Read Emails Sans Computer
Here is a service offered by Presto and HP that lets users print emails without the need of a computer. The user needs to purchase HP mailbox, a special printer along with Presto service and the mails sent to the presto mailbox gets printed in the printer on regular intervals. So, emails are delivered in the form of fax. This sounds like a perfect service for older people who find it hard to read mails on a computer and see the pictures of their grand daughter on the monitor.
HP mailbox is plugged to a phone line which acts as a message carrier. This printer is just like any other printer and uses a HP 95/97 Tri-Colour print cartridge.
Printing emails could be an expensive activity; especially when all mailboxes get loaded with spam mails. Presto has countered the spam mails from getting printed by introducing an access code. The mailbox accepts mail only from those on the address book. Senders can add themselves on the address book by entering an access code provided to the recipients.
The absence of computer has its disadvantages. This concept and service is a receive-only service. Users can receive mails only and will not be able to reply or forward mails to anybody else. This could be a big drawback but when it comes to sharing photos and personal information with grandparents, these things become minute.
Presto service is not available in the UK as yet. Maybe some other company might hook on to the idea by offering a similar service in the UK. The concept sounds great but the intended audience seems to be quite small.
About the author:
Abhinav has been blogging about printing and related technologies on CreativeCloud for several years. He is also a project manager for a large technology company.
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