My move toward becoming increasingly paperless began a number of years ago when I saw my cousin Jamie’s ScanSnap scanner. I was impressed with the speed with which it was able to create digital copies of hard documents. I bought the same scanner and then, when I “saw the light” a year later, swapped it out for the version that worked with Macs. (Current models work with both Windows and OS X.)
In the years since I have used and reviewed a number of other ScanSnap scanners. In spring of 2010 I reviewed the S1300. (Read the review.) And last fall I reviewed the mobile ScanSnap S1100. (Read the review.)
Now the company has announced and released the new S1300i. The S1300i is a response to the evolving needs of mobile professionals who are doing more on the go and increasingly rely on cloud-based services such as DropBox and Evernote.
I had a chance to speak with a company representative last week and learned a few interesting facts about the ScanSnap line in general and this device in specific. It turns out Fujitsu first entered the personal scanner market as a bit of an experiment. They already had a good deal of experience with commercial scanners and thought they would try moving into the residential/personal market. No one knew if the market actually existed or not. What they did know was that the user-experience was going to be key to their success. As such, they needed a scanner that let people set up the device and begin scanning within seconds and with little more than the press of a single button. That’s how the simple, but powerful, ScanSnap line was born.
In the years since the line has continued to evolve. This year is no exception. The ScanSnap 1300i reflects the company’s commitment to ensuring that their personal scanners continue to reflect a commitment to offering the best user-experience possible. Along these lines, the S1300i is 1.5 times faster than its predecessor. The reason for that was made clear to me on the call- the speed of a device plays directly into whether or not people think something is easy to use or not. If people need to wait too long for a device to accomplish its task they begin to think of the item as less user-friendly. It is an odd psychological reality but one Fujitsu recognizes and is constantly working to address.
The S1300i is designed to address other ways in which our work-flow has changed in recent years. As Scott Francis, vice president of marketing, Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. notes,
In the constantly evolving and fast-paced world that we live in today, people need a versatile and flexible solution to help them keep up with the demands and that is exactly what the ScanSnap S1300i is designed to do. From its ability to scan directly to multiple cloud-based services and mobile devices, to its PC and Mac compatibility, to its compact size, the ScanSnap S1300i allows consumers and business professions to be even more productive and paperless anywhere they go.
The features of the ScanSnap 1300i make clear the company’s commitment to the priorities outlined by Francis. It offers:
Scan to Mobile — Android Tablet/Smartphone Support: With the free “ScanSnap Connect” app users now have the capability to send scanned paperwork to Android compatible tablets and smartphones running OS 2.2*. The App is also available for both the iPad and iPhone running iOS 4.2.1 or later. “ScanSnap Connect” not only provides a convenient way to send and store scans to mobile devices using your existing WiFi connection, but also gives organizations a flexible solution to assist with collaboration between colleagues and business partners. The App can be downloaded in the Google Play Store and the iTunes App Store.
Cloud Services Support: Users can now scan documents directly to Dropbox, the popular digital storage service, giving them even more flexibility to store, share and access their paperwork. Furthermore, the ScanSnap S1300i scans directly to Evernote, Google Docs, SugarSync and Salesforce Chatter. Whether it is scanning contracts, bills, invoices, or business cards on the road or using a PC in one place and a Mac in another, consumers have the necessary tools to be even more productive and paperless virtually anywhere.
“ScanSnap Folder”: Stay in the moment and extend the power of one-button scanning into virtually any Windows application, even in the cloud, with the “ScanSnap Folder” function. This new feature essentially replicates ScanSnap as a Windows folder which the user can open from their favorite software and web applications** allowing them to automatically attach/upload the digital files produced by the ScanSnap S1300i for the ultimate in “Scan there!” versatility.
Faster Scanning Performance: Faster scanning speeds of up to 12 double-sided color pages per minute (ppm), even while using its advanced intelligent image-processing technology, make the ScanSnap S1300i up to 1.5 times faster than its predecessor.
One of the things that has always impressed me about the ScanSnap line of personal scanners is the software included with the devices. The first time I bought a Fujitsu scanner I was actually surprised that the included software. The S1300i continues that commitment and offers a nice package of software that includes the aforementioned “scan-to” functionality.
Additional features of note include:
Scanning On-the-Go: For portability it can be powered by AC or USB and both USB cables and AC power adaptors are included
Automatic Quality: When Auto is selected under Image Quality, ScanSnap increases the resolution on small documents (A6 or smaller), helping ensure the fine-print on small documents remains legible and searchable.
Mark Text Function: Users can utilize a standard highlighter pen on a black & white document to automatically create searchable keywords of the highlighted text, such as an invoice number or last name.
ABBYY FineReader for ScanSnap: ABBYY FineReader for ScanSnap™ allows users to be productive by quickly transforming their paperwork into editable Word and Excel files at the push of a button.
Grayscale Support: In addition to automatically detecting color and monochrome, users can now scan images or text in grayscale. This is especially important for small images or text within business cards and small receipts that typically includes fine print.
Intelligent and Convenient Document Processing: Comes loaded with a full suite of intelligent scanning features, such as automatic paper size detection, automatic de-skew, orientation, and blank page detection & deletion, and the ability to scan a document up to 34 inches long, to support a wider range of documents, such as long grocery receipts or lengthy rental agreements. The Scanner is also equipped with a 10-page (letter size) automatic document feeder (ADF).
The Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i has an MSRP of $295 and is available now. Details can be found on the product page. We will have a full review in the next few weeks.
