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A printer is the back-to-school tech accessory you might not be sure whether to bring with you to college. Professors are moving toward paper-free classrooms by allowing online paper submissions, and many schools now offer free or cheap printing in their computer labs.
However, as I discovered many times to my panic and dismay, school printing cannot be relied on. Computer labs operate at limited hours and the people running them are not sympathetic to the twilight hours at which you finally complete your paper. Fighting 30,000 other students to access one of the few printers on campus is also not a walk in the park — I wouldn’t wish this plight on my worst enemy.
Reliability and convenience aren’t the only reasons to seriously consider getting a printer for your dorm room or apartment. I had the opportunity to try the Canon PIXMA TS6020 Wireless All-in-One Printer, and as the name suggests, it’s a printer suitable for any use: not only the documents and presentations you’ll need to print for classes, but also the photos and paper crafts you can use to decorate your walls. This printer makes it easy to exercise your creative chops and produce nice prints without having to buy another device or make the out-of-the-way trip to a photo shop.
I set up the printer and used it to print some photos that I’ve been intending to print for months. Here was my experience.
I’ve had my fair share of printer struggles, but to my relief and surprise, the instructions for this one were clear and easy to follow. It took me about half an hour to set up the printer, insert the five individual ink tanks (included), and install the necessary software on my laptop.
In addition to the printer, I received 8.5″ x 11″ Matte Photo Paper to try out. Unlike an ordinary printer, this one can handle thicker and textured papers.
This is how some of my photos printed:
I was impressed. The printer did not compromise the quality or colors of my photos at all. The inks effectively captured the vivid sunset colors, glowing jellyfish, crisp food details, and soft beach landscape very well. Another nice surprise: the photos didn’t take an agonizingly long time to print; instead, they were in my hands within 30 seconds. Having tested this printer’s quality and speed, I was excited to finally be able to get to work on an art project I’ve had in mind for awhile using these photo prints.
DIYers around the Internet used this Canon PIXMA printer to similar success in their creative ventures:
Instagram-Style Rainbow Collage by Remodelaholic
Floral Iron-on Alphabet Banner by Something Turquoise
The printer is also a scanner and copier, both of which worked well and produced clear, sharp copies, and you can toggle between these functions using the touch screen on its front.
The printer measures 14.7″ x 12.5″ x 5.5″ and was a little heavier than I expected at 13.6 pounds, but its compact size, sleek design, and absence of pesky wires made up for the weight. Because of its built in WiFi, you can use this printer from anywhere in your dorm or apartment on a computer, or by downloading Canon’s PRINT app on your iOS or Android device.
I always hated taking the extra step of emailing myself documents or photos from my phone so that I could print them from a computer. The app eliminates that step and was easy to navigate.
Overall, the printer was easy to use and produced great prints without taking a lot of time. It’s just as reliable for anything else you print, scan, or copy, whether it’s a textbook diagram, report, or presentation, and at under $ 100 it’s budget-friendly for college students.
Purchase the Canon PIXMA TS6020 Wireless Inkjet All-in-One Printer for $ 69, available at Amazon.
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