Google Cloud Print

Not to be confused with Google Print.
Google Cloud Print
Developer(s) Google
Initial release April 16, 2010 (2010-04-16)
Operating system Cross-platform (web-based application, with functionality built into Google Chrome[1])
Website google.com/cloudprint

Google Cloud Print is a Google service that was created to allow any Cloud-Print-aware application (web, desktop, mobile) on any device in the network cloud to print to any printer[2] – without Google having to create and maintain printing subsystems for all the hardware combinations of client devices and printers, and without the users having to install device drivers to the client,[2] but with documents being fully transmitted to Google.[3] Since July 23, 2013 it also allows printing from any Windows application, if Google Cloud Printer[4] is installed on the machine.[5]

Features

Integration with other Google products

Google Cloud Print integrates with the mobile versions of Gmail and Google Docs, allowing users to print from their mobile devices.[6] Google Cloud Print is listed as a printer option in the Print Preview page of Google's Web browser, Google Chrome, in Chrome 16 and higher.[7] "Legacy", also called "classic",[2][8] printers (those without cloud printing capabilities) are supported through a "Cloud Print Connector" integrated with Google Chrome versions 9 and higher.[9]

History

Google introduced Cloud Print in April 2010, as a future solution for printing from Chrome OS.[10] Then they made the design document and a preliminary version of the source code available.[11][12] Google Cloud Print reached beta stage on 25 January 2011.[13]

Applications can print through a web-based, common print dialog (web UI) or an API. The service then forwards the job to a printer registered to the service. Cloud Ready printers (which connect directly to the web and do not require a computer to set up[2][8]) can directly connect to Google Cloud Print. As legacy ("classic") printers cannot accept input from a cloud service, Google Chrome 9 contained a "Cloud Print Connector" – which allows printers that are plugged into a Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac, or Linux computer with Internet access to use Cloud Print while the connector is running in Google Chrome.[2][8][9]

Printing through Google Cloud Print from any instance of Google Chrome was enabled in Google Chrome 16.[7]

As of 14 December 2011, Google Cloud Print allows users to share printers[7] in a manner reminiscent of Google Docs.[14]

On July 23, 2013 Google updated the service to allow printing from any Windows application, if Google Cloud Printer[4] is installed on the machine.[5] Another new feature is Google Cloud Print Service, which can run as a Windows service so administrators can connect legacy printers to Google Cloud Print in their businesses.[5]

Google Cloud Print 2.0 adds support for local mode, which is similar in operation to AirPrint, unlike the original version, which requires both the printer and printing client to be connected to the Internet. Local mode uses a new discovery protocol, called Privet,[15] which uses Multicast DNS and DNS-SD for discovery and HTTPS for transmitting print jobs to the printer. Clients supporting this mode only list printers that are discoverable on the same subnet the device is connected to, and forget the printers once disconnected from that subnet.[16]

Privacy

Documents printed via Google Cloud Print are sent to Google's servers for transmission to the printer. Google explains, "Google also keeps a copy of each document you send for printing - but only for so long as the printing job is active and not complete. We have to do this to make sure your document gets printed. Once the job is complete, the document is deleted from our servers...Documents you send to print are your personal information and are kept strictly confidential. Google does not access the documents you print for any purpose other than to improve printing."[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Meyer, David (December 15, 2011). "Chrome browser gets full Cloud Print integration". ZDNet.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "What Is Google Cloud Print?", Code Labs, Google
  3. 1 2 "Google Cloud Print Help". Support.google.com. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
  4. 1 2 Google Cloud Print Download Page
  5. 1 2 3 Google Chrome Blog: Simpler printing from more places
  6. ↑ "Cloud printing on the go". Mobile Blog. Google. January 24, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 "Google Cloud Print picks up steam". Chrome Blog. Google. December 14, 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 "How it Works". Support. Google. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  9. 1 2 "Google Cloud Print, Now Available", Google Operating System (World Wide Web log), Google, December 2010
  10. ↑ "A New Approach to Printing", Blog, Chromium, April 2010
  11. ↑ "Issue 1566047: First cut of Cloud Print Proxy implementation", Code Review, Chromium
  12. ↑ "Google Cloud Print Answers Key Question for Google Chrome OS", eWeek
  13. ↑ "Nyomtatás a telefonunkról a Google Cloud Print segítségével", Android információs és hírportál (in Hungarian), HU
  14. ↑ How Does Google Cloud Print work?, Google
  15. ↑ "Privet". Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  16. ↑ "What is Google Cloud Print?". Retrieved 1 November 2015.
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