Epson PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition July 13th, 2005 | by Rebecca Day

Design and Features

PictureMate measures 10 x 6 x 6.4" folded up and opens out to 10 x 12 x 6.4" when you pull down the paper trays for printing.  Although its 5.5-pound load is easy to manage, the plastic parts used to achieve that weight feel fragile.  One knock from a kid on a sugar rush could put this portable out of commission.  On the plus side, the cables come with Velcro wraps—a good way to keep wires in check for traveling.

Features include the 2.4" LCD, an impressive screen with terrific color that displays the photos you select for printing.  Memory card slots on the front of the unit take a Switzerland approach to card support, accepting SmartMedia, Xd, Xd Type M, six Sony variations on Memory Stick, SD, miniSD, MMC, Microdrive and CompactFlash. 

A USB slot on the back connects the printer to cameras or a computer, if you're so inclined.  PictBridge-enabled cameras can control printing directly from the camera's menu.  That feature worked fine—the camera and printer worked well together—but I find it much easier to just slip in an SD card, rather than finding a place for the camera and worrying about its battery life.  PictureMate also supports P.I.M. and Exif Print, features built into many digital cameras that optimize print settings for compatible printers. 

If you want to get tricky, you can choose black and white or sepia prints, and you can add Disney characters to frame the photo.  Editing includes one crop function and adjustments for brightness, saturation and sharpness.  Options include the battery ($69) and a Bluetooth adapter ($69) for printing from Bluetooth-equipped cell phones.  The PictureMate Print Pack ($29) comes with a cartridge and 100 sheets of 4 x 6 glossy paper, which averages out to just under 30 cents a print.