Fujitsu didn't specify the operating system or computing brains behind the ScanSnap N1800 when it was first announced earlier this year. Thanks to an Oct. 13 review by ZDNet U.K., however, we learned that the device employs "embedded Windows," though there's no word as to whether this is Windows CE or Windows Embedded Standard.

Once connected up to a network via its 10/100 Ethernet port and then configured for the first time -- a task that both ZDNet and Amazon reviews of the device characterize as rather complex -- the scanner is apparently easy to operate. Users log on to the device via its 8.4-inch resistive touchscreen and customizable menus; after that, they can scan pages and have them sent as PDFs, JPEGs, or TIFF files to a variety of preset destinations.

For example, documents can be sent directly to a network server or a shared folder on a user's own PC. They can also be sent to networked color printers, to cloud servers, or as faxes, according to Fujitsu.

Fujitsu's ScanSnap N1800
(Click to enlarge)

The ScanSnap N1800 (above) further includes integral optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities, so it's able to create searchable PDF files without the aid of another PC, says Fujitsu. Marking words on source documents with a highlighter tells the scanner they should be embedded in PDFs as keywords, the company adds.

Emphasizing security, Fujitsu says a user's login strictly controls what they can do with the scanner, while encryption ensures that no scanned data can ever be retrieved from the device's memory by an unauthorized party. Further, it's said scanned data may be saved as password-locked PDF files.

According to Fujitsu, the N1800 has an automatic document feeder that handles one- or two-sided originals, a 50-sheet paper chute, and an "expected daily volume" of from 400 to 200 sheets per day. "Very accurate" ultrasonic sensors detect when two pages accidentally enter the scanner at the same time, while other features include paper size detection, color detection, blank page removal, auto orientation, and auto deskewing, the company says.

Regarding its inherent scanning chops, the N1800 can scan at from 150 to 600 dpi in monochrome, grayscale, or 25-bit color. Simplex speed is rated at 20 ppm @ 200/300 dpi, while duplex operation doubles that to 40 ppm, says Fujitsu.

Fujitsu says the N1800 measures 11.8 x 8.9 x 6.8 inches, weighs 13.2 pounds, and uses 50 Watts or less when in operation. While sleeping, it uses 15 Watts, the company adds.

Further information

Fujitsu did not announce pricing for the ScanSnap N1800, but the device apparently sells for approximately $1,500. More information may be found on the ScanSnap N1800 product page.

Jonathan Angel can be reached at jonathan.angel@ziffdavisenterprise.com and followed at www.twitter.com/gadgetsense.