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Ease of Use (8.00)
Despite the HP Photosmart A626’s quality shortcomings, we really did like the way the touch-screen operates and found the menu design to be very intuitive and easy to learn. The touch-screen buttons also respond fast, and the ability to work with the menu while a photo is being printed is a big plus. The interface with the computer can be fairly easy and can get more complicated if so desired. A printer with a single ink cartridge is usually not much fuss, and this is the case with the A626. The input paper tray is well designed.
Value (6.50)
At $179, the HP A626 is competitively priced with the Canon Pixma mini320, and both printers can print up to 5x7 inches. Throw in the large LCD touch-screen and the appeal deepens. However, better print quality can be found in the mini320 and other similarly priced printers.
Comparisons
 Five-by-seven-inch-print-capable compact printers are just starting to appear on the market, and the A626 and the Canon Pixma mini320 are among the first we’ve seen. While the mini320’s 3-inch LCD seems small now compared to the movie-screen-sized display on the A626, it is still very serviceable for menu navigation and image preview. Canon’s Easy-Scroll Wheel provides great menu interface, and print speed is better on the mini320 as well. Most importantly, print quality of the mini320 far outstrips the A626, in both color and black-and-white printing. The integrated cartridge includes a separate black ink, as opposed to the lack thereof on the A626 cartridge.
What they lack in limited print sizes, the Epson PictureMate Dash and Zoom (PM 260 and PM 290, respectively) make up for in print quality and speed. With an LCD equal in size to the A626, minus the touch-screen features, the Dash and Zoom are good choices for consumers who don’t mind sticking to the 4x6-inch print size. We haven’t reviewed these yet, but their predecessor, the Snap (PM240) scored higher in print quality than any other compact printer. At $99, the Dash is a hard value to beat. The Zoom may be 20 dollars more than the A626, but it comes with a CD reader / writer for archiving and printing from.
 The Sony PictureStation DPP-FP90 is a dye sublimation printer with a maximum print size of 4x6 inches. It also comes with a large, 3.6-inch LCD screen and handy menu. Print quality scored roughly equivalent to the A626 in our tests, but the FP90 produced much stronger blacks and thus much richer looking prints. Price per print for this printer is more expensive than the A626 or the mini320, but customers who prefer dye sublimation prints over inkjet prints might be interested in the FP90.
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