Smart Printer

I just discovered the hot features our latest printer has. I bought an Epson CX6400 printer with my Mac Powerbook almost two years ago. I paid about $15 extra for the model that can load a memory card from a digital camera. But I didn't want the features. I paid more because the printer's profile was about two inches lower. It has done a good job printing monochrome and color from the Mac and making photo copies. But I hadn't tried the memory card feature.

I sure got a surprise. I put the 16MB SD card that came with our Minolta DImage into the printer/scanner today.

This is a smart printer. It asked if I wanted it to print an index page. "That's a good idea. I can see all the pictures at once." And being only 16MB it only holds about 20 of them.

When the index printed there was bubble next to each photo - a bubble intended for scanning, like a test or voting. Then there was a section to specify the type of paper you are using. And, this is the best part, at the bottom it said "Set the sheet to the scanner (sic) and press the Color button."

Then I realized that the scanner/printer was going to do all the work. I just had to follow its instructions and feed it paper. Sure enough. I found photo paper my wife had bought, selected "glossy 5x7," then set the index sheet on the glass of the scanner and pushed the Color button and followed its directions to push it again.

It took 5 minutes per page and they look good and sharp. My mother in law could do this!

The big disadvantage is that you can't adjust the brightness or color to suit yourself. Maybe you can; I might want to read the directions. We can do the easy corrections using IPhoto. For the professional touch I have Macromedia's Fireworks. Not that I am going to take the time to learn one third of its features.