Tom's Hardware > News > Special > Miscellaneous > Xerox Debuts Mobile Scanner that Sends Files to Your Phone

Xerox Debuts Mobile Scanner that Sends Files to Your Phone

05:20 - Wednesday 11 January 2012 by Jane McEntegart - source: Xerox

No more taking photos of documents with your cell phone.

Scanners are a handy machine to have, but they're not exactly portable or exciting, are they? Xerox is attempting to make the scanner cool again with the introduction of this portable model that is aptly named 'Xerox Mobile Scanner.' This battery-powered scanner allows you to scan documents on the go without the need to visit your nearest copy shop.

But what use is a mobile scanner if you can't get access or share the document after you've scanned it? The Xerox engineers were probably thinking the same thing, which is why this device is capable of sending scanned documents (PDF/JPG) to your computer or mobile device. The Mobile Scanner uses a free mobile app and a 4 GB Eye-fi SD card to communicate wirelessly with your PC, Android, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or the Cloud. Nifty, right?

"The Mobile Scanner provides a quick, convenient way to scan and share documents when you’re on the go," said John Capurso, vice president of marketing at Visioneer, a Xerox licensing partner. "Untethering the scanner and adding Wi-Fi reflects Xerox’s drive to make life easier for the mobile worker."

Of course, the portability of this device means you're not going to be able to use it for anything particularly large -- the device is only capable of scanning pages 8.5-inches or smaller in width. Still, we imagine it could come in handy for the average Lincoln lawyer or traveling business person. The only downside is the price. At $250, it's pretty expensive for a peripheral. If you can't live without one, though, you can get it now through the usual online and retail channels.