Posts Tagged epson
Epson PictureMate Charm Compact Photo Printer
I’ve had my Epson PictureMate Charm Compact Photo Printer working on overdrive since I first plugged it in and fired it up last week. This “personal photo lab” is my ticket to catching up on printing out some favorite vacation photos that I’ve wanted to frame and hang for a long time (of trips that date back a few years), and I’ve also got my kids’ hard-copy school scrapbooks that have needed updating since 2007. For a techno-phobe like me, this desktop photo printer — which doesn’t require a USB cord or a laptop — is easy to use, while producing some outstanding-quality prints.
Truly, you can take this photo printer out of the box, plug it in, insert a photo cartridge (ink), load 4×6 paper, insert a camera memory card and voila! You’re ready to print. It’s that simple.
The printer takes all sorts of different camera cards, including SD and SDHC, MMC, Memory Stick PROs, and larger Microdrive and CompactFlash, to name just a few. It only prints JPEG files, so if you later transfer files from your computer hard drive to a memory card for printing, they can’t be TIFFs or PNGs. It will also print any type of resolution, from 80 x 90 to 9200 x 9200 pixels.
Other key highlights:
- Prints not only borderless 4×6 prints, but also white boarders, wallet size and mini wallet size.
- Prints in black-and-white or sepia
- Fixes red-eye via the PictureMate Charm menu; no laptop or photo-editing software required.
- Automatically enhances your photos with a “Fix Photo” setting (color, sharpness, etc.); but you can also override to best print Standard, People, Landscape or Night Scene.
- Has a cool carrying handle.
- Prints from a digital camera (must have camera USB cord) or laptop (must install PictureMate software and have a computer USB cable).
So, where’s the “travel” part of this piece of practical travel gear come in? Well, if you want to be the of the party at the next out-of-state wedding or family reunion you attend, bring this portable printer along! Imagine the smiles on Grandma’s face if you present her with some token photo keepsakes before the party’s even over. Heck, if you pack the optional $50 battery, you could even bring it on your annual camping trip for instant gratification.
Like I said, I’ve printed dozens of photos in the last week or so, and I’m thoroughly impressed with the quality of the images. Plus, the photos print quickly, which, in my busy world, is a great thing. I also like that I can see the photo I’m about to print via a preview screen; with my ancient HP PhotoSmart 100, I had to print from a memory card only by number (i.e. PITA).
To note: It sounds as if I’ll need to replace the ink cartridge after about 150 glossy prints. I can purchase Print Packs online, which include either 150 pieces of glossy photo paper or 100 pieces of matte photo paper and a new cartridge. They retail for about $37 and $33 respectively.
If you do plan on traveling a lot with the printer, check out the carrying case for $35. Another caveat: While the dimensions of the printer are a reasonable 6.7″ x 9.1″ x 5.7″, it weighs nearly 8 lbs. I wouldn’t give up that space/weight in a piece of checked or carry-on luggage for a plane, but I wouldn’t hesitate to stick it in the car trunk for my next road trip.
The Epson PictureMate Charm Compact Photo Printer retails for $149.99; find it on Amazon.com or at Buy.com.
Posted by Kara in General Gear on November 30th, 2010
Epson EX71 Projector Makes Presentations Easy
If you’re making presentations on the road and want the impact of a big screen, schlepping a bulky, heavy projector is no longer required.
Epson sent me their EX71 Multimedia Projector recently to use for a video presentation at a museum. Not only did it project a bright, colorful, bigger-than-life picture, the setup was quick and easy. It helped make the show a big hit.
The rehearsal for the presentation took a lot less time than I expected because the setup was so easy. The height, focus and zoom are simple to adjust and the “Instant Off/On” feature means there’s no waiting for the bulb to warm up or cool down.
For show time, the video was sharp and bright. Epson uses a triple LCD, three-chip technology and the projector is rated at 2500 lumens. The bulb should last a long time—up to 5,000 hours.
Travelers will appreciate the size of the EX71. It’s just under 12″ long, 9″ inches wide and 3″ tall. It weighs in at just over five pounds and comes with a soft carrying case. It will easily fit under the seat or in an overhead bin on an airplane with room to spare.
The native WXGA resolution is 1280 x 800 for sharp pictures and the projector does a good job of handling all the different aspect ratios out there now, such as 16:10 or 16:9 widescreen and traditional 4:3. An HDMI cable allows one-cable hookup to a high-definition source.
There’s a USB port that will hook directly to a laptop for the ultimate in easy setup. Some other projectors offer only control and do not transfer the picture over a USB cable. But with the EX71, what you see on your computer monitor is exactly what is projected.
The throw distance means you won’t need a huge auditorium for a big picture. For a picture larger than 26 feet, the projector only needs about 35 feet of distance from the screen. A distance of three feet makes a 33″ picture.
The projector can also be used to play a slideshow directly from a USB thumb drive. In an ideal world, the one additional feature I’d like to see is the ability to also play videos from a thumb drive or portable hard drive.
The list price for the Epson EX71 Multimedia Projector is $749.99. It’s available direct from Epson or at Best Buy and other retailers, but is currently on back order at Amazon.
Check Epson Ex71 prices across the web for other retailers.
Projectors come in all sizes these days—some will fit in your pocket or attach to a cell phone. The Epson EX71, while not the smallest in the pack, boasts a full set of features and does an excellent job balancing picture quality and portability.
Posted by JohnG in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on January 25th, 2010
