Tech Know: Which scanning app is best?

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This was published 4 years ago

Tech Know: Which scanning app is best?

By Patricia Maunder

Despite decades of predictions about us living in a paperless society, there’s still plenty of paper cluttering desks, drawers and wallets, some of which requires scanning (especially now, as EOFY ads remind us that tax season is looming). What to do if there’s no scanner handy, such as when receipts need digitising for expense reimbursements while on the road? There are several apps that turn mobile devices into scanners, some so well that they are more convenient than the real thing.

Adobe Scan

Adobe ScanCredit:

I tested the Adobe Scan and Genius Scan apps, which both use your device’s camera to take a photo of a document, automatically cropping around the subject if it’s reasonably clear and uniform. The image can be enhanced with colour, rotation and crop tools. The latter includes a useful pop-up enlargement with cross-hairs for getting precise corners, and it’s especially useful when subjects lack right angles. Books that won’t lie flat, for example, as well as non-document subjects such as whiteboards, photos of which may be distorted by perspective.

Images can be saved as PDFs (including multi-page single files) then sorted and exported, all in-app, and usually look as good if not better than what’s produced by regular scanners.

VERDICT

Adobe created the PDF format so perhaps it’s no surprise they have nailed an app showcasing it. Adobe Scan has everything you’re likely to need, for free. Genius Scan serves ads and makes exporting files cumbersome unless you pay. This premium version has the advantage of document security.

ADOBE SCAN

Free

It’s slightly more intuitive about identifying subjects, so will usually snap an image with neat borders within a few seconds. Numerous options for getting files out there include Adobe Document Cloud and Google Drive, plus it automatically identifies business cards and can add the details to your contacts thanks to text recognition. Adobe Scan seamlessly integrates with the free Adobe Acrobat app, so you can also mark, annotate, sign and search within documents, and work collaboratively.

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Genius Scan

Genius ScanCredit:

GENIUS SCAN

Free, premium $2.99 per month

This app arguably produces slightly sharper images, and there are also four image-resolution settings, numerous format options such as A4 and business card, and the ability to tag files. However, unless you’re content to access files via email (which includes a Genius Scan signature), a one-off fee of $7.99 is required for export options such as Dropbox, or there is a paid
subscription to access Genius Cloud, which synchronises data across devices. The subscription also enables file encryption and password security, and removes ads.

CHECK THIS OUT

Need to destroy sensitive documents on the go? Small, inexpensive portable shredders include the manually operated Muji, which boasts Japanese simplicity verging on cute and weighs just 180 grams. There’s also a powered option from Kikar that’s charged by USB, and the slightly larger, pricier Aurora (AS420C) that’s a very portable 25 centimetres high and has a carry handle too.

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