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Out of the Box (8)
The Canon iP2600 comes with a document kit, easy setup instructions, Leopard information sheet, Important information sheet, quick start guide. Also included is the setup software and user’s guide CD ROM, user guide, ink cartridges: black and color, power cord, print head, sample media – 5 sheets of 4x6 inch photo paper and a cross sell sheet, which recommends other Canon products. It doesn't come with a USB cable, which is disappointing. So, don't forget to get one and factor that into the overall cost: an additional $10 or so.
Setup (6)
Setup was a smooth process following the steps outlined on the Easy Setup Instructions and the installation CD. The Easy Setup instructions take you through connecting the printer and installing the ink, then the driver and software were quickly installed through the Easy Install option. The only step that's missing is a print test and head cleaning, which is always a good thing to do when new ink is installed. However, the installation CD didn't offer this as part of the setup process. It was only when we did our first print that a window popped up noting the new ink was in place and there are problems with print quality then print head cleaning needs to be conducted.
Manual (8.5)
The Easy Setup Instructions is a 4-page front-to-back pamphlet that provides useful graphics and text to help you with the initial setup of the printer, from locating and opening the trays (which on this printer is not immediately obvious) to installing the ink. The main hard copy manual for the Canon iP2600 is the Quick Start Guide. It’s 67 pages, comes in English and gives instructions for both Windows and Macintosh systems. The manual is really precise about details and outlining what’s included with the printer, their descriptions and troubleshooting. The Canon iP2600 manual was a breath of fresh air because of its thorough descriptions of printer functions such as print head cleaning and relevant instructions for Macintosh users.
Drivers and Administration (8)
Canon iP2600’s main portal into the driver is through Canon My Printer, which holds three clickable options: Printer Settings, Printer Status and Troubleshooting. The Printer Settings link leads you directly to the driver. The Printer Status bypasses the printer driver and leads you straight to the ink levels, print queue and connection status of the printer. Clicking on Troubleshooting leads to a window where you can select from a few pre-assumed problems and links to online information and the on-screen manual.
The driver for the Canon iP2600 is satisfyingly extensive in its options provided. The Main tab of the driver offers media type options where you can select the type of paper you’d like to print on, like plain paper, photo paper or you can chose from the eleven other paper options. You can adjust the color intensity through either selecting the Auto option or Manual and make the adjustments yourself.
The second tab in the driver, Page Setup, provides an outlet to choose paper size, the layout, whether you’d prefer duplex printing and ordering of pages (descending or ascending order), collated or grouped by page number/order.
The Effects tab comes third and is a window for you to change the appearance of your images manually through several toggle bars that adjust monochrome effects where you can colorize your black and white photo in to shades of sepia, blue, green, pink or select your own color. This window also lets you simulate an illustration, optimize your image and reduce noise.
The last two tabs of the driver are Profiles and Maintenance. The Profiles tab lets you change the profile; you can add, use the default and view the current settings.
Since the Canon iP2600 doesn’t have a screen of any sort, or an on-unit menu, the Maintenance tab of the driver is the only place where you can request print head cleaning, alignment, nozzle check, ink cartridge settings and roller and bottom plate cleaning.
Software (3)
The Canon iP2600 only comes with one piece of software: Easy-PhotoPrint EX, which is a basic software that lets you design your own pages to print. You can select photographs to create a photo album, a calendar, a page of stickers, select a particular layout or view and organize your library of photographs created in Easy-PhotoPrint EX.
Contrary to the dark-shading in the left-hand navigation bar, you can go back and forth between options, for example jumping from Edit to Menu or Menu to Edit in the Album section, or jumping from Printer Settings to Page Settings and vice versa in the Layout Print section.
However, moving backwards will make you lose whatever edits and changes you made to your photograph in any section, still it’s a good way to go back and undo the changes you’ve made if you’re happy with what you’ve created.
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