Tuesday April 1, 2008 - LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. - Helping to elevate the document output process and enhance productivity, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in document imaging and office solutions, today introduced two new print controllers – the ColorPASS-GX200 and the newest version of the imagePASS-H1 – for its line of award-winning Color imageRUNNER models.

Designed to help manage processes from document creation to finishing for color-centric business and mid-level production environments, the ColorPASS-GX200 and imagePASS-H1 print controllers come with extensive array of features for total control over job management, achieving color output, and merging variable data sources. The ColorPASS-GX200 is an external controller that enables graphic-intensive users and light-to-mid production environments to produce short-run on-demand, color-intensive documents with a complete set of job management features, tools and utilities, while the imagePASS-H1 is a high-performance embedded controller ideal for color intensive corporate environments that require color accuracy.

"The new ColorPASS-GX200 and imagePASS-H1 will allow businesses and mid-level production users to achieve faster processing, unimagined color output, and benefit from extraordinary control over their printed color documents," said Sam Yoshida, vice president and general manager, Enterprise Systems Division, Canon U.S.A. "By better managing the color print process using these feature-rich controllers, users will be able to enhance document productivity, while helping control color costs."

Both new print controllers include SmartRIP technology, which uses highly intelligent process routines that significantly increase RIP performance, and help produce visibly smoother lines and crisper text at high resolutions. Also, these controllers deliver true Adobe PostScript support, and are natively compatible with PDF files forms up to Acrobat 8.0, Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) format, and JDF format.

With the ColorPASS-GX200 and imagePASS-H1, document submission and management is enhanced through intuitive print drivers, and the ability to leverage Hot Folders and Virtual Printer utilities, as well as the standard Command Workstation application. In addition, advanced document workflow, including imageWARE PrePress Manager for use with the ColorPASS-GX200 and imagePASS-H1, and Booklet Maker Version 3.0, are available to simplify the document publishing process.

The ColorPASS-GX200 and imagePASS-H1 are available for Canon's current line of Color imageRUNNER devices, including the latest version of the Color imageRUNNER C5185/C4580/C4080 shipping today.

ColorPASS-GX200

The ColorPASS-GX200 print controller option for Canon Color imageRUNNER devices is a stand-alone print server powered by a cutting-edge system architecture that has a 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo multiprocessor central processing unit (CPU) and 1GB of RAM. The ColorPASS-GX200 option is available immediately through Canon authorized dealers and Canon Business Solutions at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $16,950.

imagePASS-H1

Nearly six times faster than other leading embedded controllers, the enhanced imagePASS-H1 print controller is an embedded print server for Color imageRUNNER models that is powered by a 1.5GHz Intel Celeron M processor and 256MB of RAM. The imagePASS-H1 option is available immediately through Canon authorized dealers and Canon Business Solutions at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $4,950.