For years I’ve complained to my father about the poor quality of HP’s Mac scanner software. He always brushed it off as my standard are pretty high and it would appear (to outsiders) that I don’t like many programs. (There are some programs I really like and there are some that just suck; yes, my standards are high, but I’m on a Mac and I deserve the best!). Recently, he started using his HP All-In-One with his new Mac (he had been using it from his PC) and after hours (maybe days) of frustration, he contacted their support and got no where (support was on a PC reading from a script). He complained up the change and accused them of fraud/deception as they advertised certain features working on the Mac, when they clearly don’t.
It was quite fun basically saying “I told you so”; I have an HP All-In-One that I bought several years ago that I only use as a fax machine and a copier; for those functions, it works great. If HP is serious about the Mac, they need to step up to the plate and re-write their software. Windows users might like the cutesy scanning app, but Mac users just want it to work like every other Mac application and integrate with Address Book (for the fax app), etc.
If their devices weren’t so cheap, Mac users probably wouldn’t be lured into buying them.
HP is bloody awful, but Canon isn’t all that much better. The Chinese company that bought the old Brother brand is the best of the bunch.
Darn it, Apple needs to start reselling this stuff with Apple drivers!
I’m quite fond of the drivers for the Syscan DocketPORT 465 (same as the Pentax DS Mobile 600). They’re simple and get the job done; it is up to the scanning application to come up with the interface instead of building it into the driver.