Ask Slashdot: Best Way To Print From an Android Tablet?

KowboyKrash writes "Does any Slashdotter know how to print from an Android tablet? I have read about Google Cloud Print, but will it work from all (or at least most) apps? Is there a better solution? A little background: With my laptop being four years old, and the battery failing, I want to replace it with a device with 10 hours of battery. I am purchasing an Asus Transformer Prime after Christmas as a gift to myself; my plan is to replace my laptop completely for portable computing. I've already selected several apps that should meet my needs, including Polaris Office, and TeamViewer to remotely access my desktop. So are there any printing solutions for Android? Printing to my network printer at home is good enough."

Comments

easiest is best right?

[wervr]

xerox machine

Re:easiest is best right?

[GNUman]

I have had to do this before, taking a camera photo of a screen; but in my defense, the computer had frozen, and there was no other way to get the snapshot.

Re:easiest is best right?

[Larryish]

pastebin, bitches

Re:easiest is best right?

[symbolset]

Before slideshow software this was how we made slideshows. No joke - special camera and all that.

Re:easiest is best right?

[neonleonb]

Yeah, my dad did a graphics Ph.D. in the late 80s, and to get good renders for publication, he aimed a good camera at a good monitor.

Re:easiest is best right?

[CityZen]

If you looked in computer magazines from those days, you'd see some companies selling these black open-ended pyramids. The peak had a camera mount (and a hole for the lens, of course), and you put the big open end over the monitor face; the purpose was to eliminate all the reflected light.

Re:easiest is best right?

[Yoik]

Before slideshow software this was how we made slideshows. No joke - special camera and all that.

I expect it was really an issue of rare and pricy hardware, not software at all. Circa 1965 I used a CRT attached to an IBM 9094 that wrote on 35mm film with a software library for FORTRAN II to produce slides for presentations. Part of the job was making 8x10 prints of the slides in the frat house darkroom fo my boss to review. My boss had a good budget and could pay the rediculously high per-second prices for use of the equipment.

Once graphic displays became cheap, taking pictures of them was probably a cheap hack to avoid buying a plotter that could draw full sized overheads. CRT cameras had been built for decades by then.

Re:easiest is best right?

[mcgrew]

Since Androids have wifi, why would it be difficult to print to a networked printer? I would assume that since the submitter has a printer he also has a computer. Even if he can't print directly to the printer, uploading to a computer and printing from there should be brain-dead simple and easy. As a last resort he could send the text to himself via email, that's how I got pictures from my phone to my computer before I bought a bluetooth dongle.

Your comment was doubly funny for me, because at work they recently installed some new network-connected copiers that double as scanners, printers, and fax machines.

Re:easiest is best right?

[symbolset]

There was a kit so you could develop your 35mm film directly to 35mm slides, cut and mount them for the projector in-house. If there wasn't, then I wouldn't know about this process because sending the stuff out for processing was not an option. The slides I was working on were mostly classified Secret/NOFORN or higher.

Cloud Print

[Anonymous Coward]

Cloud print works for me very well from my phone and tablet. If printing to a home printer is good enough then it should work just fine for you. Does for me.

Re:Cloud Print

[PCM2]

Cloud print works for me very well from my phone and tablet. If printing to a home printer is good enough then it should work just fine for you. Does for me.

Except doesn't Cloud Print require a PC that's connected to the printer to be running as a print server? I'm told there are a few printers that have Cloud Print servers built-in now, but not many. Submitter didn't say whether he had a dedicated workstation at home.

HP eprint Home and Biz

[Anonymous Coward]

Use it all the time on my phone

Most apps don't have built-in printing

[andymadigan]

Most apps don't have built-in print support. I've never needed to print from my phone, but it looks like an app like this could do it: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.pauloslf.cloudprint&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5wYXVsb3NsZi5jbG91ZHByaW50Il0.

Replacement

[cyachallenge]

A different question may be: do you really want to replace a fully functional platform for an app ridden one? The ability to print effectively shouldn't cost you $9.99. As awesome as tablets are I wouldn't recommend using one for everything.

Re:Replacement

[scdeimos]

The ability to print effectively shouldn't cost you $9.99.

I agree that tablets aren't a replacement for desktops and notebooks, but it was only a few years ago that if you wanted to utilise any of the useful features of your Canon printers from Linux (e.g.: print on a CD/DVD) you had to pay a $30 tax to TurboPrint. Thankfully CUPS has improved significantly since then.

Re:Replacement

[jedidiah]

Or you could have just bought a less lame brand of printer.

CUPS really didn't change that. It still pays to pay attention to what you but. It's especially true for Linux and MacOS but it occasionally applies to Windows too.

Re:Replacement

[stephanruby]

You must have an iPad or something.

On my Samsung Tab 10.1, I just did a search for "printer" in the Market and found at least a dozen fully functional free apps with excellent user reviews. There is at least one that was made by each major printer manufacturer, I assume that's because they're selling printers and ink, that's why they're supplying their own apps fully functional for free (with not even a paid equivalent), but Cloud Print seems to be the best one since it relies on Google Cloud Printing Service and just seems to be universal (and that one is totally free as well).

This is not to say I disagree with your main point. A tablet is cool, but it's a not a good productivity tool unless you're a salesman or something. Mine has become exclusively an entertainment device these days, I use it for playing games, reading manga, watching videos, listening to/remote controlling podcasts/music, casually browsing photos/the web, casually playing with the gestures of the UI interface, basically almost anything but actual real work.

And yes, I do realize the Asus Transformer comes with a keyboard, but the problem is that, even with a keyboard, it's still a very seductive device that seems to have been optimized for playing games and consuming media first and foremost.

If you want an actual real useful light device with instantaneous startup time/connection to the web, and extremely long battery life, and assuming your needs are as simple as browsing the web, working on documents online, etc, I'd suggest you take a look at the latest Samsung Chromebook. When my relatives visit, they love my tablet and they also play with it, but they actually use my Chromebook to get actual work done (instead of their own laptops that start up just so damn slowly). Plus, the Chromebook comes with 2 years of free data (the 100 MB quota per month is laughable, but it comes in handy during the times I'm out of wifi range, and I just need a quick bit of information without wanting to activate my mobile hotspot, and the way it's done, the indicator/notifier for data consumption is very well done and very transparent despite the well known evilness of Verizon, there is actually no chance of unknown overages that will come bite me in the ass later on).

This is not to say that the original poster will actually follow my advice. I don't think that he will. The very fact that the tablet is so seductive a device, and the fact that the Chromebook is not seductive at all -- it's just useful, is probably the main reason he'll insist on getting a tablet anyway.

Re:Replacement

[dimeglio]

Not that long ago, no one thought notebooks could replace a desktop computer. I believe it will be possible for tablets to replace most of systems - Apple and Google certainly want to redefine computing.

Re:Replacement

[mcgrew]

No, young geeks need tablets to feel cool. After a certain point in life one realizes that trying to be cool is uncool. The cool kids don't try, usually they're dtring to be different, not blend in.

I discovered this when patty was a teenager. She always strove to be different, and was constantly annoyed because the other kids copied what she did/wore etc.

Re:Replacement

[SomePgmr]

As with most new toys, I see the whole spectrum. Some think they're a horrible, overpriced, vendor locked conspiracy to get your money. Some think a tablet is just another device that has its own utility. Some think they spell the death of the personal computer as we've known them. And of course, every possible opinion in between.

I go with the historically safe play. They're quite handy for some things, worthless for others, and what they're used for will change over time.

I don't much care what anyone thinks of me using one. At least, no more than I care what someone thinks watching me use a wrench.

"gift to myself"

[ThatsMyNick]

Do you also gift wrap it and keep it a surprise till Christmas?

Re:"gift to myself"

[Anonymous Coward]

We're here at Slashdot. We've replaced ThatsMyNick's funny comment with one that makes it seem like he's being a total dick.

Let's see if anyone can tell the difference!

Google's cloud printing was intended for Android

[whereissue]

If you can access Google's cloud printing (you can) you're all set.
Free... so long as you don't mind sharing your data with Google (which you'd already be doing if you're using their cloud service).

I'm curious to see what better (faster!) ideas appear on this thread... There have to be better ways.
Or, at least, more interesting.

No printing sucks

[frisket]

It's crazy. My old N800 PDA could run CUPS, so i could print the PDFs I created with LaTeX on it. WTF are they thinking, not having printing on it? And why has no-one ported CUPS?

Re:No printing sucks

[Luckyo]

Because nokia's "tablets" were worker's machines. Modern tablets are toys. These have very different needs and were one of the major reasons why n-series of tablets was a very small niche product while modern tablets sell millions.

About Polaris

[Wasusa]

I know it's not your question, but just a warning on it. If you plan to send the documents to anyone, and they don't have office 2010 there are going to be issues. They'll be able to read the file in a shocking font if they open it something like openoffice or libreoffice, but there will be random characters at the start and end and the text won't be manipulable.

Re:WiFi enabled printer?

[Anonymous Coward]

You can do it via dropbox. See http://www.labnol.org/internet/print-from-mobile-phones/17827/

Check with the printer manufacturers

[Anonymous Coward]

I recently found out Brother has an app for printing from Android and IOS. Maybe the other printer manufacturers do too?

PrintBot works nicely for me

[gweilo8888]

I don't print a *lot* from my Android tablet, but I do occasionally. I've found PrintBot to work nicely:

https://market.android.com/details?id=net.jsecurity.printbot&hl=en

Note: I have no connection to the author, and haven't yet needed to try the paid version myself, so I refer to the (extremely restricted) free version.

Don't give in to masochism.

[Anonymous Coward]

iPads can do this without paying extra money for a printing app. If your printer isn't "AirPrint" compatible, just run this program once on the mac that shares it: http://download.cnet.com/AirPrint-Activator/3000-18487_4-75327225.html

Re:Don't give in to masochism.

[scdeimos]

You forgot "... and twice the battery life."

PrinterShare

[roc97007]

I use PrinterShare. It requires a service running on a Windows box, but you can print through the service to a printer from outside the network, which means I can print to my home computer (for instance) from anywhere in the world I can get signal. Available from android store. Not affiliated, just a user.

Best Way To Print From an Android Tablet?

[Jeremiah Cornelius]

Use it to order a real computer from the Amazon site. :-)

I have an idea

[jon3k]

Instead of trying to figure out how to print, how about, in 2011, we figure out how to NOT PRINT?????

I know, I'm boring

[udippel]

and yet, I say it up and down, everywhere: I'll buy the first tablet that runs Debian natively (make that Ubuntu, or anything like that). I buy a tablet, price doesn't matter too much, the day I can install some Linux-Distro on it (please, spare all of the us the 'Android-is-Linux' nonsense comments). I don't need coolness, I am cool. I need OpenOffice on my tablet, no Google-Docs, and I need printing. Not a single Cent for some app, no new printer. CUPS is on any reasonable Linux-Distro, and that's what I am waiting for.
Thanks to the original submitter. I was almost tempted to buy a tablet today, despite of all my good intentions as above. I didn't even consider I would not be able to print. Now I know that I am not going to buy a tablet for the time being.

Re:I know, I'm boring

[gnarlyc]

You should be able to mount an image with Debian on it and chroot into it on pretty much any Android device. Or create a separate partition on the SDcard just for Debian. (That's what I do on my D1.) It works pretty well even on an older device if you don't require a fancy desktop like KDE or Gnome. I just use bash mostly. I would imagine it works much better on a newer device with a 'large' screen like a tablet has. Rock on.

Re:I know, I'm boring

[Anonymous Coward]

Many Archos tablets can be setup to dual boot with Android and Armstrong Linux (a full fledge desktop Linux). This isn't some hack, it is supported by the manufacturers.

I have a Archos tablet which is 4.3 inches and I can plug it to my computer monitor through mini-HDMI, use a full sized Blutooth keyboard and mouse and boot a full desktop Linux on it.

Re:Do you want life to suck or not?

[Luckyo]

A far easier solution is that instead of having to buy new hardware every time a problem long solved in PC world comes up, you buy a PC.

You'll save on device itself, then you'll save on both money needed to buy new hardware that is at least somewhat compatible, as well as time needed to fuck around with this new hardware until it starts to actually work as intended.

Brother Printer

[C_Kode]

I have a Brother Printer and Brother has an iOS and Android app for printing. So far it has worked flawlessly.

cloud print has been spotty for me so far

[KowboyKrash]

as for those who are asking why I would replace my laptop with a tablet here are just a few my my reasons; Battery life, greater portability, simplicity (most of my needs are web based). I am not completely eliminating my laptop from the mix I just ordered a new battery and will be setting it up as a media pc connected to my Living room tv. on the rare occasion I will need to lug a real computer someplace I still can. what about a way to add fonts to android with out rooting?

Old laptop with dead battery = fine print server

[billstewart]

Maybe he doesn't have a dedicated workstation at home, but he's about to have a spare laptop that's more than fast enough to be a print server, and the dead battery won't matter if it's plugged in all the time.

Re:You won't like this, but...

[wzinc]

No, it goes like this: Buy Transformer, be disappointed, return it, and buy iPad.

Re:Do you want life to suck or not?

[SuperKendall]

This is why a new tablet should not disallow you from using your old printer.

It doesn't. I could have easily. But remember the part about not sucking? The old printer worked OK, sure, but it relied on the computer working and then the print server working too. Now I'm done with it all, if all computers in the house are dead or toast or whatever it just doesn't matter - nor does the printer have to be BY a computer, and even greater advantage.

No, not really.

Sorry but you are utterly delusional. It makes life 100x easier for the casual home computer network tech guy. I have configured linux print servers of various sorts and flavors for years before I bought the WiFi printer, so it's not like I cannot configure them - they just suck, and in practice are brittle enough that family members have trouble using such things.

It's funny that you make excuses for this tablet nonsense while droning on about "how stuff should be useful"

What's even funnier is your idiotic technical claptrap about how awesome it is you can hook an old printer that doesn't work very well to a PC you also have to maintain. AWESOME!

I'll be out skiing while you set that up. Or even better yet ,working on some awesome program, which is 100000x more valuable to humanity than being another monkey who can manage a print server.

Re:Bad idea from the start

[LodCrappo]

I am speaking from the experience after mgmt decided our IT dept must deploy iPads to 300+ mid level types company wide earlier this year.

For about a month, iPads at every meeting, out on every roadwarrior's trip (and dropped a few times, oops), always seen on desks in the office, etc.

Today... they live in drawers, under stacks of paperwork, "i forgot it at home". haven't seen anyone carry one into a conference room in recent memory.

And guess what our first major purchasing request of fiscal year 2012 is?

250 new laptops.

Go figure.

Re:HP and Brother Apps

[Barryke]

Both HP and Brother have android apps which will print to their wireless printers.

The HP ePrint printers require you to have your printer connected to the internet, hand out its control to HP, then signup your Andoid device using your Google Account, and then prints your private documents ... YES via HP ... over the internet!

Thats a no-no for me, i want to print from my Android to my HP Printer via the local WiFi. It should be possible.
I will try the ePrint app, as i understand from the android market it does work this way.

Follow these steps (no app download required)

[w0mprat]

(These notes taken from a notepad I have titled "My computer illiterate boss once did:")
1. Take a photo of the iPad screen.
2. Connect camera to a Laptop and download photo.
3. Connect laptop to the LAN, email the photo to your desktop PC
4. Go to your PC from your PC open the photo in the viewer.
5. Copy the photo. Paste it into a word document.
6. Print the word document. Your done.
7. Optional step: Fax it to the intended recipient, or if the printer/scanner has a scan-to-email function use that.

I hope this helps you. This kind of thing certainly helped people my former workplace at least feel productive.