Your Very Own PPP(Personal Portable Printer

Hp just released a new line of compact portable printers this August. I've always wanted one of these babies and now seemed like the perfect time to purchase.

For me, there was never any decision as to what brand to purchase. I've always used HP printers and I like the quality that goes into each of their printers. I didn't need any convincing to make my purchase, but I don't expect you to accept my recommendation blindly, so I'll write this review to perhaps better inform you on HP printers and explain why I think they are superior to other brands.

One of the basic reasons I buy HP printers is because they're easy to set up and use. Included with your printer bundle is a QuickStart poster, similar to the ones you get when you buy a computer system. The Quick Start poster allows you to begin printing after a few simple clear steps, all without having to refer to the included User Guide(also included on CD). I had my 1st beautiful print within five minutes of opening the box.

HP's new generation of Photosmart compact portable printers include trademarked universal adopted standards for printing such as EXIF(tagged image file information) and PictBridge(direct printing). Therefore these printers 'play well' with other devices compatible with the printer such as computers and digital cameras, but it's important to note that HP only supports their own products, so you must address other issues unrelated to HP products to the appropriate vender. It is to your advantage to use digital cameras made by HP in certain instances because some of the printer's features are specific only to these select products. For example, direct panorama printing and options available via photosmart express are only available with newer HP digital cameras. These are features of convenience, but they are handy when you don't have a computer. Which brings me to a couple of the main reasons you want this printer: Printing photos without a PC and portability.

The HP A716 is adeptly prepared for the task of printing without a PC. In fact, you could consider it a dedicated"PC" designed for photo printing and storage. But it is more! It can also, organize, edit, create and display(LCD, TV). It can't perform somersaults yet!

THE DESIGN AND LOOK (Beauty blends with function)

The overall look of the HP Photosmart A716 is sleek without being gaudy.

HP has stylized their printer to look somewhat better than than a 'box that prints.' People want a device that looks as great as it performs. The new line of HP printers have a marked improvement in design from the previous generation printers. CASE IN POINT: My HP Photosmart 7350 printer, bought in 2001, has a design that would complement anything NASA develops for the Mars mission. I have an iBook G4 and this printer complements that laptop so well. Unfortunately, HP doesn't use polycarbonate plastic like the iBook case, so I better not drop it.

The entire outer case is composed of white, glossy plastic. The top panel, where the controls are located have a clear plastic overlay with beveled areas where the controls protrude through. Superimposed above the controls, on the clear plastic overlay, are the printed functions of the various controls. What I like about this design is that the lettering leaves shadows on the opaque white plastic casing below the overlay rendering a text scheme similar to effects used by many computer programs. Effective and stunning style!

Centered and nestled among the various controls, giving it the most prominence within the layout, is the 2.5" LCD screen. The LCD's works are encased in the same stylish motif, as the rest of the top panel, offering protection and congruity to design. The LCD is hinged and spring-loaded to be released when the front cover, which also serves as a paper tray, is unlatched itself on it's own hinge. The LCD, upon release, can be adjusted to different view angles from the fully opened position(approx. 45 degree) to seating back flush with case for a bird's eye view.

It's well worth noting that as the LCD springs forward the rear paper feed is released as well, exposing a lime green side paper guide and top rest. The rest, shaped like the symbol 'pi', extends a couple inches I assume to support panorama 4 X 12" paper or a greater quantities of standard print paper(see printer specs). The feed mechanism 'gives' a little bit as the photo paper is manually guided down by you, indicating paper is set. It's very easy to tell when you've fed the paper correctly and the guides, if used, makes it literally fool-proof. Hence, no unwanted prints from misaligned paper.

When the paper tray(front of the case) is levered down and the printer powered on, it is essentially ready for printing. Your printer springs to life and you can hear the 'wheels and cogs' set in motion. Images, if available, are accessed and displayed on the screen ready for selection. You can now see the infrared receiver(for remote), 4 memory card readers, a jack where the usb cable for Pictbridge is used. A door and behind it the 'life blood' of the printer: An ink cartridge(110) that holds next generation Vivera ink. Near the bottom, an output slot where your beautiful pictures meet you when finished printing.

The back, bottom and sides of the printer are not outstanding in any way except the back has 3 jacks. One jack for video out(RCA), one for power in and one for high speed USB 2.0 interface with the computer of your choice(see system requirements below).

Embedded in the top back and sides of the printer is a slim metal handle. The handle is weighted and fashioned in such a way as to let gravity keep the handle embedded in it's notch in the case. This design eliminates the need for springs that can wear with time. There are 2 rubber rests inside the notch, on either side, to prevent the handle from damaging the case. I noted that the operation of the handle is inhibited when the LCD is raised. This could cause damage to LCD's own hinge if the handle is forced upon it.

The front panel is unremarkable except for the distinguished HP logo set center.

The bottom of the printer or ugly underbelly is just that. Two slender rubber feet that extend the width on either side support the printer stabilizing it's vibrations during printing while at the same time preventing external vibration from affecting the delicate clockwork inside. The feet also protect your furniture. I haven't noticed any or much heat produced by this printer during it's operation, so I assume that the raised feet are only cosmetic, but between the feet is where an optional Li-ion battery is stored, it's function, of course to provide true portability.

Indicators
There are various lighted indicators that alert the printer's users of different states of the printer. They are:

Storage-accessing the internal memory of the printer for any reason causes this indicator light to flash.
Battery charge-indicates when battery is low on power and need recharging.
Lighted Buttons(Photofix-ON/OFF, Power-ON/OFF, Print(always ON)-These button are surround by a green highlight to indicate state although the printer light just seems to reinforce the purpose of the printer--that is print. The light seems to 'pulse' when the printer is printing.
Warning or alert indicator-This is illuminated when the LCD has a message from the printer that requires your attention.
Note: On most printers a cancel button is also illuminated, but the LCD and printer messaging system seems to serve well here.
There is a rectangular green indicator at the center of front panel between the memory card slots. The indicator lights up when memory is accessed and when Pictbridge is used.

A brief over of the menu system
LCD,Menu(navigation), and the printer's basic operation
motif

A brief overview of available buttons:
Buttons(cancel, 4 way navigation(for menu)xxxxxxxa and 'ok' button, save(download image files to chosen source), zoom toggle switch, power, delete/menu, rotate/photo-fix, print
One problem with menu system is that it's slightly buggy. Sometime when you drill in to deep the cancel button doesn't act appropriate. I may send you out of the menu system altogether, rather than return you to the previous screen OR it won't initiate anything at all, in which case I used the menu button to access the menu again. This isn't intuitive if want to see what other choices of frames you'd like to try on your image.

THE BENEFITS OF PRINTING WITHOUT A PC

Save time, save photos

You will save time. Again, the A716 is a self contained studio in that you don't need a computer for it's operation. This will save time because you won't have to boot up a computer. You won't be a slave to the computer's software because the A716 has it own proprietary firmware driving all it's actions. And if you have a select HP Photosmart camera, your compatibility will be increased since the firmware in both devices are made to synchronize.

You can save photos to the internal memory. Save options are valuable and get you many choices as to where you will save your photos. Think of it this way: Any device that you import from you can save to. You can save to the printer after you edit a photo or you can save it back to the camera directly or indirectly via memory and associated memory slot. You can save to your computer or an external USB device(i.e., flash thumb drive).

Safe and Secure Files

Your photos are safe in your printer's storage. They are organized according your criteria or default. They aren't subject to hard drive failure and they are quick to retrieve for printing or other Photosmart services that the A716 offers. This just might be the feature you want in a printer when you failed to back up you computer image library and the hard drive crashes. A716 give you another storage or backup option, if you will.

FEATURES

Storage (internal memory)
The most distinguishing and practical feature of the HP A716 is it's huge internal memory storage (4 gigabytes internal memory to be exact). One of the main reasons I stepped up to the A716 over the A600 series is this internal memory. HP boasts it can hold up to 4000 of your photos. Only the 700 series series offers this significant storage capability. This memory is more than a buffer for your printer to hold jobs, as you will soon see. You will also see there are advantages for people who own or don't own PCs.

Uploading photos from your digital camera(internal and external memory) frees up your camera's memory for more photo shoots.
The printer, being portable, is available to you anywhere you can carry it(with optional battery or car adapter). Uploading can be accomplished with any of the printers 4 memory card slots(SD, Sony memorystick-trademarked, CF, and the newer xD cards). PictBridge facilitates a standardized USB link between an USB device(i.e., digital camera)and printer. You can even establish printer connections from your bluetooth enabled device(i.e., cell phone) to the optional HP bluetooth adapter.

Of course, you can use your computer using high-speed USB 2.0 connection and HP's supplied software to detect and drive the printer. HP very much downplays the role of the computer in using this printer. Case in point: Instructions for installing the computer's software isn't mentioned until page 67 in a 76 page user manual! There is virtually no help except prompts during installation and electronic help for the software suite. Yet, the suite is quite rich in features for a gratis productivity suite as it is. The software includes HP real-life technologies including the much touted adaptive-lighting, which brings out much of the lost detail in shadows and over exposed areas.

Select, Organize and Edit

The printer will organize and retrieve your valuable photos via a user friendly menu system. By default the printer will organize by month, but you can assign keywords to your photos to narrow a search. Any action performed on the menu system can be undone.


PRINTING

What's neat about this printer is the many devices that you can print from. It's easiest to print photos directly from the printer once you upload(save) them to the printer. But you can also directly print from the computer(usb, bluetooth connectivity), digital camera(PictBridge connectivity-any brand camera or HP direct printing-older models), camera phone(bluetooth) and memory cards(using memory card slots). You can even print photos from your iPod! No kidding! Your choice of printing is limited only to your imagination and tools provided to you from the devices you use. It really exciting what you can accomplish with this portable printer and I hope by the end of my review I will have sparked some of the possibilities.

The operation of the A716 is whisper quiet albeit the printer shakes a 'lil. You will be surprised by how fast and quiet this printer really is 'tho.

The real key to the quality prints of the A716 lies with the balance between the new generation printer technology, reformulated dye-based Vivera 110 ink cartridge and advanced photo paper. There is an enormous amount of development funneled into each of these areas by HP engineers. I've included some links to some detailed white paper covering each technology(see below) for those of you who wish to understand the science behind your beautiful prints better. But, in order to keep the review from becoming drier than it already is, I won't pontificate here though. Suf' to say, with this technology you will now get more vibrant colors, water resistant, scratch and smudge resistant prints. Archival quality that resists fading over the years from the 'elements' better than traditional film developed prints, so you can hand down your memories for years to come and please generations yet born with your photos. This is great improvement from what was previously available at quite a higher cost just a few years ago.


Once you master basic printing and it's time to explore some of the printer's more esoteric features. Basic printing is nice and this is all most people care to do with their printer, but why not explore some of the other features available for your photos. There is a myriad of options at your finger tips by accessing the intuitive menu system. You can combine options for unlimited results. Let's start with what you can do if the photo that you took with your digital camera didn't turn out the way you liked. You have options to edit.

Printing a 4X6" at highest(best) resolution takes exactly 2 minutes with PictBridge connectivity.

Edit

Editing can be rather extensive with the Photosmart A716, but it can be as simple as just rotating the photo with a button and accepting the A716 default 'photofix' option. If you do want to embellish the editing to your preferences, you'll want to select a photo and navigate the menu system. Editing is accomplished through 3 editing submenus-'Get creative, Improve Image and Specialty printing projects.' I will detail these categories below.

Improve Image-Allows image cropping, adjusts image brightness and auto enhance. Cropping and Brightness is self -explanatory, however auto enhance is interesting. Auto enhance performs some real life technology action on your image and the results are three more options to choose from. One option is recommended the others are, ahem, 'option'al OR you can cancel the feature and apply nothing. From what I understand of a feature like this, sometime it seems to work like magic and other times it just bombs. But, give it a try, in a pinch. Besides, it will make HP engineers happy to know you're trying there stuff.

Get creative gives you even more submenus accessing ways to add drama and personality to your photos. You can add Frames, ClipArt and Captions to your photos. HP offers you some tasteful tempting professional templates to stimulate your creativity. For example, You could design a Holiday photo card and then print it on special 4X 8" paper and send out in place of blah old Christmas cards. Who would love getting a card like that! And, now you have the control to do it your way at home.

Specialty editing
This is simply special projects for your printer that don't fit in any other category. It's also a resource for HP residual sales. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. HP develops some pretty nifty stuff for us photobugs and creative sorts. The 4 categories include panorama printing, photo stickers, passport photos, and


OUTPUT(tests)

I tested the output)on indoor with (1)macro lens(fabric weave). Also with auto-focus (2)outdoors in sunlight and indoors to test (3)flesh tones. The printer was set with the Photo Fix on(default).

(1) Detail of the fabric was crisp and clear. The color is accurate and reproduced well from the photo image. Format: 4 X 6"

(2) The outdoor picture was in the late morning sun. There is detail in the shadows. Foliage is detailed to soft depending on it's distance. There is a nice depth perception depicted in the scene. Good perspective. Highlights are even and defined. Blue sky gradient is even. Some of the stucco texture on the far building lost, but the close up stucco texture defined. Format: 4X6.

(3) Here's where the printer's versatility counts. Accurate flesh tones are hard to capture with ink jet printers. Especially with a tri-color ink cartridge. This printer does a fine job though. I have to say the tones are better than what my HP Photosmart 7350 can reproduce. My subject was wearing a colorful technicolor outfit. The vivera ink enhanced the outfit to give the print an outstanding quality.

New test (Update): I compared a photo printed on the HP 7350 with HP Premium Plus photo paper(4 X 6") with the new A716 with HP Vivera ink and HP Advanced photo paper(5 X 7"). I can attest that all HP's claims concerning the new technology is accurate. The photo's colors are brighter and reproduction is truer to life. Advanced paper seems to be glossier lending a less 'washed out' look to the photo. Details are crisper and the photo has an overall 'warmer' cast to it than the 7350's. Flesh tones are better also. I'm amazed at the color brought out from a tri-color cartridge.

The only thing I like better with Premium Plus paper is that it's thicker and more substantial than Advanced. It has a nicer backing to it very suitable for 8 X 10's." HP's documentation states that the Plus paper will produce inferior results as the A716 is optimized for it's Vivera ink and Advanced Paper.

The results so far are very comparable to commercial photo labs.

Note: HP has just developed Vivera ink for the 78 and 57 tri-color ink cartridges. So you use this new technology with your old HP printer that uses these cartridges. I'm hoping HP develops Vivera for the 58 photo cartridge as well. I recommend you try Vivera inks and Advanced paper in conjunction with HP premium software with real life technologies. It makes a great difference.


Overall quality of prints is excellent thanks to vivera ink and advanced photo paper. These prints are of 'lab quality.' They are glossy and virtually indistinguishable from film developed prints.


OPTIONAL EXTRAS
battery
memory SD
case
photo kit
hp bluetooth adapter
ink 110 vivera
advance photo paper

SLIDESHOW

TV out
--slideshow
--printing via remote

Specs
2.0 Highspeed USB connectivity
PictBridge
Supported paper sizes: 4x6", 5X7", 4"x12(panorama),
Recommended paper type: HP Advanced Photo paper
JPEG and some TIFF formats supported

System requirements---(see above)
Windows
Mac

HP SUPPORT

One year parts and labor
telephone support
live chat (internet required)

LINKS

Resources and Links
www.exif.org
http://www.cipa.jp/english/pictbridge/