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Docupen RC805 Portable Scanner
February 02, 2009, 3:47 AM by ROB
Posted in GADGETS, PAPERLESS, MOBILE | 1025 views
After I unboxed the DocuPen RC805 from Planon System Solutions, one thing instantly popped into my head: "This is some serious James Bond material right here!" Imagine a full-color (24-bit) scanner that's just under nine inches long and weighs only two ounces. The DocuPen scans an entire page in just a few seconds (around five to ten, in our tests) without the need for a PC. Once you're back in at your computer, the DocuPen software makes it easy to pull the images off of the device and convert them to various formats (TIFF and PDF, in my tests).
There are a few kinks, however. First, scanning from books is a little tough; the DocuPen has to be pretty much flat in order to scan properly. The device operates on rollers which track down the page. If you're scanning on a soft or uneven surface and the rollers lose contact with the page, the rollers stop turning and the device assumes you've reached the end of the page you were scanning. This is little more than a learning curve, though, and it is easy to pick up some finesse on how to guide the pen down the page.
The second kink is the software—it doesn't seem to be compatible with the 64-bit version of Vista. Luckily, my primary use for the DocuPen is with the Lenovo ThinkPad X60 Tablet I'm testing as a part of my Project Paperless endeavor. The software installs fine on the Tablet (running Windows 7). Still, the software feels "old." It takes me back to the config programs of old webcams, TWAIN scanners and such under Windows 95/98. Functionality could be improved as well; the software is currently a "suite" with several dis-integrated applications that could benefit from being re-written and unified.
The looks of the pen itself more than make up for the aesthetics of the software, though. The DocuPen is a shiny bundle of really cool (and surprisingly usable) technology. Its form factor and portability are HUGE selling points—it travels well in my backpack, laptop bag, or even my pocket and seems durable enough to not break in transit. Might I also mention that the device comes with a leather case for additional protection.
Look for sample scans in a future post.
Our rating: 5/5
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