Daniel Eran DilgerSupport pages for iPad's Pages, Keynote, and Numbers apps each note that "printing directly from iPad is not currently available," rather than simply stating that the apps do not print.
For now, Apple directs users to send their documents to a desktop computer that can print them, either via email or using iPad's new File Sharing feature in iTunes.
The ability to print via Bluetooth or WiFi may likely be part of Apple's iPhone 4.0 announcement on Thursday. Apple could avoid the need to include the massive amounts of (often buggy) printer drivers used by Windows or Mac OS X by simply supporting a limited subset of printing options.
Other details related to iPad's new hardware, its new Human Interface Guidelines, and its new feature tweaks (and curious feature omissions) will be considered in tomorrow's "In-depth review of iPad and iPhone OS 3.2."
Mike Wuerthele
Malcolm Owen
Andrew O'Hara
Mike Wuerthele and Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
William Gallagher
85 Comments
Yeah! Just what I was thinking of today. When I get my iPad this will be important.
As soon as the new Ubuntu comes out I'm dual booting my HP computer because I'm tired of Vista. Having print support means I won't need to turn on my desktop computer, send myself an e-mail and then use Vista to print things. I'm sure Ubuntu will have all the drivers I'll need for printing, but at first I might not have the right one. I'll be able to print things immediately. I'll be getting my iPad sometime in June so the new OS might be out by then.
I'm not a developer (or even a power user), so please forgive me if this is a stupid question.
Is it possible that Apple will be treating the printer driver as a second app? Perhaps one that detects the printer, loads the driver then prints the document.
If so, perhaps they need to wait for iPhone OS 4 so that other apps will be able to take advantage of it.
I'm not a developer (or even a power user), so please forgive me if this is a stupid question.
Is it possible that Apple will be treating the printer driver as a second app? Perhaps one that detects the printer, loads the driver then prints the document.
If so, perhaps they need to wait for iPhone OS 4 so that other apps will be able to take advantage of it.
What's that old saying, 'The only stupid question is the one that is not asked.' or is it 'There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers!' and since I am not a developer and would be of no help answering any computer question with the slightest degree of technicality, I'll save my stupid answer to myself.
I'm particularly excited about iAd myself. Think about this: a running ad bar service is that is on the top or bottom of the iDevice (lord knows that there's plenty of space on the iPad), constantly letting you know about other apps that are similar to ones you've bought previously. That's pretty cool.
You could take it further and have the entire background have 3-D ads, kind of like the city in Blade Runner or MInority Report. It would be like having the future RIGHT IN YOUR HANDS.
And then I suppose you could take it even further by looking at that giant app database, or your 3G cellphone data tower, or whatever, and start putting in regular click ads into the mix that are targeted specifically to you based on your demographics. No more having stupid mortgage ads constantly pop up on web pages that don't interest me! Just like Minority Report, again.
The future is a wonderful place.
I was wondering what that was all about - Apple hasn't had much love for Bonjour of late, but just last week they pushed out the update.