Agfa Introduces SnapScan Touch - Desktop Scanner.WILMINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 1999-- New SnapScan Model Offers a Unique One-Touch System for Scanning Directly to E-Mail, Fax and Printer Agfa Corporation's Desktop Products Group (USA-DTP), a leading provider of award-winning desktop scanners and digital cameras, today introduced the SnapScan Touch - a Universal Serial Bus See USB. (hardware, standard) Universal Serial Bus - (USB) An external peripheral interface standard for communication between a computer and external peripherals over an inexpensive cable using biserial transmission. (USB USB in full Universal Serial Bus Type of serial bus that allows peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, digitizers, data gloves, etc.) to be easily connected to a computer. ) compatible, landscape-designed flat-bed scanner best suited for home and small/office environments. The SnapScan Touch incorporates USB compatibility, with a revolutionary, simple-to-use push-button (electronics) push-button - A roughly fingertip-sized plastic cover attached to a spring-loaded, normally-open switch, which, when pressed, closes the switch. Typical examples are the keys on a computer or calculator keyboard and mouse buttons. system for scanning directly into e-mail, fax or printer. The SnapScan Touch also includes ScanWise - the industry-leading scanner driver that now ships with all SnapScan scanners. "Perfect for first time users, the SnapScan Touch is a welcome addition to the SnapScan family," said Per Save, Vice President of Agfa Desktop Products. "Not only are the operation buttons simple - but the scanner houses one of the most intuitive software Application programs that have a friendly interface and work like users would expect. Menu functions are available in a logical order that one finds natural. The most common functions are presented in one menu or are located at the top of the menu list rather than being buried in rigid applications developed to date." The SnapScan Touch is a hybrid peripheral - able to perform on both PC or Mac platforms and available with six different translucent color handles each providing a refreshing and unique look to the scanner. (The colors of the six translucent handles are silver, blue, red, teal teal: see duck. teal Any of about 15 species (genus Anas, family Anatidae) of small dabbling ducks found on the major continents and many islands. Many are popular game birds. , orange, lime and purple). On the right side of the scanner is a touch pad shaped much like a paw (tool) PAW - Physics Analysis Workbench. , which supplies the user with options to email, fax or copy directly from the scanner at the press of a button. Each button can be set to the option most desired by the user - and switched at any time. The SnapScan Touch has an optical resolution of 600 by 1200 ppi (which can be interpolated interpolated /in·ter·po·lat·ed/ (in-ter´po-la?ted) inserted between other elements or parts. up to 9600 ppi), 36-bit color depth Same as bit depth. and a scanning area of 8.5 by 11.7 inches. The USB interface makes it easier for consumers to add a wide variety of peripherals to their PCs through a one-size-fits-all, plug and play connection. Agfa refers to the SnapScan Touch interface as a "hot plug-in", as the scanner can be connected and disconnected without powering down the computer. USB peripherals automatically self-configure, dramatically simplifying the process for users whom may be expanding their computer systems. With a USB port A USB socket on a computer or peripheral device into which a USB cable is plugged. See USB. there is no longer a need to adjust system settings, insert add-in cards or reboot To reload the operating system, which restarts the computer. See boot. (operating system) reboot - (From boot) A boot with the implication that the computer has not been down for long, or that the boot is a bounce intended to clear some state of wedgitude. See warm boot. the system after connecting the scanner. This is a decided advantage for those who use the same connection for a number of peripherals, such as printers, scanners, digital cameras, etc. In addition, the USB connection is inherently faster. This means improved speed for data transfer during scanning. ScanWise Features ScanWise users will be impressed by the simplicity of the interface, which consists of four-tabbed menu cards on the left and a preview box to the right of the screen. The four-tabbed menu cards are logically ordered to lead the user through the simple scan process. The first determines the type of original to be scanned and the second incorporates the destination of the scan. The third menu allows automatic or manual color and tone changes while the fourth provides intuitive size settings. Novices will appreciate the high level of automation that the interface provides including the "Guide Me" mode, which leads users sequentially through the four menus and provides additional tips for optimum results. More experienced users will benefit from the manual override A manual override is a procedure where an otherwise automatic system is taken under manual control, usually from computer control. Examples of manual overrides in Fact Each time ScanWise is launched, the software locates resident applications with which it can communicate and determines the optimum settings for the scan dependent upon the final destination. ScanWise can communicate with image editors, web browsers The following is a list of web browsers. Historical Historically important browsers In order of release:
in full optical character recognition Scanning and comparison technique intended to identify printed text or numerical data. It avoids the need to retype already printed material for data entry. programs. ScanWise opens up the world of scanning to everyone and eliminates all scanning complexities. Users scanning images for e-mails, for example, simply select the e-mail application as a final destination and ScanWise will automatically select the RGB color Typically refers to 24-bit color. See color palette, 24-bit color, 16-bit color and 8-bit color. mode, screen resolution, open up the email and paste the image directly into the application. What sets ScanWise apart from other scanning software is the level of automated control, which ensures optimum quality without the need for user intervention. The software is able to detect the exact nature of the original and distinguish between color or black and white, texts and images and then select the appropriate scanning mode. ScanWise also detects misalignments of originals and rotates the scans to correct this. In addition to ScanWise, other software packages bundled with the SnapScan scanners include: MicroFrontier Color it! (image editing Changing or improving graphics images. It typically refers to bitmapped images rather than vector graphics drawings. Using an image editor, images can be modified by an artist using pen, brush, airbrush and other "painting" tools. software) and Caere OmniPage LE 5.1 (OCR software) for the Mac, while PC versions will be bundled with Corel PrintHouse Magic (image editing and design software), Caere OmniPage LE 5.1 and Caere PageKeeper (document management software). Pricing and Availability In the U.S. the SnapScan Touch will be available in June, at the manufacturer's suggested price of $129. The Complete SnapScan Family The new generation begins with the SnapScan 1212U and SnapScan 1212U in Bondi Blue Bondi blue is a color which is identical to the Crayola crayon color Blue-Green (See the List of Crayola crayon colors.). Bondi blue in human culture Computer Design
In addition, each scanner features Universal Serial Bus (USB) compatibility. The USB interface makes it easier for consumers to add a wide variety of peripherals to their personal computers through a one-size-fits-all, plug and play connection. Agfa refers to the SnapScan 1212u interface as a "hot plug-in", as the scanner can be connected and disconnected without powering down the computer. The difference between the two 1212 series scanners is the design of the housing itself. The SnapScan 1212U ships in a traditional off-white shell, while the SnapScan 1212U in Bondi Blue ships in a translucent blue housing. Both versions of the SnapScan 1212U (white and translucent blue) are currently available in the U.S. for the suggested price of $129. Agfa also offers the SnapScan 1212P - a PC specific, parallel-port version of the same scanner. The SnapScan 1212P is currently available in the U.S. for the suggested price of $99. Featuring an optical resolution of 600 by 1200 ppi (which can be interpolated to 9600) and 36-bit color depth, the SnapScan 1236S brings the small and home office user powerful image capture - yet, it is priced economically to accommodate any business. An optional automatic document feeder In multifunction or all-in-one printers, fax machines, photocopiers and scanners, Automatic Document Feeder or ADF is a feature which takes several pages and feeds the paper one page at a time into the scanner, allowing the user to scan (and thereby copy, print, or fax) (ADF (1) (Application Development Facility) An IBM programmer-oriented mainframe application generator that runs under IMS. (2) (Automatic Document Feeder) A paper stacker that feeds one sheet of paper at a time into the unit. ) and transparency option (TPO (Twisted Pair Only) Refers to the use of twisted pair wire when other options are available. For example, a TPO suffix at the end of 3com Ethernet adapter model numbers indicates the card has only an RJ45 connector. ) further extend the scanner's professional capabilities. The dusky grey, streamlined SnapScan 1236S Art Line was designed to respond to the needs of the more creative small business user. It offers a 36-bit color depth, true 600 by 1200 ppi resolution (which can be interpolated to 9600 ppi), wide dynamic range and advanced tools for scanning a wide variety of originals. MetaCreations software provides added options for color correction Altering the colors in an image in order to print or display it properly or for special effects. Depending on the application, color correction can be a significant problem if the resulting image must be approved or a purchase is made because of color choice. and creative image manipulation. The automatic document feeder and transparency options are also available for the SnapScan 1236S ArtLine. The SnapScan 1236s and SnapScan 1236s ArtLine are currently available in the U.S. on both PC and Macintosh platforms for the suggested price of $249 and $299, respectively. About Agfa Agfa Corporation is a subsidiary of the Agfa-Gevaert Group, one of the world's leading imaging companies, headquartered in Mortsel, Belgium. Agfa develops, produces and markets analog and digital systems, primarily for the graphics, medical and industrial radiography Radiography is the use of ionising electromagnetic radiation to view objects in a way that can't be seen otherwise. Radiography in general should not be confused with the use of ionizing radiation to change or modify objects; radiography's purpose is strictly for viewing. , and consumer imaging and photography markets. Agfa Corporation, headquartered in Ridgefield Park Ridgefield Park, village (1990 pop. 12,454), Bergen co., NE N.J., on the Hackensack River; inc. 1892. Chiefly residential, it manufactures some paper goods. , NJ, employs 3,200 people. Worldwide, Agfa's annual sales are nearly $5 billion. EDITOR'S NOTE Editor's Note (foaled in 1993 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. He was sired by 1992 U.S. Champion 2 YO Colt Forty Niner, who in turn was a son of Champion sire Mr. Prospector and out of the mare, Beware Of The Cat. Trained by D. : Color images of Agfa desktop products are available for download from Agfa's press site on the World Wide Web at http://www.agfapress.com or by contacting Benjamin Abbatiello (of Agfa DTP See desktop publishing. DTP - desktop publishing ) at 978/658-5600, ext. 5545 Product and company information can be found on Agfa's home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.agfahome.com. -0-
SnapScan Touch
Item Specification
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Product Name Agfa SnapScan Touch
Type Desktop landscape model, flatbed
Tri-linear color CCD
Resolution 600 ppi x 1200 ppi (optical resolution)
9600 ppi (interpolated)
Scan mode One pass
Sample Depth 36 bit
12 bit per color
Interface Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Density Range greater than or equal to 1,9D
Dmax less than 0,1D Dmin greater than 2,0D
Scanspeed Line-art: less than or equal to 3,5ms/line
Gray: less than or equal to 3,5 ms/line
Color reflective: less than or equal to 10ms/line
Preview Speed 12 seconds (max area)
Maximum Scanning
Area greater than or equal to 216 x 297mm or
8.5" x 11.7"
System Mac OS
PC (Windows '98, NT5)
Power supply Voltage : 100V - 240V
Bundled Software All software on CD-ROM:
-- Agfa ScanWise for PC and Mac (English, French,
German, Italian, Dutch, Spanish)
Microfrontier Color It! 3.09 for image editing
on Mac
-- Corel Print House Magic for image editing on PC
-- Caere's Omnipage LE 5.0 for OCR on PC or Mac
-- Caere's PageKeeper for document management
Housing Color Housing: AGFA white
Scan hood : Translucent snow-white
Hood handle : 7 colors (replaceable handle)
-- blue
-- red
-- orange
-- purple
-- lime
-- green
-- silver
The scanner's standard handle
is Agfa's light gray. Scanner
buttons: Agfa's light gray.
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