Introduction:

This article will show Macintosh users how to set up their ScanSnap iX500s to scan directly to their cell phones.

I know, I know, you are thinking “Why would I want to do that?” I’ll tell you: “I don’t know.” But, just because you do not want to scan to your phone, does not mean that you do not need to scan to your phone.

I’ve learned the differences between wants and needs many times with computer technology:

• Before I used email a colleague said “I’ll show you how to use email!” to which I replied “Why would I want that?”
• Once I was using email, AOL instant messenger happened, which made me say “Email already does that! Why would I use AOL messenger?”
• When spreadsheets game out, I said “Why would I want a spreadsheet when I can program in BASIC?”

You get the idea. About the time Lotus 123 Version 2.0 came out with regression analysis built in, I began to get with the program and look at new features as discovery opportunities rather than as opportunities to demonstrate my instinct to fixate on the fossilized residue of what I already know.  I still relapse frequently, only adding a facebook account in order to access the facebook accounts of my children. But in the main, I “get” that change is the dance in the dealing with computers.

Use Cases:

What are the use cases for putting information on your phone? Does anyone DO THAT?

:-)

Rule of three: There must be at least three compelling reasons for using ScanToPhone, for Fujitsu to create the capability. I don’t count “Because it is cool!” which no doubt was used on the ScanSnap product manager by the firmware programmers.

1. Showing off. Like the remote open and close doors on a mini van, there is “demo value” in new features like ScanToPhone. Getting your peers to watch you demonstrate new information technology, and then hear them say “I’ve never seen anything like it!” Is dollars in the pocket, and not just for Apple. Nice idea Fujitsu!
2. As if! It is possible in the not distant future, that people will carry all their stored information (health records, Evernote accounts, photo libraries, etc.) on their phones. As storage technology approaches atomic resolution limits, the amount of “stuff” we organize, carry, access, and forward, on our phones may become very large.  Again, Fujitsu is there ahead of the rush.
3. Thumb in the dike. One can argue that 90% of the documents that we access are created or are locally available on computer (or LAN). ScanToPhone then can be rationalized as being a way to get the remaining 10% of our information (since we are on the internet, pictures of cats for example) on our phones where the pictures can be accessed while we are in “meat-space” with other humans. So, ScanToPhone is arguably the thumb in the 10% leak in the dike of 100% of digital information available everywhere at all times.

Next post, Use your ScanSnap iX500 to scan to phone: Part 2 How?

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bill meade
Data researcher seeking team
see http://goo.gl/JkkEI8