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Technology giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) HP announced mobile print capabilities designed to help small to medium-size businesses (SMBs) increase productivity.
The Color LaserJet Pro multifunction printer (MFP) M476 meets Mopria global certification standards for delivering wireless printing from smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
The MFP also offers productivity and workflow solutions, such as access to cloud business applications such as the company’s Flow CM Professional platform, Box and Google Drive.
Besides these embedded applications, the printer also features single-pass, two-sided scanning, and supports embedded printing for Google Android-based mobile devices.
In addition, the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) feature acts as an access control for guests, so that IT can set up user restrictions for scan, fax or copy functions.
“The expectation of today’s business customer is to print securely from any location or device,” George Brasher, vice president and general manager of HP’s worldwide laser printer business, said in a statement. “HP remains committed to delivering simple, secured mobile print solutions aimed to help customers solve the mobility challenge of working while in the office or on the go. With the addition of these new enterprise-grade mobility offerings, HP is helping SMBs increase productivity and workflow solutions, allowing them to be more productive in their businesses.”
HP’s lineup of devices for SMBs and enterprises is designed to help simplify the way customers can print through near-field communications (NFC) touch-to-print capabilities, wireless direct printing, and the company’s ePrint and AirPrint platforms.
HP was among the first companies to offer mobile printing accessories that enabled mobile printing for older printers. The ePrint platform was an early mobile print enablement working with any email capable device.
Later, HP launched its line of AirPrint-supported printers, enabling an embedded print solution for Apple iOS devices. HP also was the first to offer mobile printing accessories that enabled mobile printing for older printers.
Recent research indicates that by 2015, 41 percent of business smartphone users and 43 percent of business tablet users will print from their mobile devices, according to a February 2013 report from IT research firm IDC.
The percentage of users who printed from their mobile devices increased dramatically in 2012, and the percentage of those who do not print, and do not want to print, was projected to decline from almost 50 percent in 2012 to just 25 percent in 2015, according to the report.
HP is not the only company working on mobile printing technology: In January, machine-to-machine connectivity solutions specialist Lantronix announced the launch of its xPrintServer Cloud Print Edition mobile printing device.
The technology enables an organizations’ supported printers to print using cloud print technology from Android OS mobile devices, as well as any device running Google’s Chrome browser and Chrome operating system.
The xPrintServer Cloud Print Edition retails for $149.95 and is currently available for pre-order from Lantronix. The product will begin shipping on February 28, a company release said.