Google Cloud Print Review

Watch this short video made by DetroitBORG to know more about Google Cloud Print. :)

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Getting Started with Google Cloud Print

Cloud Print is Google technology. It makes printing easier and more accessible by allowing users to access internet-connected printers using any computer or mobile devices. So far, only HP's ePrint line printers are cloud-ready, but other printers can be used for cloud-printing via the Google Cloud Print connector available in Google Chrome. Any Windows-based or Mac-based computer can then access the "cloud" through the internet. HP's ePrinters do not need any further configurations to work with Google Cloud Print; users are only required to submit their email address to the company for activation. For classic printers to work, users just need to install the Google Cloud Print connector in Google Chrome. Read my article on How to Set-up Google Cloud Print to know more about this.

Printing has never been his easy. With Google Cloud Print, users can print using all different devices on the Android and iOS platforms. Direct wireless printing using Chrome OS, mobile Gmail and Google Docs application are also made easier. Chromebook users are even more fortunate.

Another unique feature of Cloud Print is cloud-queuing. Users can put the files which they want to print in the Google Cloud and access those files anytime they want. This is extremely useful when the printer is offline or when the internet connection is down. The user can also choose to have the printer ready whenever the internet connection is back. When set as such, the printer will automatically download the files and get the print job done.

Cloud Print is also designed to "remember" print requests, thus even after your user account is logged out, all the printing requests that you have made will be saved and Google Cloud Print will automatically pick up where you stopped once you log back in.

The best thing about Google Cloud Print is its sharing option. Different users can share the same printer with virtually anybody who has a Google Account. Sharing Options are also easy to change anytime the user wants. Click here to learn more about Cloud Print Sharing Options. You can also add as many printers as you like and share all or selected printers to anyone you like.

You don't have to worry about restoring a deleted printer too. All the settings that you have for that printer, including the sharing options that you have set will be restored by simply re-connecting the printer to your Google Cloud Print Account.

You will also be pleased to know that despite how accessible and easy it is for Google Cloud Print to share printers, only you can see the printing jobs that you are doing. Your privacy is protected because Google Cloud Print retrieves files over https. But of course, Google will not be able to guard your files once the printer starts doing its job; it is still your responsibility to secure your printed files.

Like everything Google does, Chrome’s Google Cloud Print connector is also an open-source. Google provides an avenue for developers to make more and more printers cloud-ready. If you are interested, check out Google's Code Site for some information.

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