Caslon in London and talks about the history of type and Caslon's contribution to it.
Published October 17, 2012
Frank Romano wraps up Graph Expo 2012 on the last day and gives us his two special things that he found interesting at the show.
Published October 10, 2012
Frank Romano talks to David Zwang about the benefits of standards and standards organizations as well as the importance of vendor support to develop standards incorporated into today's products and systems.
Published October 3, 2012
Frank Romano continues his international series by speaking with Italian printing consultant Manuel Trevisan and gets insight into the Italian printing market as well as the larger European market.
Published September 26, 2012
Frank interviews the editor of Middle East Printer Alex Jahanbani and gets his take on the state of the industry there.
Published September 26, 2012
Frank Romano talks about the importance of live events to the industry and encourages everyone to join him at this year's Graph Expo show in Chicago.
Published September 19, 2012
This week Frank gets a tour of the printing operation aboard Cunard's Queen Mary 2 from Rosemary Keough, Chief Printer.
Published September 12, 2012
Chief Printer Rosemary Keough shares with Frank some of the printing and processes done abord the Queen Mary II cruise liner, the first cruise ship to digital printing.
Published September 5, 2012
This week, Frank gives us a look at Masar Printing and Publishing in Dubai. He calls it the most modern printing plant he has ever seen, encompassing over 500,000 square feet of space with presses as far as the eye can see!
Published August 29, 2012
Frank Romano, WhatTheyThink's Curmudgeon Emeritus, reviews some recent news items and discusses where he thinks the printing industry is heading - a popular question posed to nowadays.
Published August 22, 2012
Frank Romano is in Hong Kong with Joe Pasky and Gary Newbold with the last of his Chinese printing series. They discuss the major trends in Chinese printing in both offset, flexo, and digital.
Published August 15, 2012
Frank is back from Hong Kong with Gary Newbold and Joe Pasky where they discuss the different print processes in the Chinese market where offset lithography still dominates.
Published August 8, 2012
Frank is back in Hong Kong with Joe Pasky and Gary Newbold, two seasoned consultants familiar with the Chinese printing industry and American print buying and he gets them to share their "horror stories".
Published August 1, 2012
Frank visits with two industry consultants in Hong Kong and gets insights into how the Chinese printing industry compares to that of the United States. This week, Frank speaks with Joe Pasky of Cathay Consulting Services and gets his insights.
Published July 25, 2012
Frank Romano visits the Museum of Printing and discovers original artwork for Linotype typefaces and it launches him into a commentary on the state of typography in the industry today.
Published July 18, 2012
Frank reviews some recent things that caught his eye. Cashless society, digital wallet, Bill Gates giving printing presses props, photo-conductive printing, flashing beer. Frank has a little bit of everything in this one!
Published July 11, 2012
Frank shares some print samples from a recent trade show that he thinks make print more interesting and talks about how they were produced using newer inkjet and dimensional technologies.
Published June 27, 2012
Frank visits Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia, the site of Benjamin Franklin's grave. He talks about why Franklin is a personal hero and in true Frank fashion gives us some little known details about his life.
Published June 20, 2012
Frank uses a new product from Finch called "Enviroboard" that is designed to open up new markets for printers including signage, point-of-purchase, and more. This product helps Frank make the point that innovation and new markets is what will drive future growth for printers.
Published June 13, 2012
Frank on the evolution from the PC to post PC era with introduction of tablet computers and how it's impacting print.
Published June 6, 2012
Frank visits the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz and gives us a tour of some of the areas accessible with recording devices and clears up some misconceptions about the man himself.
Published June 1, 2012
Well known WhatTheyThink contributors Andy Tribute and Frank Romano go back and forth on trends seen at drupa and give their take on what will and won't work. Get key takeaways from drupa by Andy and Frank.
Published May 30, 2012
This week, Frank discusses and rants a bit about a recent report about 10 middle class jobs that will vanish by 2018. Desktop publishers caught Frank's eye on the list and he takes a bit of an issue with it!
Published May 23, 2012
Frank answers the "two hottest things at drupa" question with a couple vendors that aren't generating as much buzz as others but are doing amazing things - Scodix and Highcon. Both are adding value to print in different ways, which Frank says is "a good thing".
Published May 22, 2012
The vocabulary of print is changing. Our language in the printing industry is now beset with many new concepts and technologies. We need a common lexicon to help define and communicate.
Published May 16, 2012
Frank runs down his list of interesting show mottos that he observed during drupa.
Published May 9, 2012
This Special Report from drupa covers Franks recommendations for improving press conferences.
Published May 2, 2012
This week Frank goes over an interesting article that came across his desk twice about how the look of a book can still sell physical books.
Published April 25, 2012
Frank gives us another roundup of news this week including a primitive art studio, the bookless bookstore, museum reopening, and the never ending battle of QR codes.
Published April 18, 2012
Just as fashion trends circle around, technology has caught up with itself to repurpose older technology trends. This week Frank highlights two of his favorite new/old school tech.
Published April 11, 2012
This week Frank details an article about how legislatures should not make the iPad transition.
Published April 4, 2012
Latz Personal Printer has been doing personalized printing since 1937. Not much has changed in personal printing space since that time. Frank Romano urges printers to go "beyond" the name.
Published April 3, 2012
Be a part of history. Frank is seeking some of the font masters and paraphernalia of the old phototypesetting era. He knows there are a few oldtimers who read WhatTheyThink while drooling in their oatmeal. Film, glass, and plastic fonts are requested.
Published March 28, 2012
This week Frank discusses the mix of digital and offset presses in most printing facilities and highlights a great example of a total promotional package created by Heidelberg showcasing the ability to create a seamless, color matched campaign.
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