Probably the most convenient item available in portable document scanners is the DocuPen. This handy little item looks like an extremely elongated pen yet is a complete scanner! It is very lightweight, portable and easy to use. The DocuPen also comes with its own software and leather pouch for easy transportation. The DocuPen is a portable handheld document scanner that operates on lithium ion batteries. The batteries are rechargeable through any USB connection. The features of this portable document scanner make it one of the most convenient scanners to use with laptops.
The drawback the portable scanner is the large room for error factor. In order to scan an item or document you hold the DocuPen and gently, but steadily drag it down across the page you are scanning. There is a red LED light which will flash if you run the DocuPen too quickly over the document. Of course that means you have to try again. If you don’t have a steady hand this could become a potential annoyance. In addition if you scan something that is stapled like a page from a book or a magazine, the unevenness of the material can also cause your hand to move unsteadily.
You may want to consider some other options available in portable scanners instead. Most of these scanners connect to your computer through the USB port and are lightweight enough to take along on travel. There are several online retailers that carry these easy to use scanners. Scan Store is one that offers the Strobe XP. It is a very compact color scanner that you place on a flat surface. Then you simply feed your paper into the scanner to have it scanned. There are also other models with varying degrees of this same design for use. This type of scanner would not work for copying documents out of a book or magazine.
Another type of scanner is a portable sheetfed scanner. These scanners are going to be larger and weigh more, but you can use them to scan just about anything. The unit consists of a flat scanner with a hinged lid you open and close. The scanner itself has a glass surface on which you place your document, paper or even book, and then close the lid for scanning. If you are someone who travels a lot for business and would like a scanner to take along with you, this may not be the best choice. It is not as compact as the other non sheetfed styles of scanners.
It’s best to spend some time shopping around to see what would work best for your needs. You can even go to an electronics store where they have experienced personnel that can help answer any questions you might have. You want to make sure you purchase the right item for your needs as many retailers do not accept returns of electronic items.
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