Although film photography is rapidly becoming ancient history, at least for the younger generation of amateur and semi-pro photographers, there are quite a few people out there who still like to admire a beautifully framed photo of themselves (and that huge fish they've caught last summer, perhaps?!) placed where everyone can see it. And this is the reason why the Epson company has just come up with a new line of compact photo printers, which, besides being able to produce high-quality printouts at some very decent speeds, come in a very attractive and quite portable form factor.

One of the most important selling points of the PictureMate Dash and PictureMate Zoom is represented by their speed, since the two photo printers can produce borderless 4 x 6 inches (10 x 15 cm) prints in as fast as 37 seconds, more than 17 percent faster than the previous generation, according to Epson. Moreover, both models feature a large built-in photo viewer (namely, an LCD display) with a 3.6-inch total viewing area that makes it even easier to select and print photos and can also be used as a digital picture frame to watch a slideshow of photos.

The two devices also offer a comprehensive range of photo editing options, without the need for a computer. Thus, due to the Auto Photo Correction technology, users can automatically adjust photos to correct improperly lit images, remove red eye or enhance colors and preview all changes immediately to see the results before printing. Moreover, users can resize photos the way they want, since the printers offer up to 18 layout options, including five new portrait package layouts and three color options and they can even print the photos taken at a certain date, due to the Print by Date option.

Although the two models provide pretty much the same functions, the Zoom comes with an important extra-feature. Thus, this model has also been fitted with a built-in CD burner, which allows users to save directly onto a CD the photos acquired from an USB stick, digital camera or memory card.

And since we're on the subject, it's worth mentioning the fact that the two printers provide quite a respectable array of connectivity options, as the PictureMate Dash and PictureMate Zoom's built-in memory card slots support all popular memory card types and can also be used as a card reader to transfer files to and from a computer or a USB flash drive. Moreover, the printers also support wireless printing from cell phone cameras and PDAs with the optional Epson Bluetooth Photo Print Adapter, as well as printing from USB flash drives, PictBridge-enabled cameras and DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), not to mention the already "classical" USB 2.0 interface.

"If consumers are in the market for a compact photo printer or just want a simple way to get their photos out of their digital camera, PictureMate is it," said Kristi Fox, associate product manager, PictureMate, Epson. "With PictureMate, it's easier and faster than ever to get beautiful family photos which last as much as two to four times longer than photos from a lab or kiosk and outlast prints from other dedicated 4"x6" printers. You won't believe what amazing quality photos these cute little machines are capable of printing."

The two new PictureMate models are available on the market as we speak, for around 99 US dollars (the Dash model) and 199 US dollars (the Zoom model), which are some pretty OK price tags, taking into consideration what these things have to offer.

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