September 1997 — Ed-Tech Trends

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Digital Imaging Is Innovative, Useful and Now Within Educators' Reach

Setup was a snap, consisting mainly of installing the Phot'Enhancer software that ships with the camera. This software adds the correct drivers to your Windows or Macintosh system automatically, letting you get right to work at transferring and editing images. Although useful for basic image editing and translating images from Kodakís proprietary KDC image format to something more useful like JPEGs or TIFFs, Phot'Enhancer is hardly the tool for serious image manipulation.

The DC50 Can Store Additional 756 x 504 Resolution Images on PCMCIA Cards

Image quality was better than expected, even when used for "action" shots. Transferring images was a simple affair; an included cable (for both Macs and Windows PCs) hooks up to the cameraís and PCís serial ports. The DC50 also includes a tripod mount useful for still work, such as taking photo ID shots. In short, we were impressed with the DC50ís ability to handle any project thrown at it, while retaining a user-friendly nature ideal for time-strapped educators.

The Printers

While snapping photos is fun, unless you have a decent color printer, youíll only be able to enjoy them on the computer screen. Or by sending them in to digital printing services, which generally cost more than their paper counterparts.

Color Projects Are a Snap With DeskJet 672C

Hewlett-Packardís (800-HP4-FUNPICS) DeskJet 672C color inkjet, like the Lexmark 7000 (see above), features a dual cartridge system to eliminate swapping. Selling for under $200, the 672C prints up to 4 ppm in black; 1.5 ppm in color. It will also auto-feed up to 30 index cards, making it suitable for many classroom and study projects. For those who eschew dabbling with fine-tuning, HPís ColorSmart technology automatically adjusts settings for the best color. The 672Cís best color resolution is 600 x 300 dpi; black resolution moves up a notch to 600 x 600 dpi.

Lexmark 1000: 600 x 600 dpi Resolution at a Great Price

For educators and students who want top-notch color printing at an extremely low price, look no further than Lexmarkís 1000 Color Jetprinter. For a paltry $139, you get 600 x 600 dpi color printing in a compact package suited for crowded desktops.