HP to make web printing easier

"We're going to make printing easier for everyone," he said in an interview Tuesday. But won't that benefit his competitors, too? "Sure it will," he said. "But we have the biggest share of the printer market, so we'll benefit the most."

Hewlett-Packard has put its money where Joshi's mouth is. It bought Tabblo, which makes software that enhances printability of Web pages, and in late June will begin offering free Tabblo "tool kits" to Web site developers. It bought Logoworks, which helps companies incorporate their logos and marketing materials into catalogs, posters or other print vehicles.

It has contracted with ViaMichelin, a map provider in Europe, and with Six Apart, a blog host, to make their pages more easily printed. And it will soon offer a service to retailers in which it will keep a digital library of obscure movies and burn DVD copies on request.

"We've gone from printer company to printing company, and the next step is to be known for printing services," said Doug Vaughan, worldwide senior vice president of marketing for the printing group.