Printer in Your Pocket?

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1033-962358.html">http://news.com.com/2100-1033-962358.html</a><br /><br />"Hewlett-Packard on Wednesday unveiled software that allows wireless devices to print documents such as e-mails or e-mail attachments. The new software allows mobile devices to print e-mails or e-mail attachments, such as PDF files or Word documents, from a printer connected to a corporate network. Hotels that cater to business travelers, such as Hyatt Hotels, plan to use the technology on a trial basis, Joshi said."<br /><br />The software will work on Pocket PC 2002 and RIM Blackberry devices and some cell phones, mostly those by Sony-Ericsson. They are also working on a Palm version The software itself is free but it seems there is a server component that is necessary an the licensing starts at $35 per user per year and drops with volume discounts. If that is the case, this doesn't make much sense to me - how mobile can it be if the server has to have software installed?

[Andy Sjostrom]

If that is the case, this doesn't make much sense to me - how mobile can it be if the server has to have software installed?

Cutting the chords most often requires installing server software: Mobile Information Server, database middleware, remote server management, etc. For example, the Pocket PC Terminal Services client wouldn't be worth much if there weren't a server running Terminal Services, or the Inbox wouldn't do much good if there wasn't a POP3/IMAP server somewhere to serve it. It is great that more and more server software that extends remote printing becomes available!

[Ed Hansberry]

Agreed, but this only becomes useful if the server component is ubiquitious. Mobile Info Server is of little value to the vast majority of PPC users because it is a separate install and a separate server. MS is rectifying this with Exchange 2003 by integrating it. Terminal Server is of great value because most corporations deploying XP deploy XP Pro which has the TS/Remote Desktop component and TS is integrated into Windows 2000 server and above.

If this is a separate server component, what are the odds you can walk into Company X or Customer Y's office and they will have it installed? Not very high. :? People complain about MS and their quest to integrate more and more into the server and desktop products. This could be a prime example of why MS's strategy in that regard makes total sense for end user satisfaction.

[Andy Sjostrom]

I believe this is geared towards very large enterprise companies. The odds that IT dept has standardized on a software like this is pretty big.

So, one scenario is user visits subsidiary and uses local infrastructure. Another scenario is user visits client and uses remote infrastructe. For example, sends sales order to remote printer. (I know... pretty far fetched knowing that it would make more sense to send the sales order to the sales system...)

[timwells]

Ed, the mobile enterprise printing (that requires server connectivity) is just one part of the HP strategy (pervasive printing). On Wednesday at CTIA they also announced hp mobile printing for the Pocket PC which contains a "direct" printing component. By direct printing, I mean that you can print PIM, Email, Pocket Word documents and Images directly to an IR or Bluetooth "connected" printer. My company, WESTTEK, will also introduce hp mobile printing plug-ins for our ClearVue viewers that will enable you to print any of our formats, PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint also to a IR or BT enabled printer.

[Larry L]

"direct" printing component

Does this sound or act like a print driver.

I have a HP350 printer with infrared adapter.

I have never purchased any of the commercial print drivers out their.
I have always believed that basic print drivers should be Part of the operating system.
I have refused to pay $40 for a print driver. I have many complicated programs, I have purchased for my PocketPC. None have cost as much as the print drivers out their. If their were a print drive out there, for &lt;$5.00 I would buy it, and donate the remaining $35.00 to chairity.

[GO-TRIBE]

I think we may be misinterpreting HP's statement. It sounds to me as if the software will allow Pocket PCs to print via IR (etc.) directly to printers. The server software would be for Blackberry and cell phones to print in an enterprise situation.