Portable Printers
 

Walt Mossberg in The Wall Street Journal just recommended the HP Deskjet 5740 at US$ 99. His description was "a basic model without a scanner or copier built in -- again stressing simplicity over other goals."

Does anyone have any experience with this unit or comments about it?.

If you're looking for a travel printer--as your title seems to imply, at least to me--this isn't it.

The 5740 is anything BUT portable.

The HP 450wbt IS portable however: http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Deskjet_4...tml?tag=series

Just how portable do you need? There is "portable" which requires it's own laptop bag, and then there is PORTABLE which can just fit in the laptop bag, these printers are usually tiny, like this tiny Pentax model:

http://www.adorama.com/IPXP200P.html

If you're looking for a travel printer, HP can't be beat IMHO. As ScottC has indicated, it's the 450 line. I've had an HP travel printer for over a decade, and it's still going strong. I can put it and my laptop and a bunch of office files in an 18" TravelPro.

Several choices
 

Canon i80

HP Deskjet 450ci

Pentax Pocket Jet 200/220 (Direct link to Pentax web site)

FYI
Michael
http://www.biztrip.com

I went with the HP over the Canon because of the size of the ink cartridge. The one on the Canon looked about the size of an olive when compared to the HP and I don't like to run out of ink on the road.

The HP also seemed a little lighter than the Canon. I do leave the battery at home when traveling and have been very happy.

I actually have the Canon I80 and love it. I do agree with KenM's criticism that the ink cartridges are small and tend to print about 200 pages or so... but, they are pretty cheap ($6/each for black), and are very easily carried. My laptop case has the I80, my laptop, and folders, and it does just fine.

I've previously had a Deskjet 340. I went with the Canon because the paper handling was erratic on the HP, and I had problems with new ink not being recognized by the printer.

Upsides to Canon: quick, decent quality text (just remember to let it dry for a second or two so that it doesn't smear!), tends not to use up much color while using the black cartridge.

Downsides: small cartridge, silly way to reset the ink monitor (you have to go into the driver and click a button that says the equivalent of "I've just changed the cartridge!").

Prices for the Canon and the HP should be similar...