Google Launches Beta for Mobile Cloud Printing from Gmail and Google Docs

In April 2010, Google introduced its Google Cloud Print, a mobile printing service that enables users to print from any application, operating system and Web browser without needing to install software, so that, for instance, users can print from smartphones.  Monday, the company announced the beta launch of Google Cloud Print for printing documents from Google Docs and Gmail e-mail accounts.

To begin, you must connect your printer to Google Cloud Print. This step requires a Windows PC for now, but Google says Linux and Apple Mac support are coming soon. For more, visit the Google Cloud Print help center.

Here’s how it works: open a document in Google Docs or an e-mail message in Gmail in your mobile browser, and choose Print from the dropdown menu in the top right corner. You can also print certain kinds of e-mail attachments (such as an Adobe PDF and .doc files) by selecting the Print link that appears next to them.

 

The new capability is available for English speaking users in the United States, and will work on most phones that support HTML5, such as devices running Android 2.1+ and iOS 3+.