Smartphones are absolutely ingenious- we all know that! With an iPhone or BlackBerry, you can pretty much perform any task that you could possibly carry out with a desktop or laptop computer. However, there is one vital capability which smartphones lack in relation to their larger, computer cousins: that’s the ability to print! Of course, you can (sort of) print from a smartphone, but it’s a very laborious process: first you have to transfer whatever it is you wish to print onto a computer, and then you’ve got to print it off from there.

If you want to cut out the ‘middlemachine’ and make printing from your iPhone, BlackBerry, Android or Windows Mobile-based device quick and easy, you’re going to need one of the amazing apps explored below. Each performs a slightly different function, so be careful to choose the one that’s best suited to your needs. Some are free, others can be bought inexpensively, but all will save you lots of time and hassle in the long run.

1. MasterDoc

MasterDoc is an amazing BlackBerry app which offers a wide range of functions, one of which is remote printing. With MasterDoc, you can print calendar entries, contacts, photos, emails and attachments in any format, via Bluetooth or any mobile printer. MasterDoc also lets you view files of any extension, store and retrieve an unlimited number of documents online, and even fax documents to any fax machine in the world, without limits.

2. Brother MPrint

Brother offers a range of portable MPrint printers which can all be operated using any BlackBerry or Windows Mobile-based smartphone, via Bluetooth, providing you have the MPrint app installed. These tiny printers, no bigger than pocket notebooks, let you print anything from messages to tasks and calendar entries on A6 or A7 paper, depending on your MPrint printer model.

3. PrinterShare

PrinterShare has two distinct functions: first, Nearby Printing, which lets you print to Wi-Fi printers on your local area network without installing software on any computer; and second, Remote Printing, which lets you use any printer in the world that’s connected to the internet, so long as PrinterShare is installed on a connected computer. There are currently two versions of PrinterShare available: one for Android and another for iPhone.

4. JetCet Print

JetCet Print makes printing from any Windows Mobile-based phone very simple indeed. Print anything from documents to pictures, emails, attachments, contacts, appointments and web pages, via Bluetooth. All you need to do is add a printer, find the file you want, and press “print”- it’s as simple as that! It even lets you crop and edit pictures on your phone.

5. Air Photo

Air Photo lets you print photos from your iPhone- nothing more, nothing less. It won’t let you print any other type of image or document. Furthermore, you must download an app both onto your phone and onto the computer connected to the printer that you wish to use. While these might seem like significant drawbacks in relation to other more technical apps in this list, it means that Air Photo is particularly easy to operate.

6. Print n Share

Print n Share is yet another printing app for the iPhone. Unlike Air Photo, however, you can print emails, attachments, contacts, web pages and much more. With this fantastic app, you can use any printer in the world, providing you’ve made it accessible via Print n Share’s free sister programme WePrint.

7. ActivePrint Traveler

ActivePrint Traveler, compatible only with the iPhone, lets you print anything, anywhere, in just 4 easy steps. One- take a photo or select the document you wish to print; two- using your wireless internet connection, upload it to the app’s server; three- run the Active Print Traveler Helper on the computer you wish to print from (it can be carried on a USB stick); four- print away to your heart’s content.

8. Remote Print

With Remote Print, you can print anything you can print on your PC, on your BlackBerry. Download the Remote Print app onto both your phone and your computer to print documents or simply transfer files, wirelessly, between the two. Once set up, you can print to any printer installed on your PC. You can install Remote Print on as many computers as you like and connect to all of them. Unfortunately, Remote Print’s unavailable for Mac as yet.

9. CloudPrint

Designed by RIM in conjunction with HP, CloudPrint is so new; it’s not even out yet! Nevertheless, it promises to revolutionise the way BlackBerry users print from their mobiles. With this great app, you can print emails, documents, photos and web pages, wherever you are, simply by uploading them onto The Cloud (CloudPrint’s server) and pressing print. CloudPrint is driverless and compatible with any printer: two distinct advantages over rival apps.

10. CyPria

CyPria is a remote printing app which works on any Android-powered mobile phone. It lets you print pictures taken with your phone’s camera, photos in your gallery, or notepad text on any Wi-Fi connected ESC/P-R supported Epson printer. Use CyPria’s Index Printing to print multiple images onto one piece of paper or CyPria’s CD/DVD Label Lite to print text and images onto CDs or DVDs. CyPria automatically detects compatible printers, which is great, but only being compatible with Epson printers is a major drawback.

About the Author

Tom Walker is a writer with a thirst for knowledge and a passion for all things technological. When he’s not researching new gadgets, Tom writes about print design and art for a leading supplier of HP toner called Cartridge Save, based in the northern English city of Manchester.