Nifty printer for under the tree

On most Christmas lists, a new printer is probably well below an iPad, video games and maybe even a pair of new socks.

Then again, most people probably haven't seen the razzle-dazzle Photosmart eStation that Hewlett-Packard began selling a few months ago.

The eStation does all the usual stuff you expect from the latest all-in-one inkjet printers — scan, fax and connect wirelessly to PCs and devices in the house.

HP takes wireless a step further, allowing you to connect the eStation and other models to the Web and print coupons, maps, recipes and other materials without going through a PC.

The eStation also has a sleek, glossy black case with an internal paper tray.

But what makes the eStation sexier than the average printer is a touch screen Web tablet that comes with the printer, packaged like a bonus box of chocolates.

It's like a little iPad — to browse the Web, deal with e-mail, check Facebook and download applications. You can even play music loaded onto an SD memory card, which fits into a slot in the back.

HP calls the tablet the "Zeen," like magazine. It's based on Google's Android operating system, has a 7-inch diagonal screen and connects to an app store run by HP.

The eStation has a mounting dock where the Zeen sits and charges. When mounted, it functions as a touch-screen control panel for the printer. Detached, the tablet becomes something you carry around the house and beyond. I took it to a Starbucks and read the free newspapers on the in-store network.

You can still use the printer when the Zeen's out and about, but the remaining controls are limited.

The eStation lists for $400, but HP has been offering a $50 rebate. I'll bet they would sell like crazy if the price came down just a little bit.

There's already a run on printers lately, as people replace printers they nursed through the recession. Sales were up 13 percent last quarter, and HP printer sales grew 21 percent worldwide, according to IDC research.

Although the eStation is cool, it's still a printer. It took about a half-hour to set it up and connect to a home network. I spent another half hour trying to start printing. It didn't work at first because I hadn't properly seated one of the five ink cartridges in its slot. Then I didn't have the paper tray properly situated and the paper in the right spot.

Once things were sorted out, however, it was a snap to print wirelessly from computers in my house. The paper tray is a double-decker, with an upper tray you can load with photo paper or envelopes, and it took less than a minute to print full-color snapshots.

HP sells black ink cartridges good for 250 copies for $12, and the three-color combo packs, good for 300 pages, are $27.

Best app

I've got to admit I didn't print much because I spent so much time fiddling with the Zeen.

So far its best app is one from Barnes & Noble that's preloaded on the device. It turns the Zeen into an e-reader and connects to BN's online store. You can buy and read books, newspapers and magazines on the device.

The Zeen also works pretty well as a basic Web tablet. It has a decent browser but its Wi-Fi is touchy. I had trouble connecting sometimes and couldn't connect to the secure network at my office.

It's not much of a video player. It froze streaming YouTube clips and didn't work with Hulu.com.

The stout little Zeen is heavier than the $249 Barnes & Noble Nookcolor e-reader I've been testing, which is also based on Android and has a similar screen. The Zeen's interface is worse and it has fewer features, but it's still not bad for reading.

You could say the Zeen's a cousin to the Samsung Galaxy Tab, a 7-inch Android tablet that went on sale last month for $600. The Galaxy is more powerful and open and works on cell networks. If they were pickups, the Zeen would be a two-wheel-drive Ford Ranger and the Galaxy a $35,000 F-250.

None of the Android tablets is as fancy and well designed as the iPad, of course. But they show how interesting the tablet battles are going to be in the coming years.

While Apple gets all the attention in the U.S., more than 60 different "media tablets" from about 50 different companies have gone on sale around the world, according to ABI Research. Most are like the Zeen, with 7-inch screens, Wi-Fi and Android.

All of this competition is pulling prices down. You can find off-brand tablets with sketchy support for $200 or less.

This puts the value of the eStation in perspective. It's a $150 printer with a $250 tablet, and you can get the bundle for $350.

Bundling ideas

I wonder if the eStation is just the beginning, and we'll soon see all sorts of things bundled with basic tablets. Why not include one with a new desktop PC, set-top box or broadband service? How about offering detachable tablets with a new car or washing machine?

Until then, the eStation might be worth a look if you're in the market for a new printer, you have a Wi-Fi network at home and you're looking for a cheap gadget to do elementary Web browsing.

It's definitely more fun than a pair of socks.

Brier Dudley's column appears Mondays. Reach him at 206-515-5687 or bdudley@seattletimes.com.