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CNET editors' rating:
3.5 stars
Very good
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Product summary
The good: Prints quickly; print quality is good; a built-in CD burner makes backing up memory cards a breeze.
The bad: Pricey.
The bottom line: The Epson PictureMate Flash combines the great features of the PictureMate Snap with an added CD burner, but asks a hefty price. We don't think the burner's worth the extra $100, so go with the PictureMate Snap and pack a few USB thumbdrives instead.
Specifications: Printer Type: Compact photo printer - Ink-jet - Color; Max media size: 4 in x 6 in; Connectivity technology: Wired; See full specs
Price range: $139.00
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 11/06/2006
The PictureMate Flash shares the same body as the PictureMate Snap, although it's about 1.25 inches taller with the bottom-mounted CD burner. The burner also adds an extra 1.3 pounds for a total carrying weight of 6.6 pounds.
With the burner, you can easily back up the contents of a memory card. Simply insert a memory card into one of the device's built-in slots, and press the Save button. You'll be prompted to insert a blank CD into the slot-loading burner. You can opt to back up all the contents of a memory card, or you can pick and choose the photos you want to burn. Once you insert a CD and press OK, the burn will proceed automatically, and the CD will eject once the burn is completed. You can also print images stored on a CD: insert a CD, select the CD drive as the source of photos, and proceed as you would typically with a memory card or other flash storage device.
While the burn is proceeding, the machine will ask if you'd like to print a CD index. If selected, the printer will generate a sheet of thumbnails, representing the burned images, on 4x6-inch photo paper. Each sheet holds 56 thumbnails with extra space for a handwritten memo. The printer even prints dotted lines to help when trimming to fit into a jewel case.
Convenience aside, is the CD burner really worth the higher price tag? If you plan to use the printer mainly at home and already have a CD burner, the short answer is no. Saving the contents of a memory card to PC before burning is an extra step, but it's not a huge hassle. Even if you plan to tote the photo lab around, we still can't fathom forking over a extra $100 for the burner. Memory card capacities have increased dramatically--thus very few people would actually need the burner to clear a memory card.
What's more, toting the Epson PictureMate Snap and a few USB flash drives is considerably more convenient than dragging around the heavier PictureMate Flash and a handful of blank CDs. If you're looking for a home personal snapshot printer, save yourself the C-note and choose the PictureMate Snap--and put the $100 toward something you really want.
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Epson PictureMate Flash 280:
