HP has unveiled a new category of web-enabled printing solutions designed for the "Google Cloud" that will, for the first time, allow people to print from any e-mail device to any new ePrint-enabled printer from anywhere in the world, store documents or files in the cloud and print direct when needed, and transform their printers into publishing platforms from which they can customise print apps and schedule timed delivery of content.
To showcase these new solutions, HP announced a full suite of web-empowered e-All-in-One printers for home and business. These will be the first printers able to "talk" to the "Google Cloud" without requiring a local proxy PC or web appliance, which means people will be able to access google docs, photos and calendar directly from their printers. A selection of new print apps from partners such as Yahoo!, msnbc.com, Facebook, Live Nation, Crayola, Reuters, DocStoc and Picasa Web Albums will also be available, HP said.
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.
The HP ePrint platform harnesses the cloud to break down the barriers of distance and connectivity and allow people to send the files they want to print from their mobile devices. From a mom and son printing drawings from an iPad, to an executive on a train sending a presentation from a Palm Pre or Blackberry smartphone to print and pick up at a FedEx Office store, HP ePrint allows people to print anytime, anywhere.
Every HP ePrint printer will have a unique simple e-mail address that allows the sender to deliver a print the same way they would send an e-mail 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.
The new line of web-connected HP Photosmart printers allows consumers the freedom to access content and print from anywhere without a PC. This can be achieved through HP ePrint from any mobile device or by touching a variety of customisable apps and printing options on the printer's intuitive HP TouchSmart screen.
The HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One printer provides wireless access to the web and can be customised by selecting from the full line of advanced print apps such as Fandango and Coupons.com.
Now available for Android smartphones, HP iPrint Photo is a free photo printing application for quick and easy direct wireless printing to HP inkjet printers connected to a local Wi-Fi network. The Android version joins HP iPrint Photo for Symbian, Windows Mobile, iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The Snapfish by HP mobile app for Android is expected to launch this summer.
www.hp.com