Ectaco C-Pen Handheld Scanner
Ectaco C-Pen 20 Handheld Scanner
Manufacturer: Ectaco
The C-Pen 20 is an affordable and reliable handheld data entry alternative to fixed desktop scanners. Letting you capture the exact segment of the text you need, it instantly inserts scanned data into the desired field within your applications. Seamlessly integrating with translation, word processor, database or spreadsheet applications, you can now scan and insert text from curved, laminated and patterned surfaces - something standard scanners just can't do. Significantly faster and more flexible than a desktop scanner it connects easily with your laptop or Win XP based handheld device and is lightweight and extremely portable. You can use the C-Pen 20 in the library, at the office or even on a plane. Able to read printed text in over 238 languages it lets you send a phrase or a whole paragraph from foreign books or documents to your PC for phonetic pronunciation or to speed up translation and learning. Now you need never again copy-type long sentences or number combinations from contact sheets, business cards or any other printed surface, eliminating the costly and time-consuming mistakes which often occur during manual data entry. In the warehouse, C-Pen 20 enables the creation of custom inventorying and tracking solutions that target the specific needs of your business. Now scan data from any surface directly into standard applications on your computer and continue to process it within the application of your choice. It couldn't be easier.
Lowest Used Price: USD 99.00
Lowest New Price: USD 119.95
- Selective data entry. Better data control.
- Increased scanning speeds. Portability.
- Scanning from irregular surfaces.
- Inventory/Tracking Solutions.
- Recognizes 238 languages. Learning aid.
Model: C-PEN 20
C-Pen Review
I received the C-Pen in a timely manner and quickly loaded the software and went to work. Software should be loaded prior to plugging in the C-Pen, and the instructions could make that point a little more forcefully, but it clearly states it in the instructions. People just tend to plug things in immediately due to Microsoft's successful introduction of "Plug-n-Play".
With a little practice (less than 5 minutes) you can easily master this product and be well on yoru way to saving an infinite amount of time.
I highly recommend this product!
It works only 30 days
Think twice before you purchase this item.
It only worked long enough so I can't even return it.
An invaluable tool for academics
After becoming a college researcher, I purchased the Ectaco pen to assist in doing my literature reviews with books and articles. For years I would hand type paragraphs and sometimes even pages of material to use in my papers. After speaking with my professor, she suggested this item and trust me it was worth every penny. Sure, sometimes you need to run the pen over certain sentences for it to be accurate but I think that has a lot to do with the placement of the pen versus the pen's accuracy. Additionally, the only downfall is if you are using a book that you made any type of marks in IE: pen underlining or circling, etc. you may find that the pen doesn't pick the sentence correctly. Ultimately, the product is worth its weight in gold even with the flaws; it beats hand typing everything. I much rather go back and correct a few minor mistakes.
good idea, poor execution
When I first got this pen, I tried to use it at my computer at home, and it installed very quickly, with no effort on my part. And then it worked right away, so I was pretty happy. But now when I'm trying to get it to work at my computer at work, it's just impossible. And I can't find any support on their webpage. I think the issue is that the cd does not come with the current drivers, or some such nonsense, so you have to download them somehow. This worked automatically on my other computer, so I'm very confused why I can't get it to work now.
If you do get it to work, it's a neat idea and does cut down on typing time significantly. It is definitely not 100% accurate, and a lot of things it will miss. My particular problem is with italics. So, such is life. I think all in all, if you can get it to work, it is a useful thing to have around, but I definitely wouldn't buy it again if I could do it over. I'd say, wait around a couple years, and see if the technology doesn't improve. It's just not quite there yet with this one.
Very Disappointed....
If you have plenty of time to retype or edit your work, this item is for you.
You have to scan the words from your book very slowly and patiently, and in a particular angle. If you scanned a little bit faster than you're suppose to, you have to retype most of the words on your computer, you can't hardly make up the words that you scanned!
I was very frustrated.
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