Multifunction devices becoming more popular

When people run out of ideas on what to buy as a gift to their loved ones, they sometimes go to a Victorinox store and buy a Swiss Army knife. They know that everybody will appreciate this one -- unless, of course, they already have half a dozen Swiss Army knives in their drawers.

People love Swiss Army knives because they can use them to tighten a screw, cut paper, file their nails, punch a hole, strip wire, lift bottle caps, uncork champagne, open a can of SPAM, even check the temperature and altitude. Similarly, if you give a gift that can scan and print documents, make copies, send and receive faxes, they will also appreciate it. Such a device will do the functions of a printer, a scanner, a photocopier and a fax machine. It is therefore called a multifunction device.

With the penetration of the Internet and e-mail, faxing may have become out of fashion. However, there are still times that faxing is the quickest and safest way to get a document from one place to another. Like, for example, sending your credit card data.

It seems that customers no longer think that combining these functions into one single device will make it prone to breakdowns. Actually, a digital photocopy already has a scanner and a printer, and adding a fax does not increase complexity of the machine. Small offices and home offices love multifunction devices more because it saves space.

Given the increasing popularity of multifunction devices, it is not a surprise that we now have a broader choice. Some of them use laser technology for printing documents and receiving faxes, others use inkjet technology. In general, the cost per page is lower on a laser printer than on an inkjet. However, with a laser printer-based multifunction device you can only print in black and white.

In the past, Canon and Hewlett-Packard were the two names that people would think of when they talked about multifunction devices. Today, you can find similar products from other printer makers such as Brother, Epson and Lexmark.

HP has always offered good multifunction devices, both for workgroup and personal uses. In fact, it may have the broadest range of multifunction devices. Epson has launched its Stylus CX5200 and CX3200, but both did not come with the faxing capability. However, the latter can print border-free photos, too. Brother's offerings are called MFC, and the company has different product numbers for different regions.

Canon, which is one of the leaders in photo printing, equips its MultiPASS F20 multifunction printer with a PCMCIA Type II slot, so users with photo files stored in a PCMCIA card can print border-free prints without the help of a PC. The slot can accommodate The PCMCIA adapter can support Compact Flash, Smart Media, Memory Stick and Secure Digital cards. No faxing is available on the F20. If you need a fax, too, Canon has FAX-C855.

Lexmark has two multifunction printers. The first is called PrinTrio, because it is a printer, scanner and copier in one single unit. Uniquely, users can even edit photo using the software included in the printer. The second product is called X125 All-in-One Office Center, which includes a fax as well.

What to look for in a multifunction device? Based on your use, choose laser printer-based multifunction device for larger volume printing and faxing and choose an inkjet printer-based one for color printing. In the copying area, find a device that allows you to zoom in or out the scanned page. Some multifunction devices can enlarge up to 400 percent.

If you still insist on choosing a device that also sends and receives faxes, find one with enough memory to store around 80 to 100 pages. Finally, ease of use, per page printing cost and after-sales support are some of the things that you need to check out.

-- Zatni Arbi