HP has done it again, this time with the world's first web-enabled printer. The HP Photosmart Premium also flaunts applications and the largest LCD in its class. Read on for more.
HP, ever the purveyor of innovation, announced today the world's first web-connected home printer. The HP Photosmart Premium utilizes HP's TouchSmart technology on the printer's ample 4.33-inch touch-screen LCD, the largest display in its class. Users can connect to and print from the Photosmart Premium via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the Apple iPhone, using the HP iPhoto application. Speaking of applications, the HP Photosmart Premium will support numerous applications that will enable users to print directly from the printer with a few swipes of a finger.
The HP Photosmart Premium is an all-in-one machine that prints, faxes, copies and scans, producing laser-quality text documents and lab-quality photos. The Photosmart Premium is also ENERGY STAR qualified, conserves paper with automatic two-sided printing and ships in a reusable bag made from recycled plastics, which is a major plus in our eyes. There's nothing like the shame of a big, honking foam-spewing printer box engulfing the sidewalk.
With the HP Apps Studio, users can download several applications directly from the HP Photosmart Premium, just like an iPhone or BlackBerry Storm. Partners already include USA Today, Fandango, Coupons.com, Dreamworks Animation, Nickelodeon, Web Sudoku, Weather News and, of course, Google. The Photosmart Premium will also connect to a user's Snapfish account, allowing users to view, print and upload photos. With the HP Creative Studio program, users can access projects and in late 2009, users will be able to create their own applications.
Though the addition of web-based applications on a printer sounds enticing, there are gaggles of other devices that will achieve superior results, like a smart phone, computer or iPod Touch. So, applications alone will be a hard sell for the Photosmart Premium, but it's a great solution for those who don't want to deal with the hassle of manually connecting their computer to the printer and jumping through various software hoops in order to see a project through. The ability to navigate the 4.33-inch LCD by the touch of a finger and print lab-quality photos without having to click a mouse is the Photosmart Premium's reason for existing, but we don't expect users to go application-crazy to the extent of their web-enabled portable devices.
The HP Photosmart Premium is backed by HP Total Care and is set to retail for $400 this fall.
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