Snapfish by HP Brings Smart Creativity to Photo Books

Snapfish by HP today announced a simple new way for people to quickly create custom photo books, along with a host of convenient tools designed to make accessing and sharing photos easier for customers wherever and whenever they want.

New from Snapfish, Magic Layouts allows people to create the photo books they imagine by providing more control over photo book designs. Snapfish worked with HP Labs, the company’s central research arm, to develop the tool, which enables customers to achieve professional-looking results without the frustration.

Other new tools and enhancements from Snapfish include:

* A Facebook app that allows Facebook users to print photos directly from their Facebook photo albums at Snapfish.com;
* Snapfish Express Upload, for faster web-based, high-resolution uploading;
* A Snapfish app available through the Apple App Store for easy uploading and sharing from iPhones or iPods;
* An Apple iPhoto plug-in for Mac users to upload photos directly from their desktops; and
* One-touch access to Snapfish via the new HP Photosmart Premium All-in-One.

“We know our customers are savvy and juggle busy, on-the-go lives while wanting the ultimate in convenience when considering ways to make the most of their photos,” said Ben Nelson, general manager, Snapfish by HP. “By adding speed and introducing new platforms, we are simplifying the way they upload, create and share their memories.”

HP Labs and Snapfish bring “magic” to photo books

Using a sophisticated algorithm developed by HP Labs, Magic Layouts enables smart creativity by providing automated custom layouts that always look great and fit users’ photos.

With each click of the Shuffle button, customers can cycle through alternate layouts optimized for their books’ artwork. Users can drag and drop up to 15 photos onto a page and watch as they magically adjust to fit. At any time in the creation process, it’s easy to undo and redo edits, even many steps back.

Print Facebook photos and albums when ordering prints

A new Snapfish Facebook app allows users to not only print photos from their Snapfish albums, but from Facebook albums, too. Now when users click on “order prints” at Snapfish.com, they can select photos to print from their own Facebook albums, or from those that have been shared with them by Facebook friends.

The process is fast, easy and secure, temporarily copying the photos to Snapfish to order for home delivery or to pick up at retail. As photos are copied to Snapfish, they are automatically adjusted for red eye removal and color enhancement, resulting in optimal quality prints.

Upload photos quickly from anywhere, anytime

Snapfish Express Upload, a new tool available to all Snapfish users with no download required, helps users take the first step in getting JPEGs off their digital cameras and hard drives and onto the site, where they can be transformed into works of art.

Users can upload multiple photos at once and take advantage of new options to print and share them while they wait for the upload to complete or they can view their photos in a carousel slideshow. Additionally, they can save time by enabling automatic photo correction to remove red eye, rotate and color correct the photos that need it instantly upon upload.

The new Snapfish iPhone App allows Snapfish users to quickly and easily upload iPhone or iPod photos to their Snapfish account, at no additional charge. With an exclusive multiple photo upload option, users can enjoy faster uploads and less toggling back and forth between the Snapfish site and the application. The app also allows users to create an album and share their photos with friends and family via a mobile phone number or email address – all from the device.

Also available at no additional charge is the new Snapfish iPhoto Exporter, a fast and simple solution for Mac users who work in the Apple iPhoto program for photo organization. iPhoto users can download the plug-in to upload photos directly to their Snapfish accounts and quickly get to work sharing, printing and creating prints and gifts.

HP and Snapfish make photos come alive with the touch of a finger

HP also introduced a new photo printer that provides one-touch access to Snapfish.com – the HP Photosmart Premium All-in-One. The printer offers easy-to-use print, scan and copy capabilities and wireless connectivity(1) as well as the convenience of a direct web connection to Snapfish – all for just $199.(2)

With a sleek HP TouchSmart control panel and large 3.45-inch color touchscreen, the HP Photosmart Premium All-in-One allows users to view, edit and print lab-quality photos from online albums at Snapfish.(3) Customers can archive, share and create projects or print photos from the site all from the printer, without having to log on to a PC.

(1) Wireless performance depends on physical environment and distance from access point.
(2) Estimated U.S. street price. Actual price may vary.
(3) Requires a Snapfish.com account and an Internet connection to the printer.