June 06, 2007
Adobe, FedEx Kinko's pair up to ease document printing
Deal enables U.S. users of Adobe software to send documents via the Internet to FedEx Kinko's centers for printing
1 RecommendationA Web services partnership will allow U.S. users of Adobe Systems software to send documents via the Internet to FedEx Kinko's centers for printing.
The deal was announced Wednesday, the same day that Adobe released its Reader 8.1, which includes a "send to FedEx Kinko's" button on the main toolbar and that same option in the file menu. The free Adobe Reader is available now for download at the company Web site. Acrobat 8.1 will be available later this month and will have the send option in the file menu.
"This is a great example of our strategy to provide customers with more points of access," said Richard Maranville, senior vice president and chief information officer of FedEx Kinko's, a division of the FedEx shipping and business services company. The partnership is aimed at making it more convenient for Adobe software users, many of them small and midsize businesses, to get documents printed.
"This [option] is going to be a much better workflow for them," he said.
FedEx Kinko's launched its Print Online application in October of last year, allowing users to upload files for printing and other services at FedEx Kinko's stores. The partnership integrates that service into Adobe's PDF (Portable Document Format) software.
In terms of numbers and reach, Print Online has 133,000 registered users, while FedEx Kinko's has 1,600 total stores in 11 countries, with 200 opening in the last year and 300 more planned for the next 12 months, Maranville said. Adobe doesn't break down its user numbers by nation, but its Reader software is on more than a half a billion desktops worldwide, according to Michele Turner, Adobe vice president of product management and developer relations.
The partnership, which is new, had its genesis in discussions between FedEx Kinko's CEO Kenneth May and Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen. Chizen "had a lot of excitement and a lot of vision about exploring software as a service with FedEx Kinko's," Turner said.
After the two CEOs got revved up about the possibilities, their ideas for the first step in the partnership trickled down and about six months ago the software development for the Web services got rolling.
"It happened very, very quickly," Maranville said.
His team is confident that it is ready to handle the onslaught of PDFs that could come with the new option in Reader and Acrobat. Although the Web services pairing will initially be just for the U.S., expansion could be something the companies will contemplate in the future, he said.
White Paper
D2D Virtual Tape Library Replication Primer
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »
White Paper
An Alternative to Virtualization for Datacenter Cost Savings
Server virtualization is a popular option for dealing with mounting datacenter costs. Another equally promising approach is the use of an Application Delivery Controller. Citrix NetScaler provides a low-cost way for organizations to reduce their server count and accrue cost savings from a reduction in space, cooling, power and personnel.
Download now »
White Paper
Why Your Firewall, VPN, and IEEE 802.11i Aren't Enough to Protect Your Network
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
White Paper
Bringing the Edge to the Data Center
Effectively address data protection challenges, implementing solutions that help store and protect business–critical data while cutting costs and improving efficiency and reliability.
Download now »
Sign up to receive Architecture Resource Alerts
Make IT work as one. Register for Novell BrainShare 2010. Complimentary Energy Efficiency Kit - Cut Energy Costs NowRestrict internet access with GFI WebMonitor™. Now 30% Off! www.gfi.com/web-filterToday’s IT means business. New eBook shows you how to align your IT investments.A new level of interoperability. Make IT Work As One at novell.comLimited-time offer: Save up to $100 on Polycom phones. 64-page prescriptive guide to security, compliance, and IT operations.Learn about Foundations of Green IT, from CTO Marty Poniatowski802.11n Drives an Architectural EvolutionSee IBM CloudBurst's self-service user interface in action
Return on Information: Google Enterprise Search pays you back. Get the facts.Analytics: Use your data to drive insights that enable better decisions.See how AT&T can help protect your network. Make IT Work As One at novell.comHP ProLiant G6 Servers. Perform like a superstar, Save like an accountant.HP ProLiant G6 Servers. Perform like a superstar, Save like an accountant.Unified Communications: Thoughts, Strategies and Predictions. Join the discussion.Increase UPS efficiency without sacrificing protectionIn less than 45 minutes, Palisade Systems protects your dataA smarter approach to IT is needed. That smarter approach is IBM CloudBurst.
