Choosing the right photo printer
By Leslie Poston
Photo printers are a popular gift, but how do you choose which one to get? The answer is that it depends on how tech savvy the person who will be using the printer most is, your budget, and what you want to use it for. I’ll take a look at a few popular models and help you figure out the difference.
Best For Grandma
If you have a tech savvy grandma, more power to you. Most of us don’t have tech savvy relatives, however; we have to make sure what we give to them or recommend to them can be learned quickly, is easy to maintain and has easily available parts and supplies. This printer fits all of those criteria, and it prints nice pictures also.
The printer is the Epson Picturemate Zoom-PM 290, and you can pick one up for under $250 in most American retail stores. It works my printing your pictures from your camera’s memory card. One nice feature of this printer is that it will make photo CDs as well as print photos for you. This means grandma doesn’t have to understand email and attachments to send pictures of the grandkids to her friends, all she has to do is learn which buttons to push and when.
The cost of paper, CDs and ink mean this portable printer will run you about 29 - 32 cents a photo. The nice thing about its tiny size is that grandma can bring it to you for tech support. well, that’s nice for her.
Editing Right On The Photo
Tired of mucking about with Photoshop, Seashore, GIMP and other editing programs? If you are a creative that is pressed for time this may be the solution for you. This printer lets you edit your photos right on the printer using the handy stylus. It offers a surprisingly large array of editing features for a printer box, and should have something for every artist, scrap booker or other creative in a hurry.
This printer is the Hewlett-Packard Photosmart A826, and you can pick on up for around $200 in most American retail stores. It is small, it prints quickly, it offers a fairly robust editing suite built right in (including handwriting using the stylus), and it has a touch screen for those looking for some cool with their creativity.
Great For The Terminally Cheap
If you or someone you know is terminally cheap, constantly thinking the “free printer” deals are a fantastic idea, this printer might be the right fit. It offers decent photos, basic editing on the computer using the software that comes with it, and only moderately slow speeds in exchange for the price break. It’s nothing to write home about, but the Canon Selphy CP760 is a printer that will work hard for your money.
You can pick up this budget Canon photo printer for around a hundred bucks in most American retail stores. Utility and function definitely take the premier spot of features with this one.
Are You A Multitasker, Doin’ Things Faster?
If you have a bit of task oriented ADD, or just like a machine that will do much more than one thing at a time, just like you, then this photo printer is the one for you. It’s a bit pricier than the others, but it offers you more function for your buck. It prints your photos, it copies and it scans. It also has Bluetooth so you can get those embarrassing mobile phone pictures from that party up on your FaceBook as quickly as possible.
This printer is the Hewlett-Packard PhotoSmart C8180 All In One, available for under $450 in most American retail stores. It should help you handle all of the little tasks around your home office or dorm.
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