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Computer industry

Microsoft's Slate Magazine Takes a Risk with Paid Subscriptions and the Evolution of Color Printers

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Microsoft's online magazine, Slate, will begin charging $19.95 for an annual subscription starting March 9, marking a significant shift in the online publishing landscape. Despite the challenges of monetizing online content, Slate's editor Michael Kinsley is confident that the site's unique blend of news and analysis will justify the cost. Meanwhile, the world of color printing is undergoing a significant upgrade, with the latest Lexmark printer boasting 1200-by-1200 dpi resolution and the use of six colors of ink for more accurate and vibrant prints.

Key Takeaways:

  • Slate, Microsoft's online magazine, will start charging $19.95 for an annual subscription, marking a shift towards monetization in the online publishing industry.
  • The move comes at a time when Microsoft has been scaling back its content sites due to financial constraints.
  • Lexmark's new Color Jetprinter uses 1200-by-1200 dpi resolution and six colors of ink for improved print quality.
  • The printer's use of six inks allows for better skin tone reproduction, a challenging aspect of color inkjet printing.
  • The printer's high-quality color mode can take up to a minute or longer to print each page.
  • Claris Corp., Apple's software unit, is being dismantled as part of Apple's restructuring efforts.
  • Claris has been renamed FileMaker Inc. and will focus on improving and marketing its popular database program, FileMaker Pro.
  • FileMaker Pro is the leading Mac database program and is the second-best seller in the PC market.
  • Analysts and Mac enthusiasts are divided on whether Claris's restructuring is a blunder or a shrewd strategic move.

Statistics:

  • Slate's annual subscription will cost $19.95.
  • The Lexmark 7200 Color Jetprinter uses 1200-by-1200 dpi resolution.
  • The printer uses six colors of ink, including black, for improved print quality.
  • The printer can print up to eight pages per minute in black draft mode and three pages per minute in color draft mode.
  • The printer's high-quality color mode can take up to a minute or longer to print each page.
  • Claris Corp. earned $250 million in sales annually.
  • 20% of Claris's sales were for Windows computers.

Sources:

  • "Microsoft's online magazine, Slate, has carved out a slice of cyberspace by promoting its marquee writers and nationally renowned editor. Starting March 9, Slate will boast something else other Web publications don't have: a price. The decision to charge $19.95 for an annual subscription for the weekly magazine comes at a time when Microsoft has been whittling away its content sites because they aren't making money." (Slate, March 9)
  • "Color printers are quickly moving in to the next generation. It started when the resolution, measured in dots per inch, started to increase. A few years ago, 300 dpi was common. That was followed by 600 and 720. Now, the highest dpi printer on the market, made by Lexmark International Inc., prints 1200-by-1200 dpi." (Lexmark International Inc., www.lexmark.com)
  • "Not all of Apple has been rotten during its much-publicized decline of the past several years. Through the darkest times, Claris Corp., the company's software unit, has shone brightly. It earned both money and good reviews for its products, which include FileMaker Pro, ClarisWorks and Claris Organizer." (Claris Corp., unspecified source)

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