Is it weird that some photo copiers/all-in-one printers still come with Fax Machines?

[froggyboy604]

Yes, I find it somewhat weird that fax machines are still built-into some more expensive all-in-one inkjet printers, and photo copier. Fax machines are becoming a less popular form of communication now that people use e-mail, smartphone apps and PC programs like instant messaging to send document files over the internet, and text messaging from a cell phone where you can text pictures of documents.

But, fax machines can be useful for business, and more private communications since people need to hack your phone system, or work at the phone company to record your faxes. It may also be more difficult for someone to pretend to be a business because faxes contain the senders fax number which is unique to the sender.

There are most likely some very old people in their 80s and older may use fax to communicate if they can't talk because they injured their mouth or lost their voice, and they don't know how to use a PC, and don't own a cell phone. Faxes are also one of the few ways to send pictures over telephone lines without using a PC, smartphone, or tablet.

There are not many popular spyware programs for fax machines like PC, Smartphone, e-mail clients, instant messaging, and websites where your ISP, a hacker, software owner/maker, or the website owner can spy on your messages, and files.

 

[Danielx64]

I don't think that it weird to see fax machines around still. I mean I can see a setup taking place where if you fax someone then the machine on the other side could receive it and instead of printing it it would store the output on a server in a pdf format.

 

[froggyboy604]

I don't think that it weird to see fax machines around still. I mean I can see a setup taking place where if you fax someone then the machine on the other side could receive it and instead of printing it it would store the output on a server in a pdf format.

There are also PC Fax programs where you can use a dial-up fax modem or internet fax website service, and smartphone apps to send faxes to a fax machine which save it as a PDF or print it out.

Fax can come in handy if your domain name, or website is currently having problems where you can't receive e-mail from your custom domain which you own.

Unfortunately, cyberattacks like DDoS, malware attacks, and hacking website servers, smartphones, and PCs are becoming more common, so fax may be the last type of technology which can send pictures and text over a wired landline phone connection, and print them on paper if your website, smartphone, and PC got attacked by a cyberattack, or your ISP and your cell phone provider is also down, or got attack by a cyberattack.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

Well, it is an all in one though.

 

[froggyboy604]

Well, it is an all in one though.

That is a good point. But, it is too bad that most all-in-one printers don't have a landline phone like most classic fax machines.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

That is a good point. But, it is too bad that most all-in-one printers don't have a landline phone like most classic fax machines.

no one really has land lines though. I'm sure office made AIO have landline abilities.

 

[froggyboy604]

no one really has land lines though. I'm sure office made AIO have landline abilities.

There is a secondary phone output/splitter jack on most all-in-ones for people to plug in a 3rd-party landline phone, or a dial-up phone line for a phone modem for people who still use dial-up to get online which they may already own. But, I feel adding a small speaker, and mic to the printer to create a speaker phone, or bundling a small handset would look nicer, and use less space than having both a printer, and secondary phone on the same table.

I think the simplest way to connect a fax machine to send faxes to other fax numbers is with a landline phone connection which does not need extra setup like cable and DSL internet, a converter box, program, e-mail to fax program, or any other device or program for sending faxes to work properly like using the internet to send faxes which requires more setup time.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

Offices in first world countries may have phased out the fax machines, but I think in Asia we still have those in full use here. Even though technology is a bit late in some areas here, people would prefer a proven and used method over newer ones since it would save money and time from buying new equipment and training all your staff to use them. Why fix what's not broken, I say.