HP creates photo gifts in MySpace

Special Feature: Photo gifts

Hewlett-Packard and MySpace joined forces earlier this year to integrate HP printing technology across multiple areas on the social networking site, including all photo sections.

The collaboration enables consumers to print unique photo products from the photo sections, personal profiles, blog entries, comments and messages stored on their MySpace profiles.

HP’s systems allow users to create products such as personalised photo cubes and calendars, online and in only a few minutes.

“HP’s partnership with MySpace unlocks billions of images hosted online, allowing users to share their memories offline as well,” said Richard Bailey, vicepresident, Imaging and Printing Group, HP South Pacific. “Ultimately, HP intends to enable MySpace users to experience their content and tell their stories in awhole new way, whether it’s with a unique photo cube displayed on an office desk or a personalised calendar showing images from a child’s birthday,” he said.

Each photo cube (or ‘MyCube’) holds five photos and once printed, presents them in a unique, 3D structure that can be displayed around the home or office. The calendars can hold up to 10 photos.

Online gift trend
Research released by YouGov in the US shows that people are turning to online platforms and services to record and share their digital photographs and avoid them
slipping into the digital abyss.

The online survey found 44% of respondents share their digital photographs using social media sites.

The survey also found that there is a growing trend for people to use creative online services to transform photos into real, personalised products, to keep, share, and give as gifts. Almost half of those surveyed stated that they would prefer to make a hard copy photo book from their pictures.