Printed Visual Supports and the HP Photosmart eStation
This is a review of the HP Photosmart eStation that was loaned to me to try out in my capacity as a “Mom-blogger” – It is my choice to write about it because I like it – if I didn’t I would just say
nothing!So I guess you are wondering, why would someone dedicated to eradicating the printed picture cards that her daughter used to use and replacing them with Apps be asked to test out a printer?
Well the answer is – there is no escaping the needed for printed visual supports in Autism.
Sure an App is super dooper when you are asking someone to tell you what they really like. It is also really handy for helping them to organise a familiar task like getting dressed, even handier when you are giving them token reinforcement, or creating a detailed social story.
(These are Grace App, First, Then and the iReward and My Pictures Talk by my fellow moms with apps)
If I can get away with using an App for something I will. But when there is a chance that said schedule is going to be thrown at me then I prefer it to be made of paper or cardboard.
So yeah, I still need a good printer. As a Special Needs Mum-preneur I also need to be able to scan and quickly copy a lot of stuff. I’ve actually won wars of appeal based on my ability to keep and re-produce paperwork. Seriously. (read this to learn why)
But to be honest I really thought we had reached the stage when printers couldn’t do much more and were often cheaper than the ink it took to run them- perhaps soon to be a gift with purchase?
As you might have guessed, the HP Photosmart eStation All in One C510a has kind of changed my mind. (click link for specs)
It makes copies in color or black & white with one click whether your computer is connected or not. It prints documents and flyers from your desk-top really nicely too. And it scans stuff that you have signed and need to send back to people (which I have to do a lot)
But the best bit is that it can receive all print jobs via email. So in a house with 3 laptops (one Mac, two PC) 2 netbooks and 2 iPads – we can all access the printer, without even being in the same room.
Using the iPads with the printer is especially handy as like a lot of people I have many many photographs stored on my laptop in no particular filing system.
Opening them to look up one that I need is an exercise in trying to remember what I was thinking about the day I saved it – and I often end up just taking a new photo.
However if you have an iPad you know how appealing the photo albums are, and how easy to use. Especially handy if you have a lot of very similar looking photos but want to choose the one that:
A) Shows the App/iPhone/iPad
B) shows Gracie interacting with the App/iPhone/iPad
C) makes me look young but genuine
And it is much easier to do that from this screen,
which you then click and send as an email directly to the printer
Like this.
The printer comes with a little Zeem thing, an Android Tablet that is detachable for surfing the internet and using apps etc. I’m not mad about it to be honest as I am such an Apple Head I find it difficult to navigate – took me weeks to install my gmail account on it. However my autistic son Liam loves it.
But I am very fond of the printer. Will miss it when it goes back. xx
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