Putting it all together
So what's the bottom line on the Planon DocuPen? The bottom line is, this is a great little device. It took a little getting used to in order figure out the proper speed to move the scanner down the page, but after about dozen scans I had it down. Even though the DocuPen comes with calibration software, much like hand-writing recognition software, you have to calibrate yourself to how the device works, not the other way around.

Who is this device for? Well, it's for anyone who frequently handles a lot of documents and has to have copies of those documents. A couple of professions come to mind rather quickly, the first being the mobile salesperson. This is precisely the kind of situation discussed by Dale Troppito and Dawna Paton in their Keeping Score column, which deals with the cost and ROI (Return On Investment) of mobile solutions, see http://www.computingunplugged.com/issues/issue200501/00001444001.html. Field personnel can easily scan any document they need a copy of, storing it for later print out, or download it to a laptop and send to the home office for processing.

The other situation that comes to mind is the person doing research, as a student, source material for a book, or for whatever reason. The DocuPen can save the person conducting research an immense amount of time when taking notes. With the ability to scan any amount of text or graphics from a single sentence to an entire page, the DocuPen is an indispensable tool for any research project.

With its protective leather case, the DocuPen can easily slip into a jacket or pants pocket for easy transport. And with its rechargeable battery, you won't be tied to a cord. The DocuPen is the perfect device for the mobile worker that has need of a copy machine.

I really didn't experience any problems with the DocuPen, or its software suite. They both took a little getting used to, but with a device like the DocuPen, that's to be expected. I think the initial difficulties I had with the PaperPort software were merely because I'm used to the OCR software I normally use, which turned out to also be compatible with the DocuPen.

I'd like to see Planon bump up the resolution of their next model to 300 dpi. That's a resolution that most OCR programs are comfortable with and would result in fewer misread characters. But, by taking the time to learn how the DocuPen works, and what speed is best, you should have no problems whatsoever.

Of course, another benefit would be a battery that holds a longer charge. The mere mechanics of this device makes it a juice sucker. With improved battery technology, I have no doubt that future models will be able to take advantage of smaller batteries with more charge. Planon makes several models of the DocuPen, and the model I've specifically addressed here is the R700, "R" for "rechargeable". Other models rely on a wired connection or alkaline batteries for power.

I give the DocuPen R700 from Planon 4 out 5. At $199, this is a great little full-page scanner, and a must for anyone that has need of a portable copier. It's ideal for anyone doing research, and is portable enough to take anywhere. With a little personal calibration, you'll be scanning documents and pages left and right, saving untold space in your briefcase.

OUR RATING: 4 of 5

James Booth is the Senior Editor for ZATZ Publishing. In addition to writing for Computing Unplugged and Connected Photographer, he's the author of Do-It-Yourself Wedding Photography. A self-taught photographer, James also dabbles in digital graphics and has learned to be a PC and Palm specialist through personal trial and error. James can be reached at jbooth@zatz.com.