iPad/iPhone Printing Solutions

[fredtgreco]

I am looking for easier ways to print from my iPad and iPhone. I understand about AirPrint, but I don't own a Mac (and won't be buying one, so please don't attempt to "solve" my problem by asking me to spend $1000+ ). There is a Windows workaround with AirPrint, but you still have to have a computer on and connected running an AirPrint program.

I don't know if this is possible, but I would like to be able to print to any network (or wifi) printer that is on the same network as my iPad or iPhone.

What apps should I look at? Personal experience would be best, I'm not asking you to Google for me.

 

[rbcbob]

 

[MLCOPE2]

This app should do all that you need. It is not free ($8.99) but it is worth it. I would recommend it.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Thanks Michael! I was just wondering the same.

I really hope that Google Cloud print improves to the point where it can be a viable printing option for any app.

 

[fredtgreco]

I am looking at this, for an iPad and iPhone solution:
PrintBureau for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

Here's the matrix of this company's products:
Best iPhone and iPad Printing App

Are there other alternatives?

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Print Bureau looks more comprehensive. Let me know if you find anything better. It supports Google cloud print so that's sweet.

 

[MLCOPE2]

I really hope that Google Cloud print improves to the point where it can be a viable printing option for any app.

That will only be if apple and google continue to play nice together.

 

[fredtgreco]

OK, can someone here please explain to me the difference between PDL and IPP print protocols?

 

[Semper Fidelis]

I'm curious Fred. Why do you need to know? Wikipedia defines the protocols as to what they do. Looks like IPP is a protocol that permits printing over IP routed networks.

PDL is not a protocol but stands for Page Description Language is binary data that describes the appearance of a printed page. Postscript is an example of a PDL. Here's a helpful description:


"...a Page Description Language defines a true computer programming language which is specifically designed to create and modify both text and graphic images, with full equality on a page at any resolution and in any color or density! Instead of sending raw text to the printer, a POSTSCRIPT program is created and sent to the printer. A specialized computer within the printer running a POSTSCRIPT interpreter program runs the supplied program to create the requested page image. The printer's drawing engine (the machinery that puts the black toner on the paper), then takes the image and draws it on the page. This is a quite different concept from formatting the page image on the host computer. It alleviates computer applications from worrying about creating page images since the image creation is actually done by the printer."

Depending on what feature you're reading about, my guess is that the program supports the use of IPP to pass PDL across a network. The IPP would be the protocol that supports the reliable transfer of printing data in the form that a PDL could use.

 

[fredtgreco]

I only ask because Print Bureau gives me multiple options of printers to use. So for each of the printers in my office, I need to select either PDL or IPP. I did not know which was the best to choose.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Oh...my guess is that most will be PDL. If they are network-ready printers then they probably support IPP.