It’s the holidays, that time of year when there are family pictures and movies to send to all of your far-flung friends and family. We’ve all experienced the frustration that ensues when trying to teach someone who does not enjoy or understand computers how to use them to send and receive cards, photos and movies by email. If you’ve set up a family web site, it can be an even steeper learning curve.

Luckily, companies like Hewlett Packard have decided to address the problem. Instead of teaching the computer phobic how to use a computer, buy them a printer that offers a simple solution. Hewlett Packard offers the most comprehensive solution right now with it’s desktop email printer and online photo distribution system. I’m sure other companies will follow suit shortly.

To grab this solution for someone on your Christmas list, you will need to do two things. First, buy them the HP Printing Mailbox printer. When they open it, just plug it in to a power source and a phone line connection - no need for an internet account on the receiving end. Then on your end, sign them up for the Presto service. Once it’s done, give the Presto information to others in your family.

Once Presto is set up and the printer is on and connected, you can send your family photos and emails from your computer, mobile phone or PDA. The printer will then print them out. That means that your computer phobic friends and relatives won’t have to learn how to do anything more than change an ink cartridge and load paper. This is a fantastic application of technology to a common problem.

If you don’t want to buy a printer, there are other solutions out there for varying levels of technological comfort. One application for those a little more comfortable with checking their email is Photos For Grandma, an online formatting service that packages and sends your photos to the email of your choice in one easy step. Other web sites like Flickr, Smug Mug and SnapFish also offer one shot email services to make grouping and sending email friendly photos easier.

If you know someone who still has a Web TV account (now called MSN TV), you can use HP scanners to send that person photos as well. Just install the scanner on your end and the printer on theirs, and they can receive your photos via MSN TV and then print them out. This is a slightly older solution, and it does require a bit more technical know-how than the other ideas, but if the person has MSN TV they most likely understand enough about email to make it work.
Don’t overlook the possibilities of mobile to mobile picture messaging also. The person who is unable or unwilling to grasp the complexities of a computer most likely has a cell phone out of necessity. Enable their picture messaging for them, and all they have to do is click “accept” to see photos you send them from your phone - no additional knowledge required.

However you tackle the problem, this holiday season make a point of bringing your family together with pictures, on and offline. With technology advancing every day, there isn’t a reason not to connect any more, no matter what experience level you are dealing with.

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