Give The Gift That Prints

A new printer or scanner can make an idea gift for an enthusiastic photographer, a home office worker, or a PC enthusiast. However, before you run out and pick up the latest HP photo printer, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

• They Might Want An Upgrade
  Just because somebody already has a printer doesn't mean they're happy with it. For example, check to see if your relative or friend got their printer free with a new computer. The devices that computer retailers include as "free" printers are usually models that have been replaced by later versions, or ones that simply didn't work out. (For example, a printer that I got for free with a PC turned out to be a black hole as far as ink was concerned -- I was replacing the cartridges every other week.)

• What Do They Need?
  Find out what kind of printing your recipient does. If she loves taking photos of her kids, but also sends out a lot of business letters, then a photo printer that also can handle normal printing is a nice idea. If he's just started a new business, and is generating a lot of formal business documents, a small laser printer will be very useful. Or he might want an all-in-one, to provide scanning, copying, printer, and fax services.

• Create A Family Album
  If Grandpa has a cardboard box full of generations-old photographs, then buying yourself a good scanner may be in order. By scanning all the family photos, you can store them for future generations. You can also, using good photo editing software, fix images that were stained, folded, faded, or otherwise damaged. Once all those photos are stored and/or repaired, the best ones can be printed out to create a family photo album -- or you can create an online photo album so that scattered family members can all enjoy these memories.

• Two Can Be Better Than One
  Keep in mind that somebody can have two printers for a single computer. For example, somebody who is perfectly happy with their current inkjet printer for everyday documents may love to have a really good photo printer as well.

• Tech Is Fun!
  Some people really like gadgets, and there are a number of printing gadgets available or all tastes. You can try a hand scanner that runs on batteries and fits in a shirt pocket, or a business card scanner for somebody who attends too many meetings, or a portable photo printer for a traveling photographer.