IBM Introduces IdeaScan – Now Consumers Can Discover The Power Of Scanning With One-Button Access
Combining leading technologies and ease-of-use features to make scanning so easy anyone in the family can do it
Research Triangle Park, NC (October 27, 1998) – IBM today announced its all new IdeaScan scanner priced at $129.00(1). Featuring technologies previously only available on more expensive products, the IdeaScan is the ideal fast and easy to use scanner for family fun, creative projects and light home office work.
Consumer research has shown that consumers are more interested than ever in digital imaging and the practical applications it offers. In response, IBM developed the IdeaScan to meet their needs. Among the capabilities consumers consider most important:
Scan and Manipulate Images – Lets consumers capture images digitally and edit them so they can be inserted into letters, holiday cards or a web page.
Share images with friends and family – Once a picture is scanned it can be sent over the Internet or posted on a family web site in a variety of ways.
Copy Documents – IdeaScan works with a PC and a color printer to give the user a high quality color copier.
Speed – IdeaScan incorporates some of the latest compression technology to improve scanning speed up to 50%.
“We wanted to develop a powerful, easy to use product that provided consumers with some of the best scanning technology available,” said Rick Thompson, director of Consumer Options for IBM. “Combining this with one button access to the most commonly needed functions, makes the IdeaScan an outstanding value for families looking for a top notch scanner at an affordable price.”
With the availability of leading scanning technologies and unsurpassed ease-of-use features the IBM IdeaScan also incorporates six access keys that make accessing the most commonly used functions as easy as pushing a button. They are:
Preview – Lets the user see what the scanner sees and make adjustments before capturing the image
Scan Image – Optimized to captures full-color photographic images
Scan Text – Automatically converts a printed document to a ready-to-edit text file
Copy – Lets the PC use the printer to make copies of almost any document.
Fax(2) – Automatically scans and faxes a document or picture anywhere. No need to open any special software on the PC.
E-mail(3) – Automatically scans a document or photograph and attaches it to an e-mail message
Once connected to a PC and printer, all of these functions are performed by the touch of a button, without the need to open special software, navigate through levels of menus, activate a program or even touch the PC. For fax and e-mail functions, software prompts the user through the steps to accomplish the task.
To further enhance the usability of the IdeaScan, IBM has included one of the best suite of image manipulation and text recognition software(4) available in the category, including: PhotoStudio for image processing, PhotoBase scan organizer, PhotoPrinter printing utility and PhotoFantasy to add a little fun to the mix.. This powerful, yet easy-to-use suite of software applications lets users manipulate, store, sort and print images in any manner they like, without requiring a degree in graphic design and years of experience. In addition, IdeaScan comes with Xerox TextBridge Classic 2.0 text recognition software to turn almost any printed document into a word processing document. This award-winning software provides powerful text recognition functionality with an easy to use interface. Now users can simply scan a document, article or story into the PC and never have to retype something again.
The 36-bit color and 12-bit grayscale scanning capabilities of the IdeaScan means that it can match virtually any color that can be detected by the human eye. Combined with custom engineered hardware and software compression technology and 600 x 1200dpi(5) optical resolution (9600 x 9600 dpi enhanced) the technology in the IdeaScan matches, or exceeds that of many comparable scanners today. The IdeaScan easily connects to any Windows®-based PC through the parallel port and features a pass-through for connecting other peripheral devices through the scanner such as Zip drives and printers.
IdeaScan is available at retail stores across the United States and Canada and is priced at $129(US) after $20 mail-in rebate. For more information on this and other outstanding IBM Consumer Options products including ScrollPoint Mouse and RapidAccess keyboard, please call IBM at 1-800-426-7235 extension 4340, or visit the IBM Web site at http://www.ibm.com/options.
Source: IBM