The computer printer market has been pretty much HP's for such a long time now it's hard to believe there's much competition (but don't tell Lexmark, Epson or Canon that ...)

Now, in what could have seismic implications in this pretty staid market, Lenovo is planning to make an entrance (and we mean major, as in major entrance) into the printer market.

According to Lyra Research, Lenovo has a vision for a Chinese consortium of printer and supplies makers. Such a Chinese consortium, operating under the protection of the Chinese government, could have a major impact on foreign printer makers’ sales in the domestic Chinese market.

If Lenovo succeeds in creating a global competitor, the vast printer markets in India and other emerging nations may be up for grabs.

(And how about the good old U.S. of A.?)

Larry Jamieson, director of Lyra's Hard Copy Industry Advisory Service, said, "Companies such as Canon, Epson and HP stand to lose significant market share rapidly if Lenovo's strategy is realized. By realigning and leveraging existing infrastructure from numerous domestic printer makers, Lenovo's consortium could realize major gains in the Chinese market and will be poised, essentially, to take on the world's markets."

Isn't it always something ...