When HP says that their new Premium Photosmart printer is an all-in-one machine, they are are not kidding. The printer is a copier, printer, fax, scanner, and it is WiFi enabled. You don't even need a computer to print pictures; you can take them off of a memory card directly, but that is not new. Thanks to the HP SDK and premium widgets, you can do a whole lot of printing without the use of a computer.

The HP Touchsmart Premium Printer with Touchsmart Web is the combination of a touchscreen interface (it essentially looks like an iPhone), and an all-in-one. The interface allows the user to browse various widgets, enter text, and navigate a limited web space in order to print information directly from the computer. Currently, widgets include tools from USA Today to get news, Google to get maps and email, SnapFish for photos, and Fandango for movie tickets. The widgets allow direct communication to the website, so that a user doesn't have to bother with a computer. For some, I see this as useful. For the vast majority of tech-savvy computer users, I think this would slow you down.

A well equipped WiFi enabled all-in-one runs about $200. The Touchsmart Premium rings up at $400, and that is the killer for me. I can not justify spending a $200 premium to shave a few minutes off of my movie printing. If you are rich, or computer-phobic, it might be for you. But if you are computer-phobic, you probably don't need to check your email or print your online movie tickets.

Via HP Product Page

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