Scanners have long been the neglected devices of the PC world--clunky boxes that take up far too much space on the desktop. With its new ScanJet 4670, Hewlett-Packard is giving the humble machine a much needed makeover.
The first thing you notice about the scanner is that it looks more like a picture frame than a computer gadget. You simply drop a photo between the 4670 and its book-stand-like holder, then watch through the transparent center as the image sensor moves across your photo.
The breakthrough is in the device's space-saving design. While a normal scanner lies flat and...