UMAX Offers New 48-Bit Color Scanners

UMAX Technologies Inc., Fremont, Calif., USA, is introducing the new Astra 4400 and 4450 scanners. The company's first 48-bit color scanners, these new models offer 1,200-by-2,400 dpi resolution, 48-bit internal color, USB connectivity, and programmable push-button controls. The Astra 4450 is transparency-capable.

The scanners offer copy and direct scan to fax or e-mail functions via programmable buttons. They are also configurable to launch photosharing or editing applications via a single button. The Astra 4450 will come with a Universal Transparency Cover (UTC) for scanning transparent media up to 4-by-5 inches. The new scanners come with ABBYY FineReader 4.0 Sprint OCR software, which enables users to scan spreadsheets directly to Microsoft Excel at the press of button or two, and also retains major formatting in scans made directly to Microsoft Word. They are also bundled with MGI's PhotoSuite III SE image editing software and UMAX Copy Utility, which turns the scanner into a color or black-and-white copy machine.

The Astra 4400 is available immediately for . Pricing and availability of the Astra 4450 will be announced later.