Epson PictureMate PM250

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By Damian Koh
Nov 22, 2006

This Epson looks no more than a simple picnic lunchbox, but open up the lid and paper tray and you'll have a portable photo printer. What makes this PictureMate tick is the optional battery pack which allows you to print untethered. You can preview your images and do basic image editing on the 2.5-inch LCD screen. With a Bluetooth adapter, you can print directly from your handheld. Alternatively, you can slot your media into the built-in memory card reader or your USB thumbdrive to the PictBridge port.

During a hands-on session, printing directly from a camera-phone was a breeze. All we had to do was pair the two devices, click Send via Bluetooth on the handheld, pick the right printer, and out came the picture onto the tray. When you're done printing, close the lids and you're all ready to go. You'll probably have to pack your photo papers in another bag, though it'll be sweet to have a compartment for that purpose on the inkbox.

Epson bundles the PictureMate PM250 with the Print Image Framer and Designer software. If you're shooting in RAW standard, good news since the machine supports printing of RAW format files, too. The PM250 is currently available at S$338 (US$237.56) and a 150-piece print pack with ink cartridge will set you back another S$45 (US$31.63).