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If you are anything like me you keep a healthy distance between yourself and any kind of printing device. Case in point, I have had today’s review gadget on my desk for more than a month. I have been hesitant to even unbox it because I know it will ultimately break my streak. My No Printing Streak that is.

It has been a very long time since I have had the need to print a single piece of information for any reason whatsoever. I do use a large number of post it notes but that is a habit I am trying to break as well. With all of the digital means of sharing information available to folks (BlackBerry owners in particular), I see no need to consume natural resources only to have the recipient of your message throw it away when it is no longer deemed useful.

That being said, there have been a number of times where I have caught myself back tracking and saying “If only I could print this out”. These situations are few and far between but occur none the less. Most often when trying to explain things to much older people who are not as plugged in as I am.

For times like these it would be handy to have a device that would allow me to print off a quick series of instructions or a diagram or two. I do not think I will ever change my attitude towards the act of printing as a whole, but I do understand that as long as their are non tech savvy folks out there, there will always be a need for print media.

If only there was a portable device one could carry with them for just such an occasion.

Introducing the PrintStik – a truly Mobile Printer

The PrintStik is portable printing in its truest form, consisting of a single unit that measures 1″ X 10.75″ x 1.5″. With a weight of just over one pound when the paper cartridge is inserted, the PrintStik is easily stored in a briefcase, backpack or Messenger bag.

The general idea is that you can have the ability to print anywhere, any time as long as you have a Windows laptop or BlackBerry within range of the device. The PrintStik carries a roll of twenty pages at a time which are easily replaced when depleted. It also boasts a printing speed of 3 pages per minute, a rugged design that requires little maintenance and affordably priced replacement consumables.

Unboxing the PrintStik

The PrintStik comes with only a few accessories, each intended to extend its functionality depending on where it is being used. You get the PrintStik itself and a high quality nylon case for protecting it while in transit. The nylon case is sturdy and looks like it could be water proof. That being said, I can find no claims of water proofing so we will go with water resistant for the purposes of this review.

Along with the device and case you also get a USB cable and a number of power adapter options for international connectivity when charging.

Overall, there are not a lot of extras included with the PrintStik but in fact you get everything you need.

Putting the PrintStik to the Test

Installing the drivers for the PrintStik went smooth as silk. The device drivers are loaded on a CD which has files for both XP and Vista machines. You load them up like any other software installed on your PC. There are also additional folders on the CD that contain all of the drivers and cod files you will need to update your BlackBerry for compatibility. The BlackBerry drivers etc are all loaded through the RIM Desktop manager as you would any other application.

Once the appropriate files are installed on your BlackBerry you will notice that a new item is added to many of the contextual menus. In email there are now options to “print” “Email List Print” and “Attachment Print”. When in the browser there is now an option to “Web Page Print.

Checking out the Setting options for the PrintStik Software

After you have installed the required files on your BlackBerry you will notice a new icon has been added to your BlackBerry desktop. I am not sure what they were going for with the icon but it is a jumbled bunch of black and gray with what appear to be gears poking out at the top. In any case, look for that icon and click it to view your PrintStik customization options.

Among the items you can customize are print margins (T,R,L,B), print mode (Small, Normal, High Quality), font styling, and a handy “save paper setting” (remove white space, only printable, full page). There are also options to configure printer server settings, wireless mode settings (WiFi or GSM/CDMA) and a registration option.

Everything here looks standard and functions as expected.

Printing from the computer via usb and from the BlackBerry using Bluetooth

Printing out a document while connected to a computer was quick and easy. Once the drivers have been installed from the included CD, the process for printing is exactly the same as with any other printer. Just select file > print and choose the PrintStik from the available printers.

Printing via Bluetooth through the BlackBerry was slightly more complicated but easy enough once I bothered to read the instructions. Turns out you have to go into the apps you installed on your BlackBerry and set a bunch of permissions to “allow” before you can discover the PrintStik. These instructions are included in a PDF on the CD that contains the device drivers.

When the PrintStik is plugged into your computer it defaults to the usb connection. When it is not plugged in it defaults to Bluetooth right away and is available for pairing. To get your BlackBerry working with it you need to enter into the Bluetooth settings and search for the PrintStik. If you are prompted to enter in a pairing code you should enter in four zeros (0000).

I had no issues printing anything from either the BlackBerry or my PC. I did not attempt to use the Bluetooth on the PC to try a test print because, umm, well I don’t use it and this is a BlackBerry related review =) For what it’s worth, I am sure it functions just as well as the other two options.

Final Thoughts on the PrintStik

So what is the final verdict here? Is the PrintStik the best thing to happen to printing in a long time?

If you are absolutely positive that you need to print things and you need this type of functionality while on the road then the answer is yes. The PrintStik is a solid buy. The print quality is lacking but I imagine people using this for quick printing of mostly text so ultra crisp lines may not be a requirement.

The print quality produced by the PrintStik is in line with what you would see from a fax machine. Text printed is entirely legible but any images you attempt to print will be of extremely poor quality. The inks used are non smudging which is impressive considering the nature of the paper used. The paper is similar to the type spit out by debit machines so I was pleasantly surprised that the ink was quite stable.

Another note about the paper is that due to it’s quality (thin) it does not tear very evenly when being removed from the PrintStik. I found that I got some very rough edges on my documents. If you are planning on using this to print out information for clients you may want to consider the impression torn edges will leave.

That being said, there are definitely a couple positives when it comes to printing. I found the ability to just print enough paper to handle your needs impressive. If you were forced to print an entire page every time you initiated a print your supply of paper would be used up very fast. The price of materials was also decent. You can get a three pack of printing/paper cartridges for $24.99. This may be more expensive than some solutions but none of them will fit in your pocket.

I appreciated the fact that the PrintStik comes packaged with all the connections you will need to adapt to power supplies around the world. It would not be a truly portable printing solution if they had skimped on the adapters.

As far as compatibility is concerned, the PrintStick could support a few more devices. Currently there is no support for printing from a Mac. This is something I would like to see addressed in the future. When it comes to the BlackBerry you will need to have OS 4.5 or higher in order to connect which should not be a problem for most.

If you are looking for a portable printing solution for your BlackBerry you would do well to check out the PrintStik. It can be purchased directly from Planon for a price of $299.99.

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