Ecumen & Presto Services sign agreement to bring computerless email to Ecumen customers. Read more about it on the Presto CEO blog: here.

Today Presto is launching a new “virtual community” helping transform how families communicate, engage and entertain each other and their friends to create a better quality of life. We call this a “virtual” community because unlike traditional online communities like PrestoPlace, we aren’t using only one online platform to achieve our goal. We will combine the best of Facebook, Twitter, the Presto Blog, and Presto’s websites in addition to PrestoPlace.com to create a holistic experience that brings value to families. 

We are kicking off this launch with a photo contest just in time for Mother's Day. This contest is all about you, and Mom. You can be a contest entrant, or a judge, it’s up to you. If you wish to enter, you can win $100 worth of flowers for Mom from high-end online florist Calyx & Corolla. All you have to do is post a photo that celebrates motherhood on the Presto Facebook page

PrestoPlace members have asked if we could develop a way to more easily get photos to their Presto Printing Mailbox users. That easier way is now here -- announcing a new free service: Presto DailySmile™ which lets you deliver a photo-a-day from Facebook or your computer to a Printing Mailbox. 

If you are a Facebook user, just tag photos from your albums or those you have access to, and they will automatically be added to a DailySmile "Photo Queue." Photos from that queue are then automatically delivered to your Presto user one per day.

For people who don't use Facebook, just upload photos from your computer at the Presto DailySmile website ( http://www.PrestoDailySmile.com ) and they likewise will be delivered one per day.

Facebook users who use Facebook Mobile will be able to add photos to their queue from their cell phones. And, you can even subscribe to certain albums which will post any added photos directly to the DailySmile Photo Queue.

Sometimes an idea comes along that just makes so much sense that it takes on a life of its own. A number of months ago, I was meeting with Craig Caryl and Marion Somers Ph.D. (a.k.a. Doctor Marion) of Elder Health Resources of America, Inc. We were talking about the synergies between our two businesses and what a need there is in the U.S. for solutions like Presto, and experience like that amassed by Doctor Marion over 35+ years as a geriatric care manger. We also were talking about the economy and how business had changed, requiring new innovative ways of working together to get things done.

At that point in the conversation, a phone rang and both Craig and I reached for our Apple iPhones. After a shared smile and the obligatory discussion of our favorite apps, it dawned on us. We started talking about the possibilities of combining Presto's expertise in software development with Doctor Marion's expertise in elder care to provide expert advice to family caregivers when and where they need it most--on their smart phone. Right then and there we decided to work together, leveraging each organization's strengths to bring something new and very much needed to the world: the first Elder Apps.

PrestoPlace is now two years old, and I've noticed a number of things while browsing through the posts tonight.

When reading the daily newspaper, most of the news is bad. Just as there is little impetus for a newspaper editor to write about things that are going well, there is little point in conversing in a forum like this if you're not looking for some kind of assistance.

I've done my best to contact each and every PrestoPlace poster with a problem to get them back up and running (thanks to my expert customer service staff at the office). Unfortunately, people viewing PrestoPlace posts do not always see the resolution to the problem, just the frustration prior to the fix.

So, I thought I would give instructions as to what to do if you have a problem with Presto.

1) Self-Help on Presto.com
Start by visiting http://help.presto.com and seeing if there is an answer to your problem within Presto's online help system.

A PrestoPlace member suggested that members share ideas for Presto Mail messages they send to their Presto users. Here are my favorite types of messages that I use with my own family:

MEDICATION REMINDERS
Sit down with your Presto user and make a list of what medication they are taking and when they take it. Also take digital photos of the bottles and individual pills. Then set up a recurring reminder for the whole list, or for specific days (depending on the schedule), so that they have a paper reminder. This may be intrusive or overkill if the Presto user is young enough, but as they age, this can be a tremendous help.

EXTENDED FAMILY BIRTHDAYS
I set an annually recurring reminder using PrestoConnect for all of the member of my extended family which includes a photo of the birthday boy/girl and a message reminding Grandparents of the date.

EXTENDED FAMILY CONTACT LIST

Presto Services Inc. is today announcing to the PrestoPlace community a major enhancement to the Presto Mail service. This enhancement affects all Presto account managers and has already been activated as an automatic upgrade to all accounts. Note: all existing Presto features are still available, the enhancements add new functionality to the system.

Presto account managers will now have access to the all new “PrestoConnect,” account manager web site. PrestoConnect is a central online hub that enables ten powerful new functions:

1. Pre-scheduled message delivery - messages can now be scheduled for delivery at a later date and time. This can be a great time saver, allowing you to create a number of messages in one sitting that can be delivered on days and times of your choosing.

2. Activity reporting - PrestoConnect allows you to monitor email traffic that comes from approved senders, seeing when they were sent, and from whom. The PrestoConnect home page gives a

Dear PrestoPlace Members:

Presto has been contacted by an award-winning, nationally recognized radio broadcaster looking to do a story on Presto. They are asking us at Presto to provide them with the name of a Presto user and their daughter or granddaughter in the Washington D.C./Virginia/Maryland area. I thought I would throw this out to the PrestoPlace community and ask for your assistance in providing a nice viewpoint into how Presto has changed one family's life positively. I'm sure this will not be too much of an intrusion since it is radio.

Would any of you please help us out by agreeing to be interviewed? It makes a big difference to everyone here at Presto. If you are interested in helping, please send me a PrestoPlace private message with your name, email address and phone number plus the name and presto address of your Printing Mailbox user.

Of course, you are not committing to anything until you have more information. I'll be glad to tell anyone who contacts me more about this opportunity. Thanks, in advance, to anyone who is willing to help.

PrestoPlace members, you heard it here first!

Introducing "Presto Mail Preview" -- a new feature for current Presto users and people wanting to learn more about Presto before buying.

Presto Mail Preview allows anyone to see how an email they send will be delivered to the owner of a Presto Printing Mailbox. This is especially helpful if you want to see how attached photos will be formatted on the page or how PDF documents will print out.

HOW IT WORKS: It couldn't be simpler. Just compose an email and attach a photo or PDF document if you like. Address the email to preview@presto.com and click "send." In a minute, you will receive an email from Presto Bulletins with a link to your document. Click the link and you will be taken to a Web page that shows exactly how that email will print out of a Printing Mailbox.

SENDING BEAUTIFUL PRESTO MAIL:

On December 19, 2007, Presto was featured on The Martha Stewart Show. And, the PrestoInsider (yours truly) was on-air in addition to the HP Printing Mailbox. Martha's supervising producer Deb Savo has been using Presto with her parents for about a year. She tells her story to the audience and we all get to see her darling son Julian. Martha talks about how she loves Presto.

If any of you PrestoPlace members would like to see a video clip of the show segment, just visit: http://tinyurl.com/2opmd7

Note: We at Presto were all sad to hear that Martha Stewart's Mom passed away in December of 2007.