So I've taken a look around and here's a list of printers that fit the mobile category and that operate in AdHoc mode - you can use the instructions I posted on how to set up the iPad to talk to the H470 as a base for your new printer ... the steps will be different for the printer, but the iPad steps are still relevant and the general principles are all the same.
So, onto battery-operated mobile printers that can operate in an AdHoc wireless network and with which you can print on the road:
- HP Deskjet 460CB Mobile Printer with Battery Included
- for this, you'll also need the WiFi Dongle (CB001AA2L - HP 802.11g Printer Card
)
And ... that's pretty much it I'm afraid, which I'm frankly amazed at. The two HP Deskjets (the 460 I've listed above and the H470 I own and have written about in previous posts) look to be the only truly mobile printers that appear viable for mobile printing on an iPad.
If you find something else that fits the bill (battery-operated with WiFi connectivity in AdHoc mode) then please let me know - and if I see any more, I'll be sure to update this post.
In the meantime - either check the links above for the 460 and dongle, find yourself a H470 (and WiFi dongle) or search Amazon for battery wifi printers and see what's available.
Good luck!
Keith
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I've found that these models have a battery life issue. I've purchased 3. 1 from HP and 2 from Amazon sellers priced from a whopping $80 to a low of $15 and they all hold a charge 2 pages of printing. I use the power cord at this point.
ReplyDeleteThat's a real shame and looks like terrible bad luck ... I have absolutely no problem with battery life at all - mine is normally left plugged into the mains and I take it out with me to gigs and rehearsals. I've left it off the power for days at a time before though and it's still good for everything I can throw at it. Mine was a 2nd hand me off eBay too (a H470) ...
ReplyDeletegreat post, thank you! Since I don't need battery operated printer, but rather just small size (needs to fit into carryon luggage), do you think something like this would work also? I've never had a Canon printer, so I am unsure if it can be tweaked...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Canon-BJC-80-Portable-Printer/dp/B00000JFKT/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359943189&sr=1-10&keywords=wifi+printer+portable
Thanks! Will be sure to purchase anything via your referral link, no worries.
If one doesn't mind shelling out an extra hundred bucks, this device lets you print to any USB or network printer:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lantronix.com/it-management/xprintserver/xprintserver.html
It's tiny, like two iPhones thick. Widens the choice of printers quite a bit. :)
hmmn, interesting about the battery life
ReplyDeleteanybody tried the brother rj4040 and print n share, heard its good