Review of the DocuPen RC800 Handheld Scanner

Making the Paperless Office a Reality

It is not often that one will find me in my office. While I love a leather executive office chair as much as the next business mogul, I love the great outdoors event more. It is for this reason, I need office equipment that is durable, effective and mobile. Planon's DocuPen Scanner RC800 is one handheld scanner that fits my very active lifestyle.

At first glance, it looks like just another fancy pen. As a matter of fact, while I was working and enjoying a cup of coffee at my local café, one of the customers asked me if he could borrow my pen. When I pointed out that this "pen" was a scanner, he could not believe his eyes, so I showed him how this duplication device works. Slightly larger than a real pen, the DocuPen easily fits into my briefcase. I use it mostly to scan in signed contracts while I am off-site meeting with clients. As an added benefit, using this tool enhances my company's profile as an environmentally conscious company, pending B-Corp status because we use the power of technology to save tree, go paperless and create public benefit. It is unusually easy to use. As a matter of fact, all I have to do is run the flat part of the Docupen over my document and it is saved to the DocuPen's memory. I can connect the the pen to the USB cable and the cable to my laptop, then voilà! I am ready to move my scanned document to my computer.



The most convenient feature is the color mode option. The Mode button allows me to scan in color, black and white or some variation thereof.

The set-up was reasonably easy. I inserted the DocuPen CD, selected PenTwain from the menu to install the software, then selected the DocuPen application to install. Once I connected the USB port to the pen and then to my computer, it found the drivers and installed. Upon set-up, I would recommend allowing the DocuPen to stay connected to your computer for 50 minutes so that the DocuPen can fully charge.

Priced, just under $300.00, this little tool will be a great replacement for the scanner that SOMEONE managed to break in my home office.

Features

The following components are included in the Planon DocuPen scanner RC800 product package:

- The DocuPen RC800 scanning unit

- USB cable for communication with PC (Mac) & recharging.

- Installation CD containing DocuPen PenTwain driver, DocuPen stand-alone application & PaperPort Software

- Quick Start Guide

- Leather Case

As far as tech essentials go, the DocuPen RC800 portable handheld scanner is one of the most useful tools that I have in my mobile arsenal.
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Contact staff writer JC Lamkin at @JCLamkin

Review of Google Chrome

(aka online beta testers will work for free)

In this week's news, Google launched Chrome, its beta response to Firefox 3. Like bees to beta honey, the world's tech enthusiasts e-elbowed each other to be the first to critique the web browser. The verdict thus far is most people like the sleek no-frills browser. The Incognito Window, a snooping spouse's worst nightmare, is a bit suspect for my tastes. Overall, I would have to agree with the Tech Illuminati, Google has made it to third base with this one.

Pros

• Like most popular browsers, it allows for easy importing of bookmarks.
• It allows html, plugins, and javascript to play nice together
  
• Omnibox: Keyword searches via the address field is a delightful plus, also.
• To manage security and RAM, it creates separate processes for each new tab opened.
• Open source is always a good thing, right? (mash, mash, mash)
  

Cons

• It has been noted that Google's Chrome may not support GIF animation frames, however.
  
• Google's Chrome does not support Lively...a Google product.  What's up with that?
• Currently, the Chrome browser does not work on Macs. However, knowing Mac users, they will have a Chrome for Macs version compiled by the end of the week.

Middle of the road
The Report bug or Broken Web site feature: Google Inc (GOOG.O) has offered all self proclaimed Tech Illuminati the ability to send reports of program bugs. Now, isn't that thoughtful of Google....