We take tons of photos with our mobile phone. Most of them are destined to remain trapped in the deep recesses of our devices’ internal memory storage and never seen again. But some of these photos have deep sentimental value – so how does one quickly and easily develop these into actual printed pictures? That’s where PostalPix (www.postalpix.com) comes in.
Founded in 2010, Los Angeles, California-based PostalPix allows you to order real photo prints of pictures direct from your smartphone via an app (on both iOS and Android). The service offers a variety of standard sizes (4×6, 8×10, etc.) and square prints (4×4, 8×8, etc.) – perfect for Instagram images – as well as additional options including premium luster sheen prints, aluminum prints and more. Print prices range from 21 cents for 4×6 and 4×4 prints, to $24.99 for an aluminum 8×10. The service professionally prints and mails photos within a turnaround of 24-48 hours – now that’s blazing fast.
The idea for PostalPix came about because co-founder Isaac Lay and his wife had a problem: they could not stop taking photos of their new baby on their iPhones. With all of the pictures trapped on their smartphones, they were in need of a way to print the images without the hassle of going to Walgreens or Costco with a newborn on their hands.
After much research, Lay realized there was no available app on the market to solve this photo problem and decided to capitalize on the opportunity. He contacted his friend and co-founder Michael Sarlitt, whose background is online marketing and business development, along with fellow co-founder Joel Vanderhoof, and the trio moved forward with the PostalPix concept.
“Before the digital camera era, people actually used to get excited when they would pick up, or receive their prints in the mail,” says Michael Sarlitt said. “Seeing your photos in print was the only way it was done until digital photography entered the mainstream. With PostalPix, the printed photo concept has come full circle, and people can once again get excited about holding their special photos right in in the palm of their hand”
“While digital pictures definitely have their advantages, printed photographs can evoke a different emotional reaction. There’s more of a permanent, ever-lasting feel to them.”
