HP Portable Prints Big Snaps

The Photosmart 475 comes with a 1.5GB hard drive for storing digital photos.

HP's trim photo printer stows away a 1.5GB hard drive.

HP's $280 Photosmart 475 delivers easy printing and picture storage on the go. And several unique features make it more flexible than its sibling, the Photosmart 375, and rival portable printers.

The biggest news is the addition of a 1.5GB hard drive for storing photos. The unit also has four media-card slots and a PictBridge-compatible port. A USB port allows you to transfer images to and from a PC, but at USB 1.1 speeds.

The device's other major upgrade is its ability to print borderless 5-by-7-inch prints, in addition to 4-by-6 snaps. My test prints generated at both sizes showed rich colors and sharp details. Regrettably, the shipping unit I tested sometimes produced a slight band across the last edge to exit the printer--a flaw most noticeable in blue sky or water.

The bright 2.5-inch color display on top flips up for previewing and editing images. The front panel folds down to act as an output tray, while the rear panel pulls back about half an inch to reveal an input tray that holds 20 sheets. You can connect the unit to a TV, and use the remote control to present a slide show, during which you can print any shot. For more portability, you can buy an $80 rechargeable battery or a $40 car power adapter.

Its printing times are fine for a portable, although slow by desktop standards: 4-by-6 prints emerged in about 1 minute, 45 seconds. This printer uses the same three-color ink cartridges as the 375, which posted a high cost per print (81 cents) in tests for our April photo printer roundup.

You can get cheaper prints of equal quality from Epson's PictureMate Deluxe. The Photosmart 475, though, provides the added advantage of letting you archive shots on the run.

Paul Jasper

Photosmart 475

Hewlett-Packard

With internal storage, this is one of the most versatile portable printers around. Street: $280 Current Price (if available)