9 by 4. 9 inches and weighing less than three pounds. Compatible with either PC or Macintosh, all drivers, power cords, and ink cartridges are included right in the box. Hewlett-Packard provides a one-year warranty that covers parts and service.

However, this little machine is packed with power-it makes high-quality scans of graphics, photos, line art, or text, and offers great imaging and optical character recognition (OCR) software for an incredibly low price. To set up the CanoScan, we attached the cable to our PC, plugged in the AC adapter, dropped in the CD-ROM, and followed the setup wizard. (If you restart your computer before running the CanoScan's setup wizard, you can cancel the Windows New Hardware Installation wizard that runs automatically. ) When following the setup wizard, make sure you indicate that you want to install the 620P, not the 320P whose drivers are also included on the same CD-ROM. In our tests of the CanoScan, we first conducted preview scans of several documents and images just to get acquainted with the scanner. These preview scans and other low resolution scans (75 dpi) were fast and easy, but high-resolution scans were much slower. Still, the images were sharp and clear, and the final scans were comparable to those of much more expensive scanners. If you're looking for an inexpensive, light-duty scanner that's easy to set up and learn, the CanoScan makes a fine choice. Pros: Lightweight, small, and portable Easy setup Cons: Slow scanning in high resolution.

The HP 9100C installs quickly without modifications to systems or extra user training. It comes with an installation guide and user manual, plus required software: HP JetAdmin, HP Address Book Manager, HP Digital Sender Service, Administrative Guide, HP Digital Sender Link, HP Digital Sender Link, Adobe Acrobat Reader and Adobe Circulate. The device is also simple to use. Documents are loaded into the automatic document feeder, the send-to address is entered or selected from a list, and the send button is pushed.

It features the Canon Think Tank System - an intelligent ink-management system that automatically eliminates ink waste and saves you money. It uses individual ink tanks for each color, so you replace only the color that runs out. And its unique optical low-ink sensor alerts you when ink is low, so you can pop in another tank just at the right time. You can also swap the ink tank with Canon's optional IS-52 Color Image Scanner Cartridge and instantly turn your printer into a 600 dpi sheetfed scanner. Equipped with built-in USB and parallel ports and both Mac and PC compatible, the BJC 8200 is an ideal companion to your desktop or laptop. You'll print crisp text and true colors on photo paper, transparencies, and much more with this sleekly designed, small, light printer. Setup and installation are smooth and easy with the Canon Quick Start Guide. The ink cartridges are easy to install but require several more steps than usual because each tank is installed separately. However, the ink management system minimizes waste and saves you money; you replace only the color that runs out. We also like the reassurance of the low-ink sensor, which sends a message when the ink is low so you can refill before you start a new project. Print speeds are approximately a minute for 4-by-6-inch prints and up to 3 minutes for an 8-by-10-inch print. The 1,200 x 1,200 dpi resolution in black and color produces vibrantly colored and detailed photo prints. The unit's auto feed speeds production, holding about 100 sheets of plain paper and 80 pages of high-resolution photographic paper. The BJC 8200 runs a little loud for our taste, but who could resist a remarkably fast, commanding little printer, enabling you to print high-quality photos in your home or office?Although the BJC-8200 has a highly intuitive interface, you may need to consult the manual to use some functions. We prefer having a hard copy of the user's reference at hand, but Canon's guide is online. The BJC-8200 printer includes a creative software applications CD-ROM featuring printer setup guide and Canon Photo. It prints on a wide range of paper types, including PhotoPaperPro, brilliant white, Bubble Jet, banner papers, envelopes, fabric sheets, greeting and glossy photo cards, glossy photo paper, high-gloss photo film, and high-resolutionand plain paper, transparencies, and magnetic sheets. We didn't try them all but if results remain consistent, the outcome is sure to impress even the master photographer. Canon offers a one-year limited warranty on parts and labor with SelectExchange available. -Barbara Price.

The 6100USB brings high-resolution flatbed scanning that allows you to scan, fax, copy, print, and easily communicate by dragging and dropping items to icons for all your favorite programs on the PaperPort link bar. The Visioneer 6100USB comes with award-winning Visioneer software, including PaperPort version 5. 3, Visioneer OCR, and Visioneer Web Publisher. Additional free software includes PictureWorks PhotoEnhancer and Quicken ExpensAble SE.

Paper sizes and materials include anything from index cards to banners, transparencies, card stock, and labels. Its versatility is well suited to busy home crafters or graphics professionals. Although the transparent top panel coordinates with Macintosh, the 8³ printer can be used just as easily with PCs. Epson includes a one-year warranty that covers parts and service.