Computerworld reports on HP’s plan to send ads to your printer. While discussing their new Web-connected printers and the idea of scheduled printing of Web-based newspapers, HP says it will throw in a few printed “targeted” ads along with it.
The company also sees a potential for localized, targeted advertising to go along with the content. While testing its ePrint Web-connected printers, HP ran two trials where consumers received content from a U.S. national music magazine and major U.S. newspaper along with advertisements, said Stephen Nigro, senior vice president in HP’s Imaging and Printing Group.
“What we discovered is that people were not bothered by it [an advertisement],” Nigro said. “Part of it I think our belief is you’re used to it. You’re used to seeing things with ads.”
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“Through IP (Internet Protocol) sniffing, you have an idea about where those printers are so naturally it allows you to kind of already target your offers,” Nigro said. - ComputerWorld
First off, printing newspapers? Really? They couldn’t come up with a better use case than that? Haven’t iPhones, Android phones, and iPad-like devices proven that we are moving away from such a ridiculous waste of paper? Maybe it’s just me, but adding the annoyance of ads to the dying industry of home printers seems like a step in the wrong direction. It good business for them, though. The more ads printed, the more ink used, and let’s face it, ink cartridges are still HP’s best racket.
