Apple AirPrint

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AirPrint on iPad makes it simple to print your email, photos, web pages, and documents. There’s no software to download, no drivers to install, and no cables to connect. With just a few taps on your iPad, you can go from viewing something onscreen to holding a printed copy. And because all the printing takes place in the background, there’s no waiting around. Instead, you can start printing and then go back to flicking through photos, surfing the web, or doing whatever you were doing before. Apple will introduce a new feature on their devices iPad , iPod Touch iPhone 4 and can be very useful for mobile professionals. This is a feature that requires no installation or drivers that can send images and documents to print over the Wi-Fi. At first there was talk that the application would be available only for the iPad , but users of iPhone and iPod Touch 4 are in luck because they too can benefit from this functionality.

One of its greatest advantages is the fact that we should not have drivers for the printer , or perform a previous installation. Still, not all printers can use this function, at least at first. One of the new functions outlined by Apple that comes from the hand of the update 4.2 to iPad iOS AirPrint. With it, we can print from Apple iPad connecting us to our local network. The connection to the printer is simple and natural, without needing to install drivers or connecting cables. However, it is also true that this system is not compatible with all printers. This is a list of compatible printers.

In fact, for the first few months Airprint can only work with printers from HP , especially those with new technology ePrint (ability to print without being connected to a computer). Some of the models to be supported include the HP Photosmart, Officejet, Officejet Pro and Pro LaserJet The intent of Apple is to expand gradually the number of printers that can operate with AirPrint. As with AirPlay , users are still dependent on the updating of the manufacturers to be compatible with Apple. However, if it happens that our printer is not on this list, we can use the program Printopia , which is installed on your Mac and lets us see all the printers connected to your local network but not compatible with e AirPrint print from them. However, we must also comment that the payment program and costs $ 9.95, although you can download a demo for test operation.

It is not the first time that mobile devices incorporate the option to print through Wi-Fi. A few years ago came the PictBridge protocol for mobile , allowing transfer images to the printer, but at no time achieved a niche in users. In fact, a disadvantage is that if the printer does not have Bluetooth you must connect your phone via a cable. It is very probable that the version of Apple more successful, being able to take advantage of Wi-Fi and be powered by the brand of apple. Anyway, this is a role that mobile professionals may find it useful to save the need to connect the phone to the printer.
One of the biggest flaws of Apple's Tablet PC iPad is the lack of native print function - a weakness that not only rivals for ridicule and misunderstanding caused so far. Was omitted because of interfaces for connecting a printer complete, a copy of texts is now possible only indirectly, and often with additional fee software. As a rule, the integrated wireless module is used to send content to a second computer or directly to print. For now it is only in beta and will be distributed together with the iOS 4.2 , the operating system that promises to revolutionize the Mac world. Available from November, AirPrint works with iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone 3G and 4. It is completely free, but at launch, will be compatible only with HP printer’s ePrint, historical partner of Apple.

Features

Using the provided software tool will also get AirPrint iPad, iPhone and iPod touch is directly connected to the analog world with ink, toner and paper. Now the first beta version of AirPrint to members of the iOS Developer Programs was issued. AirPrint also uses wireless to transfer content to existing printers and local networks automatically detect.

AirPrint is available for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch as a free software update using Apple iOS 4.2. HP printers with ePrint system, already introduced in the market, are the only ones able to support printing directly from devices iPad, iPhone and iPod touch using technology AirPrint. The application incorporates AirPrint the driver of the entire series of HP printers with ePrint technology already available in Italy, including the HP Photosmart printers for consumers and the HP Officejet / Officejet Pro and HP LaserJet Pro for the office.

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AirPrint is currently available on below HP printers with technology including the new HP ePrint ENVY100 e-AiO.

Printers compatible with AirPrint:

• HP Photosmart AiO-Plus (B210a)
• HP Photosmart Premium e-AiO (C310a)
• HP Photosmart and AiO-(B110)
• HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-AiO (C410a)
• HP Photosmart eStation (C510)
• Printer -One HP LaserJet Pro M1536dnf
• HP LaserJet Multifunction Color Printer Pro CM1415fn
• HP LaserJet Multifunction Color Printer Pro CM1415fnw
• Pro Color Printer HP LaserJet CP1525n
• HP LaserJet Color Printer Pro CP1525nw
• Plus Photosmart and AiO-B210

With the launch of AirPrint, HP can now print from mobile devices in three ways:

• HP ePrint, a cloud-based solution that allows you to print from any mobile device anywhere in the world by sending an e-mail;
• AirPrint: printing capabilities built natively on an operating system, allows the connection with the HP system with ePrint;
• Apps and drivers that offer mobile printing functionality is not available where an integrated solution.

The function I was already at my iPhone3GS frequently misses the more stupid I was of course the statement that only some printers can be controlled. What is definitely wrong, yes, by the series all seem to be selected printer, if this is released and with a turned-on the Mac in the WLAN network is connected. For me it is a Canon MX860 . The print results are perfect, it all works fine. The whole thing is super simple, you download are down 3 files, 2 of which replace existing files, a file is added. The computer must then be restarted after the reboot you have to delete your existing printer from the printer settings and then re-add. That's it, very simple and painless in my opinion. Of course you should know what you are doing, officially the option is disabled by Apple, for whatever reason. A backup of the data does not hurt, of course, before you overwrite the files.

Requirements :

• An iPad or iPhone with the latest update to 4.2
• A Macintosh computer with Mac OS 10.6.5 install
• A printer connected via USB to your Mac

Your mobile device Apple must have updated iOS under 4.2 , and then connected to the same wireless network as your printer, you will get a printing function. Printing is easy, as iPad example, click the icon in the upper right of your screen, you get a menu, offering various options. One of them is the print function, select it and choose a printer. From this dialog, you can choose the number of copies, then start printing by clicking print.

AirPrint is smart and recognizes the type of document to print: the case of an image, select the photo tray and will switch to photo printing. It is possible to print from applications iWork updates with the iOS 4.2: Numbers, Pages and Keynote. By launching the impression through these applications, you get a print preview mode to select the orientation. So you print your document in portrait or landscape mode, even more, you can print your document across multiple pages. Note that the update of iWork is free for users. To use AirPlay, you will need one of the following (MAJ iOS 4.2): an AirPort Express, Apple TV, a loudspeaker or a compatible AirPlay Bluetooth audio device. Usage is very simple, in (almost) all applications using the media (iPod, video, Youtube, etc .) a symbol appears (see photo No. 4). Touch this symbol, a menu appears with the available devices. Then simply choose the material you want to play the media.

Printing setup

One of the most important iOS AirPrint 4.2 is certainly the feature that lets you print documents, photos, web pages and e-mail directly from your iPhone or iPad.

Unfortunately, unlike what was announced by Steve Jobs during the presentation of IOS 4.2, when AirPrint runs natively only with the following HP printers, which have integrated print sharing:

• HP Photosmart Premium e-Fax All-in-One Printer - C410
• HP Photosmart Premium All-in-One Printer series - C310
• Plus and HP Photosmart All-in-One Printer series - B210

Fortunately, there are several ways to enable AirPrint with all the shared printers on a Mac or PC.

To get the best AirPrint with all the shared printers on a Mac you must use the files in the beta versions of Mac OS X 10.6.5.
The files are then copied to:

• / Usr / libexec / cups / filter / urftopdf
• / Usr / share / cups / mime / apple.convs
• / Usr / share / cups / mime / apple.types

After copying the files you need to remove and re-add all the printers panel in System Preferences and enable its share. Before making the copy, you should backup all the files we're going to replace. Let us recall that we're going to put those files are still coming from a beta version of the operating system and, despite early tests seem to be positive, are not excluded the small problems that may occur from time to time.

Once you enable the ability to use AirPrint with shared printers on your Mac or Windows, you will now need to configure them. If you use printers with integrated wireless chip, which then print natively via Wi-Fi, you do not have to do is select it using the iPhone (after clicking print) to begin printing. However, if you have a shared network printer on the Mac, but without built-in wireless chip, you have to go to System Preferences -> Print and Fax, eliminating shared printers and add them back by clicking on the +. At this point we need to tick the "Share this printer on the network" and you can use it through AirPrint.

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PRINTOPIA

This application enables AirPrint on all printers connected to your Mac Unlike the tools mentioned above, which physically modified system files, Printopia works differently and will let you run all the printers, even those that require support passwords, duplex USB and local non-shared via Bonjour.

All through simple steps: simply run it on Mac (always work in the background, being installed in System Preferences) and the iPhone will automatically recognize the iPad or shared printers. At this point we must not do anything but click Print and you're done.

 
Airplay for Multimedia

To do this, your TV must be connected via Apple TV Airplay features. So you look on the big screen, photos, slideshows, and movies. Imagine, your photos are both on your iPad and on your TV, you drag your photos one by one and they appear at your own pace on the TV screen. The updated Apple TV is very simple. Select General Settings menu, then scroll down to the option of updating the software. Click download and install, then wait ten minutes. After installation, the setup menu offers function AirPlay, it can be enabled or disabled and can assign a password.

AirPlay also works with the music, the system automatically configures new devices integrated with the AirPlay. True broadcasting, so you can broadcast music directly from an application like Pandora to the Apple TV. Finally, all devices broadcast digital media, images, videos, sounds form a coherent and comprehensive.

The business use of AirPlay deserves special attention, ended projectors and other facilities. Types of business presentations, spreadsheets or training can be easily viewed on the big screen, be it videos or slideshows superb. A new area of sharing media has arrived. AirPrint will not be outdone, a wish to print in a presentation will be fulfilled, for a little wireless printer that is compatible is available.

Windows Setup

Windows users can follow this manual process to enable AirPrint with all the shared printers:

Take the file in iTunes iTunesSetup.exe 10.1 beta 2 (the file is available for developers only, but can easily be found on the Internet) and, with a decompression program such as 7zip , extract the contents of the file. Find the file "AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi" and move it to any one folder (c:\air is fine).
Now open the DOS command prompt (click Start in Windows and type the word cmd and press Enter) and type:
cd c: / air
msiexec / a AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi / qb TARGETDIR = c: \ air \ mob
Now open the folder "Program Files" you should find in "c: \ air \ mob" and launched, with a double click, the app airprint.exe. At this point, all the shared printers on Windows will be usable with AirPrint. For Windows there is also a tool that does it all automatically.

Printing via iPhone

Once configured for the good of all, by any of the steps listed above, we can finally print a document, a web page, an e-mail or photo directly on iPhone, iPad iOS 4.2. For example, open a web page and click on the button below to open the different functions.

• Click on Print
• To select the printer model you want to use (if you have more shared printers)
• select the number of copies you want to print
• Click on Print
• The printer will begin immediately to work. Printers on the sheets you will also see the date, time and number of pages in the document
• As you can see everything is simple and immediate. Using one of the tips that we have proposed for both Mac and Windows, you can easily print out your iPhone and iPad.

Conclusion

Finally we have to warn that other requirements also need to use our applications AirPrint iPad, must be updated to adapt to the new firmware iOS 4.2. Although this is something we do not have to worry, since almost all have already done so. For example, Apple's office suite, iWork iPad has already been updated to print documents with AirPrint. Airprint will automatically find printers on local networks and allows wireless printing text, images and graphics over wireless without installing drivers or software need to download. Airprint will automatically find printers on local networks and allows wireless printing text, images and graphics over wireless without installing drivers or software need to download.

One possibility would be for example that the devices from Apple AirPort support print sharing. This would allow printer via a USB port on AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule connected via Wi-Fi for IOS devices and iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch will be made available. This would require only the Apple AirPort firmware update their equipment. In addition, devices with iOS 4.2 Even access to printers, which are using a PC or Mac on the network.

The principle of AirPrint consists of the conversion of the document on the IOS device to a PDF. In connection with post-script could then dispense with printer drivers largely because most current printers are HP-compatible. Unfortunately, Steve Jobs and Apple still no date for the power expansion of AirPrint called. Even machines with Mac and PC can be shared, exploited. An installation of drivers or additional software is required. Printers that support the standard ePrint can also be directly addressed, although this is an active Internet connection mandatory.