Printers/Scanners

This is a rather neat looking AIO (all in one) unit. However being black I doubt it will pass the lounge police. However for those making their own decisions only two things matter, quality and speed.

Rather like their cameras I suspect this AIO (All IN One) unit is aimed at the novice and occasional user. While not doing anything special it works reasonably efficiently and perhaps most useful has some acceptable hand holding software.

A mono laser is the often forgotten workhorse. One thing you always get from a laser is the stated print speed, in this case 28PPM, something all but never achieved from an inkjet printer.

With the MFU (multi function unit) or AIO (all in one) taking up little more space than a scanner and providing the functionality of three or four products then the scanner needs to do extra things to consider a stand alone product. There are units that read vast numbers of textual pages at 16 or 20 PPM. Here it can read slides and transparencies.

While a multifunction device can cover a range of eventualities, sometimes you just need the scanner element.

This is a multi function unit (as it has fax) but for me anyway the major selling point is it’s ability to print A4 photo quality borderless images in 68seconds, yes I do mean one minute and eight seconds.

"It ain’t heavy, it’s my Brother" could well apply to a new desktop mono laser printer from Brother.

A 15x10cm photo printer with a tiny footprint. It does not use conventional printer ink so the output is always dry when it emerges, it also prints onto postcards – remember them – so ideal to send from your holidays.

This is a small All In One unit, meaning it can scan, copy and print. It has a small TFT screen so it is possible to print images direct from either of the two card slots or even from a USB stick.

This is a rather squashed looking grey unit, but it does have some surprises, it is an All In One unit, it can print direct onto CD’s and DVD’s and while on printing, in custom mode you get close to 30PPM.

This is purely a photo printer and one that’s maximum paper size is 15x10cm. However it is extremely easy to use it does one job, it does it well and it does it quickly.

This is a mono laser (all in one) AIO product that is neat, compact and virtually silent. In fact when I first saw it I could not believe it was a AIO because it was so small.

This is a sleek low slung AIO (All In One) unit that without the black front may have just passed the lounge police. However it still is a rather nice unit that does everything rather well.

This is a multi function unit (MFU) as it has a fax and it also has a wireless phone unit attached to the side. I remember reviewing many units with phones attached but never a wireless one.

While this may look like just another All In One it does have the odd surprise of two. Certainly the silver grey top and black for everything else is unlikely to pass the lounge police unless he/she is of the Goff persuasion.

This is a six ink printer that also has a display and accepts inputs from various card types and USB sticks. However it is not only USB and Ethernet but it can also print via Bluetooth.

Multi Function Machines with wireless are not that unusual, what is unusual is that it has USB but no Ethernet. So you can setup for Wireless or USB.

This is a standard mouse connected via USB that has a thermal printer inside. It can print on a range of sized roll media. Certainly something that you do not come across everyday.

Although taking photographs with your digital camera is fun, even more enjoyment can result from creating your own prints and sharing them with others.

Adding to its recently redesigned product line-up of colour inkjet multifunction devices, Brother has released its DCP-350C model.

Colour laser printers are now appearing with more economic price tags. However, while lighter on the pocket, they are still heavy to move around.

This is quite a beefy All In One unit, so it scans, copies and prints via the PC. It can also copy when not connected to the PC and it also prints directly from a range of card media.

This is described as an ‘Office All In One’ As it is black and grey it is unlikely to pass the ‘lounge police’ but apart from that it is not that tall and the output quality is good. It is actually a multi function unit as it has fax.

This is the big brother to the recently reviewed HL-4040CN reviewed on the 26-10-07, it certainly is heavier – or I’m getting weaker. This is an All In One colour laser.

This is a All In One as it scans, copies and prints but it also has a built in Light Scribe CD drive so it can also do that bit more, so I suppose it’s an All In One plus unit.

This is quite a squat unit, it will never pass the lounge police as it is very dark grey, so if not in an office into a cupboard never to see the light of day.

For an inkjet printer this is big, but in comparison to some so are it’s most expensive part it’s ink cartridges, hence the claim ‘25% cheaper to run than a laser printer’.

While All-in-One or multifunction devices continue to be the flavour of the month with both retailers and consumers, there is still a place for various standalone devices.

I have been a long time user of a Dymo handheld device for printing labels on tape. The company also produces printers for creating paper-based labels.

As an Officejet it is unlikely to ever get past the ‘lounge police’ partly because it is not small but mainly because it is black with grey sides, shame really as it is a nice MFU.