pda's and mobile scanning

[wannabemobile]

I am shopping for a pda and would like to be able to use my Canon BJC 80 printer/scanner with the pda, for scanning documents in the field. The BJC has an infra-red (irda) interface, that I think would work with the pda. Has anybody actually tried this, or is there an even better solution. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

I am just before purchasing one of HP's Capshare handheld scanners on ebay, even though they have been discontinued...and cost way too much! If I can use the pda with the BJC scanner, I would prefer to invest the $650 in a good pda.

[blackbarby]

It would be better to purchase one of the Ipaqs with Bluetooth (3970, 3870) and get a bluetooth printer. I dont have a bluetooth printer but have heard this connection works a lot better and has greater connectivity than just Irda.

Just my personal opinion.

[wannabemobile]

Thanks... I agree that the Bluetooth protocol is better for printing from a pda, but what I really need is to be able to scan documents. Do you know if there is a scanner that will work with a pda in the field? I did not mention it in my last post, but I already have a Canon BJC 80, with the scanner cartridge. Does anybody know if I can use the Irda connection to scan images on the BJC and then download them to a pda??? If this is possible, will I need a pocket version of scanning software. I currently use PaperPort for all my scanning needs and I like it very much.

[woofb]

If you can find one, the HP CapShare handheld scanner will do what you require for a PocketPC. Not amazing quality for images (about 300dpi, which is worse than a real desktop scanner). It scans over the page as you hold it, and eventually puts the pictures together. Then it sends TIF (image) files via infra-red to either a laptop or a PocketPC.

The other option is a line-text scanner like the QuickLink Pen, which runs over a line of text, picks up what it thinks it reads, and sends the text via infra-red to a Palm device or a PocketPC using Peacemaker software.

The main difference is that the OCR gets done inside a line-text scanner, but on the PC from the CapShare.

You need to look for a machine with a driver for the handheld, otherwise it will be no use to you.