How to print an email or picture that's on my smartphone

With smartphones often substituting for computers by allowing people access to email, the Internet and important work documents, it seems inevitable people would want to print from their smartphones. However, most smartphones don't come equipped with the necessary apps to print photos and emails, and
many printers aren't compatible with the typical Wi-Fi or
Bluetooth communication tools found on smartphones. Despite this, print options are available for any smartphone owner, regardless of the type of printer you own. Some allow you to print only to your home or work printer, while others allow you to access any nearby compatible printer through a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Register for a cloud-printing program, such as Google Cloud Print or Cortado, on your computer. Google Cloud Print allows you to print from your Gmail or Google Docs account by logging into Google Chrome on a computer that's connected to a printer. Click the wrench icon in the toolbar and choose "Options" from the drop-down menu. Click on the "Under the Bonnet" tab and select "Sign in to Google Cloud Print." Enter your Gmail or Google account username and password to sign in. Open your Gmail app or navigate to your Google Docs account on your BlackBerry, iPhone or Android-powered phone and choose "Print" from the drop-down arrow.

     Cortado works with Android, BlackBerry, iPhone and Windows Mobile phones. After you download the app on your phone, you can print to any compatible nearby printer with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth capabilities. Open a document on your phone and select "Print." Choose a nearby printer and select the correct printer driver from a list provided by Cortado to ensure the document prints correctly.
   • 2
     Download a program that connects your smartphone to a printer that is wired or networked to your computer, and download the corresponding app on your smartphone to print from your phone even when you're not close to the printer. This allows you to use printers that don't have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth capabilities by connecting through your computer. Some apps, such as PrinterShare for the iPhone and Android and BreezyPrint, which works with Android, iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile, provide the option to print to the printer connected to your computer or connect with networked printers closer to your current location. Some of these programs are printer-manufacturer specific, such as the HP iPrint Photo, which works with Android, Windows Mobile and iPhone smartphones; and Brother iPrint and Scan for Android devices.
   • 3
     Connect a Web-enabled printer to the Internet through an Ethernet cable or wireless network. HP is the pioneer of this idea with several compatible printer models. Enable the HP printer's ePrint function using the printer's user interface, and record the printer's unique email address. Refer to your user manual for the specific instructions for enabling ePrint on your particular printer model. To print from your smartphone, email the document from your phone to the printer's email address. The printer prints the email and all attachments. Because no computer must be connected to the printer, this is a clever tool to send photos or letters to family and friends who live far away; ask them for their HP printer's email address and stay connected by printing directly to their printer.

     
     
     
     
     
     

     Things You'll Need

     
     

     • Cloud account
     • Printing app
     • Web-enabled printer