Fujitsu ScanSnap S510: scanning and searching
Fujitsu Canada’s ScanSnap S510 is high quality colour scanner with an integrated OCR (optical character recognition) program and a suite of related applications. It can be a powerful tool for business or personal use - although the price ($595) and software suite aim this device more at the business/professional user. Documents like business cards, conference hand-outs, printed contracts, hard copy spreadsheets and so on can be searched, edited, archived and managed as part of a document filing system. Personal documentation and mementoes such as photographs, travel documents, newspaper clippings, projects and more can be captured in a single pass.
The ScanSnap S510 is lightweight, compact and easy to use. You can use one of the software tools that’s included with the scanner, or simply use the quick-start button located on the front panel of the unit for one-off scans. Its resultant scanned output file is either PDF or JPG. All files can have user-specified file names, password protection or specified-use options.
The 600 dpi, sheet-fed USB device scans in colour or black-and-white. It can scan and send documents – whether single or double sided – as email; it can scan and export them to MS Office programs like Word, Excel and PowerPoint with OCR or it can perform other scanning and archiving tasks on printed documents, graphic images or photographs up to legal size (8.5 x 14 inches). The S510 is Vista-compatible; it’s the new older brother to the S500 XP version. Mac versions of the ScanSnap are also available.
The S510 can hold up to 50 sheets at a time in its automated feeder. In 99 percent of cases, it performs flawlessly, with no misfeeds or paper jams. For large or odd-size documents, the S510 comes with a clever clear plastic "carrier sheet" that folds over bigger or irregularly shaped materials so they can be easily scanned, as well. It will accommodate up to an 11 x 17 inch page but because you need to fold oversized paper in half, it wouldn’t be suitable for historical papers. The resulting scan is stitched together into a seamless PDF.
A software-enabled setting called "Setting for text only document" helps sharpen characters and lines while enhancing contrast, so it is handy for B&W documents.
The scanner’s colour mode is best used when dealing with high quality photos or other colour documents, which the S510 does very well. Text and subtle detail, even with shaded colours, are all reproduced faithfully.
All the software that comes with the ScanSnap is another strong selling feature – you get several dedicated programs for specific functions and applications. Because the scanner works with PDFs, it means, of course, that Adobe Acrobat is required. Version 8.0 Standard is bundled with the scanner, allowing for document mark-up, digital signatures and document security, among other things.
The ScanSnap Organizer has been enhanced for better organizing and viewing of PDF and JPEG files. It helps convert image PDFs to text-searchable files that you can use with self-defined keyword searches. Automatic indexing is supported.
Often listed last, but perhaps it should be first, is the bundled PFU CardMinder software. It helps manage the process of scanning both sides of a business card, with full indexing capability and a handy data export function for entering the data from a business card into popular contact management or email software. A new feature is a quick "search and view" tool that displays the scanned file of any name entered into its search field.
ScanSnap’s scanning engine is a CCD-based, cathode lamp duplex system. Its native 600 dpi element (interpolation to 1,200 dpi is possible) can be set to lower quality when appropriate, thus saving file size and increasing ppm (page per minute) capabilities. Users should also be aware that some parts and supplies, called consumables, will be needed during regular operation. Extra carrier sheets, pad assemblies, pick rollers and the like should be replaced on a fixed basis (usually thousands of hours or thousands of scans, depending on the part). Carrier sheets are priced around $40; replacement hardware parts are usually around $20.
The S510 has a list price of $595, an online price 100 bucks less, but that still may sound high for a "just a scanner." But the ScanSnap is much more than that. Its ability to turn personal or business documentation into searchable, editable files can be an invaluable advantage while we continue to wait for the truly paperless office.
Fujitsu Canada’s ScanSnap S510 is high quality colour scanner with an integrated OCR (optical character recognition) program and a suite of related applications. It can be a powerful tool for business or personal use - although the price ($595) and software suite aim this device more at the business/professional user. Documents like business cards, conference hand-outs, printed contracts, hard copy spreadsheets and so on can be searched, edited, archived and managed as part of a document filing system. Personal documentation and mementoes such as photographs, travel documents, newspaper clippings, projects and more can be captured in a single pass.
The ScanSnap S510 is lightweight, compact and easy to use. You can use one of the software tools that’s included with the scanner, or simply use the quick-start button located on the front panel of the unit for one-off scans. Its resultant scanned output file is either PDF or JPG. All files can have user-specified file names, password protection or specified-use options.
The 600 dpi, sheet-fed USB device scans in colour or black-and-white. It can scan and send documents – whether single or double sided – as email; it can scan and export them to MS Office programs like Word, Excel and PowerPoint with OCR or it can perform other scanning and archiving tasks on printed documents, graphic images or photographs up to legal size (8.5 x 14 inches). The S510 is Vista-compatible; it’s the new older brother to the S500 XP version. Mac versions of the ScanSnap are also available.
The S510 can hold up to 50 sheets at a time in its automated feeder. In 99 percent of cases, it performs flawlessly, with no misfeeds or paper jams. For large or odd-size documents, the S510 comes with a clever clear plastic "carrier sheet" that folds over bigger or irregularly shaped materials so they can be easily scanned, as well. It will accommodate up to an 11 x 17 inch page but because you need to fold oversized paper in half, it wouldn’t be suitable for historical papers. The resulting scan is stitched together into a seamless PDF.
A software-enabled setting called "Setting for text only document" helps sharpen characters and lines while enhancing contrast, so it is handy for B&W documents.
The scanner’s colour mode is best used when dealing with high quality photos or other colour documents, which the S510 does very well. Text and subtle detail, even with shaded colours, are all reproduced faithfully.
All the software that comes with the ScanSnap is another strong selling feature – you get several dedicated programs for specific functions and applications. Because the scanner works with PDFs, it means, of course, that Adobe Acrobat is required. Version 8.0 Standard is bundled with the scanner, allowing for document mark-up, digital signatures and document security, among other things.
The ScanSnap Organizer has been enhanced for better organizing and viewing of PDF and JPEG files. It helps convert image PDFs to text-searchable files that you can use with self-defined keyword searches. Automatic indexing is supported.
Often listed last, but perhaps it should be first, is the bundled PFU CardMinder software. It helps manage the process of scanning both sides of a business card, with full indexing capability and a handy data export function for entering the data from a business card into popular contact management or email software. A new feature is a quick "search and view" tool that displays the scanned file of any name entered into its search field.
ScanSnap’s scanning engine is a CCD-based, cathode lamp duplex system. Its native 600 dpi element (interpolation to 1,200 dpi is possible) can be set to lower quality when appropriate, thus saving file size and increasing ppm (page per minute) capabilities. Users should also be aware that some parts and supplies, called consumables, will be needed during regular operation. Extra carrier sheets, pad assemblies, pick rollers and the like should be replaced on a fixed basis (usually thousands of hours or thousands of scans, depending on the part). Carrier sheets are priced around $40; replacement hardware parts are usually around $20.
The S510 has a list price of $595, an online price 100 bucks less, but that still may sound high for a "just a scanner." But the ScanSnap is much more than that. Its ability to turn personal or business documentation into searchable, editable files can be an invaluable advantage while we continue to wait for the truly paperless office.
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