M. David Stone is an award-winning freelance writer and computer industry consultant with special areas of expertise in imaging technologies (including printers, monitors, large-screen displays, projectors, scanners, and digital cameras), storage (both magnetic and optical), and word processing. His 25 years of experience in writing about science and technology includes a nearly 20-year concentration on PC hardware and software. He also has a proven track record of making technical issues easy for non-technical readers to understand, while holding the interest of more knowledgeable readers. Writing credits include eight computer-related books, major contributions to four others, and more than 2,000 articles in national and worldwide computer and general interest publications. His two most recent books are The Underground Guide to Color Printers (Addison-Wesley, 1996) and Troubleshooting Your PC, (Microsoft Press, 2000, with co-author Alfred Poor).Much of David's current writing is for PC Magazine, where he has been a frequent contributor since 1983 and a contributing editor since 1987. His work includes feature articles, special projects, reviews, and both hardware and software solutions for PC Magazine's Solutions columns. He also contributes to other magazines, including Wired. As Computers Editor at Science Digest from 1984 until the magazine stopped publication, he wrote both a monthly column and additional articles. His newspaper column on computers appeared in the Newark Star Ledger from 1995 through 1997.Non-computer-related work includes the Project Data Book for NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (written for GE's Astro-Space Division), and magazine articles and AV productions on subjects ranging from cosmology to ape language experiments. David also develops and writes testing scripts for leading computer magazines, including PC Magazine's PC Labs. His scripts have covered a wide range of subjects, including computers, scanners, printers, modems, word processors, fax modems, and communications software. He lives just outside of New York City, and considers himself a New Yorker at heart.
When I reviewed the ink jet–based HP Photosmart 475 GoGo Photo Printer last year, I basically said it was a nearly ideal small-format printer with all the features you could want. Except one. The output wasnt even slightly water resistant. Pass a photo around on a hot, humid day and it would likely come back […]
The Epson PictureMate Flash ($300 street) is Epsons new top-of-the-PictureMate-line photo printer. Its also the most complete personal photo lab available to date for printing 4- by 6-inch photos. Not only does it produce true photo-quality prints at fast speeds, but its built-in combination CD-RW burner and DVD reader make it easy to print from […]
Canon doesnt exactly own the Editors Choice slot for standard desktop ink jets, but its been doing an awfully good job of monopolizing it for the last couple of years—starting with the Pixma iP4000, and then the Pixma iP4200. When I started testing the Pixma iP4300 Photo Inkjet Printer ($99.99 direct), the iP4200 still reigned […]
The Konica Minolta magicolor 2500W isnt the first $300 (okay, $299 direct) color laser Ive looked at—that honor belongs to the HP Color LaserJet 1600. But it still earns big points for its low price. In fact, much of the printers appeal rests squarely on that price; though its speed and output quality are acceptable, […]
The Canon Pixma MP960 Photo All-In-One ($399.99 direct) is what I tend to call a “photo lab AIO.” You can use it as a printer, scanner, and standalone copier, but unlike office-centric all-in-ones (AIOs), it cant fax and doesnt have an automatic document feeder (ADF) for multipage documents. Instead, the MP960 offers 35mm film scanning […]
Some people call them multi-function printers (MFPs). Others call them all-in-ones (AIOs)—our preferred term. By either name, theyre the cost- and space-saving solution for any office that needs a printer, copier, and some combination of a scanner, standalone fax machine, e-mail sender, and more. But with every manufacturer free to mix and match the features […]
The Canon Pixma MP600 Photo All-In-One printer ($199.99 direct) proves that Canon sees no reason to mess with a successful formula. Modeled closely on last years Editors Choice Pixma MP500—which it replaces in Canons line—the MP600 costs the same as the MP500 did originally and offers the same all-in-one (AIO) features and strengths, only more […]
Lexmark color lasers have a good track record in earning Editors Choice nods, so I was looking forward to getting my hands on the Lexmark C534dn ($999 direct). Sure enough, it lives up to expectations, delivering great-looking output at high speed. Even better, it offers the right paper-handling features for its target market of small […]
Some things just sound too good to be true. For example: a $300 color laser. Surely at that price there must be something seriously wrong with it: impossibly slow speeds, poor output quality, an astronomically high cost per page, or… something. Right? Well, no. The HP Color LaserJet 1600 ($299.99 direct) is our new Editors […]
Are you tired of dad complaining he cant print out his racing scores, or mom wishing she could just print that one adorable family picture? Or maybe youre mulling over the perfect gift for the soon-to-be graduate in your life. Whichever it is, an all-in-one printer can satisfy all your gift needs. The first thing […]