Category: "Projects"

Networked in-vehicle printer and WiFi

We just finished setting up a network printer in a car!  One of our clients is a busy executive that spends a lot of time in the car during a regular work-day.  His assistant needed a way to get hard-copies of documents to him while he was away from the office, so we came up with a plan to make this possible using some cool technology.

The printer we chose was an HP ENVY 100 because it had two features we needed: built-in WiFi for networking and it’s ePrint-enabled, so print jobs can be emailed directly to the printer.  To allow remote printing on-the-go, we used an Autonet Mobile modem to turn the car into a rolling WiFi hotspot.  Autonet Mobile specializes in 3G modems that are designed to be installed in your car; they’re being factory-installed by GM, Chrysler, Subaru, Volkswagen, and other manufacturers.  The CarFi modem that we used includes a docking station that allows the modem to be transferred between different vehicles.

The printer is powered by an inverter hidden in the trunk and as soon as the car starts, the printer and modem both come online automatically.  The modem connects to the internet via a 3G data network the same as many cellular providers use; it then creates a WiFi network that the printer automatically recognizes and connects to.  Once connected, documents can be emailed directly to the printer from anywhere and from any device.  HP also provides an ePrint Center that allows the printer and print jobs to be monitored in real time from a web browser.  These two devices work beautifully in conjunction.

The entire solution can be purchased on Amazon and installed in just a few days. Click to see the items you’ll need. “>

Print by email

HP’s new ePrint line of printers allow you to print wirelessly from anywhere you have email access.  Each ePrint-enabled HP printer comes with a unique email address specific to your printer.  When you want to print, simply send an email to that unique email address with an attachment of the document or photo you wish to print.  Your attachment and the body of your email will then be received by your printer and printed on separate pages.  It’s that simple.  There are no drivers or software to install and configure, and emails can be sent to the printer from any of your devices, including your cell phone.  HP’s ePrint servers handle all the dirty work, detecting your printer model, selecting the appropriate driver, and sending data that your printer can understand.  This could be a great solution to get documents to your office while you’re on the go, send photos directly to friends and family, or maybe just an easy way to send a personalized message to someone special.

We’re installing these great new devices and the feedback has been positive. We’re even putting them in cars with a wifi mobile card so you can receive documents in the car!

Volunteering via Twitter

Recently one morning I was driving around Santa Monica, feeling grateful for all the wonderful things that have happened to me since relocating from the Midwest. I felt a strong urge to find a way to give back to the community in some way. I thought there might be an organization that I could do a project for and wondered how I might find the right opportunity. Little did I know that the opportunity would find me via Twitter.