handheld scanner

I was over in America watching the HomeShoppingNetwork and I saw an infomercial for a handheld portable scanner that you can just slide over things and it scans.
I'm starting a masters next year and this would be majorly useful as apparently you can get software that will let you edit scanned text and it'll save me a fortune in photocopying. I've had a look on ebay and I found the type of thing im looking for (http://cgi.ebay.ie/Luminox-Hand-Held-Portable-Document-and-Image-Scanner-/270612267503?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Scanners&hash=item3f01bf81ef) but because its "portable" you have to have batteries in it and I don't want to have to take the batteries out of it and recharge them constantly etc.
I'm looking for one that can be run off a computer or that the unit itself can be recharged? Can anyone tell me if this type exists?
Thanks

watty

Ones that run off the computer have exsisted since late 1980s!

A decent 5M pixel phone camera with FOCUS (not fixed) or a optical zoom + focus actual camera might be more useful.

For A4 a real flat bed scanner is needed. There are slow ones that can feed a single sheet and are thus "laminator" shaped and about the size of a Cling Film packet. They have been around for 10 years and are very slow.

Thanks for the reply.
Can you recommend one of the ones that just run off the computer?
I've had a look in PC World, Currys, Argos etc and online and haven't been able to find one. I've had limited success using a camera and amn't since im trying to scan passages of large books flatbed and feed scanners aren't useful.

RobTheLad

http://www.quasartechnology.ie/scanners.htm

here's an Irish company that do them

magg

Long time lurker, first time poster, incidentally I'm looking for the exact same thing as OP, I checked out this website (http://www.quasartechnology.ie/scanners.htm)
and went to one of the stockists, they cost between 200 and 300 euro does any one know of a cheaper option that runs off the computer. If possible under 100euro,
thanks

Paterson

dont have 1, but wouldnt mind it, saw this earlier today

http://www.firebox.com/product/2751/CopyCat-Portable-Scanner?via=ser

bonzodog2

This one is 79 euro including postage.