Zack Mahdavi
07-16-2004, 05:30 PM
<img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/mahdavi-jun04-activeprint-0.gif" /><br /><br /><b>Product Category:</b> Print software, Printers, Mobile Printing<br /><b>Manufacturer:</b> <a href="http://www.pocketwatchsoftware.com/">Pocket Watch Software</a><br /><b>Where to Buy:</b> <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore//PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&jid=8462D51C3F4499FC22AF39BE1BA419B3&platformId=2&productType=2&productId=74913&sectionId=0&catalog=30">Handango</a> [Affiliate]<br /><b>Price:</b> $39.99 USD<br /><b>System Requirements:</b><br />Pocket PC Requirements: Pocket PC 2002 or Windows Mobile 2003, 1MB storage space on main memory<br />Desktop requirements: Windows XP, 450 Mhz processor, 64MB of RAM, ActiveSync 3.5, and a printer!<br /><br /><b>Pros:</b><li>Makes printing documents to a printer easy and automatic;<br /><li>Supports many different file formats;<br /><li>Cheaper than purchasing an Ethernet or Bluetooth printer;<br /><li>Useful printing options (such as setting the number of copies, print quality, and page orientation).<br /><b>Cons:</b><li>Some file extensions had trouble printing.<br /><b>Summary:</b><br />ActivePrint 3.0 is a very easy and elegant way to print files from your Pocket PC. All you need is a Windows XP machine and a printer. ActivePrint allows you to queue documents for printing from your Pocket PC. When you return to your computer, just plug your Pocket PC into the dock, and watch your printer print your documents. It’s almost magical!<br /><br />Read on for the full review!<!><br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><span><b>Overview</b></span><br />Pocket Watch Software is targeting ActivePrint for the busy, connected individual who prints documents frequently. Unfortunately, we’re not always by our computer, so documents and attachments that need to be printed are often forgotten. ActivePrint provides you with a printer queue on your Pocket PC. With ActivePrint, you're able to queue documents for printing at any time. The document will be printed later when you synchronize with your PC. <br /><br /><span><b>Installation</b></span><br />Installating ActiveSync takes no longer than three minutes. It consists of two main steps: selecting the file types you want to be able to print and selecting the printers you want to print to. ActivePrint runs a server in your task tray. The server is what you use to adjust printers and settings. <br /><br />Setting up file types is easy. ActivePrint scans your computer for all supported file types. It then presents a list of file types that are available for printing from your Pocket PC. You then select the file types you want. Then, ActivePrint syncs this information with your Pocket PC. I had never heard of some of the file types, and the documentation does not mention what programs the file types relate to. It would be nice if the documentation had a list of the available file types and the programs they relate to. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/mahdavi-jun04-activeprint-1.jpg" /><br /><i>Figure 1: ActivePrint searches your computer for its 60 compatible file types.</i><br /><br />The next step is selecting the printers you want to print with. The printer can be a remote share or be directly attached to your computer. You can even select a default printer to automatically print documents. After you have selected the printers, the information is then synced with your Pocket PC.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/mahdavi-jun04-activeprint-2.jpg" /><br /><i>Figure 2: Set which printers you'd like to print with using ActivePrint.</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/mahdavi-jun04-activeprint-3.jpg" /><br /><i>Figure 3: ActivePrint Server is your destination for tweaking settings and managing printers.</i><br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><span><b>Print Queue</b></span><br />ActivePrint installs a small program on your Pocket PC, which must be installed in your main memory. When you first start up the program, you’re presented with a very simple interface.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/mahdavi-jun04-activeprint-4.gif" /><br /><i>Figure 4: The interface is simple, which makes navigating around ActivePrint quick and easy.</i><br /><br />The most important menu is the “File” menu. You can add files to your print queue by selecting “Choose File”. The “Type” drop down box stores a listing of the file types you selected during the ActivePrint installation. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/mahdavi-jun04-activeprint-5.gif" /><br /><i>Figure 5: These are the file types I selected to print with.</i><br /><br />As an example, I’m in the mood for printing some driving directions I saved using Mapopolis. To print the directions, you need to select the “html” file type. Then you can add the file to your queue. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/mahdavi-jun04-activeprint-6.gif" /><br /><i>Figure 6: My Mapopolis directions are now queued for printing.</i><br /><br />At this point, you can change the print setting for the file by clicking “Choose Printer” in the “Printer” menu. You are given several useful options. I am glad Pocket Watch thought to include this feature with their program. I have found it to be very handy many times. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/mahdavi-jun04-activeprint-7.gif" /><br /><i>Figure 7: You can edit a number of options in the "Choose Printer" dialog box.</i><br /><br /><span><b>Printing</b></span><br />To print your document, you need to set up an Activesync session. This could be a remote network session, a Bluetooth session, or even a regular USB session. Once the ActiveSync session is established, ActivePrint starts printing each document by launching the default desktop program that corresponds to the document’s file type. It then tells the program to print. Once the print is complete, the document is closed. The whole process was extremely simple. <br /><br />On the down side, some file formats did not print at all. However, the kind folks at Pocket Watch Software resolved my file format problems within 24 hours. Their support and patience with my requests was definitely world-class. <br /><br /><span><b>Competition & Pricing</b></span><br />HP offers a free Mobile Printing solution for Pocket PCs, but their software only supports Ethernet and Bluetooth printers. Buying the right adapters or printers to enable network printing can cost easily $150 or more. ActivePrint 3.0 allows you to print to any printer, even a printer that is physically connected to your computer. I think that alone justifies the somewhat high $39.99 price. In addition, ActivePrint is built for the future; Pocket Watch Software just announced Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition support for ActivePrint. <br /><br /><span><b>Conclusion</b></span><br />The ease of use of ActivePrint and top-notch support from Pocket Watch justify the higher than usual price. I highly recommend this program for the mobile professional who's been looking for the ideal Pocket PC printing solution.