That's the kind of scenario that Planon System Solutions Inc.'s DocuPen RC800 (US$300), an ultraportable scanner, is aimed at simplifying. Forget running around the showroom floor to find a copier or fax machine, and instead whip out the wand-size DocuPen, place it on a sheet of paper and slowly slide it down the page.
The file is stored either on the device's 8MB of Flash memory or on an optional MicroSD card.
Pen scanners aren't exactly new. Models that scan one line at a time have been around for years. The RC800, which is shaped more like a wand than a pen, stands out as a portable full-page color scanner. It will scan in four modes: 24- and 12-bit color, grayscale and monochrome.
The RC800 is a model of compact design, weighing only 2 ounces. It's a slim 8.9 in. long and has a girth of 0.5 in. Tiny rollers along the bottom edge help to guide the unit down a page.
There's just enough room on the right-hand tip of the device for a Universal Serial Bus port. Along the top edge, a cover hides the MicroSD card slot, and there are buttons that turn on the device and set the scanning mode, as well as a lineup of eight LED indicators.
The LEDs are a bit cryptic, so it pays to consult the diagram on the included quick start guide. Scan too quickly, and a red "X" lights up. The other indicators track battery strength, remaining memory, scan resolution, and color or black-and-white settings.
English teachers everywhere will be less than thrilled to see that Planon has dubbed the resolution modes "Hi Rez" (200 or 400 dpi) and "Standard Rez" (100 or 200 dpi).
The RC800 is powered by a lithium-ion battery, rechargeable via the included USB cable. The package also includes a leather carrying case, a CD that contains drivers and manuals, and DocuPen and Scansoft PaperPort LE software to handle optical character-recognition tasks. It requires Windows 2000 or higher.
Although the RC800 is nicely designed, the power and mode buttons on the review unit I tested were loose and wobbly, which made it feel a little flimsy for a device priced at $300.
Setup was easy, although I could have gone out for coffee in the time that it took the PaperPort software to install. Having road-tested a previous version of this product which scanned only in black and white, I found the addition of color a major improvement and quite good.
Even more important, the RC800 was easier to use than its predecessor. The earlier version required a very steady hand. This time around, the device moved down the page much more smoothly, so I experienced fewer aborted scans due to a wobble here and there.
Note that this device doesn't need to be connected to a computer to scan, so it doesn't require you to tote around a laptop to use it. Once you do connect it to a computer, the DocuPen software displays thumbnails of your scans, which you can transfer to the PaperPort application or delete from the device.
Since prices for flatbed scanners have plummeted, it may seem a little crazy to spend $300 for a gizmo just to scan documents. But if you or your colleagues are out of the office more than you're in, and ultimate portability is your goal, the DocuPen is definitely worth a look.
Planon's currently offering the RC800 in a limited edition of six snazzy colors including "Blue Streak" and "Kool White."
Tip: Don't miss the cheesy low-budget videos on the CD of various "professionals" (real estate agent, office worker, lawyer) using the DocuPen.
Michelle Johnson is a freelance writer based in Boston. Contact her at mijohn@mail-me.com.