Until now, printing documents for your business has generally required that you have both a desktop computer of some kind and a printer. But in this age of mobile devices – a fast expanding g array of smart phones, tablet computers, iPads and competing devices – traditional printing methods no longer work very well for many small-business owners.
Meanwhile, printers themselves haven’t been all that smart. Most are not Web-enabled. And those that are can’t communicate with Web-based applications.
HP hopes to change all that. The tech giant is introducing a new category of Web-enabled printing solutions that may change how you think about creating hard-copy documents of all kinds, or even what you choose to print.
Basically, HP is launching a whole new “ePrint” platform that will let you:
• Print from any e-mail device to any new ePrint-enabled printer from anywhere in the world.
• Store documents or files through online services in the “cloud” and print direct when needed.
• Transform your printers into publishing platforms from which you can customize print apps and schedule timed delivery of content – such as business news, for example – directly to your home or business printers.
• Manage and customize all of your business printing needs through a single, online application.
HP’s new line of “e-All-in-One” printers no longer need a PC (Mac, laptop, etc) to tell them what to do. These new devices are the first printers capable of talking directly to a variety of Web-based applications where more and more small businesses now store and share documents, images, calendars, presentations and other items. Four different models range from $99 to $299 and they all let you access and print content from anywhere without a PC.
HP’s ePrint platform will also be supported by new dedicated print applications from Yahoo, Facebook, Reuters, DocStoc and others. Later this year, business customers can access print apps from services such as HP’s Marketsplash for customized marketing materials such as brochures and flyers; Google Docs for easy document scanning to the Web for printing at a later time; Box.net to scan, share, manage and access business content online; Portfolio.com and Reuters for news; Daily Brief for business essentials including calendar, to-do list and news from American City Business Journals; and DocStoc and Biztree for immediate access to business forms such as invoices, contracts, receipts, etc.
Simply register for the news or content feeds of your choice through the HP ePrintCenter and schedule the day, time and frequency of delivery. •
Daniel Kehrer can be reached at
editor@business.com.
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