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Controls/Buttons/Dials (5.00)
All of the printer’s controls are located on the top panel. There is a power button backlit by a green LED on the upper left corner of the top. The rest of the buttons are placed on a light gray panel in the center of the top. There are small square-shaped buttons for red-eye removal, cancel, and back. The largest button is the print button, which has a green LED backlight on it. There is also a large Menu/OK button surrounded by a multi-selector used to navigate through menus. The buttons are all appropriately labeled, but are all cheaply constructed and jiggle around more than they should. The placement of the controls seems almost random, other than placing the small cancel button next to the print button and placing the back button next to the menu button.
Menus (4.00)
Menu options on the A440 dock are accessed via the camera. When engaged with the dock, the M437’s display brings up a short Print Options menu, which includes two items: Print This Image Now and Print Menu. The menu items are listed below.
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Printer Settings
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Paper Size (automatic–no options possible), Print Size (automatic–no options possible), Print Quality (Best and Fast), Borderless (On or Off)
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Print All
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Print Index
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Print Favorites
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Tools
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Print Test Page, Clean Cartridge, Align Cartridge, Paper Type
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The dock’s control panel provides a one-touch button for red-eye reduction, but otherwise, any editing would need to be done using software. A blue screen that displays while the user scrolls through their images displays number of prints remaining, and if printing, the time remaining in the print cycle and the number being printed. These pretty minimal offerings seem odd for a portable printer, especially with so many competitors on the market offering extensive image editing and features, such as the Sony PictureStation FP90 and the Epson PictureMate PM240.
Size / Portability (8.20)
The HP Photosmart A440 is advertised as ultra-portable. Both the camera and the printer can travel easily in a small bag together. The dock alone measures 8.9" wide x 8.5" deep x 6" high with the all doors open, and it weighs only 2.75 pounds. This printer doesn’t have an optional battery pack, so it is limited to function in places equipped with a power outlet. Still, the A440 is very portable because of its small size, light weight, and folding handle atop the housing, which seems made of fairly flimsy plastic, as does the rest of the dock’s body. We question the printer’s durability for tough travel, but for trips to and from the relatives, it’ll do just fine.
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