an inconvenient truth

You didn't need to exchange business cards! There's even an an app for that! Try "SnapDat" or just take a picture of the biz card! Paper-freedom has arrived! I'm sure that barcodes will replace money, cash, and credit cards soon!

There are two ways to look at this:

1) Apple never intends to provide printing because the expectation is that we'd email/sync the documents and print from our computer

2) Knowing version 4 of the OS is due out soon Apple didn't try to shoe horn it into the current OS which, as you know, was designed for the iPhone/touch where printing isn't such a big deal

I suspect version 2 is the case. If not, as there are 3rd party solutions available for the iPhone/touch I expect we'll see iPad versions soon.

You're right. You should be able to natively use any available networked printers. File sharing also needs to be improved. This device needs to be productive.

I just drove over to my school and downloaded PrintCentral from the app store and printed an excel sheet. It worked fine, took a minute for it to print but still printed.

hamiltonrrwatch wrote:
I think you may have meant the "many" printing Apps, Graham.

So you are an educator! Thank you for correcting his typo - very helpful.

And yes, my job has a bearing on the situation. If you read my post in its entirety, Apple initially claimed that they were marketing this device to businessmen and educators. I am both.

Apple has no control over the capabilities of individual customers. Many businessmen and educators are able to use the iPad without difficulty.

I don't know of an educator that would buy a computing device that couldn't print to a network server.

Would that include iPhones? Blackberry's? Non-natively?

That's a basic functionality that should have been built in to the OS instead of having to download yet another App.

I agree and imagine it will come in time. However, in the meantime, there are apps, and using one should not pose much of an obstacle for what I imagine is the overwhelming majority of customers, educators and businessmen included. Perhaps printing apps might ultimately prove superior than native support for printing from a device like this.

hamiltonrrwatch wrote:
And if I'm not mistaken, they're also to educate us before we make a purchase so that we know what we're getting into.

You are mistaken ...."your Submission should either be a technical support question or a technical support answer" does not include shopping advice 😉

Apple initially claimed that they were marketing this device to businessmen and educators.

I have followed the iPad from that day it was announced. I am not familiar with this claim. Please back it up with links if it is true.

That's a basic functionality that should have been built in to the OS instead of having to download yet another App.

"There's an app for that!" Where have you been living the last few years? That is the business model of the iPhone, iPod and The App Store. The iPad is just a new member of the family. Printing is a very complicated functionality that would tie up GB of drivespace to accommodate all the brands and models around. It is a bit ingenious on Apple's part to leave that issue in the lap of the manufacturers. If they want folks with iPods/iPhones/iPads to buy their devices then they will develop a clean, simple app for these owners to use with their product.

Dah•veed

Actually I think the thread title is excellent - its attracts a lot of people with its intrigue and suggestions, but when they see its just a long whine about printing that doesn't bother them, they don't come back 😉

Remember what flies are attracted to - it doesn't mean its good 🙂

The hosts often keep unproductive but polite rant threads open just so people can waste electrons in a safe manner. 🙂. This thread seems to fit the bill.

hamiltonrrwatch wrote:

"Many businessmen and educators are able to use the iPad without difficulty."

Without difficulty as in they can point and pinch, but not print, MattiMattMatt

Cokeicee's response above should resolve your iPad printing problems.

If you are still confused about how to download apps to your iPad, you might consider scheduling an appointment at an Apple store for personalized support.