At a recent Gartner event, analyst Nick Jones predicted a few tendencies towards increased mobility in everyday business life. According to Jones, mobile email will be a commodity in most businesses by 2010, with the breakthrough of the smart phones facilitating this process, so anyone will be able to work anytime, anyplace. As a result, says Jones “the road warrior requires a compact portable printer that does not only come with a convenient carrier bag, but that can also guarantee an optimal print quality in a variety of harsh circumstances.”

Pentax Technologies Europe believe they have the answer with their PocketJet mobile printer – a compact, shockproof and reliable that prints on to water and temperature resistant Pentax Quality thermal paper, which is available as single sheets on a roll or as fanfold.

Our picture shows the PocketJet 3/3Plus, the latest 'top of the line' 200/300-dpi high quality and ultra-portable direct thermal printer. It combines a robust functionality and reliability with the functionality for working with all print-enabled portable computing, handheld and PDA devices. The PocketJet 3 has a compact size: 25.5 centimeters (10.04”) in length and weighing just under 500g (1.12 lb with battery). This mobile printer supports both the graphical GDI emulation (raster) and EPSON ESC/P emulation standards, enabling users to print what is on the screen, without any buffering or spooling. It is compatible with the main OS Windows, Win CE, Symbian, Mac and Linux. Built-in USB and IrDA replace the requirement for external cables. Enhanced user defined configuration options offer maximum versatility for setting up the printer, monitoring the power supply, responding to error messages, etc. Multiple power sources are available as well as a trickle charge NiMH battery.

The PocketJet 3/3Plus can also be combined with the Thinprint Content Beamer solution, enabling mobile users to print emails and attachments as well as locally stored information from Bluetooth-capable BlackBerry handhelds, Symbian smartphones or Windows Mobile-based devices to the PocketJet 3 BT/ 3Plus BT printers. PocketJet printer kits RRP at about £280 to £400 + VAT depending on the configuration – there are 4 models. Pentax Technologies' distributor in the UK is RGIMS, contactable at mike@rgims.fsnet.co.uk