Presto Change-O!!!! Dad’s new HP Printer Mailbox!

I saw a commercial on tv a while back, and the product really intrigued me. Essentially, it’s a color printer that can receive e-mail, pictures and newsletters without being hooked up to a computer. All you have to do is plug it into a phone jack (and electric of course). Since my dad is 81 years old, and not up to date on computers, it sounded like a cool idea.

I got online and started researching this “printer mailbox” and the Presto Service that goes with it. I read their propaganda (excuse me! information!), then I started surfing around looking for reviews on the service from more impartial people. Most people had good things to say about the mailbox and service, so I pitched the idea to my sister and sister-in-law, and we went together and bought Dad the printer and a year’s service for Christmas.

It is sooooo cool.

I had the printer sent here first, so I could set it up to test it, and get the security code I needed to set up the online administrative account. Once that was done, I packed it up and sent it off to Dad. He got it today, and called with a couple of questions. It wasn’t long until he had it all set up.

Since I’m administrator for his account, I can go online and see when the printer last dialed in and printed out his email, how much ink is in his printer, and if he has paper in the printer. He just set it up today, and has already got email twice. Neat, huh?

You can schedule the printer to dial in up to 5 times a day for email. If you’re impatient, there’s a cheat code (hold down the stop button, press the increase volume button twice) that causes the printer to go ahead and dial in to check the email box.

I hope it will be a good way to keep Dad up to date with stuff going on with “us girls” and our families. The downside is there is no way for him to answer using this mailbox. It’s strictly one way, but I suppose if you got complicated enough to allow email both ways, you might as well be using a computer. The idea is to keep things simple, and they’ve done that.

So Presto Change-O! Now Dad can get email!