A printer is a device that converts computer output into printed text or images on paper or some other medium. A printer is considered a peripheral device, as is any part of a computer other than the central processing unit or its working memory: monitors, printers, disk drives, digital cameras, scanners, and so on.

In 1953 the Remington-Rand company developed the first high-speed printer for use with the UNIVAC computer. Today, laser and inkjet printers are two popular types of printers. The original laser printer was developed in 1978 at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center when Xerox engineer Gary Starkweather added a laser beam to Xerox copier technology. The Hewlett-Packard Company introduced the first desktop laser printer in 1984, basing their device on technology developed by Canon, Inc. Laser printers quickly became popular due to their high-quality printouts and their relatively low operating expenses. Though the inkjet printer was invented...