AirprintHacktivator
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HP adds more printers to AirPrint-compatible list
With only a handful of HP printers being compatible with Apple's AirPrint -- after the disappointment of AirPrint's functionality being drastically scaled back in the final release of iOS 4.2 -- users have been left with two options if they want to print directly from their iOS 4.2 device. One, get your hacking gloves on and install the necessary files from the developer build of Mac OS X 10.6.5 (which were pulled from the final public release). use one of the free or paid utilities to enable shared printing from your iPad via your Mac or PC. Or two, get your hands on one of the compatible HP printers. Fortunately, option two is about to get a whole lot better, though it's still not ideal because you will have to buy a new printer if you don't already have one of these models -- the AirPrint capability is being added via a firmware update. HP is adding six printers to the AirPrint availability menu shortly. The printers are all of the Officejet variety, but at least now there's a choice of more AirPrint compatible printers. If you already have one of these models, you're in luck: reader Eldon Brown reports that he updated the firmware on his 6500A Plus and the AirPrint capability was added automatically. The newly AirPrint-savvy models are: HP Officejet 6500A e-All-in-One HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One HP Officejet 7500A Wide Format e-All-in-One (pictured) HP Officejet Pro 8500A e-All-in-One HP Officejet Pro 8500A Plus e-All-in-One HP Officejet Pro 8500A Premium e-All-in-One HP is also hosting firmware updates for several LaserJet and Photosmart models, which should enable AirPrint goodness: Photosmart e-AiO (D110) (USA/Canada) Photosmart Wireless e-AiO (B110) (EU, AP) LaserJet Pro M1536dnf Multifunction Printer (www.hp.com/go/airprint/M1536) LaserJet Pro CM1415fn Color Multifunction Printer (www.hp.com/go/airprint/CM1415) LaserJet Pro CM1415fnw Color Multifunction Printer (www.hp.com/go/airprint/CM1415) LaserJet Pro CP1525n Color Printer (www.hp.com/go/airprint/CP1525) LaserJet Pro CP1525nw Color Printer (www.hp.com/go/airprint/CP1525) Of course, there is a third option. You could always sit tight and wait for Apple to unleash the full power of AirPrint -- hopefully sometime next year. Post corrected to note that these are not new printers but are getting new firmware; also corrected reference to hacktivation process. GadgetVenue post referenced is incorrect.
Apple takes down AirPrint Hacktivator, and now it's back as AirPrint Activator
Remember AirPrint Hacktivator? It's the little hack that makes it possible for AirPrint to work with any shared printer on a Mac. We've covered the free app several times on TUAW, most recently when version 1.7 came out. After we published that post, a TUAW reader pointed out that despite the fact that developer Netputing had touted "no Apple files are redistributed nor installed by the latest version," those files were indeed still in 1.7. TUAW contacted Netputing, and they immediately removed the files in version 1.7.1. Despite a busy lawsuit life, Apple's legal department apparently has nothing better to do, so they sent Netputing a nice little email via omm.com asking them to remove all of the pre-1.7.1 versions of the app. The site was down temporarily, but now it's back and 100% legal. Here's hoping that AirPrint Hacktivator is here to stay! Update: The Netputing team has renamed the app to AirPrint Activator, reflecting the 'clean' implementation sans Apple-proprietary files. [via MacStories]
AirPrint Hacktivator enables AirPrint for any printer
You've updated your iPad and iPhone to iOS 4.2, and you want to print something, ... anything, but that printer hooked up to your Mac doesn't show up in the list of available devices. What can you do to make your iOS user experience complete? As Mike noted in his AirPrint roundup last week, Netputing took note of the re-enabling process that Chris posted about and created a little hack called AirPrint Hacktivator (which now uses a different method than it did originally, see below). You can easily install it on your Mac and be printing like a maniac from your iOS 4.2 device in minutes. It's a simple, non-Terminal way to fool your iPad or iPhone into thinking that your shared printer just happens to be one of those HP ePrint printers that work seamlessly with AirPrint.
