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Chrome OS is ready to use printers without the cloud
Despite decades of attempts to straighten out the connections between printers and computers, it's a situation that always (at least for me) seems to have an extra complication. On Chrome OS, ever since launch it has by default relied on Google Cloud Print and compatible printers to get the job done, but now that version 59 has reached the Stable release channel, it's a little easier to use. That's because it has a new ability for "Native Printing," which basically means that it can connect directly to compatible printers on your network, without the need for any cloud connection at all. Some manufacturers and third parties have been getting around the cloud print requirement with extensions like this one, but now support is built in and available to everyone.
Google Cloud Print gets Windows compatibility outside of Chrome
It should come as no surprise that Google brought Cloud Print to its own offerings first, but now the service is ready to spread its wings a bit. The company announced today that Cloud Printer is coming to Windows apps like Adobe reader, letting you bypass the necessity for Chrome. Using the driver, you'll be able to see an entry for the service in your usual drop down of networked printers and, if all goes according to plan, print to your heart's content. More info on the offering can be found in the source link below.
Official Cloud Print app hits Google Play, streamlines your wireless printing needs
The official Cloud Print app has finally been released on Google Play, possibly rendering the third-party apps you've relied on over the years superfluous. Using the standalone software will likely be a familiar affair if you've ever printed via mobile devices in the past. Just choose a file saved on your phone, tablet or the cloud, and it'll make its merry way to your Cloud Print-ready device. Note that your photo or document still has to be funneled through your computer if you use a classic, wired printer. Head over to Google Play via the source link below to give Cloud Print a spin.
Chrome OS update revamps app list and Google Drive saves, allows relentlessly adorable wallpapers
Aw, wouldn't you look at the cute little... wait. Right, there's a Chrome OS update. At its heart, the upgrade to Google's cloud-based platform introduces a streamlined app list that both occupies less space and carries an internet-wide search box. It's also possible to save files directly to Google Drive, and audio can now play through either HDMI or USB. Don't lie to yourself, however: the real reason you'll rush to update your Chromebook today is newly added support for custom wallpapers, which guarantees all-day, everyday viewing of your most favorite dog in the whole wide world. Or at least, a nice change of pace from Google's run-of-the-mill backdrops. Isn't it so sweet?
Google Chrome 21 stable release adds Retina MacBook Pro support, webcam use without plugins
Some Retina MacBook Pro owners have been waiting for this day for six weeks: that promised Retina support in Google Chrome is now part of a finished, stable release. Chrome 21 is now crisp and clear for those who took the plunge on Apple's new laptop but would rather not cling to Safari for the web. No matter what hardware you're using, Google has rolled in its promised WebRTC support to let webcams and microphones have their way without Flash or other plugins. Other notable tweaks like wider support for Cloud Print and gamepads tag along in the update as well. If you're at all intrigued by the expanded hardware support in Chrome, Google has an abundance of details (and downloads) at the links below.
Google Cloud Print adds FedEx, Canon to remote printing roster, throws Android users a PDF bone
Chrome users are in store for a bundle of printing perks today courtesy of a recent update to Google Cloud Print. In addition to wirelessly sending documents to nearby printers, Mountain View's now adding FedEx to the drop down destination list, granting users the ability to obtain retrieval codes for use at any of that shipping service's locations across the U.S. The remote printing feature has also gained an additional device partner, enlisting Canon into the ranks of participating companies, occupied by the likes of Epson, Kodak and HP. And as an extra bonus for the Android faithful, handsets and tablets sporting the search giant's Ice Cream Sandwich OS will now be able to receive and display transmitted docs as PDFs, although you'll need to install the beta version of the company's mobile browser to take advantage of this seamless integration. Open OS, meet the closed-off cloud.
Canon unveils PIXMA MX892 wireless all-in-one, prints from the cloud for $200
If you're in the market for a new wireless printer for that fancy new home office, Canon has a new model that may suit your needs. The PIXMA MX892 wireless all-in-one boasts copy, scan and fax features for those official docs that still have to be sent over the wire. Prints employ the ChromaLife, 5-ink system for high quality images at a resolution of 9,600 x 2,400 dpi. The printer also features a 3-inch LCD screen for last-minute adjustments and will have your 4 x 6 inch borderless Yellowstone photos printed in around 20 seconds each. Built-in effects, such as toy camera and fish-eye, offer quick photo customization in the event of an extreme time crunch. Through software like Google Cloud Print and PIXMA Cloud Link, you can send those documents or photos to the MX892 directly from online albums and your mobile device -- should you be on the move. No word on a shipping date as of yet, but the unit will set you back $199.99 when it hits shelves. Check out all the details in the PR below, should you be in need of a few more.
Kodak's Document Print app means never visiting the girl from the Xerox place
Printing on the road usually leaves you at the mercy of your local Kinkos FedEx Office, but as long as you've got one of Kodak's cloud-print enabled Hero printers, you can avoid getting gouged. The company's just released an Android app that lets you print nearly everything, even webpages as long as they're accessed from the baked-in browser -- provided that you've left your home printer switched on. You can pull it down for free from the Android market from today and if you're interested, head on past the break for an unusually terse press release from the company.
Kodak dons cape for a Google Cloud Print-compatible Hero all-in-one printers
Looks like HP will be getting some company in Google's print cloud. Kodak today announced a new line of Cloud Print-friendly all-in-one devices, which let users print documents without all of those pesky cords. The imaging company is rolling the Hero 3.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 and 9.1. The low-end 3.1 features a 2.4-inch display and does printing, scanning, and copying for $99, while the top of the line 9.1 adds faxing, a 4.3-inch display, a 30 page automatic document feeder, automatic two-sided printing and Smart Sensor technology to the mix at $249. The $199 6.1, meanwhile, is the most business-minded of the bunch, with its home office networking capabilities. All of the models will be available this month. Printable press info after the break.
HP enables Google Cloud Print on ePrint printers right out of the box
Man, remember when transferring data to your printer required a big fat cable and physical proximity to your ink spitter? Thankfully, we live in more refined times now and HP and Google have hooked up to deliver the first printers with driverless Cloud Print support, making the whole thing that extra bit easier. HP ePrint printers were already sophisticated enough to receive instructions via email and now they're casting aside the need for a connected PC to talk to Google's Cloud Print service as well. All you need is your machine's @hpeprint.com email address and then you're away, zipping pictures and text from your smartphone, tablet or laptop to the HP paper decorator. It's all seamless and wireless and probably feels like the future when you're doing it. We'd tell you, but we stopped printing stuff in 2004.
Google Cloud Print service aims for unified, universal web printing method
So you've seen how Apple intends to handle printing on its web-centric mobile device, now how about Google? The Mountain View crew has decided to solve one of Chrome OS' significant shortcomings -- namely the lack of a printer stack or drivers -- by interposing itself between apps and the printing hardware. Essentially, when you want to print you'll be sending your request over to a Googlestation up in the clouds, which in turn will translate those instructions and forward them along to the nearest paper tarnisher. We say nearest, presuming that's what you'd want, but the big deal here is that you'll be able to use any device to print on any printer anywhere in the (internet-connected) world. It's quite the brute force approach, but at least it assures you that whether you're using a mobile, desktop or web app, you'll be able to print without fear of compatibility issues. This project is still at a very early stage, but code and dev documentation are available now. Hit the source link to learn more.
