This flatbed scanner can be yours for 20 bucks--if you don't mind a mail-in rebate.
(Credit: Visioneer)Update: This appears to be sold out already. (Check back later and even tomorrow, as Newegg often gets replenished stock.) My apologies to those of you who get Cheapskate via e-mail, as it's occasionally out of date by the time you receive it. All the more reason to visit the site directly!)
Update #2: As of 1 p.m. ET today (Thursday), the scanner is back in stock! The code still works, and the rebate is still available.
Scanners are insanely handy. They can turn old snapshots into digital photos, archive paper documents electronically, turn any printer into a copier, and so on.
Alas, they're still on the pricey side, which is why I'm excited about this deal: Newegg has the Visioneer OneTouch 7400 flatbed scanner for just $19.99 shipped.
Note: that's after signing up for Newegg's free newsletter, applying coupon code EMCLXNN27 at checkout, and mailing in this $20 rebate form (PDF).
The OneTouch is a USB-powered scanner, meaning it requires no bulky AC adapter--just plug it in to your Windows-based PC (sorry, Mac users) and go.
It's extremely slim, measuring just 1.4 inches tall, and it sports five convenient one-touch buttons for various scan jobs: scan, copy, e-mail, OCR, and custom. The lid is hinged in such a way as to accommodate thicker items like books.
Visioneer bundles photo-editing software and Nuance's classic PaperPort, one of my all-time favorite apps. It provides a virtual filing cabinet for scanned documents, but also lets you drag and drop scans to various applications.
(I'm not sure which version of PaperPort comes with the OneTouch, but it's worth noting that the current version sells for $99.99.)
Although this is a new scanner, not a refurb, Visioneer's standard warranty is just 90 days.
That's kind of annoying. On the other hand, you're getting a full-featured flatbed scanner for the unheard-of price of 20 bucks. That's pretty tough to pass up!
