Hot Topics In The Mobile Computing Industry

Wireless Printing

Wireless printing allows you to print your documents, letters, presentations, product brochures, marketing material from anywhere and anytime while you are away from a fixed location. Following situations are pretty good examples where wireless printing might be useful:

1. You are at the airport lounge and want to print a document that you received from your lawyer. You can direct that to a local Bluetooth-connected printer.

2. You are a sales person and want to send a price list or a product specification while you are on the road and are answering a call from your customer. By bringing up a specialized wireless printing software on your handheld device, you can issue a command and send a printable file to a network printer that is connected to a Internet-enabled server or a PC with a unique IP address.

3. You are traveling on the highway and enjoying coffee at Star Bucks. You download a map to your next appointment into your handheld and want to print it on a printer available at Star Bucks. There is a small fee to print but you feel that it is worth carrying a printed map for quick reference in the car.

What Technology Components Makes It Happen?

• Bluetooth-enablement of your handheld, if you want to connect to a local printer

• Specialized wireless printing software that directs the file to a remote web-enabled printer

• Wireless Printing portal service that keeps track of printers available at hot spots and other public/private locations, including customer's offices 

Issues

• Need for Blue-tooth-enabled devices

• Support and availability of hot printers at hot spots (airports, coffee shops, plaza, business centers) is still not there (3Qtr 2001)

Vendors & Products

• Retrieval Dynamics with specialized software

• HP with its smart-print technology

Related Resources 
Do a keyword search with "Wireless Printing" on our home page . Here are some results from a previous search:

Retrieval Dynamics Releases Wireless Printing and Fulfillment Service

Abstract: News Issue #2001-06 - February 2001 - This news item describes Retrieval Dynamic’s release of its wireless printing and fulfillment application, Qxprint.

HP Forms Alliances to Expand Mobility and the Internet

Abstract: News - November 2000 - This news item describes HP’s announcements to partner with Nokia, Palm, and Ericsson to expand the convergence of mobility and the Internet.

InnTechnology and Las Vegas Hotel Showcase Bluetooth Hospitality Service

Abstract: News - October 2000 - This news item describes InnTechnology’s announcement that it has partnered with The Venetian Resort-Hotel and other wireless vendors to showcase wireless guest amenities.

BlackBerry Users to Get Mobile Printing from HP

Abstract: News Issue #2001-38 - September 2001 - This news item describes RIM’s announcement that it has partnered with HP to bring mobile printing functions to BlackBerry users.

Date When This Page was Published - October 2001