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This story was printed from CNET Asia.
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AIO printer shopping checklist
By CNET Asia staff
29/08/2006
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/digitalliving/tips/0,3800004921,39181327,00.htm
The majority of All-In-Ones
(AIO) for the consumer market is being built with photographic output in mind.
Most of the standard performance features mentioned in the printers segment
should apply here. However, because of its multifunctional ability, there're
a few other points to look out for.
Scanner
One of the pull factors of an AIO is actually the scanner function.
Without delving too deeply into the complexities of the two main types
of scanner technologies, CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) units tend to do
better in terms of image quality, especially when scanning the gutter
of a book. The main advantage of CIS (Contact Image Sensor) scanners
is that it's much more durable. Other things to look for are sheet-fed
vs. flatbed units, with the latter allowing you to scan thicker objects.
Do get an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) package along with your
purchase as it converts scanned pages into editable text documents,
possibly saving you countless hours if you've lost the original soft
copy. And if you're planning to archive your old photos, look for attachments
that allow you to scan slides and films. It's also advisable to find
a model with the necessary software to automatically remove scratches
and dust, as well as offer some form of color restoration. |
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ADF
(Automatic Document Feeder)
Copy speeds can never be decent unless your machine sports one of these
gizmos. Compared with lifting and replacing documents umpteen times,
faxing and copying multiple copies can now take as little effort as
a few button presses. |
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Fax
Besides the fax connection speed, other things to look out for here
are ease of use and memory storage. Having a machine that has more quick
dials and number storage can also be a godsend, especially if you're
not the type to keep numbers neatly in a phonebook. |
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Versatility
Strange as this may sound, not all AIOs are capable of working as standalones.
The budget units need to be tethered to a running PC, severely limiting
layout and resources. |
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