HP (http://www.hp.com) has unveiled a new category of web-enabled printing solutions designed for the cloud that will print from any email device -- including the iPad -- to any new ePrint-enabled printer from anywhere in the world through the new HP ePrint platform.
With the printers, you can store documents or files in the cloud and print direct when needed and
manage and customize your printing experience through the new HP ePrintCenter . To showcase these new solutions, HP announced a full suite of web-empowered e-All-in-One printers for home and business that start at US$99.
These will be the first printers able to “talk” to the “Google Cloud” without requiring a local proxy computer or web appliance, which means people will be able to access Google Docs, Photos and Calendar directly from their printers, according to Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. A selection of new print apps from partners such as Yahoo!, msnbc.com, Facebook, Live Nation, Crayola, Reuters, DocStoc and Picasa Web Albums also will be available.
HP web-connected products and services are supported by a digital print advertising platform that can be leveraged by print app partners. Customers can get premium content at no additional cost and brands can add value to their audience by populating select print content with customized messages, promotions and information like coupons or local services, says Joshi.
Every HP ePrint printer will have a unique email address that allows the sender to deliver a print the same way they would send an email message. Customers also can send documents to print through an HP ePrint mobile app on their smartphone device to a home, office or public print location such as a hotel or FedEx Office store. Customers will be able to send Microsoft Office documents, Adobe PDFs and JPEG image files, among others.
Following a successful pilot study in two cities, HP has announced a new service called Scheduled Delivery, which allows customers to choose content to be pushed to a printer at a designated time each day or week. For example, they might choose a customized news feed from msnbc.com to arrive at 7 a.m. for picking up on their way out of the door, or they might choose fun kids activities from Disney to be ready when the children get home from school.
Users simply register for the news or content feeds of their choice through the HP ePrintCenter and schedule the day, time and frequency of delivery so items will be printed and waiting when they want them.
The new line of web-connected HP Photosmart printers include:
° The US$199 HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One, which provides wireless access to the web and can be customized by selecting from the full line of advanced print apps such as Fandango and Coupons.com. It features a 4.3-inch HP TouchSmart screen with enhanced touch technology and can purportedly save paper by up to 50% using automatic two-sided printing. It's expected to be available worldwide in September.
° The $143 HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One is designed to let you print lab-quality photos, everyday documents and creative projects using this printer’s 3.5-inch HP TouchSmart screen. You can print web content such as coupons, recipes, quick forms, greeting cards, HP Games, crafts and news without a computer. It's due in August.
° The $99 HP Photosmart e-All-in-One, which lets you print web content using the 2.4-inch HP TouchSmart screen. You can create photo projects using individual inks and photo printing features such as the auto-engaging photo tray and direct access to Snapfish, the online photo service. The printer is due later this month.
° The $299 Photosmart Premium Fax e-All-in-One lets you fax, scan and copy using the automatic document feeder; plus, print photos and web content through the touchscreen interface. It incorporates a host of connectivity options including wired and wireless networking. This all-in-one is due in September.
