Brother DS-640 Compact Mobile Scanner

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Brother - DS-640 Compact Mobile Scanner allows you to scan paperwork at home and on the go using a USB Cable. I tested the scanner using a desktop by plugging in the USB 3.0 cable into my computer. The box includes a, ": Quick Setup Guide", USB 3.0 (Micro USB Cable), Calibration Sheet, and Warranty Card. You are able to view a detailed instruction guide on support.brother.com/manuals. I used internet explorer to view the manual, as Chrome for some reason didn't work for me. This particular scanner scans one-page documents at a time. Images were clear and readable that were scanned. Scanned receipts, bills, pictures, and personal information. I included a scanned image of the registry for you to see. Be sure to line the page up properly for an even scan. I scanned in a recent memorial program for a loved it and the pictures showed up clearly. Please note that it is recommended to use a calibration sheet to scan certain documents which may include and are not limited to (items that are written in pencil, photographs, damaged documents, etc). The calibration sheet must be purchased separately. Pros: Portable Can scan documents, images, and cards Cons: Would like it a cellphone option (but know there is an upgraded version of this one) SD Card Slot

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] We already have a flatbed scanner, “have owned many over the years” but have never had a portable one. I happen to see Brother had some new models come out so decided to give this a try as it would be nice to be able to have the scanner on the desk with the computer/laptop instead of going into another room to scan documents, and one to take with us on business trips. Unboxing: The scanner itself is considerably smaller than the box it came in. At first when I saw the box I was wondering just how large this “portable scanner” would be. To our relief it didn’t take up much room at all in the display box. Inside the scanner was well cradled in a cardboard frame and included a USB cable, guides and that’s it. Setting up: Setting up the device was pretty simple, just plug the USB cable into the right side of the unit and plug the other end of the cable into an open USB 3 port. The cable isn’t that long and do wish it was longer, another foot or two would have made it easier to move around the desk. With the USB port being on the right side you have to figure out placement so either a longer cable or putting the port on the back may have been better “nothing major to complain about though”. The software install was pretty straight forward, just go to the Brother website and download the installation package. You will have to register your device and use the included code on the bottom of the unit to register a couple of them though. Using: This compact scanner came with plenty of applications to get your scanning jobs done. You have software that you can scan and store your receipts “Br Receipts”, business card software “Presto BizCard” , regular scanning software “Brother I Print and Scan” and a nice PDF editor “Kofax Power PDF”. Using the Power PDF software was really straight forward and is really fully featured. If you do a lot of PDF work you will really appreciate it. I also have been using the Presto BizCard software and we really like it. It scans a business card in just about 2 seconds and so far has read all the information on the cards correctly. It organized all of them in an electronic rolodex and makes looking up information a snap. I’ve also tried scanning some photos, “our other scanners did that pretty good, most not that great” but I was floored just how good this one scanned some color photos. The colors on screen really matched up well with the scanned photos and when printing them out they came out very close to the original. We’ll be using this little scanner to go through all our old photos and get them scanned in. The big plus is it’s faster and more convenient to use for that as all you have to do is feed them into the slot. No messing around with covers and making sure the photos are centered or squared on the flatbed scanner. If you are looking for a compact / portable scanner I’d take a serious look at this new little Brother DS-640. It’s not very expensive and its performance is better than our other flatbed scanners, plus it’s more convenient. This one is a very basic portable scanner; it doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles. But if you need a scanner that’s more portable, has external storage or wireless connection abilities then you may want to get of the more advanced “and higher priced” models offered by Brother.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Great little scanner - easily scans all items up to LTR width and below. Scans effectively and quickly with good consistent results. Each full-page scan took about 3seconds The scanner has no loose parts except for standard USB cable. Easily fits into any carry bag for easy portability. Software included does help with file organization and is quite user friendly. Each scan can set to a template where it automatically pulls the Vendor/date/pay type/tax/amount Overall a great addition to my home office vs my Brother Laser printer/scanner. I only knocked down 1 star as there is no way to load multiple pages to be consecutively scanned. Each item/page has to be done manually.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] My new DS=640 is thin and light. Fits perfectly in my laptop carrying case. with the included software, scanning papers, receipts what have you, is simple and fast. The scanner driver is easy to download from Bother's website. After the installation, it includes scanning and filing software, Nuance's Paperport 14- Light. I wasn't able to test the BR-Receipt software at this time. I really like the ability to open the scanner and clear a jam or clean out the feed mechanism. I found this a flaw in some other portable scanners. The scanner holds onto the sheet being fed so you can use the scan software to feed the next page. The scans were clear and ready to file or be converted by most OCR software, straight into WORD. Great time saver. I just love my new on the go scanner. No battery runs off the usb port and turns off if not used for a g=few minutes saving my laptop's BATTERY.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was excited to try the Brother - DS-640 Compact Mobile Scanner but the only problem was I couldn't get it to connect to any device. Mac and Windows! Nothing would recognize the scanner. The whole trying to set this device up really caused a headache and still it is unusable.