Printers & scanners

Printers

Printers can be used to print a paper, hard copy of :

• electronic documents
• webpages
• digital photographs.

Depending on the model, they can print in black and white or colour. They come in various shapes and sizes, but the majority of them are small enough to fit next to your computer or laptop on your desk top.

Different printers for different purposes

All in one printer

The good thing about all in one printers is that you get a scanner, photo printer and a normal printer all in one machine, and it only takes up a small amount of room when compared to if you had them all separately. These are normally quite expensive because of this, however the printing results are usually quite good.

Photo printer

Photo printers are designed for people that only want to print photos. The quality of the photos that are printed will depend on the price that you spend on the printer.

Ink jet printer

Inkjet printers are the most common type of computer printer. They work by spraying ionized ink at a sheet of paper. They are usually inexpensive, quiet, reasonably fast, and many models can produce high quality output. They are a popular choice for home users and small businesses.

Laser printers

Laser printers are more expensive and tend to be used in larger businesses. They produce high quality text and graphics on plain paper by using a laser beam.

Where can you get a printer?

You can purchase printers from most computer stores.  If you do not have one near to you, you can also purchase them over the Internet (see Internet shopping) with home deliveries from most stores.

Scanners

A scanner is a device that scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object, and converts it to a digital image that you can then view and edit on your computer and share with other people.  For example if you have a letter or a plan drawn on paper, you can scan this to your computer and send it by e-mail.

Scanners and photography

Scanners are very useful if you want to store or share photography film prints using your computer.  You can scan photographs, store them, edit them and send them to friends.

A film scanner scans photographic film directly into a computer.  Instead of printing photos using chemicals and paper, it means you can perfect the image on your computer screen and then share the pictures with friends. Many film scanners also come with specialised software or hardware which is designed to remove scratches, film grain, and improve colour reproduction from negatives.

Where can you get a scanner?

Scanners can be purchased from most computer stores.  If you don't have a computer store near you, you can also buy them over the Internet (see Internet shopping ) with home deliveries from most stores.