ScanSnap S300
$295
Fujitsu www.fujitsu.ca
Scanning speed: 8ppm (16 duplexed) on AC power, 4ppm (8 duplexed) on USB power
Resolution: Up to 600 dpi colour, 1,200 B&W

In the battle for the paperless office, Fujitsu has quite the arsenal.

Its latest in the well received ScanSnap line tries to capitalize on the success of the larger personal or work group document scanners and brings some of that power to individual users' desktops. Perhaps its most impressive specs have nothing to do with the scanning speed, Energy Star certification or the muiltipurpose software that ships with the device. They lie in the relative small size and low weight of the device. At 284mm x 95mm x 77mm and 1.4 kg, along with the ability to power the scanner via an included USB adapter, the ScanSnap S300 represents the first truly portable and functional document scanner.

Make no mistake: this is a document scanner first and foremost. It's not designed to scan pictures; the scan quality is excellent for reference and filing of text pages, full colour brochures and steps in between but not sufficient for photo archiving.

At first, my reaction to a portable desktop document scanner was quizzical. Why would anyone want to bother with a dedicated scanner? Especially in the days of the multifunction printer. As it turns out, after using the device for just over a month, there are plenty of reasons:

Quickly and easily sending signed documents without faxing
I dislike fax machines. I'd use stronger language but my crack team of psychiatrists say I've got to ease up on the anger. Fax machines are old technology. They have served their purpose but they just won't die out. And in fact, they show no signs of doing so. Fax machines are, in my opinion, an unfortunate fact of life.

Spam email is one thing but junk faxes are practically impossible to get rid of, generate untold amounts of waste paper and have to be physically separated from the more important pieces of printed paper that occupy the same document tray. There is no such thing as a spam fax filter. Unless you count the front desk admin.

Using the S300, sending printed pages that would otherwise have to be faxed is a simple and painless affair. Put said document in the feeder tray, hit the scan button and choose "scan to email," if you're using Outlook or "scan to file" if you're using a web-based email client.

Next: Scan and manage business cards with OCR

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