Can be made wireless through wifi router connection
I've had this printer driver installed twice.. first time on computer #1 driver on the CD took forever to load! For computer #2 I went to the HP site (per one reviewer's suggestion) and installed the smallest "for IT professionals only" version and found I could not use the scan function with that slimmed-down driver.
I finally figured out I had to load the full-feature English only 191MB driver using the custom install option (left out the Photosmart HP Purchasing). To disable the incessant looping Update nag message window on machine after reboot I deleted the HP Update application (via Add/Remove utility) afterwards. I agree HP software is rather crappy and bloated but the HP printers have been more reliable than other brands I've used. I bought the 6500 to replace my 6 year old HP PSC 1210 that died after years of heavy use. Before that I bought the HP Deskjet 500 that still works after 20 years. I hope this machines lasts awhile as well.
I'm surprised this newer-model printer isn't faster than my old printer (equally noisy to my 1210) but the scanner is improved - more adjustment options decent resolution. I wanted the flatbed copying and sheet feeder capabilities for my next multi-function machine and this one does the job adequately.
Had a power outage recently and was concerned that since I didn't power off via the button on the printer it might screw up the settings.. but there was no issue. It worked fine after power was restored without me having to make any adjustments.
Now if I can only figure out how to avoid paying an arm and two legs for those ink refills! For most documents I set the print resolution to "Fast Draft" to make the ink cartridge last longer.
Addendum (5/16/10): Ignore the "empty cartridge" alert on the machine. The final warning will stop the print jobs from proceeding. Just take that ink cartridge out and re-install it back into the machine. This will override the "out of ink" status. You'll get at least another 20 pages before the ink cartridge is actually empty.
Found out Walgreens cannot refill these ink cartridges: [...] I could try my luck with ink refill kits.
More detail ...
Had to return the first oneI did a ton of research and finally decided to go with this unit despite no reviews at the time. Installation was a breeze (using Mac OS X) except for one part where it asks you to set up a print queue. After doing so it didn't recognize it after multiple attempts. I finally decided to click past that step and it worked fine anyway.
We printed about a dozen photos over the first three days. On day 4 the printer booted up and slammed the print cartridge hard to the left then came up with a "Carriage Jam" error. The nice thing about the touch screen is that it also visually walks you through pictures of the areas that you need to check for paper jams etc.. Alas after going through every trouble shooting step provided it didn't solve the problem.
We returned it to Amazon (Very hassle free I might add--can't fault them a bit) and decided to try a second one since we did like the features. I was glad to see that Amazon ships you another even before you return the defective one. So far this one is working fine although it's only been a couple of days.
Our last HP was probably 4 years old. I have to say the print speed on this one is amazingly fast by comparison. I'm impressed it can print a 4x6 photo as fast as it does. Copy and scan work well too although I've found I have to initiate scanning from the Mac. Didn't seem to work if I tried to use the touchscreen to scan. I was pleased how easy they make choosing options with scanning. You can scan a document straight to PDF JPEG TIFF Memory Card USB drive OCR...
Overall it does seem as though this printer is very well made. It's also great having a tray for both paper and 4x6 photos. Unlike so many printer reviews it doesn't appear as though this printer is burning through much ink at all.
Although I would definitely recommend it I can't give it 5 stars due to the issues mentioned above.
More detail ...
The All-In-One That Does it All
If you're looking for a printer with all the latest technologies check out the HP Officejet 6500 Wireless. Keep in mind that HP makes two 6500 models--one is wireless and one is not. This is the wireless model. With copy scan print and fax functions this all-in-one is a real workhorse.
Fast speed (up to 31 ppm) and extremely easy to use. The setup function is all done via software--you don't even need to touch the 6500's keypad controls. It links directly to your System Preferences control panel making the wireless and fax settings easy. It uses 4 separate color inks so you can control your print costs when only a single color needs to be replaced.
Main drawback is HP's decision to only include a 2-line text display. For a printer in this price range HP should have included a 2.5" color LCD screen. If you're looking for a multifunction machine that does it all seriously consider the HP 6500 Wireless.
More detail ...
