HP unveils 'anywhere, anytime' printing

HP has built an application to highlight and print key information from websites

HP is aiming to increase its share of the online printing market with the launch of an application that allows users to "print anywhere, anytime".

The company has built a JavaScript application to highlight and print key information from websites, while cutting out extraneous copy. The software was developed in-house, but will be used by individual web pages to choose what content is printed.

Yahoo has already signed a deal to put the printing application on its sites, and the software is being opened up to third parties.

The application, which is part of HP's Print 2.0 campaign, is an attempt to help the firm move away from printing applications to digital printing of online content.

The company is concerned that it may be losing its place in the printing stakes owing to the rise of web content being printed.

"Today's content is all digital and we want to print anywhere, anytime," said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president of HP's Imaging and Printing Group.

"Our share of the digital printing market is two per cent. Another lousy two per cent and we've doubled our business."

HP's acquisition of photo sharing site Swapfish will also be integrated so that photos can be shared and printed. The company is also working with Flickr to enable easy printing from the popular file sharing site.

HP is also targeting blogs. "There are six blogging platforms that make up 85 per cent of the market," said Antonio Rodriguez, director of research and development for HP's internet printing group.

"For the other 15 per cent the platforms are largely similar so it is not as bad as it could be."

The application has been developed for Internet Explorer 6.0 and above, Firefox and Safari 2.0.