All About Toner Cartridges by Chris Victor
Toner is a dry powder that is used in laser printers and photocopiers to structure the text and clear images on available printed-paper. Earlier it was just a carbon powder. Then, to develop the excellence of the printout the carbon was combined with a polymer. ... To get a best print, some ink/toner companies are using a chemical procedure to grow toner particles. ... In earlier toner cartridge machines toner was poured by the user from a bottle into a tank in the machine. ... The resulting lesser uniform shapes allow more precise color reproduction and well-organized toner use.

Ink Cartridges: How Have They Evolved Over the Years? by Andrew F James
First a little history lesson..... There was a time, long ago that printers had ribbons and used dot matrix printing to create tiny dots that, when looked at, were readable. Sometimes they were BARELY readable, however. Changing ribbons and printing wheels to change type face was a chore. ... The laser printer caused powder from the toner to fuse onto the paper & the output was much clearer and much more professional in appearance. ... Then, in 1984, the first laser printer that used toner cartridges came into being.

Printer Ink Cartridges - The History by Martin Smith
You are working at your computer and trying to print out important documents and all at once you find you are out of ink. Years ago that would have presented a big problem. Printers used ribbons or daisy wheels to print on paper. Let's take a look at the evolution of printer ink cartridges. ... 1078 - Xerox put out the world's first business laser printer the Xerox 9700. ... 1984 - Hewlett-Packard released the first home-based desktop laser printer. ... Printer cartridges can now print in color as well as in black and white for document.

The Printer Cartridge Wars: Generic or Remanufactured Cartridges Right for You? by David Amerman
Overview As "generic", "remanufactured", and "new compatible" inkjet printer cartridges and laser toner cartridges creep deeper into the printer accessories market, the choices become varied and often confusing. It is estimated that by the year 2004 the aftermarket share of the inkjet and... Good for the Country, Good for the Environment If you care about recycling or the good of the Country's economy, consider these facts: - 99% of new compatible toner cartridges are manufactured in the USA; most "OEM" brand cartridges are manufactured overseas - Nearly 40,000 tons of plastic are...