Take the pain out of printing with the HP+ smart wireless printer
Printing often feels like the one technology that doesn't seem to have gone anywhere. Just the word conjures up a mess: of wires to try and plug it into your computer, of buying new ink cartridges, of trying and failing to get something from your phone onto paper.
For a technology that is supposed to feel productive, it can often feel the opposite, leading you into frustrations and pain as you just try and do what seems to be a simple printout.
What's more, printing can feel painfully unsustainable, in a world where being green is more important than printing in colour. And add to that the fact that having a printer can be outright dangerous, given the increasing concerns about cybersecurity and attacks that exploit the apparently innocent devices around our house.
But it doesn't have to be this way: printing can be smart. Really.
And that's what HP+ aims to do. It gathers together all of the latest innovations in printing into one experience – which it says is a fundamental shift in the way you print out – that also aims to do away with all the problems that have sometimes made printing so painful.
It includes the best hardware, to ensure that you can stave off those strange malfunctions and difficulties. It has a supply subscription service so that you don't have to worry about finding ink or running out just as you need it. And it has an app that runs in the cloud, so that you can print whenever you want, from wherever you are.
It's a printer – but smart
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HP+ turns your printer into a hub of clever technologies: checking itself against breaking down, protecting itself against cyber attacks, ensuring that it can be used from anywhere and hiding your sensitive printouts from anyone who might want to read them.
It does that by integrating a whole host of technologies into its latest printers, all of which are grouped under HP+ to ensure that you know you are getting that clever performance.
It includes special "Cloud resiliency" features that ensure it can deal with connectivity issues that might normally knock your connection offline. Having a connected printer is an incredible help – but only as long as it is actually connected, with HP's technology helps with.
Similarly, it has security monitoring features that help spot and then fend off any malware attacks the printer might be subject to. The security of the internet of things devices around our home is a growing concern, as more and more smart devices include more and more clever features, and HP heads that off with technologies specifically devoted to watching for those problems.
It also includes a feature known as Private Pickup, which does what it says on the tin. You can send your information to the printer, get on with your day – and then have the pages actually print when you get to the printer, ensuring they are kept safe from any prying eyes.
And when you actually get around to printing, the app includes a host of features to ensure that is easy and straightforward too. You can use its operating system-level printing tools to ensure you can print from anywhere, and a devoted dashboard lets yo manage any settings.
Running out of ink – but not patience
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All printers run out of ink, at some point. But most don't make it as easy to replace as with HP's technology.
HP+'s smarts also extend to the feature known as HP Instant Ink, which means you can subscribe and save on ink and ensure you have it when you need it. The service means you sign up for what you're likely to need, and get that ink delivered to you and recycled with the same ease – and you get a free trial with HP+ products, so you can make sure it's for you.
While HP+ can't stop you running out of ink, it can stop you running out of patience when you do so; the features mean that you should have all the ink and toner you need when you come to print, not the hassle of urgently refilling or dealing with streaky, washed out pages.
Print sustainably
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Sustainability is a worry with printing – as every email footer seems to warn, you should always consider the environment when you're printing something out. And people are considering it when they buy a printer, too, with an unsustainable printer just as much of a drawback as one that doesn't work.
HP has a Forest First feature, they ensure that any possible drawbacks are dealt with. It doesn't matter what paper you use, because HP's features ensure that even brands that don't responsibly source their paper have their impact on deforestation dealt with. And, of course, HP's own paper very much does consider that, and is even more sustainable.
It also ensures that ink cartridges are recycled, going on to create new ones. That's another benefit of the Instant Ink subscription: the same cartridge that is picked up one day might contribute to another that is dropped off later, and all you have to do is subscribe and save.
To find our more about the HP+ range, head over to Currys.co.uk