Hello!
What Craig said is correct.
The 7002/8002 uses a new toner that gives the machine a matte finish, and it has the Automated Color Quality Suite built in. On the previous 7000AP/8000AP, this was an option you could add on. It makes it so you don’t have to do the manual calibration process, and you’ll have better spot color matching and profiling.
One thing I just learned too is that its finishing can be chained together. So, instead of just having a bookletmaker, or an inline punch, you can have a GBC punch attached to a Standard Horizon bookletmaker. That’s nice because then you have more job flexibility and aren’t pigeon-holed into finishing one type of application.
Leetaylor-
I’m a big fan of the 5000. I have always liked its image quality and glossy look. From talking to customers at tradeshows… the glossy vs. matte discussion really seems to be 50/50. Some love it, others dislike it. I think it’s rather subjective and depends on what the end customer ultimately likes.
If you are looking to eventually upgrade your 5000, the 7002/8002 also have the custom paper profiles and alignment profiles your 5000 has. I think the biggest difference will be the look of the prints (less glossy), the speed, and your printer’s UI isn’t the PC UI you have on the 5000. Will you be attending Print 09? I will be there!
Also, in response to your question about whether it was developed to answer to the Canon ImagePRESS… I think they certainly added pressure with the “flatter look” side of digital printing which ultimately led for a push for the low gloss toner, but that’s about it. I think Xerox machines have always had better color consistency/accuracy, productivity, substrate range, etc. than most of our competitors. My personal opinion: I feel as though Xerox has fantastic products, but think the main reason we lose deals is not because of the capability of the products, but on price (I also think you get what you pay for. Most other machines have plastic parts, ours you can tell are metal).
Thanks for being a Xerox customer and it sounds like you've enjoyed your 5000 so far!