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Is the scanner dead, or just evolving?
While you chew on that, allow me to share this. For a limited time, and while supplies last, StackSocial has the Doxie Go Wi-Fi scanner for $157.50 shipped. That’s after applying promo code cheapscan10 at checkout. The Doxie has a list price of $229 and sells elsewhere for, well, pretty close to that. This is a seriously sweet Cheapskate exclusive. (Take note of the shipping time, though: 1-2 weeks.)
The Doxie Go is a portable, battery-powered sheetfed scanner that can store up to 450 documents internally, and more if you add an SD card. So there’s no computer required to operate the scanner or house your scans.
Of course, when you’re ready to actually view, share and organize your documents, you can skip the usual USB connection. The scanner connects to computers, phones and tablets over Wi-Fi.
With this scanner, you can digitize anything from a business card to a receipt to a legal-size sheet of paper. And that’s a good spot to resume our discussion from the top of the page: do you even need a scanner anymore?
I’ll be the first to admit that if you have a decent smartphone, you can probably get along just fine without one. Apps like Scannable (a personal favorite) and Microsoft Office Lens make it pretty easy to capture documents for sharing and storage.
Of course, these app-powered scans take up space on your device. They require a steady hand and excellent lighting. So when you’re dealing with multi-page documents, convenience quickly starts to feel like hassle. And things like receipts and legal-size documents? Very tricky to accurately scan with a phone.
So, yeah, there are times when a scanner like this would come in mighty handy — especially for someone striving to cut down on paper. CNET hasn’t reviewed the Doxie Go Wi-Fi, so I’ll refer you to this review from the now-defunct TUAW. The major complaint? Price. Obviously that’s less of an issue now. What’s more, check out the 430-plus user reviews at Amazon, which average out to an impressive 4.4 stars. (And those are based on a $224 price tag.)
Mobile scanners like this tend to be really expensive. Here’s your chance to score one for a lot less than usual. Thoughts?
Bonus deal: In case you missed it last time around, TeviwinDirect is once again offering a two-in-one stylus/ballpoint-pen 12-pack for $7.99 when you apply the coupon code YENHG3OW at checkout. (Shipping is free for Amazon Prime subscribers.) This colorful collection gives you a pen at one end and capacitive stylus at the other. If you did grab the deal last time, hit the comments and let your fellow cheeps know how it turned out.