Involve Customers In Test

I have an Officejet 5510 combi-printer and an M417 camera, both from HP.

The printer's OK, no real problem with that.

The camera takes good pictures, but the software is way too top-heavy (takes about 5 minutes to get to the bit where you have to click to get the pix from the camera to the PC, then another 5 after transfer to get to the "HP Image Zone" to view them).

Power supply/power consumption is also crap - can barely take a shot with off-the-shelf alkalines, and the 2.4AHr Ni-MH rechargeables only just last for 100 shots. (Cf my Ex's Sony which lasts about 1000 shots on same batts).

Also a bit miffed that I can't control the camera (as in operate the shutter) via the USB. HP told me 'it couldn't be done'. Don't know whether other digitals have the same limitation.

What it boils down to is that if you ask the wrong people, ask the wrong questions, or are only offering the best of a bad bunch at the product testing stage, you'll end up with rubbish whatever.

Based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend an HP camera to anyone.