HP announced its first web-connected home printer, the HP Photosmart Premium with Touchsmart Web, Monday 22nd June.
The HP Photosmart Premium with Touchsmart Web brings the power of the web directly to the printer while combining it with HP’s Touchsmart technology to give people quick, easy, touch screen access to popular digital content.
The device features a new web-based printing platform with HP applications (apps). Similar to other Internet-connected devices, these apps, which are viewable on the Touchsmart panel, allow people to connect instantly with web-based content.
The wireless device prints, scans, faxes, copies and gives consumers access to the web directly from their printer, no computer needed. The printer allows consumers to completely bypass their computers for much of their printing needs.
“This is the ultimate model of cloud computing,” said Michael Jones, Google’s chief technology advocate, during the panel discussion. “The computer is now the peripheral.”
HP is also launching the HP App Studio. The world’s first HP app partners will be USA TODAY, Google, Fandango, Coupons.com, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, Web Sudoku and Weathernews Inc. Through these apps, people will have free access to customized daily news, maps, coupons, colouring pages, movie tickets, recipes, personal calendars and more.
“HP’s high-level strategy is clearly lined up around this web-connected printer effort, meaning its marketing clout isn’t far behind. Skeptics, mostly tech-geek industry pundits, may say this is not that big of a deal that users are already printing out a ton of coupons, maps, tickets, etc. But IPG understands the early adopters aren’t where this product is targeted,” said Jim Lyons, printer industry blogger and monthly columnist and writer for Hard Copy Supplies Journal. ”The jury is still out of course, but my hat’s off to VJ and HP for putting some muscle behind this.”
The printer is priced at $399 and is set to ship this fall.
In an attempt to use the latest technology, HP released its big news via twitter and www.current.com. HP’s twitter followers were able to submit questions and comments throughout the press conference. During the announcement, twitterers were encouraged to submit questions, which were addressed during the panel discussion. Followers were generally impressed, with comments such as:
“Another historical analogy, first all-in-one printers in 93, this is the ultimate AIO,” said twitterer jflyons.
“The HP announcement is using Twitter in a unique way,” said Scobleizer, another twitterer.
“For those ‘less techy’ who don’t do smart phones, this would be a great option. Think about the soccer mom …” tweeted khartline.
HP tweeted: “HP is revolutionizing printing in a web-connected world.”
Click here to watch the video from HP: http://www.therecycler.com/recycler-tv.aspx