Till now, HP has held a huge advantage over its printer rivals when it comes to printing from the iPad — because even though rivals have made strides with their own apps (like Epson’s slick iPrint app) HP’s printers remain the only ones with AirPrint, which is tied directly to iOS and allows printing from within apps, without having to use an intermediary app (eg iPrint).
But that’s all changed with todays unveiling of the Lantronix xPrintServer, a $150 plug-n-play box that gives any printer AirPlay connectivity.
That means any printer, no matter the make — and even those without native wifi capability — can be turned into an AirPrint-enabled wifi printer just by connecting it to the iPhone-sized xPrintServer. It’s not available yet, but should ship early next year and can be pre-ordered from the company’s website.
Here’s the press release. Oh, and check this clip. It isn’t super informative, but it’s funny, especially the parts with the IT guy, who bears a striking resemblance to our own Adam Rosen.
