OEM's KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON AIRPRINT ….. WHAT IS AIRPRINT ?

[Anonymous]

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/211306/printer_vendors_keep_a_close_eye_on_airprint.html
OEM’s KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON AIRPRINT ,SO WHAT IS AIRPRINT ?
AirPrint
facilitates the wireless printing of documents from the iPhone 4 and
3GS, 3G and 4G iPod touch, and the iPad, to compatible printers (right
now, five HP ePrint models).

AirPrint originally meant more than
that. The announcement of AirPrint–by Steve Jobs at Apple’s September 1
media event–also touted a networking function that, in conjunction
with the Mac OS 10.6.5 update, would allow Apple’s mobile devices to
print to any networked printer regardless of brand. This cross-platform,
vendor agnostic, Wi-Fi networking feature that would automatically find
printers on a local network and, without installing software, let you
print from them, is the part that got delayed at the last minute,
leaving users with HP as the sole printing option.

Despite public
circumspection on the issue, vendors are keeping a close eye on how
Apple handles this hotly anticipated feature, and are advancing their
own strategies to serve users with iOS devices irregardless of AirPrint.

A
Macworld spot check of printer vendors reveals that they acknowledge
the importance of AirPrint and have staked out roughly three,
non-mutually exclusive positions: Watch and keep all options on the
table; offer proprietary solutions that match, complement, or exceed
AirPrint’s capabilities; and consider AirPrint functionality for the
future.

Lexmark’s approach is a good example of the first
strategy. According to Kathy Edwards, Lexmark’s corporate communications
manager, “Currently, we do not have any products that operate with
AirPrint. Lexmark’s product development team continues to evaluate Apple
products and solutions, but I’m unable to comment on future
compatibility.” The folks at Konica Minolta take a similar stance
saying, “Our R&D team is investigating Apple AirPrint and are
evaluating its potential. We have not developed a specific plan to make
our printers and MFPs compatible with Apple AirPrint to date.”

Kyocera
says its “working on” an agreement, but that nothing is set in stone
yet. Similarly, Dell has stated that while it currently has no models or
a set timetable for AirPrint support, it’s something the company is
“working towards.”

Epson’s response represents the second
position. With the introduction of Thinxtream Technologies’ printing
app, PrintJinni for Epson, which allows Apple iPhone, iPod touch, and
iPad users to print certain Microsoft Word, Excel PowerPoint, PDF, and
JPEG files from an IMAP e-mail account to any Wi-Fi-enabled Epson
all-in-one, it covers some ground that the current AirPrint does not.

Epson’s
view is that, “With this all-inclusive productivity app, users can
download, display, preview, and print e-mail attachments that maintain
accurate formatting, which makes it unique compared to other mobile
printing solutions. Epson is currently working closely with Apple to
ensure PrintJinni provides complementary features to what will be
offered by the iOS 4.2 update.”

Kodak’s take on AirPrint is
similar. The company now offers the Kodak Pic Flick App that provides
photo printing from iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad to a wireless Kodak
All-in-one printer. And it is also considering the AirPrint feature for
the future, a company spokesman said.

Xerox says is “committed to
making it easy for Apple mobile device users to print on Xerox
equipment.” The company has gone so far as to test such devices on its
printers and hints at positive results. “We have performed preliminary
testing on a sampling of Xerox printers and MFPs with positive results.
Although we can’t guarantee trouble-free performance out-of-the-box with
our products until more exhaustive testing has been completed, we
expect many users will be able to have a compatible experience,” said
Robin Wessel, a Xerox marketing director. “We are performing more robust
tests of Apple’s AirPrint solution with Xerox equipment and intend to
support future Apple iOS, although timing has not been determined at
this point.”

While trends increasingly point to more conservative
printing practices, because of better archive and search functionality
in the digital format and heightened concern for the planet and its
trees, there will always be a time when you’ll need a hard copy of
something. And when you do, it’s not going to matter where that document
lives. While Steve Jobs responded to an email inquiry recently by
assuring that AirPrint had not been abandoned, it’s unclear whether or
when the promised networking feature will be restored.

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/211306/printer_vendors_keep_a_close_eye_on_airprint.html

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/36922/bolle-unveils-first-iphone-printer
Bolle unveils “world’s first” iPhone printer
If
you’re gonna announce to the world that you’ve developed the “world’s
first” iPhone printer – it’s probably best not to do it on exactly the
same day that Apple goes live with iOS 4.2, and the AirPrint
function.But that is what Bolle has done with its device – the Bolle
Photo.Oh well. Poor timing aside, this is quite a nifty looking little
device that docks your iPhone, charges it, and gives you a few printing
options for its 6 x 4-inch (A6) output.

Using the accompanying
free app, you can choose single pics to print off, or you can select
multiple images – and there’s even a passport photo printing
option.That’s about it really, but at £119.99, you might find it
useful.The Bolle BP-10 Photo printer is available now at MobileFun.

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/36922/bolle-unveils-first-iphone-printer

[Author]

December 6, 2010 at 7:34 AM