This is not a fax machine at all, but I understand your point. The differences are thus:

- You can't "call" the HP Printing Mailbox

- The HP Printing Mailbox delivers email, with attached photos and PDF documents (not fax transmissions) 

- The HP Printing Mailbox calls the Presto service up to 5 times a day (account manager setting via web) to retrieve mail.

- When calling out, the HP Printing Mailbox taps into local data provider phone numbers (or an 800 number if no local data provider numbers are available). Ergo, no toll charges. 

- There is an associated Presto Friends "white list" of approved senders (also managed via Web or phone) to totally eliminate spam or junk mail

-  There is a plethora of Presto Newsstand content available for ad-free (and no additional cost) subscription to Presto owners

- The HP Printing Mailbox is a 600 dpi color printer (as opposed to 200 dpi B&W for fax) 

- The owner or user can elect to format their email in beautifully formatted Presto Mail (to make the experience of receiving a letter more enjoyable) See "Styles" section of Presto website for more on this. 

- The HP Printing Mailbox and Presto Service were purpose-built to make it a wonderful experience for people who are not incredibly adept with technology solutions. One ink cartridge, no paper guides, cables that are easy to access on the TOP rear of machine, toll-free 800 number support. Try THAT with a fax machine! 

Anyway, the comparisons to a fax are valid from one viewpoint but completely non-applicable from another. I suggest you read the posts on PrestoPlace or visit Amazon.com and read the Presto user reviews. They give the best color of how people are using Presto and you'll see why a fax machine is not at all applicable to those situations. I hope this helps.

Presto Insider: Peter Radsliff
CEO, Presto Services Inc.

Dear tthom949, all your answers are below: 

The specification for the HP Printing Mailbox is that it prints up to 10 pages per minute. However, you cannot compare it to a standard printing solution because it is not accepting a direct connection from a PC, nor is it using standard print drivers that you would be familiar with. You also don't "send" n email and expect immediate delivery. The HP Printing Mailbox "retrieves" email up to 5 times a day (at time you set on a web account management page). So, you won't be phoning your parents to say "Have you got it yet?" It will automatically print the next period it is programmed to print. 

Also, on a PC, it makes a huge difference whether or not you are printing a 10MB file vs. a 1MB file. On Presto, the system renders the email and attachments to be able to transmit and then print efficiently. I just did a test with my own Presto (yes, we at the company get them on our desks!) and I emailed a 5.1 MB file and then initiated an immediate "phone home" (see "secret codes" elsewhere on PrestoPlace). The PDF email attachment was a photo montage with text, graphics and 6 photos -- full page ink coverage).

After about a 3 minute phone call, the full coverage page printed out, taking about 45 seconds to print. It was quickly followed by the cover email which only tool a few seconds.

One of the core bits of technology we have developed is a way to prevent an hour phone call while providing very nice image quality. I'm considering making a video of the scenario I just wrote about above and posting it on YouTube. Do you think that would be useful to anyone? Please let me know. Don't forget, if you buy Presto from our web site, we give a 60-day money back guarantee, so I encourage you to try Presto and return it if you are not thrilled.

Presto Insider: Peter Radsliff
CEO, Presto Services Inc.

Each retailer has their own policy. Off the top of my head, I think Best Buy's is 2 weeks. I don't know the others. PrestoDirect is the only retailer with the 60-day moneyback guarantee.  

By the way, in terms of attachment types, the Presto currently supports the following types of email attachments: GIF, JPEG, PDF and BMP. Ergo, photos and Adobe Acrobat documents.

Presto Insider: Peter Radsliff
CEO, Presto Services Inc.