IBM IdeaScan 2000

Using the Getting Started guide you'll have the IdeaScan 2000 up and running in minutes. There are five buttons on the front which allow you perform many functions at the press of a button. The main button is for scanning, the others will scan a document or image and then do one of the following with it: fax it, email it, or perform optical character reading and present the document in a word processor. All these functions are user customisable. The fifth button is a handy instant cancel button which stops everything.

All these buttons are represented by, and can be used with, an on-screen version that can be accessed from the Windows system tray.

The scan times were pretty good, coming close to those of the recently reviewed ScanMaker X6 from Microtek Europe. An A4 preview took only 18 seconds, a full A4 colour scan took 54 seconds. Using the OCR option, an A4 scan at 300dpi took 54 seconds to scan, convert and transfer the text into a word processing package.

This scanner is mostly plastic but is well built and feels sturdy and light, although it's a little on the large side. Quality is good too, with all scans faithfully reproduced on-screen.

The main software, PaperPort 6.1, allows you to sort your scans into different categories - Home, Business or any other category you care to create. Other included software appears in the form of special editions of various PhotoStudio applications - PhotoFantasy 2, PhotoMontage 1, PhotoPrinter 2 and PhotoStudio 3.The only manual covers the basics of scanning and how to change the scanner-based buttons. For the other software, documentation is included on CD.

The IdeaScan 2000 is a great scanner that's easy to use, and with all that software it's a worthy purchase that won't let you down.

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• Peripherals