In this age of digital documents , many of us are still plagued by piles of paper clutter . Even if you desire to live the true digital life style , you likely ca n’t imagine emaciate your sentence tediously scanning paper files using a stock flatbed electronic scanner . But document scanners have been prohibitively expensive for individuals and modest businesses . The Fujitsu ScanSnap , though , sate the home- and modest - post scanning niche perfectly , creating a way to well achieve a on-key paperless office . While the ScanSnap get along at a rather high damage of $ 495 , its fantabulous scans , intuitive Mac software , and bantam step will be money well drop .
Always ready
The ScanSnap has an odd shape ; it looks more like an ink - jet printer than a flatbed scanner . Its footprint is about the sizing of an 8.5 - by-11 - inch piece of theme , so it does n’t take up much space on a desk . You load the newspaper you want to glance over into the top of the scanner , and once it ’s scanned , it comes out the front .
One of the big things about this scanner is that it can glance over about 50 Thomas Nelson Page at a time , and the computer software then creates PDF files of your text file in Adobe Acrobat 7.0 ( , June 2005 ) – a full version comes with the image scanner . It automatically detects the paper size , and whether the paper is two - sided or in color . In my examination , all the automatic options crop flawlessly .
If you need more control over your scans , you’re able to expend the software to pick vividness or black - and - blanched scanning , the spirit level of condensation , scanning one - sided or two - sided paper , paper size ( from business organization card to legal ) , the destination app ( Adobe Acrobat , Preview , iPhoto , or any other compatible lotion ) , or the file type ( PDF or JPG ) . In fact , the ScanSnap ’s easy - to - utilization software belies its tractableness : six tabs sit at the top of the main window , and each Lucy in the sky with diamonds has just a couple of options . It ’s the kind of software Mac users expect , and it ’s impressive that this first version is so trouble - free .
Quality of scans
Scanning go at a comfortable cartridge holder , and the only fuss I had was with some slightly cockle paper that jammed the scanner . Clearing the jams is a matter of opening the top door and pulling out the report , and the manual clearly lays out this process .
The ScanSnap ’s scans are low resolution than a scanner meant for digitizing pic ( 600 dpi ) , but that helps the digital scanner ’s speed . I ’d urge using it for photos only in a pinch or when send a exposure via e - mail : exposure scan just do n’t look as good as those from even an cheap flatbed scanner .
After the scan
After you scan newspaper to PDF , Mac OS X or Adobe Acrobat will index their content , which mean you’re able to habituate Spotlight to find your file cabinet . If spot ’s limitations sit a problem for you , consider devising your own electronic filing social system and designation convention .
On some occasions , I had to take the digital Indian file and bend them back into newspaper by printing them . They face almost as skillful as the archetype – more like a photocopy than a pixelated kettle of fish .
In the next variation of the software , Fujitsu would do well to include an option that impound a file to a Mail or Entourage e - mail message for quick e - mailing . Most flatbed scanners do this .
I was also a bit confused about Fujitsu ’s decision to bundle a full version of Adobe Acrobat 7.0 . For most base - office users , this wo n’t be necessary since OS X includes Preview . A lower - priced variation of the ScanSnap without Acrobat would make this scanner ’s cost much more accessible to average users .
As a home - part substance abuser , another major consideration is backup . While we should all have a backup strategy in position for our precious digital pic and music , the fact of scanning crucial documents and then tear up them make backup important .
Macworld’s buying advice
There ’s so much to wish about the Fujitsu ScanSnap . Anyone who has mounds of paper and not enough space for it all should consider it . And Fujitsu ’s first software looping for the Mac is a success .
[ Jennifer Berger isMacworld ’s senior review article editor . ]
