3/31/2012

Canon imageCLASS MF4690 Monochrome Laser All-in-One Printer (1827B001) Review

Canon imageCLASS MF4690 Monochrome Laser All-in-One Printer (1827B001)
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I shopped around for about 2 weeks and looked all the makes and models. I ended up purchasing the Canon 4690. The Canon 4690 is very easy to install, configure, and network. All settings can be configured via a handy web interface. The unit is very fast, quiet, and ergonomic. Warm up time is better than expected. With a small footprint, this Canon fits nicely in any home/office setting. From a hardware perspective, this unit meets and exceeds all comparable units out there on the market. Where most multifunction units have only 32 to 64 MB of RAM, it appears that this unit has 128 MB - although for some reason, you won't see this documented. I learned this from printing out my 4690's configuration page. In any event, more memory is very nice for those large print jobs. Networking and printer installation is a snap. The paper handling is convenient. Printing, copying, faxing, and scanning are ridiculously easy with the Canon 4690. Believe me; I looked at Dell, Epson, HP, Lexmark, and even other Canon models. Bottom line: The Canon 4690 offers the most technology for this price level.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon imageCLASS MF4690 Monochrome Laser All-in-One Printer (1827B001)

Ideal for small offices, the all-in-one imageCLASS MF4690 combines a duplex printer, digital copier, high-speed fax, color scanner, and network-capable functions in one compact, space-saving model. Compatible with both Windows and Mac, the MF4690 efficiently handles jobs both big and small and delivers high-quality, professional results when you need them.The MF4690's single-cartridge system means the toner and drum are together in one easy-to-replace unit, resulting in both excellent image quality retention and virtually maintenance-free operation. In addition, its advanced, built-in send features and network-ready design help you effortlessly manage electronic document workflow. You can use this convenient unit to scan documents in various file formats and then email and/or fax them directly from the MF4690, without need of a computer. The MF4690 also stores email addresses and fax numbers for expedient sending of documents. With the scan-to-USB memory feature, a user can insert a portable jump drive in the front USB port on the device and scan documents directly to the drive in the user's choice of file formats. The device informs the user when it's safe to remove the drive.The MF4690 is prints and copies at speeds up to 21 pages per minute (ppm) for letter-sized output at up to 1200 x 600 dot-per-inch (dpi) resolution. This unit also offers duplex output for letter-sized paper when printing, receiving faxes, and copying, an option that can significantly reduce paper consumption by printing two-sided documents from a personal computer, or even incoming faxes. The MF4690 will also copy single-sided pages to double-sided output, again reducing unnecessary paper usage. For added convenience, the 35-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF) handles up to 250 sheets of paper and easily feeds multiple pages for efficient large copying or scanning jobs. Finally, the 33.6 kpbs Super G3 fax sends and receives faxes quickly and easily to minimize wait times.

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3/30/2012

HP ScanJet 4670 See-Thru Vertical Scanner Review

HP ScanJet 4670 See-Thru Vertical Scanner
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This scanner has a lot of potential, but fails to deliver.
I like the slim design and it scans reasonably fast; at least compared to what I have been use to. Also the see-thru design is a plus. At first I thought it rather gimmicky, but found out in scanning large maps and such it was a boon to getting a minimal but slight overlap between adjacent scans. Also this scanner does not mind being inverted, in fact it does not care which orientation it is in. Some desk top scanners do not like being inverted, if fact they jam!
Now the down side, on certain colors it scans alternating bands of light and dark exposure across the width of the image. Fourteen to be exact. It turns up on grey colors, ivory, off-whites; it is very distinctive on silver-gray. On full color pictures or typed documents it does not manifest. Playing with the exposure setting does not help if the banding is strong. Also if the image is not tight against the platen, this alternating light/dark pattern also occurs. According to HP advance tech support this is due to optimization for scanning colors in such a space saving scanner bar design.
The scanner has very poor depth of field. Other desktop scanners start to loose focus and the image darkens if the object being scanned gets further than a 1/4" from the platen. (Though you get some really bad parallax errors before that point!) With this scanner the image goes dark and the bands appear if the space is a mere 1/16". HP advance tech support has a document describing this issue but it pertains to scanning 3D objects. However for practical purposes it is a fault when you try to scan anything near the gutter of a book. If scanning maps or an atlas you need to under-pad the document so that it can conform and press tight against the platen. Any gaps between the document and platen will appear dark, the scanning lamp is underpowered.
You may have trouble getting the HP Director software to run with some computers from a very popular company, dude. Though it did work on other XP and Win98 machines I tried, so the fault seems to be certain installations/configurations of XP and not HP scanning software supplied with the scanner. I never did get it to launch on my computer and ended up having to scan via my image editing software using the TWAIN interface. Which was HP tech supports workaround. Once you get into the HP scanning application (via Director or TWAIN) the HP Scan interface looks like something designed for a UNIX workstation or Windows 3.11. Nowhere near as polished as other, even older HP scanning applications I have seen, downright primitive.
The third party panoramic software bundled is junk. I tried several photographs and then successively simpler images (line art, scanned typed documents) for it to stitch together and it never even came close to getting the images aligned. Even with the use of the manual 'assistance markers' it failed every time. Completely hopeless. I had hoped to make use of the OCR software but had so much trouble with the other issues I never got around to loading and trying it.
HP tech support will string you along if you have these exposure issues. Unfortunately I bought my 4670 when they first came out and there were no reviews yet posted. HP will try to tell you a self-powered USB hub is required. Don't believe it, if you have 200mA available at the USB port you have plenty and most new machines far exceed that; for example mine had 500mA (by the way HP was unable to tell me what the minimum USB port power requirement was for the scanner.) However I worked with HP outsourced tech support and tried all the different things they suggested like latest drivers and reloading the software and sent them test scans to examine. They replaced the scanner once, and were going to do so again, when I started to notice others were complaining of the same light/dark band issue. Finally they admitted it was in the design of the scanner and replacing it was not going to solve the problem. They did offer to buy it back, but since I what been so patient working with them the scanner was now considered used and I only got a partial refund. HP hardware used to be rock-solid, but this experience makes me wonder if they have not changed.
This scanner is priced as a premium unit. I did not find it delivered acceptable results. The support with this unit was friendly and patient, and usually one got through in a reasonably quick time. But it was not very knowledgeable about the product and offered inaccurate advice. Also the policy of only offering a partial refund after diligently working with their tech support on an issue that turned out to be an inherent fault in the design of the scanner I felt to be non-conducive to creating satisfied customers. They tell me it is policy, and hope I will consider buying HP products in future. I will consider long and hard before buying another HP scanner that is for sure!
D.Kephart
PA, USA


Click Here to see more reviews about: HP ScanJet 4670 See-Thru Vertical Scanner

Just when you thought scanning couldn't get any faster, crisper, or sleeker, along comes the new HP Scanjet 4670. This small but mighty scanner will revolutionize the way you think about scanning. Sized to fit in a drawer, briefcase, or even vertically on a bookshelf, yet versatile and durable enough to scan oversized and three-dimensional items, it's the perfect fit for a home office, family room, or college dorm.
Everyone can find a use for this handy machine. Be more productive by converting memos, blurry faxes, and other text documents into editable text using optical character recognition (OCR) software (no more retyping!). Scan photos and documents and instantly e-mail them to family and friends without a PC. Make a photo inventory of heirlooms or other valuables. Or scan negatives and slides using a transparency adapter to create an archive of your photos.
So how do you actually scan?

Give mobility a whole new meaning Now that you telecommute, your family room is more than a family room; it's your office. Space is a valuable commodity, so the slim HP 4670 scanner is an ideal fit in both form and function. Being able to scan oversized items has been a lifesaver for those drawings you frequently e-mail to the office for approval; especially because it's as simple as placing your scanner on the easel, scanning the drawing in sections, and letting the ArcSoft Panorama Maker software automatically and seamlessly "stitch" it together. One click of the Instant Share button and you mail the entire list of recipients at once.
When the workday ends, you place your scanner back on the bookshelf, where it's safe and out of sight. Best of all, if you absolutely must finish those presentation transparencies on a Saturday, the HP 4670 is as mobile as you are. Just grab your scanner, transparent materials adapter, and laptop, and head to your favorite quiet spot. Whether you're sitting on the floor or in an office, the unique Scanjet technologies (high-end color separation; accurate, flattened scanning bed; and lots of other automatic color-balancing, restoration, and enhancement features) give you professional, polished results … no matter where you are.
Get the whole picture One of the most fun and unique things you can do with your HP 4670 is create gorgeous panoramic photos (even 360° panoramas). Simply scan your image in sections and the Automatic Stitching feature in ArcSoft Panorama Maker software (included) will automatically reassemble oversized images for printing. You can combine horizontal, vertical, or tiled sets of images.
Save space The HP 4670 is so slim it fits on a bookshelf or in a briefcase. You can store it vertically, like a book, so it's perfect for a college dorm or a combined family room/office area. But don't let the ultra-thin design fool you: It's made to move around and take with you. We even drop-tested the scanner from three feet! So if a sibling riot erupts, triggering an accidental fall from the table, the HP 4670 will survive unscathed.
The windowpane is tough polycarbonate plastic and tempered glass to resist chipping, scratching, and breaking. (That's the same stuff used in many safety hardhats, motorcycle helmets, and riot shields.) The frame is secured with 12 screws (twice as many as most other scanners), and trimmed in rubber to absorb shocks. The carriage has a special mechanical design that protects the sensors and their wire bonds.
More features:
One-touch operation. Four-button design makes it easy to perform common tasks:
Scan
Copy
Instant Share
Power Save

Six-second-preview scan Get speedy confirmation of a successful scan! Precise image placement. Look through the see-through scanning window to "frame" and place items just where you want them.
Cross-platform adaptable The HP 4670 is Windows 98-, 2000-, Me-, XP-, and Mac-compatible.
Complete high-speed connectivity. Compatibility with USB 2.0 specifications allows plug-and-play installation of peripheral devices. Exclusive HP technology. Charge coupled device (CCD) scanning brings together an innovative combination of a new, thin optical system and CCD scanner technologies. CCD captures light more efficiently than other methods, and produces a grain-free print.
Sharpen up Resolution is a measurement in dots per inch (dpi) of the sharpness and clarity of an image. The HP 4670 has 2400-dpi optical resolution, producing crisp, clear, vibrant images. With 48-bit color, you'll also see clear photos with brighter yellows, richer reds, and cooler blues.
Scan anything The versatile HP 4670 can scan anything from books and photos to oversized items.
Variable orientation An easel comes with the scanner, so you can use it vertically, horizontally, face-up or face-down, for large format or hard-to-capture items. Slides and negatives. Attach the transparent materials adapter (TMA) to capture images from slides and negatives. Use the HP Memories Disc Creator and HP Instant Share software to create and send fun --digital photo albums -- to family and friends. (The software is included.)

Included Software The HP 4670 comes equipped with cool photo software already in place:
HP Photo & Imaging Software with HP Memories Disc Creator and HP Instant Share feature
HP Scanjet copy utility
Suite of electronic help tools
Adobe Acrobat Reader
ArcSoft Panorama Maker
IRIS ReadIris Pro (for Windows)
IRIS ReadIris (for Macintosh)
What's in the Box HP ScanJet 4670, transparent materials adapter, combined USB and power cable assembly, vertical holder, quick-start setup poster, user's guide, manual, CD-ROMs with software for Windows and Macintosh

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3/29/2012

Penpower WorldCard Ultra Business Card Scanner (Windows) Review

Penpower WorldCard Ultra Business Card Scanner (Windows)
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OK, I have several Intel Macs, and an iPhone. When my job suddenly changed to a strong marketing role, I had to manage the huge stack of business cards I'd collected over the years, it was no longer sufficient to say "that number is here somewhere" as I flip through a stack of cards.
The hardware is good. Small, lightweight, I can throw it in my laptop case and go. A short USB cable is integrated, and it comes with a extension cable which I've yet to need. The little flip-down cover is fine, I suppose it keeps dirt out when carrying it around. I'd almost prefer a pouch to carry it in.
OCR sucks everywhere, it's as good here as it is anywhere. That means you will do a lot of editing. Don't think you won't. More on this in a moment.
The drivers went on easily, and the device was instantly recognized. I was scanning in under 5 minutes.
Here's the rub. The bundled software, WorldCard, looks like it would be incredible. But that's Windows only application, no touchy for us Mac users. WorldCard Express is bundled for Mac users, and it is nothing to write home about.
I think that most of the functionality the WorldCard promises is provided by a combination of WorldCard Express and the Mac Address Book. If the conversion between the two was seamless, I would have no complaints, but it isn't. You will basically perform two levels of edit on every card you input.
When you scan, you'll click on 'Edit', and a fairly accurate representation of the card will appear in editable fields. You have an opportunity to fix OCR issues here. It's cool that items that weren't recognized go into a separate area you can cut and paste from to put them where they need to be. Get comfortable with your "Apple X" and "Apple V" keyboard shortcuts, the mouse will drive you crazy here. When you're done, you click a button and off to your address book the card goes.
Now comes the problem. WorldCard Express has no concept of "First Name" and "Last Name", nor does it understand "City, ST, ZIP." So all your names will go into the "Last Name" field of your address book, and that is unsatisfactory for most users. The entire address goes into the address field, and City State and Zip are left blank. Not functional at all. This means that you really have to perform two levels of editing on each card for it to be useful.
So, having said all that, it's still considerably faster then typing in every card, and if you have a sharp eye to catch the expected OCR errors, it is certainly more accurate then typing in each card. Over several days, in my spare time and with the part-time help of an assistant, I've caught up on 5 years of cards. Keeping up will be a breeze. I like it, I will use it, I do not regret purchasing it (of course, the company paid for it). I will be watching for improvements to WorldCard Express, or a full version of WorldCard for Mac.
By the way, for you Mac Thunderbird users, google Mac Address book with Thunderbird and you'll find instructions for a slick way to link your Mac Address book to Thunderbird that takes about 15 minutes to install and configure and works well. Supposedly this will be included in Thunderbird 3.0, but it's a unofficial download add-on with configuration for now.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Penpower WorldCard Ultra Business Card Scanner (Windows)

Streamline your business card collection with the palm-sized Penpower WorldCard Ultra Business Card Scanner, which allows you to digitally preserve and sort your professional and personal contacts to suit your needs. An instinctive slot-in design with dust cover makes this business card scanner easy to use and smaller than ever, making it the perfect addition to your next business trip or conference.
Once your business cards have been scanned, this sophisticated business card scanner enables you to import, export, and synchronize your personal and professional data with all major personal organization software and smart phones. You'll be able to easily scan double-sided business cards and images into a single business card entry, while a full text advanced search feature quickly locates or sorts the contacts you need.
A unique multiple language recognition feature allows you to keep your international contacts organized, while the Unicode design easily displays multi-lingual business cards without error. Up to 65,535 sub-categories provide you with the flexibility to organize contacts according to your personal preferences.
This compact 4-by-3.5-by-1-inch WorldCard business card scanner lets you directly scan contact information into Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Contacts and ACT! without launching Worldcard software. Once your contact information is digital, simply drag and drop it into documents or email. This product comes with a variety of print templates and formats for printing, or helps you design your own templates. It comes backed by a one-year limited manufacturer's warranty.
What's in the Box WorldCard A8 color business card scanner, USB cable, WorldCard software CD, user's manual, calibration card, and registration card.

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3/28/2012

Canon PIXMA MX700 Office All-On-One Inkjet Printer Review

Canon PIXMA MX700 Office All-On-One Inkjet Printer
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I bought this to replace my HP Photosmart 2710 that died after 2 years. I had spent 400 bucks on the old HP and for only 200 this thing blows it out of the water. A few specifics:
SCAN: The scan quality is noticably better than the HP and I also like the software a lot more. Note that I am using this machine on a mac so I can't speak to what the PC experience is like.
FAX: The fax is much smarter. I used to have to unplug the HP so it wouldn't answer the phone when I didn't want it to. The Canon can simply be told that phone should take priority and it won't pick up... at least not before my answering machiine does on ring number 4. This is nice because it means I don't have to mess with phone cords when I want to send a fax.
PRINT: Works great. Set up three different computers to access on my network, although it did take me a minute to realize I had to use the "Canon IJ Network" option in the drop down for my computer to see the printer. If I had bothered to read the instructions it probably would have been quicker. ;)
COPY: Also seems to work great. Similar to the HP here although the quality of the print seems a little better.
I'll try to come back and add more detail after more use, but since there weren't any reviews yet I thought I'd add one now.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon PIXMA MX700 Office All-On-One Inkjet Printer

With this networkable PIXMA MX700 All-In-One Office Printer, you'll be able to print photos right from compatible memory cards, selecting and enhancing images on the 1.8" color LCD display or directly from a digital camera or DV camcorder. You'll achieve up to Super G3 fax2 speed in color or Black & White and the expanded memory can store 40 speed dial codes and receive 100 incoming pages. Copies will be remarkably true to the originals, and when scanning photos you'll produce impressive 2400-dpi results with vibrant 48-bit color depth. The automatic document feeder holds 30 originals, making it easier to copy, scan or fax large documents. Dual Color Gamut Processing Technology automatically optimizes quality based on the type of originals you are copying. The Ethernet interface lets you establish or connect to a home or office network.Produce beautiful scans with vibrant 48-bit color depth Scanner Max Resolutions -Optical 2400 x 4800 dpi, Interpolated 19,200 x 19,200 dpi 8.5x11.7 Max Document Size Fax Modem Speed -33.6 Kbps (Super G3 color fax), Black 3 seconds per page, Color 1 minute per page Print wirelessly right from your PictBridge enabled mobile camera phone Quick Start -Powering up your printer is now much faster Paper Sizes -Credit Card (2.13x3.39), 4x6, 4x8, 5x7, 8x10, Letter, Legal, U.S. #10 envelopes and Photo Stickers Compatibility -Windows Vista, Windows XP, 2000 and Mac OS X v.10.2.8 to 10.4.x10

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3/27/2012

Brother MFC-8460N Network All-in-One Laser Printer Review

Brother MFC-8460N Network All-in-One Laser Printer
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I also have a problem with the printer creasing envelopes. It appears to shift the flap of the envelope slightly while feeding it through the fuser and the heat and pressure causes another crease about 1/8" offset from the original one.
I returned the first unit that I ordered because of a loud squeaking noise that developed while printing. The second unit also squeaks somewhat (Certainly more than my old mfc-8820D), but it doesn't sound like it's dragging a cat through the manual feed slot.
There's a big difference between this unit and my MFC-8820D in the scanning area. On my old printer, I could input an email address on the screen and it would forward the document to that address. This guy requires you to select a network computer and then sends the document there. A memory resident program needs to be running on the computer to process the received document...which is a worthless waste of memory space about 99.99% of the time when the computer is doing it's normal job. The memory resident process also conflicts with some HP network printer software and crashes on a couple of our systems, thus rendering them unusable with this scanner. Needless to say, the old way of doing it was much better.
In retrospect, and despite the 145,000 pages printed, I probably should have spent the $300 to replace the fuser on my 8820D instead of getting this unit. This one is much faster, but the other trade-offs - the lack of duplexing (known at the time of ordering, but the 8860DN wasn't yet shipping) and the dumbing down of the scanner firmware (unknown until received) are serious handicaps.
Oct 30, 2006 update - After about five month of use and about 20K pages printed, my printer is in the shop being repaired. The printer started making loud snapping sounds, like plastic gears stripping, whenever a page was printed...except that the paper jammed every time. The guy in the service center said that he has another identical printer in for repair and that it's the fuser unit that's shot. That would be easy to fix, except that they're on back-order and won't be available for a while. Sigh. I think my next printer will be an HP.
November 14, 2006 - I have to give Brother Service credit. 1000 pages post-repair and my machine broke again. They're shipping me a new printer. This will be my second replacement unit...hopefully this unit will be more solid as my warranty runs out in April.
November 25, 2006 - update - The replacement unit not only shifts the flap on envelopes, it puts creases all over them, rendering them completely unusable for any purpose. If there was a way to totally unwind this purchase, I would in a second. On the other hand, since design of this unit appears to have all the reliability of an alcoholic after a weekend on the town, I purchased the one year extended warranty.
February 10,2007 - update - Well, the machine is now starting to make loud snapping sounds whenever the paper tray is filled up to the full line. It also jams and refuses to feed paper whenever that happens. The solution (so far) is to only fill the paper tray half-full.
I really dislike this piece of junk...so much so that I bought HP for my new offices.
May 13, 2008 - final update - After limping along in the old office for the last year, the Brother finally died (again). The big question is whether to take it to recycling yard, where they would gently take it apart and salvage the parts, or take it to the local car crusher and watch it receive what it deserves. Alas, my ecological side is coming through and I'll recycle it. Oh well, it would have made a great YouTube video...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother MFC-8460N Network All-in-One Laser Printer

The MFC-8460N has a convenient flatbed design that accommodates either single sheets or bound documents for copying, faxing, or scanning. With the ability to function as a digital copier, the unit supports reduction and enlargement of documents from 25 to 400 percent in one percent increments, makes up to 99 copies, and includes sorting functionality. Copies up to legal size can be made from both the glass and the automatic document feeder. Print and copy speeds up to 21 pages per minute keep up with busy offices, while outstanding resolution of up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi gives each document exceptional legibility.
As a full-function stand-alone fax machine, the MFC-8460N supports up to 340 total speed dial locations, and also incorporates dual access and broadcast faxing features. It stores up to 600 pages for Quick Scan faxing or out-of-paper fax reception. Stand-alone fax and copy operation is standard, so no computer is required.
When operating as a scanner, the unit is capable of color scanning up to 9,600 dpi interpolated resolution (up to 600 x 2,400 dpi optical). For Windows and OS X 10.2.4 or greater based users, there is an easy-to-use "scan to" button for scanning directly to an FTP site, image application, OCR, E-mail application or file. Save time and reduce errors with instant direct access through your network connected MFC-8460N to a virtually infinite number of e-mail and fax addresses stored in your LDAP network address books. Simply use the large, clear 5-line LCD display on the MFC-8460N's control panel to view the contacts stored in your network address books and scroll to select the address you need. Then you can quickly send faxes and Internet faxes to your selection, and perform scan-to-e-mail-address functions.
The MFC-8460N provides the ability for an administrator to set various levels of password protected access to certain features, for each of up to 25 different users per machine. Through this feature, you can restrict specific employees such as part-time workers or interns from access to scan-to-e-mail functions or other avenues for sending data outside your walls.
The color scanner function comes bundled with document management and OCR software. ScanSoft PaperPort SE with OCR software is available for Windows and Presto! Page Manager is available for Mac users. The MFC-8860DN is also supplied with built-in wired Ethernet networking. The unit is compatible with both PC and Mac operating systems (Windows 98/NT4.0/2000/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 9.1-9.2, OS X 10.2.4 or greater). Standard emulations of PCL6 and BR-Script3 (PostScript3) are included as well. Brother provides a one-year warranty, covering parts and service.
What's in the Box Multifunction unit, paper tray, multipurpose tray, TN540 Standard Yield Toner Cartridge (3,500 Pages), DR510 Drum Unit (20,000 Pages) CD-ROM with drivers and utilities, printed user's guide, warranty information

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3/26/2012

Brother HL-2040 Monochrome Laser Printer Review

Brother HL-2040 Monochrome Laser Printer
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I was able to change the printer settings...and dramatically reduce paper curl.
Open Printers and Faxes from Start Menu, select Properties for the Brother HL 2040, click Printing Preferences, then change Media Type to "Thin Paper."

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother HL-2040 Monochrome Laser Printer

Sporting a compact design that easily fits into any workspace, the Brother HL-2040 laser printer is ideal for home or small office use. This dependable unit offers fast print speeds of up to 20 pages per minute (ppm) with the first page out in under 10 seconds. The 2400 x 600 dpi resolution (up to 600 dpi text using Linux) with laser print quality ensures crisp, clear text and monochrome graphics every time you print. Additionally, the generous 250-sheet paper input capacity means you can work more efficiently, while the innovative Web-based user support system helps you quickly and easily manage jobs and troubleshoot problems.The HL-2040 also comes complete with a starter toner cartridge and standard drum that print up to 1,500 and 12,000 pages respectively, saving you and your business both time and money. Convenient and easy to use, the HL-2040 sets up in minutes, and boasts an 8 MB standard memory and the versatility to print letter- and legal-size documents as well as envelopes. It also offers USB and Parallel interfaces, is compatible with both Windows and Mac, and comes with a 1-year warranty.What's in the Box HL-2040 laser printer, 1 starter toner cartridge, 1 standard drum.

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3/25/2012

HP Laserjet M1522NF Printer Review

HP Laserjet M1522NF Printer
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Please note: In order to post this review, I HAD to give this printer one star. This printer deserves NO STARS.
The HP1522nf had everything I was looking for--Fax, Scan, laser printing, feeder, PPM requirements--and what I thought was HP quality. Although we purchased it from Amazon.com on 4/17, the printer was not placed into use until 5/1 because we were still in construction mode on our business. On May 1, I spent several hours on the phone with HP tech support...in India...and I couldn't understand most of what they said. Worse, they couldn't understand *me.* And I speak very clearly.
I was told that the printer could not be plugged into a surge protector--has to be plugged straight into the wall, and they eventually decided that I needed to download the printer software from HP's website to cure the fact that the printer simply would not operate after printing one page.
I uninstalled the software that I'd installed from HP's disc. The problem here is that the uninstall doesn't remove all of the software it's installed. It leaves tons of junk on the computer. I reinstalled with the fresh download and the printer worked for about a week. The scan and FAX functions refused to work, but I had a business to open and didn't have time to sit on the phone with HP tech support for hour after hour.
On May 20th, I called HP tech support and the first question I asked was why they had never checked back with me as they said they'd do. The response was that they'd closed the file as "successfully handled" because (they claimed) when tech support tried to call me back, they found my number disconnected. My number was NOT disconnected, but the number they were calling had absolutely not one digit in common with my number.
I spent two days on the phone with tech support, uninstalling and reinstalling the software over and over, coaxing the printer to please do something right, trying to understand what the HP tech support people were saying... It was MEGA-frustrating.
The problems? The printer would print once, and then turn itself off. HP absurdly placed the switch in the back (lower left side), so in order to power cycle the printer, it's really handy if you know how to do yoga. However, power cycling it would do nothing after awhile. The printer turned itself off and stayed off.
HP tech support asked me to FAX them the receipt, which I did (before the printer finally decided to stay dead), and HP's tech support had the gall to complain that it was too blurry to read. Having been sent with one of their printers and received on their equipment, the quality of the FAX would be HP's problem--not mine.
The machine would not scan. Trying to run the scan software resulted in a pop-up window telling me that the scan had failed, did I want to try again. It never scanned.
The computer I installed the software on unfortunately runs Vista. I asked if this could be the problem. HP tech support thought not. However, when trying to input data into the FAX feature on the computer, I ran into a series of annoying problems. For example, inputting the business name required that I input one letter and then the HP software would spit up a yellow caution sign window with the letter and a question mark. I'd click "OK," and then enter another letter, at which point HP software would spit up the same yellow caution sign with the new letter and a question mark. I'd click "OK"...and this is how the entire business name had to be entered! One letter at a time and no spaces. Hitting the space bar would bounce the cursor back to the beginning. I kludged that problem by inserting an underscore between words. It's insane!
Finally HP tech support decided it was a bad printer and that they needed to replace my brand new straigh-out-of-the-box printer with a used refurbished one! That's when I blew up. And that's when HP lost me as a customer.
I complained vociferously. They said they'd review the issues, but replacing with a used refurbished unit was all HP policy allows.
I wrote scathing emails to HP tech support and to HP's CEO (whose email address is on the HP website if you're patient enough to search for it). I decided to cc Amazon.com as well.
Next morning, I received a wonderful email from Amazon telling me that due to the extenuating circumstances, they'd already shipped me a new printer and sent a label for the return of the non-functional unit. Amazon ROCKS!
Then I received a call from HP tech support telling me in pidgin English that they'd reviewed the situation and would send me a used refurbished unit. It was great fun to tell them to go pound sand.
My new printer arrived as scheduled. I spent hours on my computer--weeding through folders, uninstalling every particle of HP software I could find--looking in hidden folders (they're in there too), as well as taking ownership of items and changing permissions in order to dump eons of the nasty buggers. I plugged the printer INTO THE WALL RECEPTICLE. I installed the software from a fresh download.
It works. It FAXes. (The first two FAXes failed, but after that it worked. I still had to enter the business name header one letter at a time, each letter followed by the annoying sign and clicking "OK.") It scans. It prints. It doesn't turn itself off. BUT--after reading these reviews, I have to wonder how long this "success" will hold.
I wish I'd bought any other brand printer. Brother printers seem to be garnering good reviews, but based on past experience with having to kick those suckers to print, I decided against Brother. Epson seems to be having success. Really, ANYTHING has to be better than an HP printer.
Until HP gets its act together with technically-correct software and printers that work, and more importantly--MOVES THEIR TECH SUPPORT BACK TO THE UNITED STATES--I refuse to do business with them. I've bought probably 10 HP printers over the past few years. Maybe more. I don't mind spending a little time on the phone with tech support for minor issues. But in the past two years--it's happened with every single printer with every single set-up, and it's gotten old. So long, HP. Your printers don't work. Your software doesn't work. And your tech support is atrocious.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Laserjet M1522NF Printer

HP M1522nf LaserJet Multifunction Printer Fax Bundle. Need a little elbow room. HPs surprisingly compact all in one LaserJet M1522nf Printer has a flatbed design that can copy and scan a variety of documents; it also sends faxes and its networkable. You will get sharp looking text in speeds as fast as 24 pages per minute. This model also includes one RJ 11 fax port, as well as an RJ 11 line out telephone port.

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3/24/2012

HP Photosmart Premium C309a All-in-One - Multifunction Printer Review

HP Photosmart Premium C309a All-in-One - Multifunction Printer
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I recently purchased this printer for use with an iMac. Every step of the installation process was difficult. The software had problems recognizing the computer and then did not work with the wireless devices. Next the document feeder would not allow copying or scanning from the glass top of the printer. Called HP repeatedly and was put on hold for hours. Finally I called Apple and to my surprise they at least worked through the connection problems. Anyone who purchase this machine needs their heads examined.

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3/23/2012

Dell V305 All-in-One Printer Review

Dell V305 All-in-One Printer
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Always having to troubleshoot through problems...a 2 minute print job turns into an hour. Ink cartridges do not last long at all. After the color ink that came with the printer ran out, I have never been able to get another color cartridge to work. Do not buy this printer!

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3/22/2012

Belkin F5U301 CableFree 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub with Dongle Review

Belkin F5U301 CableFree 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub with Dongle
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A wireless USB hub is very appealing. The implementation of this one makes it useless.
The software only runs on Windows XP. There are no Vista drivers. The hub does not work until you've logged in and even then, it takes a few seconds. Since you have to have log in before the hub will work, your mouse and keyboard can't be plugged in to the wireless hub. This also means that USB audio devices that must be plugged in at boot will not work. I don't understand why Windows requires USB audio devices to be plugged in at boot, but that's Microsoft's fault, not Belkins.
It gets better. Yesterday, we rebooted the machine and my brother logged in with his account. The wireless hub didn't work at all because the software wasn't installed for him. Why would the installer even bother installing this software for only one user? No problem, we installed the software on his account. Reboot. Everything seemed to work. Fast user switch to my account and the software freaks out because the software running on his account is using the device. The USB devices attached to that hub go offline.
To Summarize:
- No Vista support
- Can't use it for keyboard/mouse
- No support for multiple user accounts
- Fast user switching messes it up
However tempted you may be, don't buy this product until they address these issues. This product is not ready for prime time. On the plus side, it seems like all of these problems are just related to software. If Belkin decides to, they could probably fix all of these problems in software.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin F5U301 CableFree 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub with Dongle

Belkin Cable-Free USB Hub

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3/21/2012

Cobra XRS-9330 12-Band Radar/Laser Detector Review

Cobra XRS-9330 12-Band Radar/Laser Detector
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
it's a nice radar detector and works 100% of the time but it could really use a mute button on the part where it plugs in the car because some times it just gets a little annoying when its beeping constantly, and you have to reach all the way up to the windshield to mute it.

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Whether you commute to work or school on the freeway, drive for a living, or just like to go on an occasional recreational trip, the Cobra XRS-9330 Radar/Laser Detector is an invaluable addition to your motor vehicle. Designed for the convenience of 24-hour use, the XRS-9330 has an extra bright digital display that can be dimmed for nighttime driving. Measuring 4.40 x 2.70 x 1.30 inches and weighing just 4.8 ounces, the XRS-9330 can be set just about anywhere within easy view when you're driving, and then stored in your glove compartment when you're parked.The XRS-9330 detects six different radar signals, including the Ku wavelength band that is widely used in Europe and that has been recently approved for use in the United States. In addition, the XRS-9330 is completely invisible to the VG-2 and Spectre radar detector detectors while it alerts you if either the VG-2 or the Spectre is in use in your area.The XRS-9330 is also sensitive to four different laser signals, and with its LaserEye feature giving you a 360-degree detection range, you'll always be able to tell if you're driving through a surveillance area. And perhaps most importantly, for your own safety and the safety of other drivers sharing the road with you, the XRS-9330 detects two emergency alert systems to give you advance warning of road hazards, keeping you prepared when emergency vehicles are nearby. In addition to detecting the Safety alert system, the XRS-9330, like most of Cobra's Radar/Laser detectors, offers Cobra's exclusive feature of detecting the presence of the Strobe alert system, which emergency crews use to control traffic signals.So get the Cobra XRS-9330 Radar/Laser Detector for your car or truck, and you'll be prepared for just about anything when you're behind the wheel.Note: Radar detectors can be used without restriction in well over 40 states, but restrictions apply in a few states. Please check with your state department of motor vehicles or highway patrol if you have questions about whether there are restrictions in your area.What's in the Box XRS 9330 radar/laser detector, windshield bracket, straight power cord, hook and loop fasteners, and owner's manual.

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3/20/2012

Canon Pixma MP830 Office All-In-One Inkjet Printer (0583B002) Review

Canon Pixma MP830 Office All-In-One Inkjet Printer (0583B002)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've been waiting for this printer to come out for quite some time. I previously used Canon's MP730 and completely loved it. This new version adds several great features, and after a few days of playing around with it, it has lived up to my high expectations.
The MP830 is a bit shorter and wider than Canon's previous all-in-ones, and it looks a bit more "classy" with a black-on-black keypad and a color LCD screen. There are two paper trays: the main tray is an upright tray in the rear, and a pull-out tray is located on the bottom of the machine. My old 730 had a plastic cover that protected the paper in the vertical tray from dust, and that cover is no longer included. I live is a dusty area, and if the paper gets a layer of dust on it, that dust can collect on and clog the print head. To remedy this, I've decided to use the smaller pull out tray as my primary paper tray (you can select the primary paper tray with a button on the keypad).
This printer uses Canon's new "8" series inks. While these are top-of-the-line inks (UV resistant, pigment/dye system), they are considerably more expensive than the 3 or 6 series inks used my many of Canons previous printers. Also, each ink cartridge has a small computer chip attached to it which makes obtaining remanufactured or generic cartridges difficult. At the moment you cannot find generic ink for this printer, and various websites advise against refilling these cartridges as they ink density is different from the previous inks, and doing so might wreck your printhead. So if you were used to paying $3/cartridge for generic canon cartridges, you might have to raise your ink budget for a while (currently, cartridges are about $14 each, and there are five of them in this printer).
This printer has duplex printing and scanning, meaning that it can scan/print both sides of a sheet. At some point, I was led to believe that the scanner was able to scan both sides *at the same time*, but that is actually not the case. After a piece of paper is scanned through the auto document feeder, it is sucked back in, flipped around and re-scanned. This adds considerable time to your scanning tasks. If you are pressed for time, it is actually faster to scan in "manual duplex" where you scan the front sides of pages, then manually the pages over and re-scan the back sides. However, if you want to hit the scan button and walk away, the auto-duplex does its job well. The same issue exists for duplex printing--it works, but it takes more time than if you had manually duplexed the pages.
The fax is a fax. It works fine, and some test color-faxes I sent came out well.
The copier also works well, and the duplexers allow you to make two-sided to two-sided copies, but as I said before, this takes some time.
The scanner does a great job with photos and documents. It is considerably faster than earlier models, thanks in part to the USB 2.0 interface and new scan sensor. Also, the updated scanning software is a significant improvment over previous versions.
I've printed out some photos and they are of amazing quality, which is what I expect from Canon printers. However, because of the cost of the inks, I will not be printing photos very often. The text is a bit light for my taste (the black is more like a very dark grey).
All in all, this is a great printer/scanner/fax/copier and I am very happy with it.
---
Note: Unfortunately, the memory card slots on the printer do not allow for USB2.0 transfer to the comptuer. If you need to move lots of data from a memory card to your desktop, use a dedicated card-reader; using the slots on this printer takes way too long.
---
ADDED 5/9/06: After having this machine for just over a month, I have to say it runs through ink way too fast. My ink status lists several cartridges as only 25% full, and is warning me that two of my colors are "almost empty." I print 90% black text, 9% color documents (web pages, rebate forms, etc), and only about 1% photos (I have only printed 2 4x6 photos since I purchased the printer). My previous Canon printers sipped ink, this machine chugs it, and at $14/cartridge, that is unacceptable. (Especially becuase the print quality isn't much better than previous printers.)

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Premium All-In-One Performance for Small & Home Office Productivity

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3/19/2012

Canon Pixma MP210 Photo All-In-One Inkjet Printer (2175B002) Review

Canon Pixma MP210 Photo All-In-One Inkjet Printer (2175B002)
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Purchased the Canon MP210 Printer/Scanner/Copier and I am very happy with it. I have another printer the Canon Pixma ip 4000 connected to my desktop which I use to print high quality photo's. I purchased the MP210 to use with my laptop and have been very pleased with it. The scanner and copy functions work flawlessly. The printer does a good job but I prefer the ip 4000 for printing color photo's. The set-up worked flawlessly, running Vista Home Premium, but took a while. You have to be patient and wait for the steps to complete. The best feature of all was the price. Unbelievable to get that functionality for $80.00. Purchase of this printer is a "no-brainer" for first time users and anyone with a restricted budget. Just remember, and this goes for ALL THE PRINTER MANUFACTURERS, that the cost of the replacement cartridges will exceed the cost of the printer after just 2 instances of cartridge replacements(its entirely possible that the low cost of the printer is being subsidized by the potential profits generated by the ridiculous prices of the replacement ink cartridges!)


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Designed to print, copy, and scan quickly and easily, the Canon Pixma MP210 is an all-in-one unit that gives professional results in less time. With this compact and versatile machine you can create a beautiful 4-by-6-inch borderless print in approximately 46 seconds, and even print photos from a digital camera without a computer! The MP210 also produces copies that are truer to your originals, while its unique Z-Lid lifts approximately 1.5 inches vertically to deliver clear, complete scans--even of thick books or magazines. In addition, included software helps you enhance photos and create a range of albums, calendars, and stickers, and the MP210's stylish design complements any workspace.The MP210 uses precision ink nozzles to create high resolution photos up to 4800 x 1200 color dots per inch (dpi). At the same time, microscopic two-picoliter-sized color ink droplets produce sharp, finely detailed photos. Moreover, your photos can last up to 100 years when you use this system with Canon inks and photo papers. When it comes to scanning, the MP210 delivers up to 600 dpi with vibrant 48-bit color depth, so all your images will catch the eye. Short on time? The MP210 boasts black print speeds of up to 22 pages per minute (ppm) and up to 17 ppm for color, as well as 22 copies per minute (cpm) for black and 17 cpm for color. You can even copy or scan thick items, like heavy books or magazines, that do not lie flat on the platen.The MP210 is incredibly user friendly and easy to operate. Just capture an image with a PictBridge-ready digital camera/DV camcorder, then connect and print. You can also rely on the dual-color gamut processing technology to automatically optimize quality based on the type of originals you are copying. Finally, the display's numbers consist of up to seven large LED segments, for easier reading and operation.What's in the Box MP210 all-in-one unit, power cord, FINE cartridges, PG-40 black, CL-41 color document kit, easy setup instructions, setup software and user's guide CD-ROM, quick start guide, cross sell sheet sample media (8.5 x 11; five sheets), 90-day limited warranty.

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3/18/2012

HP PhotoSmart C4480 All-in-One Printer (Q8388A) Review

HP PhotoSmart C4480 All-in-One Printer (Q8388A)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I just bought this, so if you are looking for long-term performance this isn't the review for you. But so far I like what I have seen.
There were problems with the previous model (4280?), including bad text printing performance, so I wanted to stay away from that model. I saw this one and couldn't find any reviews, so I went ahead and bought it, hoping it would be better. As far as I can tell, the text printing (along with photo and normal graphics) is certainly good enough. It is a bit slow, but for most people (myself included) who don't need to print reams of paper every hour, it isn't that big of a deal.
Scanning/copying is a little bit slow as well, but again not a big deal to me. It will just be nice to have a capable copier in the house.
I haven't used some of the functionality, such as the card reader, but printing, scanning and (PC-less) copying seem to work great.
Installation is easy (as long as you don't have Windows 2000 like the first dolt, er, person reviewing this printer), though it takes longer than I would have suspected, as it is loading up your computer with oodles of junk-ware that will most likely never be run. I'll most likely go back later and clean those things out the best I can. But that's what I get for being lazy and telling it to install everything.
Setup couldn't be more straightforward. I've never owned an all-in-one before, so I was a bit surprised that after it printed the print-head alignment page, instead of it asking me to look and see how lined up it was, it told me to put the page into the scanner, and it aligned itself. Brilliant.
This thing looks great, is remarkably compact and feels sturdy. Make sure you have a USB cable when you buy it, as it is not included.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP PhotoSmart C4480 All-in-One Printer (Q8388A)

Amazon. com Product Description The HP Photosmart C4480 All-in-One Printer is a compact all-in-one device that can handle all your and your office's printing, copying, and scanning needs. Offering laser-quality black text, vivid color graphics, and lab-quality photo prints, this printer can do it all.
Fast, High-Quality Output Thanks to HP Vivera inks and a print resolution of up to 1200 dpi black and 4800 x 1200 dpi color, all your prints--from text documents to colorful presentation--will be sharp and clear. Fast, too! The C4480 offers print and copy speeds up to 30 ppm black and up to 23 ppm color. By adding HP's optional 6-ink photo cartridge, you can produce lab-quality photos as well. A 4 x 6-inch photo will be ready in a mere 25 seconds. Thanks to a built-in memory card reader and a 1.5-inch color display, you can easily print photos without a PC; simply insert the memory card and make sure everything looks okay on the LCD screen.
The C4480 can handle a variety of print media including plain, inkjet, and photo papers, envelopes, transparencies, labels, cards, iron-on transfers, borderless media, and panoramic paper up to 8.5 x 24-inches. It can also produce a borderless print up to 8.5 x 11 inches. When you are using different types of media, you can be assured of optimal results thanks to the printer's automatic paper-type sensor. The input tray has a 100-sheet capacity for letter/legal paper, and can hold up to 20 sheets of transparencies, labels, 4 x 6 photos, photo paper, cards, and up to 10 envelopes.
The C4480 produces copies at the same high-quality output and fast speed as it does prints. You can reduce and enlarge from 50 to 400 percent of the original, and make up to 50 copies at one time.
A CIS-based flatbed scanner lets you make full 48-bit color scans at up to 1200 x 2400 optical dpi. The maximum scan size is 8.5 x 11.7, and the device has a scan speed of 13 seconds for preview mode, less than seconds for an OCR scan of a letter-size document, and less than 48 seconds for a 4 x 6 color photo. The scanner outputs in JPEG format for easy convenience.
The C4480 measures 17.1 x 23.1 x 6.4 inches (WxDxH) is backed by a 1-year manufacturer's warranty and additional support available from HP Total Care.
What's in the Box HP C4480 printer, blank print cartridge, tri-color print cartridge, power cord, power adapter, setup guide, basics guide, HP software.

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3/17/2012

iConvert Portable Document and Photo Scanner Review

iConvert Portable Document and Photo Scanner
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Overview and Scan Quality:
This little scanner is lightweight, easily portable, doesn't take up much space, and is super easy to use. It takes a little getting used to to get scans straight (if you shift even slightly while scanning, table lines and rows of text will not be precisely straight). The scanned image is pretty clear and I have had no problems with bleeding, blurring, fuzzing, dulling, or anything of the like. It does sometimes pick up a bit of noise that adds a slight color in the background of monotone scans. This may confuse a printer to add that coloring should you need to print the scanned page. This scanner can scan color or monotone items and the resolution can be set to either 300dpi or 600dpi.
This is fine for quicky scans of receipts, reference material, and the like, but if you are scanning important records or anything that requires a high quality scan, you may want to practice with this thing until you get everything straight or just use a flatbed scanner for that sort of thing. You will want to scan on a white surface unless you don't mind bits of table or more significant noise showing up in your scan.
Included Software:
The software is not required in order to use the scanner and I don't like that it has no pdf option. The software takes whatever screenshot you select and will send the text to Word, a table to Excel, either to a file or the clipboard, or an image to a file, clipboard, or email. I did not bother with it since I use pdf files almost exclusively and I cannot tell you if any of the transfers are accurate. Whether you use the software or not, the scanner is recognized as a storage device and your scan opens as an image in Windows Image Viewer. If you have a pdf printer driver (such as CutePDF, which is a free download at the CutePDF website), you can simply select "print" in the image viewer and set it to full page to print the image to a pdf file. I have to admit that the scans look a lot better than I expected them to.
MicroSD Card:
The description on Amazon currently seems to indicate that the microSD card is optional. It is not, so make sure you have one when you get this scanner. It scans wirelessly and only gets plugged in via USB cable to transfer saved scans to your computer.
Batteries, Cables, Etc.:
I use mine for occasional quick scans I don't want to turn the flatbed on for, such as receipts and notes. I have not had a problem with batteries running out, but that may be an issue if you are using the scanner more heavily. I use eneloop rechargeable batteries in mine without problem. The cable is a standard USB, so if you lose it, you probably have a dozen or so lying around you can use and, if you don't, it is not expensive to replace. It also comes with a microfiber cloth for cleaning the scan window. Make sure not to use anything other than microfiber! If you lose it, the Walmart eye care center carries inexpensive microfiber cloths that will work just fine and other stores that sell glasses also carry them.
Scanning:
FYI, the image on Amazon shows the scanner going across a book page horizontally. If you will look closely, there are white lines at either end of the scanner and those indicate the scan area. For best results, start at the top of the page and move the scanner down toward you, making sure the image you want scanned stays in between those white lines. It is not picky and didn't have a problem with me being a little jerky. Any side-to-side movement will result in slightly jagged lines, but the direction it scans came out just fine even though I am not very good at keeping an even pace.
Conclusion:
This scanner is great for quick scans or on-the-go scanning. The results are crisp and clear with minimal effort and retrieving scans from it is very simple.


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3/16/2012

CardScan Executive 700 Compact Business Card Scanner Review

CardScan Executive 700 Compact Business Card Scanner
Average Reviews:

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I am glad I purchased my Cardscan 700, but there are some significant unfortunate missed opportunities and because of that some important functions cannot be done at all. My impression is that this is the best product on the market, due to its scanning properties, which are quite good. There are some serious deficiencies though in the rest of the software which would be nice to have fixed, and which in some cases render the device somewhat useless, since the output cannot be transferred to a useful place.
PROs: It does a pretty good job of scanning. The algorithm is well developed and is actually quite impressive. Even cards that catch and rotate as they go through, producing a funny smeared image, have some of their contents scanned correctly. The superiority of this recognition software is the strong point of this product. There is also an ok database management product that one can use to maintain and look up cards. Operationally the product is especially nice- I can just sit there feeding cards in and typing carriage return after each one, glancing at the screen to catch errors. The card image is retained in the record in the Cardscan database, which is important.
CONs: 1) the exit path has places that cards can hang up, and they can catch as they go through. This happens fairly often unless the card is new and flat, so part of the operation is to try to prevent that, by straightening out bent corners ahead of time, and by adding a little force keep the card from catching and rotating as one corner goes forward and the other is stuck. Quite needless- if the exit path was smooth and continuous, this wouldn't happen - the problem is in the rear of the plastic case. 2) Although the product retains the image of the business card, there's no way to pass that through to Outlook or export it to any other format. This is very unfortunate. I could laboriously do that by hand by cutting and pasting each one, except that Cardscan software does not permit copy / paste functions on the image. Why not? It's easy to implement. 3) Every time I start the program it harasses me about registering, even though I've been specific that I do not wish to. It also harasses me about logging in the online backup facility even though I've asked it not to do that. It therefore ignores the user wishes. 4) The data exchange function allows only extremely crude export to a file, in a simple text or csv format. There is no way to create an Outlook format .pst file, which would simplify importing, and allow for the future option of including an image. Outlook can hold an image in the comment section of the record, but apparently Cardscan folks aren't even close to thinking about this. 5) If I indicate that a data export for a file is destined for Outlook, the field names are not set up correctly, so unless I do some heavy editing of field names, nothing much other than the contact name gets across. If I export directly to the running Outlook program, it isn't perfect, but it's close enough to be usable. Why did Cardscan get one right and not the other?? In neither case can I send the card image over. 6) I was forced to install Microsoft .NET software even though I intended to do all my exports via files. I didn't get a choice- if I didn't install .NET, the installer stopped and exited without installing any Cardscan software.

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CardScan Executive 700 offers the world's fastest scanning speed, full compatibility with every popular contact program and portable device, and advanced features like color scanning, your contacts on the Web, fail-safe backup and a contact information updating service.

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3/15/2012

Sabrent SBT-PS2U USB to Dual 2-Port PS/2 Splitter Cable Converter Review

Sabrent SBT-PS2U USB to Dual 2-Port PS/2 Splitter Cable Converter
Average Reviews:

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I was so excited about this product, but it didn't do anything. My computer (Windows XP Home operating system) couldn't recognize the device. It was as if a driver was missing, but there wasn't any indication of how to get one. I poked arougd the Abrent website a bit and it wasn't helpful. Rather than mess around with product support, I decided to just return the thing. My Logitech mouse and old keyboard work fine with another adapter I have, and my computer didin't recognize this thing no matter what I had plugged in (including nothing), so the problem was with this splitter.

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The USB to PS/2 converter is the best solution for those who want to use legacy PS/2 devices on new USB systems. You can connect a PS/2 mouse and keyboard through the USB port on any computer. It supports your computer USB interface to the PS/2 port of the KVM switch. Enjoy using your keyboard and mouse connected to the USB-PS/2 adapter as a USB-compatible device!The USB to PS/2 converter supports both UHCI and OHCI specifications. Also, it runs on bus power, which means no power adapter is required. And it is easy to install, with no software driver needed. Requires available USB port, and one of the following operating systems: Windows 98se, Windows ME, Windows 2000, or Windows XP; Netware 4.11/5.0, HP Unix, Linux; for an Apple computer, Mac OS 8.6 or higher; or Sun Microsystems.What's in the Box One USB to PS/2 dual PS/2 converter adapter.

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