| Recent craze towards multifunctional or all-in-one | | | | scanner is important factor to be considered also. |
| printer is because these can save valuable space, | | | | The greater the bit depth, the greater is the |
| convenient to do several jobs and are less costly. | | | | resolution and more colors can be represented. |
| A multifunctional printer is capable of doing various | | | | Scanners normally come as flatbed or sheet-fed. |
| tasks, namely printing, photocopying, scanning, etc. | | | | Flatbed scanners are more versatile as they can |
| Sometimes these printers can also be used as a | | | | scan a range of documents irrespective of their |
| fax machine, and you can take direct photo-prints | | | | thickness whereas in a sheet-fed scanner the |
| from your digital camera. | | | | documents are scanned one sheet at a time and |
| It is important to know a few points before | | | | the documents need to be detached from the |
| selecting a multifunctional printer. | | | | magazine or book for scanning. Scanners are |
| The type of Printer: The two main types of | | | | normally sold with a twain driver which can be |
| printers in vogue are inkjet and laser printer. Both | | | | easily installed in any computer and can work |
| these printers produce high quality of printing. | | | | seamlessly with other applications. |
| Inkjet printers use magnetized plated which | | | | Copier: In comparison to analog machines, digital |
| directs ink onto sheets of paper in desired style. | | | | copiers have much larger zoom range for |
| Normally using two cartridges, one for color and | | | | reducing as well as enlarging. The speed and |
| the other for black and white, the printout quality | | | | resolution of the copier is generally the same as |
| matches with laser printer. This is less costly and | | | | that of the printer. |
| portable; the only disadvantage being it is much | | | | Faxing: The easy way to transmit documents |
| slower in comparison to laser printer. | | | | over phone line is faxing. The majority of these |
| Laser printer operates by sending a laser beam | | | | machines transmit between 14.4 to 33.6 kbps |
| producing an image on the drum. Also known as | | | | speeds. This means 6 to 10 seconds and 3 |
| page printers, the laser printers are much faster | | | | seconds respectively to transmit data per page. |
| as the entire page is printed here in one going. | | | | Normally 512 kilobytes of memory in a fax |
| Though expensive, these types of printers | | | | machine can hold about 20 to 25 pages of |
| produce high quality printing at high speed with | | | | incoming and outgoing pages without relying on |
| unlimited variety of fonts. | | | | paper. The speed dial indicates how many fax |
| It is important to check the resolution of the | | | | numbers can be stored in the memory of the |
| printer. Normally higher the resolution, the better is | | | | machine. |
| the print quality. | | | | Optional items such as automatic paper feeder, |
| Compatibility of the printer: Selection for the | | | | extra paper trays and enhanced photo printing |
| printer should also consider the type of operating | | | | capability printers are available also. In case of |
| system the printer can work with. There are | | | | automatic paper feeder, you don`t have to wait |
| printers which can work with multi-systems like | | | | and feed manually for copying and scanning more |
| Windows, Linux, Mackintosh, etc. | | | | than one sheet. Optional paper trays can add up |
| Scanning: By scanning, graphics and text can be | | | | 500 pages to the total capacity. Enhanced photo |
| directly transferred to and stored in a computer | | | | printing capability printers have high resolution |
| and printed as per your need. Normal | | | | capability, four to six cartridges and also provide a |
| multifunctional computers will have a 600 dpi | | | | direct connection for downloading photo from |
| resolution. In case of a photo printer the resolution | | | | your camera. Also it allows you to view the |
| may be higher. The color depth capacity of a | | | | picture before printing. |