Wal-Mart promises fast photo printing

Wal-Mart on Tuesday introduced a photo service that enables customers to post digital pictures on its Web site and pick up prints at local stores in one hour.

At 24 cents for a print measuring 4 inches by 6 inches, the service is cheaper than that offered by rivals such as Best Buy or pharmacy chain CVS.

"We're excited to offer our customers the most convenient one-hour digital photo service available nationwide at the value our customers expect from both Wal-Mart and Sam's Club," Carol Mosley, Wal-Mart's vice president for information systems, said in a statement.

Wal-Mart allows its customers or members of its warehouse chain Sam's Club to upload digital photos at the Wal-Mart or Sam's Club Web sites. Subsequently, the prints can be collected from any of 3,000 Wal-Mart stores, supercenters and neighborhood markets and Sam's Clubs. The prints are priced at 18 cents for members of Sam's Club.

Customers can get free software for editing, cropping, sharing and printing pictures on their home computers. The software is scheduled for release on Nov. 23 and will be available in stores or as a download.