Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 Sheet-fed Scanner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have horrible problems with technology.I buy stuff, and after 4 hours of trying to get it to do what I thought it should do, it doesn't.HP does this to me all the time.

That is why I was floored when I got the S510 working in under 20 minutes exactly as I wanted it to.

You can take a bunch of pieces of paper, scan in both sides, capture it to PDF, OCR it, make it search-able, save it to disk... all by pressing one button.

I am using the ScanSnap filing system software that comes with it.It is essentially a glorified file explorer, except that it will do text in PDF searches for you based on the directory (Or Cabinet as they call it).

I set mine to extreme compression, and full resolution, and then the auto OCR.The software warns you that it will slow down scanning, and it does.It maxes out my 2-3 year old Dell D600 with .5G of RAM laptop, but it gets the job done.I can still use the computer so it doesn't block like I have read elsewhere (maybe for the S500).

This is an upgrade to the S500.Mine was black, not sure what's up with the white ones (maybe mac?).

It comes with Adobe Acrobat 8.This allows you to delete pages, rotate them, etc.

The OCR is amazing.Out of the box, it gets a little confused with i1IlL but so do I, bump it up to the max resolution, and the OCR is flawless.

I probably won't bother with the try & buy Rack2 Filer.Google Desktop isn't essential for searching.

In the hundreds of papers that I scanned over the weekend, I may have had 3 jams which are REALLY easy to clear, and the software is pretty smart about it.

If I had a newer / heftier computer, things would go A LOT faster (not the fault of the scanner or the software though, I watched my CPU spike and slow during scanning & OCR)

This literally was one of the only pieces of gear I have taken out of the box, and had 100% functional within the hour.

My .005% gripe; Be able to tell the scanner "Yeah, don't scan the backs of these pages" rather than navigate all through the menus.But disk is cheap, and I can always delete it with Acrobat later.

I'll recommend it to my friends & customers.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 Sheet-fed Scanner

Product Description:
The Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 scanner has all the advanced yet easy-to-use one-touch features that made its predecessor the perfect scanning companion for home and office professionals. Now, with the addition of Adobe Acrobat 8.0 Standard (included with the scanner) and a new Vista supported version of the ABBYY FineReader 3.0, the ScanSnap S510 provides users compatibility with the latest software enhancements. One-button scanning to searchable PDF processes are supported, and users can even scan directly to Microsoft applications (such as Word and Excel). There's also a new multifunction quick menu feature for protecting and sharing documents with ease. In addition to the ability to scan business cards, the S510 can scan color pages in duplex at 18 pages per minute. Compatible with Windows 2000 Pro and later operating systems (including Vista), the scanner features a speedy USB 2.0 interface. For added convenience, its small footprint requires less space than a letter size piece of paper. Measuring 11.2 x 6.2 x 6.2 inches and weighing only 5.9 pounds, the scanner is backed by a 1-year limited warranty.
What's in the Box
FI-S510 scanner, AC adapter, AC cable, USB cable, set up CD-ROM (driver, manual), CD-ROM (Adobe Acrobat 8 Standard), CD-ROM (ABBY FineReader for ScanSnap 3.0), ScanSnap carrier sheet, and getting started guide.

Want to read more honest consumer review about Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 Sheet-fed Scanner now ?

Brother HL-4040cn Color Laser Printer with Built-in Network Interface Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was a bit concerned by other's reviews regarding the edges curling but tried an in-store demo prior to purchasing it at the best price I could find- here at Amazon, and didn't find it to be a huge deal.I do find there is a slight curl but for me it seems go away as the pages sit on my desk and the color is far more superior to other demos I tested in the same price range so I'd definitely recommend this printer.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother HL-4040cn Color Laser Printer with Built-in Network Interface

Product Description:
The Brother HL-4040CN color laser printer produces brilliant color output for your desktop or small office. With print speeds up to 21 pages per minute (ppm) in color or monochrome and print resolutions up to 2400 x 600 dpi, you can quickly create high-quality documents right from your desk. The feature-rich HL-4040CN also provides flexible connectivity with built-in Ethernet network and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interfaces. Finally, to keep youroperating costs low and reduce user intervention, this printer offers high-yield replacement toner cartridges¹.


Flip-up 3-color LCD display, which instantly indicates the printer's status, as well as easy-to-follow menu selections for setting up your printer. View larger.

Print PDF and JPEG files directly from a USB flash memory drive without a PC.

Front-loading toner cartridges make replacing Brother consumables a breeze.

PictBridge support to connect directly to any compatible digital camera.
Fast color output
With print speeds up to 21ppm in both color and monochrome, you can quickly and cost effectively produce presentations, reports, brochures or documents.
Flexible paper handling
The HL-4040CN can handle all your printing needs whether it's letter/legal size paper or envelopes via a 300-sheet paper input capacity. These printers arrive with a universal paper tray, which can hold up to 250 sheets and a multi-purpose tray, which can hold up to 50 sheets.
USB Direct Interface
The HL-4040CN offers an easy access built-in USB Direct Interface for convenient "PC free" printing. With this feature, users can print .pdf and .jpg files directly from a USB flash memory drive². The USB Direct Interface also provides PictBridge support. Simply connect your PictBridge-compliant camera to print pictures directly from the camera, without first downloading to a PC².
User-friendly control panel
The HL-4040CN's innovative control panel features intuitive one-touch buttons for easy operation. It also includes a flip-up 3-color LCD display,which instantly indicates the printer's status, as well as easy-to-follow menu selections for setting up your printer. This easy-to-view display also clearly indicates the toner and paper status. For document security, the control panel features a password protect feature to help ensure that only the password holder will see confidential documents.
Easy-to-use and maintain
Set-up and maintenance has never been 0easier with our user-friendly driver installation process and an interactive help system. In addition, front-loading toner cartridges make replacing consumables a breeze.


300-sheet paper capacity: 250-sheet letter/legal paper tray and 50-sheet multi-purpose tray.
Low total cost of ownership
The HL-4040CN features not only an affordable price, but also offer low operating costs. Arriving with a set of standard yield toner cartridges, these printers deliver an economical cost per page. For lower running costs, high-yield replacement toner cartridges are also available¹.
Service and support are part of the package
Your technology investment is backed by Brother's comprehensive service and support. Brother provides a toll-free technical support, animated interactive help files, and our Brother Solutions Center, which is an on-line repository of information, driver downloads, and FAQs to help you get the most out of your printer.³ In addition, the HL-4040CN comes with a 1-year express exchange limited warranty.
<sup>1. Additional purchase required.
2. USB flash memory drive and camera not included.
3. Visit brother.com for more information.</sup>

Get 40% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Brother HL-4040cn Color Laser Printer with Built-in Network Interface now ?

Brother HL-4040cdn Color Laser Printer with Duplex and Networking Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I researched and found that cartridges for this machine are a lot cheaper than those for HP's and the toner that comes with the printer has a page yield of 1500 color and 2500 b&w.The Hp'scame with toner that had only 750 page yield then you had to pay approx $140 for the toner cartridges for replacement when with this one you can purchase toner cartridges for right around $70 which is half the price with more page yield.So far I have printed 450 pages on the starter cartridges and the toner amount has not lowered and the print quality is excellent!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother HL-4040cdn Color Laser Printer with Duplex and Networking

Product Description:
HL-4040CDN Color Laser Printer with Duplex and NetworkingThe HL-4040CDN produces brilliant color output for all your business documents at up to 21 pages per minute in either color or monochrome.Delivering outstanding output quality at up to 2400 x 600 dpi, the HL-4040CDN makes it easy to produce high-quality color reports, brochures, and presentations right from your desktop or directly from a USB flash memory drive or PictBridge-enabled camera. And to keep your operating costs low, high-capacity replacement toner cartridges are available.Its impressive list of standard features also includes: built-in duplex printing for two-sided documents, flexible paper input capacity, including a fold-down multi-purpose tray for envelopes and letterhead, and a built-in Ethernet network interface for sharing its powerful performance with your small workgroup.With its fast print speeds, outstanding print quality, and built-in duplex printing, the HL-4040CDN gives you the ability to get your message across and add impact to all your business documents.

Get 30% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Brother HL-4040cdn Color Laser Printer with Duplex and Networking now ?

Canon DR-2080C Color Document Scanner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This unit is small and compact, yet has some very nice features. I especially like the duplexing feature allowing it to scan BOTH sides in the same pass, no flipping a stack of documents over. It works from within Adobe, and Microsoft Office Imaging.
It does have a drawback, however, the drivers are not Windows XP, and it can be a bit disconcerting installing them. I finished the installation with no adverse affects (that I noticed) to my 2 laptops, and a stand alone machine.
If you travel and need a high speed scanner, I highly recommend this unit.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon DR-2080C Color Document Scanner

Product Description:
A compact scanner from Canon, the DR-2080 provides high quality color scans and fits onto nearly any convenient surface. A 24-bit color depth provides brilliant colors, while a 600 x 600 dpi maximum resolution ensures that even the fine print is clear and legible.
The DR-2080C connects to a host computer via either a USB 2.0 or SCSI-II port, and supports Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, XP, and NT operating systems. Able to handle originals up to 8.5 by 14 inches, the DR-2080C still has a very small 11.7-by-3.89-inch footprint, freeing up valuable desktop space for other uses, while a weight of just 5.5 makes transportation a snap.
The included Canon CapturePerfect software provides a quick and easy editing tool for your scans, and sports a scan-to-email feature that lets you send originals directly from the scanner. Optical character recognition allows you to easily create searchable text files out of your scans, while a pre-scan feature lets users adjust scan settings on one page, then apply those settings to an entire batch scan.
Scanning speeds in simplex mode are as fast as 20 ppm, while duplex mode supports speeds of up to 40 ppm. The automatic document feeder lets you scan up to 50 pages with the touch of a button and supports originals of up to 0.2 mm in thickness. The DR-2080C also comes backed with a one year limited warranty.
What's in the Box
Scanner with document feeding system, AC power, cable, software CD-ROM, setup instructions, warranty

Want to read more honest consumer review about Canon DR-2080C Color Document Scanner now ?

HP LaserJet 1320n Monochrome Network Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As always, here's my honest review with some background.

I've been looking for a good laser printer that I could have on my network for a while now.I have a small office and am an aspiring teacher (currently student teaching).When I can't get to the copy machine at school, I wanted something I could use to do some "mass printouts" for my students.I had an old NEC Superscript, but it frequently paused between pages for a breather and was generally slow.

If you don't need the network card (print server) built into this printer, then the 1320 (not 1320n) would be an amazing value!For me, I wanted the networking, so I was willing to spend the extra money.Setup was relatively simple, changing the IP address was easy, and I was up and running, printing from my Windows XP machines AND my MacOS X (10.3.7) machines.

Now for the printer itself.I'm very impressed with the build quality.Printers have been turning into plastic junk lately, but this one still has metal guts, metal supports holding the paper in the bottom tray, etc.Certain parts seem like generic plastic, but overall it has a nice fit and finish.

Print speeds are amazingly swift!The first thing I put this little print-monster through was a 70-copy worksheet for my students.It took sheet after sheet without a pause!It might grab paper just when the previous sheet is half way through because they seem to keep flying out!Duplex printing was a bonus with this unit - handy in a pinch, but it slows the print speed by about 2-3 times - because it pulls the paper back inside and reprints on the other side...Either way, I dare you to find a quality printer like this, with a duplexer for this price!

Instant on fuser sends paper printing within 8 seconds.Overall, I'm very pleased!I was tempted to get the next model up (2420) but the price difference with no standard duplexer killed that deal.

Wish list?An tiny LCD display telling me whats going on would be nice - but it has lights which do the job just fine.Also - and I'm just dreaming here, it would be nice to see an option for this printer to staple printouts...I know, I've been around pricey copy machines too much!

So, pick yourself up this printer!You won't be sorry.The print quality is very crisp - your well-known HP laser quality, and even graphics are suitable!Its B&W (no color printing), but the money saved on just one toner from time to time as apposed to inkjet cartridges every other month is mind boggling!...and how often do you need color printing?Some may, but for the bulk of what I print, B&W is fine.

High recommended! ...feel free to contact me if you have any questions that I might be able to help you with.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP LaserJet 1320n Monochrome Network Printer

Product Description:
HP LaserJet 1320n printer Q5928A is a personal, small office monochrome laser printer that specializes in producing letters and papers with ample speed. It's ideal for the home-office or for a small dental, medical, or law practice. HP uses a reliable, sealed single ink cartridge mechanism which requires virtually no maintenance. The 1320n includes an HP Jet Direct 10/100 Ethernet LAN connectivity port for simple hook-up to a wired network environment. After all, you should be busy focusing on your own needs without concern about your printer. For over 20 years the Laserjet has been synonymous with dependability, reliability, and durability. Truly economical, this is the workhorse that you've been looking for.Full-Speed USB 2.0 port, IEEE 1284-B compliant parallel port 16MB Memory expandable to 144MB Compatible operating systems Microsoft Windows 98, Me, NT 4.0 (print driver only), 2000, XP 32-bit, XP 64-bit (print driver only); Macintosh OS 9, OS X 10.1, 10.2, 10.3HP PCL 6, HP PCL 5e, Postscript Level 2 emulation HP USA 3 Years Limited Warranty (Return to HP - Standard Bench Repair) If the network connectivity isn't an important feature for you, please refer to HP Q5927A LaserJet 1320 that doesn't include the ethernet port (but can be optionally upgraded)

Want to read more honest consumer review about HP LaserJet 1320n Monochrome Network Printer now ?

iVina BulletScan S300 Duplex Color Sheetfed Scanner with Detachable Mobile Scanner, 15ppm/30ipm. (S3001130) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is really a great product.I used to use a multifunction printer/scanner/fax and scanning was always a major chore, now with the Bulletscan S300 it is really fast and easy. It comes with nice software from Presto to manage your documents and also a business card scanning program.

In this video I tried to show some of the features I found most interesting including the scan selection:

1.B&W PDF Scan
2.Color Scan into Presto Page Manager
3.Scan directly into Google Docs!
4.Scan to Email Client
5.Business Card Scan
6.Scan to Print

At the end of the video I show how you can go portable with the scanner and take it with you leaving the document feeder behind.I have used the scanner for more than a week and am really impressed. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who needs to scan multiple documents.

Click Here to see more reviews about: iVina BulletScan S300 Duplex Color Sheetfed Scanner with Detachable Mobile Scanner, 15ppm/30ipm. (S3001130)

Product Description:
The iVina BulletScan S300 Duplex Color Sheet-Fed Scanner with Detachable Mobile Scanner is two scanners in one, providing a scanning solution for the office and the road. Whether you need to scan business cards, receipts, ID cards, photos, or legal-sized documents, the BulletScan S300 has you covered--wherever you may be.
BulletScan S300
At a Glance:

Two-in-one desktop and mobile scanning solution.
20-page automatic document feeder (ADF) when docked.
ABBYY FineReader OCR technology has automatic language detection.
Mobile scanner is powered by USB connection.
2-year warranty.

Two Scanners in One
Whether you're a business traveler or an office worker, you'll love how the BulletScan S300 provides a single solution for all your scanning needs. Using a USB 2.0 connection, the BulletScan S300 scans up to 30 images per minute in color at 200 dpi when docked in its 20-page automatic document feeder.


The scanner undocks to provide a compact, mobile scanning solution while on the road. View larger. When it's time to hit the road, simply undock the S300 BulletScan, and you'll have a USB-powered, easy-to-carry mobile scanner that can read an 8-1/2- by 11-inch document in less than five seconds. You'll be able to easily scan business cards, receipts, ID cards, photos, and other documents you acquire while traveling.
Multiple Scanning Options
The BulletScan S300 uses a Contact Image Sensor (CIS), scanning at a crisp 600-dpi optical resolution with 48-bit color, 16-bit gray scale, or black-and-white. It also allows for scanning output with 24-bit color, 8-bit gray scale, halftone, dynamic black-and-white, or fixed-threshold black-and-white. With so many options to choose from, the BulletScan S300 ensures you'll always get the scans you want.
Easy-to-Use Software
BulletScan Manager Software makes it easy for you to control your scanning processes, file formats, and scan-to destinations. The BulletScan S300 includes six scan-to destinations with one-click configuration for scan-to-email, scan-to-print, scan-to-PDF, searchable PDF, and others.
Additionally, BulletScan Manager offers both easy and advanced scan mode settings. In easy mode, default features include auto straighten, auto crop, auto rotate, and edge cleanup. Advanced mode allows for fine tuning of all settings.
Optimum Accuracy with Auto-Language Detection
The BulletScan S300 is powered by ABBYY FineReader Technology, the same technology used for ABBYY FineReader Desktop OCR, a PC Magazine four-star product. With high optical character recognition accuracy, the BulletScan is able to reduce the size of resulting PDF files without any loss of visual quality. Additionally, the smart software retains text-under-image, text-over-image, text-and-picture, or image-only PDFs.
The FineReader technology has automatic language detection, so you get no-hassle scanning, OCR, and conversion. It automatically detects documents in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish.
System Requirements
The BulletScan S300 requires a computer with a Pentium 4 or equivalent processor, Windows 7/XP (SP 2)/Vista operating system, 512 MB of RAM (1 GB for Vista), 350 MB of available hard drive space, a CD/DVD-ROM drive, and a USB port.
The BulletScan S300 is rated for a daily duty cycle of 2,500 pages and is backed by a two-year warranty.
What's in the Box
Mobile scanner, docking station, USB cable, power supply, quick install guide, and installation CD.

Get 19% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about iVina BulletScan S300 Duplex Color Sheetfed Scanner with Detachable Mobile Scanner, 15ppm/30ipm. (S3001130) now ?

Fujitsu ScanSnap S300 Color Mobile Scanner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My reasoning: (Vista Ultimate laptop)

1) It intelligently waits until the computer is idle, to auto-perform OCR chores. You have the option to do so as you scan, but this slows down scanning. There's also a menu click which yields a list of scans awaiting OCR-- really nice touch!

2) Unlike proprietary organizers, the "cabinets" created within the organizer software are actual directories on your hard disk. Likewise, folders created within the organizer's cabinets are subdirectories on your disk. So, you get the best of all worlds-- use the organizer knowing you're not locked in, as it's just a slick interface for what is actually existing on your drive. (i.e., Create a cabinet = create a directory)

3) Thermal receipts, even trying-to-fade ones, come thru crisp and clear, miraculously, when scanning.

4) I have Adobe Acrobat Professional 8, which is a necessary evil in my business. I can now avoid that bloated monster altogether when it comes to receipts and anything else I choose to scan using this system. That alone is worth the price of entry!

5) The duplex scanning is wondrous-- paper goes thru only once, with both sides captured simultaneously -- speedily. This still blows my mind (I have a duplex Canon MP830 multifunction-- for all practical purposes, its scanner has been blown away by this device.)

6) Let's face it-- sometimes, paper jams. This is the FIRST machine encountered-- since the late 80's when I started computing--which makes it so easy to fix things. You just push the little square silver arrow atop the scanner, open, get the paper, and close it. Incredibly easy and no-fuss! And yes, the wrinkled paper then flows thru fine (I gently kept a finger on that one item as it scanned thru, just to be safe.) BTW, I had scanned upwards of 300 items before a jam occurred.

7) Lots of options, re speed, resolution, etc. All easy to get to, all quick to implement. These folks actually used this thing during the creation process, as it seems they didn't miss a trick in making this a genuinely consumer friendly device!

8) The consumables are comparatively cheap. The pad assembly (Part # PA03541-0002) needs replacement every 10,000 sheets or a year-- google the actual part # to see the $8 retailers); the pick roller (Part # PA03541-0001) lasts about 100,000 sheets-- about $12. I noticed a huge price variation among retailers while googling, so I placed my order today; they're not in stock at most places, but I have plenty of time so who cares. This is bound to be a profoundly popular scanner per word-of-mouth, and consumable prices may increase accordingly. BTW, right-click the ScanSnap Manager tray icon for "check consumable supplies" to get a tally on current sheet usage, which you can reset during the replacement process.

9) Small footprint-- lives in a bookcase shelf atop my desk.

10) One of the rare occasions where I've had absolutely no post-purchase regrets with an electronic item!

Long and short of it is this: I've finally lived long enough to see one hardware manufacturer get everything right. There's a pdf manual, but I read it only to investigate consumables (thought it would be a "gotcha!" but was pleasantly suprised at the reasonable cost). I assume you're reading these reviews carefully (as I did), trying to decide between the ScanSnap and a lower priced alternative. For once, I decided not to play cheapskate, and boy oh boy, am I glad!! (The price here has already escalated a bit, so do it now, my friend!)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fujitsu ScanSnap S300 Color Mobile Scanner

Product Description:
SCANSNAP S300 SCANNER 16IPM 10PAGE FDR USB 2.0

Want to read more honest consumer review about Fujitsu ScanSnap S300 Color Mobile Scanner now ?

Fujitsu fi-6130 Duplex Scanner (PA03540-B055) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Having used scanners from Canon, Xerox, Lanier, Visioneer and Epson, I have a good base from which to compare this scanner.It is excellent!The feed mechanism on this scanner is superior to all prior scanners I have used, including other scanners in this price range.This unit has multiple rollers located in the base and cover that spin at different speeds to pull only one sheet at a time.In other scanners, folded paper - like documents received in an envelop - will double/multi feed.I have not had a single double feed with this unit.I am using it with File Center Pro software to convert more than 1,600 legal files to paperless .pdf format.I was so impressed with this unit that I now have 4 of them in the office, each going at least 8 hours per day with virtually no jams or double feeds.It's worth the money for an office setting where you don't have time for jams and double feeds.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fujitsu fi-6130 Duplex Scanner (PA03540-B055)

Product Description:
Scan 18 double-sided pages per minute Advanced features for the ultimate ease of use! Auto paper size detection Auto de-skew Auto blank page removal Instantly create searchable PDF files Scan directly to Microsoft Office Applications Quickly organize business card information Increase productivity with enhanced functionality Simple installation and operation in a compact design Advance Exchange service program maximizes uptime Scanner Type: ADF (Automatic Document Feeder), Duplex color scanning Output: Color/B&W/Automatic color and Bi-tonal detection Image Sensor: 2x Color CCD (charged coupled device) Optical Resolution: 600 dpi Scanning Speed (A4): Normal mode: Color 150dpi, B&W 300dpi - Duplex 18 pages per minute / 36 images per minute Better mode: Color 200dpi, B&W 400dpi - Duplex 12 pages per minute / 24 images per minute Best mode: Color 300dpi, B&W 600dpi - Duplex 6 pages per minute / 12 images per minute Excellent mode: Color 600dpi, B&W 1,200dpi - Duplex 0.6 pages per minute / 1.2 images per minute Scanning Range: A4, A5, A6, B5, B6, Business card, Letter, Legal and Custom sizes (can be set for Upto 5 different paper types) / Automatically recognizes paper type by paper length Use of Carrier sheet permits the scanning of A3, B4, double letter and photographs as well as those listed above Paper Weight (Thickness): 14 ~ 34 lbs / 52 ~ 127 g/m2 Hopper Capacity: 50 Sheets (20lbs) Interface: USB 2.0 (USB 1.1 Compatible) Operating System: Windows 2000 Pro (SP4)/ XP (SP2)/ VISTA (32-bit) Power Requirement: 100 ~ 240 VAC, 50 ~ 60 Hz Power Consumption: Operating- 28W or less; Standby- 6W or less; Sleep- 1W Dimensions (WxDxH): 11.2 x 6.2 x 6.2 inch / 284 x 157 x 158 mm Weight: 5.9 lbs

Get 32% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Fujitsu fi-6130 Duplex Scanner (PA03540-B055) now ?

Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for PC Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My old HP scanner (actually, it wasn't that old) died a few months ago and it was time for me to get a new one. I accidently came across the predecessor to the ScanScap S1500 (the S510) last week while I was having my taxes done and was amazed at the speed and compactness of it. My tax person also gave it glowing reviews. As I wasn't aware that Fujitsu manufactured scanners, I thought I'd do a little research which led me to reviews of the S510 here on Amazon. Rather amazingly, I was very surprised to find that the S510 had so many extraordinarily high reviews (something that I don't believe I come across too often, especially with items such as scanners).One of those reviews mentioned that a new model (this one - the S1500) had just been released by Fujitsu. After some more research (it wasn't yet listed on Amazon), I found that this scanner was available and that it had many new features. As it turns out, I was the "first kid on my block" to acquire one and I'm glad I did! This machine is incredible!

The speed is absolutely blinding - an incredible 20 pages per minute but, because it scans both sides of a page at the same time, double sided documents scan at 40 PAGES PER MINUTE! Wow! As with previous models, this scanner is very small and appears to be well built: it's quite heavy for its small size and fits very nicely on my small computer desk. The scanning quality is equally spectacular - it scans up to 600 dpi in color, grayscale, and black and white and mine came with a good assortment of software (Adobe Acrobat 9, Rack2-Filer, and ABBYY FineReader). It scans documents beautifully! While I've been too busy scanning the billions of pieces of paper that have cluttered my life for years (this scanner will actually do that quickly and efficiently - something I've always just dreamed would be possible), I haven't yet tried to scan photos; I suspect that this scanner will do a good job but that another type of scanner would probably do better for archival purposes).

The only problems I've had were with Acrobat (I already have Acrobat 9 Pro on my computer) - I found that importing previously scanned documents into Rack2-filer were always listed in reverse order (ugh!) and Fujitsu tech support replicated the problem. They suggested, however, that I completely uninstall (not just repair) Acrobat and reinstall it. That did the job. BTW, I received great tech support from Fujitsu.

One interesting thing is that this scanner does not come with TWAIN drivers. Because of this, it is not possible to use it to the same extent as other scanners. Just the same, my reason for getting this scanner was to create .pdf files and this scanner does it like no other.

Overall, I'm thrilled with the Fujitsu S1500 - there is no question that it is the best one I've had (and I've had many) and is well worth the money (the S1500 is also the most expensive scanner I've ever purchased). I would recommend this to anyone who needs to scan documents.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for PC

Product Description:
One button scanning to searchable PDF, Scan everything from business cards to A3 sized documents

Get 13% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for PC now ?

Epson WorkForce Pro GT-S50 Document Imaging Scanner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)For the last year and a half, I've been using a Fujitsu S510 SnapScan page scanner, which is a natural competitor to the Epson GT-S50.So, when I was offered the chance to review the Epson, it seemed like a natural fit - somebody looking to purchase one is likely to also look at the other. (Go to Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 Sheet-fed Scanner to read that review. It was fairly far down, on page 4, when I last looked.)

Let's look at the two scanners...

First of all, both scanners are top fed and scan both sides of a page in a single pass.They are infinitely faster than the scanners built into the "all-in one" printers and suitable for high volume scanning...the Epson is rated for 1200 pages per day.

The Epson GT-S50 comes with both TWAIN and ISIS drivers, giving it with a clear advantage in interfacing with software from other companies. Almost every program that can read from a scanner uses one or the other.The ScanSnap, on the other hand, uses its own proprietary driver, which only ties into their ScanSnap Organizer program...a program that displays small images of the scanned pages. Both scanners come with OCR programs, for converting scanned images to editable text, but, with the TWAIN driver, only the Epson directly interfaces with different programs - OmniPage Pro, Textbridge, or whatever else you prefer.

The Epson driver offers more choices in output resolution.Whereas the SnapScan has four levels - Normal (150dpi), Better (200dpi), Best (300dpi) and Excellent (600dpi) - the Epson has eight levels ranging from 75 dpi up through 600 dpi.For some strange reason, neither company's software allows you to name the output file before scanning.After scanning, you'll need to manually rename each file with something recognizable. (The default date/time stamp doesn't give you any useful information if you need to find a file a month later).

The Epson ships with software for both Macintosh and Windows systems.I've tested both versions in a mixed Windows/Mac network and they both work smoothly.The Fujitsu ScanSnap, on the other hand, comes in dedicated Mac (S510m)and Windows (S510) models.I've only used the Windows version.

Both scanners are similar in their physical shape, although the Epson looks quite a bit larger...it's about 1" longer, 2" taller and an inch or two deeper than the SnapScan.It holds 75 pages in the input slot, versus 50 in the SnapScan.The Epson has a two-line display on the front.The SnapScan only has "scan" and "power" buttons.Both units are solidly built and give the feeling that they'll last for a long time...I've used my SnapScan for 30K+ pages and it's still going strong.Both units have user replaceable pads and rollers to keep them running smoothly.

How do they operate in real life?To begin my testing, I fed the same 42 page document through each scanner.The document was complex as they come, with both text and color graphics on most pages.It was also laid out to be used in a vertical flip chart (letter-size, but bound on the short edge)...from the scanner's perspective, the back-side of each page was upside down.My theory was that a scanner that could make sense out of it could handle almost anything...

The Epson scanned my test document faster than the ScanSnap, but software processing of the scanned image took longer.The ScanSnap took 3min 10sec from the start of the scan to PDF file creation, without using text recognition; the Epson took 4min 6sec.The OCR software runs in the background on the SnapScan, but runs in the foreground on the Epson.Because of this, the SnapScan can be used to scan the next document while the text is being recognized, while the Epson remains busy until it's completely finished.My test document tied up the Epson for 12min 20sec from the time that I started the scan until the OCR finished and saved the file.My computer's no slouch, but a faster computer would obviously shorten that time.If you use an outside text recognition package, you can always run it at a later time and eliminate this time waster.

The ScanSnap features automatic rotation of upside down and landscape pages.(Everything is fed in vertically on both scanners.) The Epson doesn't...you get what you feed in.In my test document, the ScanSnap flipped the upside pages right-side up.The Epson left them upside down.Even with the upside down pages, the OCR worked fine.

The Epson can handle mixed page sizes in one scan.You can drop all your receipts in and have them scanned at once.The ScanSnap needs all the pages to be the same size in each scan...a longer page is assumed to be a misfeed and aborts the scan.

The Epson has a straight through paper path.It can handle credit card and ID Card scanning.The ScanSnap doesn't and can't.This makes the Epson perfect for a medical office where health insurance cards are always being copied.

The Epson can scan documents up to 36" long.The ScanSnap stops at legal size (14").This is useful when you are scanning cash register receipts, but as a practical matter, I seldom run into anything else that's longer than 14"...at least not without also getting too wide for the scanner.

Using the default settings, the ScanSnap had a sharper output at 600dpi.Clicking the "unsharpen" box in the Epson software produced a scan that almost exactly matched the ScanSnap's output...why unsharpen actually sharpens is a mystery. In solid-color blocks, the Epson was clearly superior, producing a solid-color output.The ScanSnap had a lot of off-color noise that was clearly visible when enlarged.

The Epson also has the ability to drop out colors, which is useful when scanning something printed on colored paper.It would also be useful if you need to remove a red "confidential" or "top secret" stamp from a borrowed document.:)

Besides the drivers and other utility software, the Epson includes PaperPort 11 SE, which is a visual file organizer.It operates similarly to the ScanSnap Organizer.I didn't test it out...the last time I installed PaperPort 11 Pro (NOT the SE version), it messed up my computer so badly that I ended up reinstalling Windows to get rid of it.(If you have a minute to kill, go read the reviews on Amazon for PaperPort 11 Pro!)I assume that Epson's version is more reliable, but having been burned more than once, I'm not about to try any version of PaperPort ever again!Both scanners use the ABBYY FineReader software.It works nicely.The ScanSnap also includes a full version of Adobe Acrobat Standard...a $200 program if you were to go out and buy it separately.

So....which scanner would I buy?The short answer is that it depends on your application. If you're using both Macs and Windows machines, the choice is clear...the Epson works with both.Both scanners are built for years of use and each has unique features (e.g. card scanning) that point it in one direction or the other.The Fujitsu ScanSnap is designed to be a more "push the button and it goes" type of device.The Epson GT-S50 is more flexible.I like them both.

Update - August 3, 2009 - I've now had both machines running side-by-side for about five months.I now find myself almost always using the Epson instead of the ScanSnap. The reason is simple - the Epson NEVER double feeds. This may be a function of the newness of the Epson, but my Fujitsu isn't really that old, nor, at 19K pages has it seen much service.The double feeding has become a real problem...I have to carefully watch everything going through the SnapScan to make sure that it's not skipping a page.Not good.

Update #2 - November 14, 2009 - I upgraded one of my office computers to Windows 7 and the GT-S50 is working fine.There no drivers yet available for the ScanSnap S510...Fujitsu is estimating the end of December.Even their newer model, the S1500 won't have drivers for another couple of weeks.
I also need to add that I've have a less-than-satisfactory with Epson service.My GT-S50 keeps truckin' along, but another Epson scanner, a V500 Office started misfeeding after two weeks.Epson wouldn't ship me a replacement unit...their scanner service policy apparently requires that the scanner be delivered, at customer's expense, to a repair depot.That's not exactly the most customer-centric way of doing things...

Update #3 - January 27, 2010 - Fujitsu now has Windows 7 drivers available on their website.My s510 is now up and running.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Epson WorkForce Pro GT-S50 Document Imaging Scanner

Product Description:
The Epson WorkForce Pro GT-S50 Document Imaging scanner...The WorkForce Pro GT-S50 document image scanner offers an amazing value with its remarkable reliability, powerful performance and easy-to-use features. With a daily duty cycle of up to 1200 sheets, plus a 75-page feeder, it?s ready to tackle any task in busy office environments. Scan everything from business cards to rigid ID cards and documents up to 8.5x36 inches. The GT-S50 easily scans both sides of one sheet in just one pass -- in color, grayscale or bi-tonal. It?s never been easier to electronically capture critical documents. Whether you need a faster way to access shared documents, a more affordable way to comply with government mandates or a better way to maintain the integrity of important documents, the GT-S50 is the perfect place to start. Designed by Epson, a leader in digital imaging, the GT-S50 offers robust paper handling capabilities and quality you can depend on -- all from a compact, desktop scanner.

Get 47% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Epson WorkForce Pro GT-S50 Document Imaging Scanner now ?