4 Portable Printers

                       Whether you're on a working vacation or just working on the road, you might need a record of your business dealings along the way. If you're nowhere near another office (or even a power source) to plug in a printer, these little machines can roll out on-the-spot documents to record your appointments, contracts and sales.

The Canon Pixma iP90 and HP Deskjet 450wbt inkjets, each weighing about four pounds, print text pages as well as photos up to letter size. The Canon iP90 sells for $250, but you'll pay $100 more if you need a battery, and another $80 for the Bluetooth adapter. With the battery and Bluetooth wireless printing included, the $350 HP 450wbt costs less than its rival.

You can also downgrade to the non-Bluetooth 450cbi for $300, or to the 450 base model without a battery for $250, which makes it comparable to the Canon. Due to ink and paper costs, a photo print can cost up to $1. Check out these snapshot printers if you're looking for all play and no work.

If you don't need color output, can't stand to lug around liquid ink tanks and prefer a device that fits in your hand, the slender Pentax PocketJet3 makes basic black, 8.5 x 11-inch documents. Many police departments mount the PocketJet3 in their patrol cars.

Thinking even smaller, the Brother MW-140BT is the most minuscule printer we've seen, and so are its 3 x 4-inch prints -- which might come in handy for PDA-toting doctors, contractors and salespeople.

These black-and-white mobile printers use heat-sensitive thermal paper, once common in fax machines. Each page may cost up to 25 cents for the Brother MW-140BT, and up to 11 cents for the Pentax PocketJet3.

	Top 4 Pocket-Sized Printers
	4. Pentax PocketJet 3 The good: Small and easily portable; decent text quality; no inks to refill or spill during travel; wireless infrared printing; battery and case included. The bad: Many small pieces to carry around; prints on expensive thermal paper; no paper feeder for letter-size sheets; case doesn't hold AC adapter. The bottom line: The PocketJet 3 is pricey and prints only on special paper, but it's more convenient than a portable inkjet if you need to print black text in out-of-the-way places.
	3. Brother mPrint MW-140BT The good: Fits in a coat pocket or purse; works with Pocket PC and Palm OS handhelds via Bluetooth; does not use ink; performs well. The bad: Expensive; works only with 3 x 4-inch, proprietary paper. The bottom line: Beyond its wow factor, the wallet-size Brother MW-140BT is a perfect fit for anyone needing minute prints from a PDA.
	2. Canon Pixma iP90 The good: Good print quality for graphics and photos; portable; built-in infrared and PictBridge ports; battery and Bluetooth add-ons. The bad: Low-volume ink cartridges; so-so text quality; pricey extras. For true cordless portability, you'll need a battery that costs $100. The bottom line: Ever printed on an airplane? What about from a cell phone? The go-anywhere Canon iP90 offers worlds of possibilities -- for a price.
	1. HP DeskJet 450wbt (color, inkjet) The good: Excellent photo print quality; includes Bluetooth card; portable; includes rechargeable battery. The bad: Fairly expensive; mediocre text-print quality; slow print speeds. The bottom line: The HP Deskjet 450wbt offers full-size prints, excellent photo quality, portability, and wireless Bluetooth and IR printing, making it a good buy for businesspeople who are on the road a lot. Source Askme