INTRODUCTION
For those of us who use
the Pocket PC to do a lot of writing, the printer
aspect is like the final frontier. It’s full
of compromises, where different printers emphasize
different features. But if you narrow it down to the
most important question related to the Pocket PC,
being the portability itself, there aren’t many
options left. In fact, if you want full-scale A4-printing
from the back of your pocket (or at least from within
your coat), there’s only one option for you.
The Pentax PocketJet 200 (or the PocketJet II).
SETUP
The driver for PocketJet 200
isn't really a driver but a pure printing software
program, and you know which one it is: the PrintPocket
CE from Field Software (check out my
review in the archive), and you can download a
trial version of this from the Pentax
site (or Field
Software's own, of course). This is a bad move
because this means that in the long run, you'll actually
have to buy the software to be able to use the printer
after the trial version expires. The information isn't
clear on this point and could come as a nasty surprise
for users of the Pocket PC. Still, PrintPocket CE
is a good choice for printing software and we wouldn't
have this problem if Microsoft had included print
support in the beginning, so I guess Pentax did what
they could. Since the PocketJet 200 is intended for
many different platforms, it seems unlikely that they
can include printing software for ALL of them, so
if you choose not to develop your own software, Pentax's
way is the way to go. Still, it's an extra cost, and
don't forget it.
PRODUCT FEATURES
The PocketJet 200 is very
basic, but let’s face it – what does a writer
really need? For this is clearly a device aimed for
people working with text, contracts, figures and diagrams.
A decent printout, most of the time for temporary
work, is all we require and that’s what PocketJet
200 delivers. The PocketJet 200 comes with either
a serial or an IrDa-interface, and with the IrDa you
attach it in the serial connection and use the cord
to aim the interface towards the transmitting gate.
Naturally, I used the IrDa-interface most of the time.
The PocketJet 200 uses thermal technology to print, the same kind that fax machines and smaller receipt printers use, and that’s why Pentax has been able to keep the printer so small. It’s not much wider than a regular A4, and when you grab it, it feels like you’re holding a very massive rod. But it’s light and smooth and fits easily into any bag – a great travel companion. It’s quiet and fairly fast, prints about three A4-pages loaded with text in one minute at a quality of 200 dpi. The PocketJet II prints at 300 dpi, but apart from this, nothing sets these two guys apart. The quality is excellent, especially considering the drawbacks that thermal technology has on the durability of the printouts. But I’ve had my printouts stand tests that would make any paper cry in despair, and the words simply won’t leave the paper. Good.
The printer is powered either by plugging it into the wall or through the included rechargeable battery. The battery lasts for about 40 pages, not impressive enough to make me loose my breath but fair enough to work with. That being said, we move on to the darker parts of the printer. It uses thermal paper, which means that you won't be able to get it everywhere and have to pay more once you do find it. And, you have to feed each paper manually into the printer and this is tedious work, especially if you’re printing larger documents. There's an optional feeder for rollpaper to solve this problem, but this pushes up the price even more, and also adds bulk and weight. However, I did not have any problems with paper jams or wrinkles. Just feed it gently, not push it violently, and you'll have no problem here.
HELP SUPPORT
I ran into trouble when
using the PocketJet 200 with my iPAQ, and the support
from Pentax was excellent. Their support division
gets the highest grade. As far as the software goes,
PrintPocket CE stands for the support which is also
excellent. You won't be left in the cold if something
goes wrong, either by Pentax or Field Software.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
The PocketJet runs on
all Pocket PCs right now except for the iPAQ, which
handles Ir-transmission in a different way. Pentax
is currently working on this and will soon release
a new IrDa-interface that takes care of the problem.
Note that while the photos in this review include
an iPAQ, you cannot for the moment use the PocketJet
200 with your iPAQ. But Pentax assures me you'll be
able to, soon.
BUGS AND WISHES
I wouldn't consider
the use of thermal paper to be a bug or something
I would like to see fixed, since the advantage of
this technology is obvious when you look at the size
of the printer. You'll just have to be aware of the
fact that the paper-matter will be handled differently
when you're using the PocketJet 200. But something
that helps you feed the paper without having to buy
an extra piece of hardware would've been nice. You
want to be able to let the printer do its job without
you feeding it all the time. Finally, don't make us
pay for the software as well! That's just not acceptable
and many consumers will probably feel cheated on their
printer if they don't know this when they buy the
PocketJet 200.
PURCHASING
You can get the
PocketJet 200 from Pentax directly,
where paper is also available. From this page, you
have links to local offices and you can choose whichever
is closest to you. The printer with an included IrDa-interface
costs $319.95; additional A4-paper costs between $8.49
and $10.79 for 100 sheets.
PROS
Very compact and lightweight
Quiet and fast
Runs on batteries
CONS
Expensive
Special paper needed, no built-in sheet feeder
Printing software costs extra!
OVERALL
IMPRESSION
I like the PocketJet 200. This
is portable printing, and since you’re already
used to compromises from your Pocket PC, you should
have learned to appreciate the value of basic functionality.
And that’s what PocketJet 200 delivers, in a
smooth package with high quality. If you want more,
buy a Canon and leave us truly portable guys alone.
