Navigation
Reviews related to : Scanners
Having recently looked at a small printer this is even smaller than that. However this is designed to scan pictures and or read items on SD cards. So unlike the aforementioned printer this is not designed to scan an A4 page.
The Pandigital Photolink scanner measures 15.5x8.5x4cm and weights only 200grams. Perhaps you should forget the way a standard scanner works as this is designed to work standalone meaning you insert a photograph in the unit and it scans the image to a card in the built in SD card slot. Once the LED on the unit stops flashing (a few seconds) you can then scan another photograph and then another for as long as you have photographs to scan or to the capacity of the SD card.
While many users will be content with the scanner module that forms part of an All-in-One device, better quality can be achieved with a standalone model.
Adding to its range of standalone flatbed scanners, Canon has released its CanoScan LiDE 200 model. This colour image 48-bit scanner offers a resolution of 4800 x 4800 dpi that can be expanded to 19200 dpi through the use of software as part of a feature set designed to tempt those users wanting better quality than is usually available from the scanner unit forming part of a multi-function or All-in-One device. Opening the box reveals four components.
Unlike the various types of printers which tend to arrive without the required USB lead for connecting to the computer, scanners are more fortunate in this respect.
The CanoScan 8800F comes with both power and USB leads. This model has recently taken over the desk space, normally the home of my CanoScan LiDE 90 unit, for the purpose of this review. Decked out in matt silver and reflective black, the CanoScan 8800F has an attractive stylish, if solid, appearance with its bevelled edges. The effect is diminished a little by the reflective black’s tendency to collect and display finger smears.
With the MFU (multi function unit) or AIO (all in one) taking up little more space than a scanner and providing the functionality of three or four products then the scanner needs to do extra things to consider a stand alone product. There are units that read vast numbers of textual pages at 16 or 20 PPM. Here it can read slides and transparencies.
click to enlarge
First the all important dimensions it is 44cm long, 26cm wide and 9cm tall. It is a very dark grey in colour and has the power input and USB close together on the back and the on/off switch on the right side. There are four buttons on the front edge but everything can be managed from within Windows.
While a multifunction device can cover a range of eventualities, sometimes you just need the scanner element.
The popularity of multi-function, or all-in-one, devices has resulted in a drop in the number of standalone scanners available in the market. Rarely does a standalone scanner cross my desk but this is one of those occasions with the arrival of the Fujistu ScanSnap S300 product. However this is not a flatbed model but a page or document scanner.
This is a mono laser (all in one) AIO product that is neat, compact and virtually silent. In fact when I first saw it I could not believe it was a AIO because it was so small.
It is 39x32x15cm and that includes the slight protrusion at the back for the power lead. You will need a few centimetres of space above to lift the lid to place items on the flatbed. You need to allow space in front for pages to come out and also access to the small paper tray at the base. When you first switch on there is no great whirring and churning noises, in fact the only way you know it's on is a blue light.
While All-in-One or multifunction devices continue to be the flavour of the month with both retailers and consumers, there is still a place for various standalone devices.
If you have the work space and an interest in photography then you might well prefer the specific functionality that is provided by a dedicated scanner. A recent example of this specific scanning functionality can be found in the Epson Perfection V200 model which provides the means to scan general documents, photos, film strips, slides and even 3D objects with a scan resolution of 4800 x 9600 with 48 bit colour.
Scanners have come a long way since the bulky desk-top units of a few years back. The DocuPen RC800
is the latest in a range of hand-held scanners for those that just need to scan on the move.
The DocuPen is intended to be dragged down something flat that you want to scan. The device is intended for use on the move, scanning images and storing them for later retrieval by your computer. Internal standard memory is 8Mbytes, which is fine for storing a few black and white pages of text, but is insufficient for much in the way of colour.
Paper dresses were not the only items on display when Canon revealed its new product line-up.
Canon G9 12.1 Mega-pixel digital camera As summer draws to an end (you must remember those few hours of sunshine which were our allocation this year), you know it is time for Canon to roll out its autumn collection of new and enhanced products. To mark this occasion, Canon was involved in an exercise in creating haute courtier fashion using paper decorated by Canon printers.
Rarely do I look at a standalone scanner, but should you need to scan other than documents then a specialised standalone scanner comes to the fore especially for negatives and slides.
The comes with some excellent software that makes the scanning from whatever format just a matter of a few clicks, also included is PhotoSmart Premium that gives you control over the images once scanned, while the two work together they can be used apart should you already have a favourite package. HP G4010 The install took around 12 minutes and used just on 500MB of hard disc space.
Unlike multifunction devices, where the scanner is usually a bolt-on basic unit, a dedicated scan can provide additional features.
It has been quite a while since I last had the opportunity to try out a new standalone flatbed scanner. The main reason for this long gap is down to the popularity of multifunctional and all-in-one devices. These types of product do have the decided advantage of saving on workspace and power source requirements. However there are occasions when the specific functionality of a dedicated scanner outweighs these considerations.
Pocket-sized Scanner
Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple
by mfereday
on Oct 16, 2004
Although scanners have shrunk in size and weight, you would not normally expect to carry one in your pocket. Now you can.
The YellowHawk e-Publishing Platform
© YellowHawk Ltd 2003 - 2010, All rights reserved
© YellowHawk Ltd 2003 - 2010, All rights reserved
