HP’s cloud printing system to revolutionize the office

Hewlett Packard has developed a new range of web connected, cloud aware printers that look set to end the hassle people regularly experience with print drivers, while also giving printers wide functionality, and making them compatible with mobile devices such as smartphones.

HP was calling the technology “a revolution” at a series of launches around the world this month, saying that within the year all HP printers that cost over $100 will have Internet connectivity.

A PRINTER WITH ITS OWN EMAIL ADDRESS
Each printer will have its own email address, so that a print job can be sent to it from anywhere in the world simply by attaching a JPEG, PDF or Office document to an email, giving smartphone and iPad users the ability send documents to the printer without using a PC intermediary. HP has said it will add support for other document formats depending on customer demand.

HP was also keen to address the security concerns an emailable printer brings up, stressing that the randomly generated sequence of letters and numbers that make up the printer’s email address will make it hard for spammers to guess, and that users will be able to set up white or black lists to restrict which email addresses can send documents to the printer. HP is also using spam filters.

The new printers will also support iPhone style “apps” that can be downloaded directly to the printer without any need for a PC.

Edited by Ian Armitage