Another handy feature is Canon's exclusive Z-Lid expansion top, which allows you to scan bulky items, such as books and magazines. Many other scanner covers lift only at an angle and become uneven and awkward when scanning anything that isn't completely flat; the N650U scanner cover includes a special expansion hinge that lifts up to 1 inch vertically and lies flat to create extra space.

Product Description
The groundbreaking CanoScan N650U USB flatbed scanner launches a new era in scanning performance, innovation and value - giving you the power to do so much more, for so much less. At just over 2,5 cm high, the N650U scanner is one of the thinnest flatbed scanners in the world. It's also one of the easiest to set up and use. Connect with just a single USB cable to any compatible Mac or PC - no power cord or bulky transformers are necessary. Just plug it in to your computer and scan photos, graphics, copy and more at a remarkable 600 x 1200 dpi for crisp, clear images. Plus, 42-bit resolution gives you over four trillion possible colors for richer, more robust scans. It even has an external programmable button for fast, one-touch scanning.Canon's exclusive Z-Lid Expansion Top will change the way you scan bulky items, such as books and magazines. Many other scanner covers lift only at an angle and become uneven and awkward when scanning anything that isn't completely flat. The N650U scanner includes a special expansion hinge that lifts up to one 2,5 cm vertically allowing the lid to lie flat, creating the space needed for bulky items.

Though it runs a little slow, it does make reasonably clean scans, and makes MUCH less clutter on and behind my desk than most other machines, which is why I bought it.

People need to know, however, that the lens has crummy depth-of field, which means that anything that is not dead flat against the glass will look fuzzy. My previous scanner could make acceptable images of small three-dimensional objects; this one won't.

Also, the color balance is kind of off, too blue-tinged. With my Paint Shop Pro, I need to subtract a little blue and add a little red to the scans to make them look like real life.

I assume that both these problems (poor depth of field and color imbalance) come from the dim scanning lamp neccesitated by the low power available to the unit.