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HP and Samsung offer setup-free printing on the Galaxy S 4, with others to follow
As ubiquitous as wireless printing has become, there remains the occasional hoop to jump through for printing from mobile devices if you don't happen to have either a special app or iOS gear that supports AirPrint. HP and Samsung are teaming up to remove many of the headaches for the Galaxy S 4: when the phone launches in April, it should have setup-free WiFi printing to almost 200 HP inkjets and LaserJets, as long as any given printer is either on the same network or is otherwise accessible through direct printing. Don't expect ubiquitous support, though. Beyond being limited to the one phone, you'll have to stick to some of its preloaded apps, including the browser, contacts, email client, photo gallery, Polaris Office and S Note. It's far from a truly universal solution, then, but the two partners are at least promising zero-setup printing on both the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II through firmware updates coming later in 2013. We'll take the approach if it saves time snagging an old-fashioned boarding pass or some concert tickets.
Lantronix xPrintServer Office Edition brings more control to iOS printing for $200
Lantronix's xPrintServer boxes have already enabled direct printing from iOS devices, but now there's a new Office Edition that promises a better work ethic. Replacing the older Network Edition, this model raises the asking price to $200 but offers more detailed user management and better support for remote authentication, proxy servers and USB printers -- all hopefully with the same ease-of-use we saw back at CES. There may be simpler and brighter options on the market, but if that business feature-set sounds compelling, then look out for a November 21st shipping date.
BlackBerry PlayBook 2.1 update goes live with SMS, portrait email
RIM's attention around its QNX-based platforms might revolve around BlackBerry 10 as of late, but don't think that it's leaving BlackBerry PlayBook users behind. A PlayBook 2.1 update is rolling out today that fills in some of the gaps left by 2.0 earlier this year. Habitual messagers can now start SMS text messages directly from the tablet when tethered through BlackBerry Bridge; they also get overdue support for a portrait view in email, calendars and contacts. If communication isn't the cornerstone of your life, you'll still find a few niceties such as Android App Player support for the camera and in-app purchases, device encryption that extends to personal data and wireless printing beyond the local network. For now, you'll have to be an owner of the original, WiFi-only PlayBook to leap on the 2.1 train today -- those who sprang for the usually carrier-bound PlayBook 4G LTE should get their upgrade within a month.
Lantronix announces xPrintServer Home Edition: print your iPhone photos, high scores wire-free
Sick and tired of all those suits hogging the iDevice wireless printing fun? Or your original alternative finally conked out? Then Lantronix's new "Home Edition" of its iPhone / iPad friendly xPrintServer is for you. If you already have a USB printer, simply plug the little guy into it, and hey presto, you can print from you iOS device. Lantronix says you don't even need the host computer to be switched on. While there's support for up to two networked printers, the added bonus is that it'll make your old USB beast appear like one too (handy for the laptop). What does the office-like experience cost? Just 99 expensable dollars. Print off a pre-order via the source.
Netgear updates its Genie app to make even the loneliest printer AirPrint compatible
Don't have an AirPrint-enabled output machine to get that much-need TPS report off of your iPad? Worry no more. Netgear has you covered with an update to its Genie app for both Mac and PC. With the aforementioned software running on your computer, you'll be able to print from your iOS device to any printer just like it was outfitted with AirPrint right out of the box. Your Apple or Windows machine acts as a liaison of sorts via its network or USB printer connection to get the job done. Sure, you'll have to keep the application churning constantly in the background, but the app is free and provides a much cheaper solution that splurging for a new printer. Looking to take the revamped software for a spin? Hit the source link below to start your download.
Lantronix xPrintserver mobile printing system hands-on (video)
It's been nearly a month since Latronix announced its xPrintserver mobile printing solution and today, we finally got to see it in the flesh, here at CES. With this little white box, users can wirelessly print photos or other documents directly from their iDevices. All they have to do is hook it up to their network, select an image from their iPhone or iPad, and just click the print option in iOS. That kind of convenience will cost you a mere $150, and it's about as simple as it sounds, as we found out during a demonstration here at Pepcom. Check it out for yourself, after the break.
xPrintserver offers up wireless printing for iOS devices, makes convincing argument for iPad business expenses
So you have your iPad. You also have some highly important contracts that have just landed in your inbox and needed printing 30 minutes ago. There's no time to faff around with that archaic work PC -- what are you going to do? Well, Lantronix think it's got the answer in xPrintserver. This iPhone-sized box will plug right into your network and give you wireless printing from any iOS device you have hanging around the office. The device supports more than 4,000 printers, connects directly to the print option within iOS and will set back wireless-printing businessmen $150 when it ships January 2012. Anyone unconvinced by alternative methods can investigate the press release below for more details.
Canon enables AirPrint on a trio of PIXMA wireless printers, plans to keep up the trend
Here's the scenario: A., You've been getting your wireless print on with Canon's PIXMA MG8220, MG6220 or MG5320 all-in-one inkjet printer, and B., you own an iDevice. Well, feel free to do a little dance (just not this one), because Canon's added AirPrint support for the lucky three aforementioned. Simply (we hope) update your printer to the latest firmware, and boom, you'll be printing over iOS 4.2 and beyond. Better yet, it's also stated that the "majority" of forthcoming PIXMAs will follow in a similar AirPrint-enabled fashion. Need more info? Full PR is just past the break.
Canon launches PIXMA MG6220 and MG8220 photo printers, trees fear for lives
Canon's not done insulting your Photoshop skillz, as it announces the PIXMA MG8220 and MG6220 Wireless Photo All-In-Ones. These 9600 x 2400 dpi color printer / copier / scanners promise wireless printing of pictures and more boring items like Google Docs, Gmail attachments and PDFs from phones, tablets, laptops and computers. Print wirelessly with Canon's dedicated photo app (for Android and iPhone) and PIXMA Cloud Link, or access Picasa albums from the printer directly and add cool-ish effects like Fish-Eye, Miniature and Toy Camera using the touchscreen. When it comes to actually printing things, the $299.99 MG8220 is a step above its counterpart, with add-on features like a film adapter to convert old slides and negatives to digital. The MG6220 loses some of the high end features but keeps all the connectivity of the MG8220, for a much more reasonable $199.99 price tag. Inkjet enthusiasts, go ahead and check out the press release for all the dirty dpi details.
Epson and Thinxstream making PrintJinni wireless printing app available for free
No doubt sensing a little heat from Apple's own AirPrint, Epson and Thinxstream have now announced that their PrintJinni wireless printing app for iOS devices will soon be available completely free of charge -- a permanent price drop, mind you, not simply a holiday promotion. Unfortunately, you can't grab it for free just yet, as it will still demand the regular $6.99 until the App Store processes the price change, which is apparently expected to happen before the end of the month. Head on past the break for the complete press release.
Epson and Thinxtream roll out PrintJinni printing app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
You may have to wait until November to get some wireless printing capabilities on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad courtesy of Apple's own AirPrint, but at least some Epson printer users now already have an alternative option at their disposal. The company's just rolled out its new PrintJinni app that it developed with a little help from Thinxtream, which will let you wirelessly print files to any WiFi-enabled Epson printer. Unlike AirPrint, however, this option will cost you -- the app runs $9.99 but is currently discounted to $6.99 for a "limited time." Full press release is after the break.
iOS 4.2 beta hits Apple's developer portal, wireless printing dubbed 'AirPrint'
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg If you're an iOS developer (or good friends with one), today is going to be totally awesome. Apple has just let loose the official iOS 4.2 beta builds for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch -- meaning that someone somewhere is going to be experiencing multitasking on the 'pad (sans jailbreaking, of course). Additionally, Apple has decided to bestow a name upon its new printing experience (the direct-to-printer tech the company showed off at its fall event). And that name? AirPrint. In a piece of PR just issued by Apple (available to read after the break), it's noted that owners of HP products with ePrint tech will be the first to take advantage of the new tool -- so that's something. Of course, all that news should be lost in a cloud of excitement over 4.2. As usual, we're going to take the OS for a spin on our developer iPad here and see what's what, and then report back to you cats and kittens about whatever nuggets of joy we find. Stay tuned!
Pogoplug adds printing support, wireless adapter and Biz start shipping
Neat little update for Pogoplug owners today: the latest firmware update adds printing support, allowing iPhones, Android devices, and anything else that can hit the diminutive home server's web interface to print files. Any HP or Epson printer from 2005 or later is supported over USB -- network printers just need to be on the same network -- and the firmware is rolling out now. Pogoplug is also shipping that 802.11 b/g/n wireless adapter it announced earlier this month today, as well as the more enterprise-focused Pogoplug Biz. We're also told the new firmware will enable some other features, but there's no breakdown yet -- we'll let you know when we find out. PR after the break.
Belkin Home Base brings wireless printing and file sharing to any PC
You've been looking for it, we've been looking for it -- heck, displaced Martians have been looking for it. We're talking about that mythical, magical box that adds all sorts of connectivity to any networked PC, and rather than making consumers purchase separate devices to add NAS capabilities and wireless print sharing to one's home, Belkin's Home Base does it all. This sleek little box includes four USB 2.0 sockets and an Ethernet jack, and when connected to one's home router, a printer and at least one external hard drive, any machine on the network instantly gains wireless printing abilities as well as network access to your USB HDD(s). Furthermore, Home Base can wirelessly backup your connected PCs behind your back, and with the automatic sharing feature, your most intimate photos can be whisked away to Flickr-land without you having to know. Are you as giddy as we are? Pull out $130 and get to shoppin' -- it should be available today.Update: This thing is sicker than we thought. It actually has a wireless module built-in, so even if your hard drives and printer(s) are in a different room than the one your WLAN router is in, you can simply connect it to the peripherals and let it communicate with the router (and thus, your computers) from another location.%Gallery-72939%
Ask Engadget: Best wireless router with USB printing capabilities?
If your low-rate router fails on you, you might as well select a replacement with more utility than the one you're burying, right? Axel sure thinks so: "My bargain-basement CompUSA-branded wireless router is finally starting to fail on me, prompting me to buy a new one. I want to get my huge color laser printer (a Konica Magicolor 2400w) off my desk and tucked away next to the router, so I want it to have wireless USB print hub functionality. Gigiabit Ethernet and Draft-N are also necessary here, as I am eventually going to be adding media clients around the house to stream to every TV. Thanks a lot!"So, there you have it -- which wireless router will provide solid, relaiable USB printing while handling the heavy loads of high-def streaming? Think carefully, you wouldn't want to ruin this guy's life. Oh, and if you have a question of your own you'd like to see here, send it over to ask at engadget dawt com.