如果您还没有听说过Google 云打印(Google Cloud Print)，那就不足为奇了。尽管它自 2011 年以来就已经存在，但尚未被广泛使用。但是，这可能会在未来一年左右发生变化。与一些在春季大扫除(Spring cleaning)期间被封存的谷歌(Google)服务不同，谷歌云打印(Google Cloud Print)已经添加了越来越多的功能。
那么首先，什么是谷歌云打印(Google Cloud Print)？它基本上是用户将他们的打印机（有线或无线）连接到Internet并能够从世界任何地方的任何设备（网络、桌面、移动设备）进行打印的一种方式。谷歌云打印(Google Cloud Print)的好处在于您可以从设备打印，而无需在系统上安装任何打印机驱动程序。这可以节省大量的时间和精力(time and energy)。
例如，如果您购买了一台新的Windows PC并将其连接到您的网络，您通常必须找到当前打印机的驱动程序，加载软件并完成所有步骤才能将其安装在该 PC 上。现在通常只需要时间和大量的故障排除，它还会使用许多您不需要的额外打印机软件/工具减慢您的系统速度。从这里开始，我将其称为GCP。
使用GCP，您只需在Windows 机器(Windows machine)上安装Google 云打印机驱动程序(Google Cloud Printer Driver)，您现在就可以从任何程序直接打印到您在GCP中添加的任何打印机。那么GCP是世界上最伟大的东西吗？好吧，我将在下面解释一些注意事项和限制。
我可以从哪里打印？
GCP听起来不错，但您可能会问我实际上可以从哪里打印？嗯，这就是GCP在去年取得重大飞跃的地方。起初，您只能从Chrome OS、任何平台上的Google Chrome以及手机上的(Google Chrome)Gmail(platform and Gmail)和Google Docs打印。此列表的第一个增加是用于 Android 设备的 Google Play 商店中的云打印应用程序。(Cloud Print app in the Google Play Store)
使用此应用程序，用户可以将各种本地文件直接打印到GCP ，包括短信(SMS)聊天、图片、Facebook、Dropbox、Box、邮件(Mail)等。用户还可以通过应用程序管理(manage print)打印机、共享打印机、管理打印(manage print)作业等。截至目前，Apple App Store中还没有Cloud Print 应用(Cloud Print app)程序，但凭借 Google为 iOS 设备发布Google 应用程序的良好(Google apps)记录(track record)，我们很有可能很快看到Cloud Print进入 iPhone 和 iPads .
2013 年7 月 23(July 23rd)日，Google通过推出(Google)Google Cloud Print Driver真正让GCP变得更加有用。您可以将它安装在任何Windows 机器上(Windows machine)，它允许您在从任何Windows 应用程序打印时选择(Windows application)Google 云打印机(Google Cloud Printer)。
除了Print Driver之外，他们还发布了Google Cloud Print Service。云打印服务(Cloud Print Service)将作为Windows 服务(Windows service)运行，并可用于将较旧的旧打印机连接到GCP。打印服务(Print Service)更适合企业和学校。
最后，有一个与GCP一起使用并允许您从它们打印的应用程序的简短列表。(short list of apps)例如，在 iOS 上，您可以下载PrintCentral Pro，它可以让您从 iOS 设备将电子邮件、联系人、短信等打印到GCP。目前，谷歌(Google hasn)还没有发布Mac的(Mac)打印驱动程序(Print Driver)，但你可以下载一个名为Cloud Printer的应用程序，它的功能几乎相同。
现在您了解了当前可以从哪里打印，让我们看一下将打印机连接到GCP。
云打印就绪与(Cloud Print Ready vs) 经典(Classic)打印机
了解GCP的主要内容是如何将打印机连接到实际服务。GCP 世界(GCP world)中有两种类型的打印机：云就绪打印机和经典打印机(Cloud Ready and Classic Printers)。云(Cloud)就绪打印机是那些已经安装和配置了GCP 服务的打印机。(GCP service)这是迄今为止使用GCP的最佳方式，因为打印机实际上会通过您的网络向GCP 服务(GCP service)注册自身，并且始终可以进行打印。
Cloud Ready打印机的另一个优点是它们会通过Internet自动更新(Internet)固件和驱动程序(firmware and drivers)，因此您甚至不必担心。不幸的是，目前还没有很多支持GCP的打印机。您可以在此处查看完整的云就绪(Cloud Ready)打印机(Printers)列表：
https://www.google.com/cloudprint/learn/printers.html
如果您确实有其中列出的打印机之一，则可以单击提供的链接以使用GCP进行设置。您基本上只需在打印机上使用GCP注册您的(GCP)Google 电子邮件(Google email)地址。
接下来是经典打印机(Printers)。经典打印机(Printers)是大多数人在设置GCP时会使用的。经典打印机(Printers)是通过电缆直接连接到计算机的打印机或安装在机器上的无线打印机。(cable or wireless printers)任何可以从计算机打印到的打印机都可以添加到GCP(GCP regardless)，无论其连接方式如何。
现在， Cloud Ready(Cloud Ready)和 Classic 打印机之间的主要区别在于，要打印到任何 Classic 打印机，安装了打印机的计算机必须打开，并且您必须登录Google Chrome。如果您关闭计算机或(computer or log)退出Chrome并尝试打印到GCP，打印作业(print job)将简单地添加到打印队列(print queue)中。当计算机重新启动并登录Chrome时，将打印打印作业(print job)。
添加经典打印机
将经典打印机添加到GCP非常简单。首先(First)，转到已安装打印机的计算机并打开Chrome。然后单击Chrome 菜单(Chrome menu)按钮（三个水平线）并选择Settings。
向下滚动，然后单击显示高级设置(Show advanced settings)。再向下滚动(Scroll)一些，直到您看到Google Cloud Print。
继续并单击添加打印机(Add printers )按钮，将出现一个弹出框，其中包含当前安装的打印机列表。(popup box)
您还可以选择在将新打印机连接到计算机时自动注册它们。这就是将打印机添加到GCP的全部内容。现在它将带您进入GCP 管理(GCP management)控制台，您应该会在其中看到列出的打印机。
上传要打印的文件
除了上面提到的各种打印方式外，您还可以选择将文件直接上传到GCP 并打印(GCP and print)。因此，例如，如果您在Mac上并且想要打印PDF 文件(PDF file)或图像或Word 文档或其他任何内容(Word doc or whatever)，您只需上传即可。登录(Log)GCP 控制台(GCP console)，点击PRINT，然后点击Upload file to print。
我上传了一个Excel 文件(Excel file)，它打印得很好。据我所知，您似乎可以打印任何类型的文件。我什至可以打印Adobe Photoshop 文件(Adobe Photoshop file)。到目前为止，我还不能打印(NOT) 一些东西(print something)，所以这非常棒。
共享打印机
GCP的一个巧妙功能是能够与拥有Google 帐户(Google account)的其他人共享打印机。它必须是GCP的最佳功能之一。上周我的父母来到城里，他们需要打印一张回程航班(return flight)的登机牌(boarding pass)。通常，他们只是使用我的电脑并从那里打印(computer and print)出来，但这次我决定给GCP做一个测试。
我去了GCP 控制台(GCP console)，选择了一台打印机并单击了共享(Share)。
然后我只需输入电子邮件地址(email address)并选择“可以打印(Can Print )”权限。
在她的Google 帐户(Google account)中，她收到一封电子邮件，其中包含添加打印机的链接。
她单击了该链接，然后不得不单击“接受(Accept)”将我的打印机添加到她的Google 云打印帐户(Google Cloud Print account)。
这就是字面意思！然后她刚刚从Chrome(Chrome)打印了登机牌并选择了我的打印机。它在两秒钟内打印出来，我们就完成了。无需使用我的电脑，无需在她的电脑上下载打印机驱动程序。只需(Just)发送一个链接，单击它并打印！下次有人(time someone)访问您并需要打印而您不希望他们在您的计算机上时，如果他们有Google 帐户，请使用(Google account)GCP！这是很长一段时间以来我第一次对运行得如此出色和高效的东西印象深刻。
结论
通过使用Google 云打印(Google Cloud Print)，您还可以将所有打印机整合到一个地方。例如，如果您在一台机器上安装了无线打印机，但通过电缆将第二台打印机连接到另一台机器，您可以将两台打印机都添加到Google 云打印，然后(Google Cloud Print and print)从任何计算机或任何移动设备进行打印。
此外，您可以将任何文件打印到Google Drive或直接打印到FedEx Office。保存到Google Drive(Google Drive kind)的能力使GCP像Evernote一样。您可以打印网页以供以后直接查看到Google Drive。
总体而言，谷歌云打印(Google Cloud Print)在这一年变得更加有用。Google将继续为GCP添加更多功能，这将使其成为消费者在任何地方和任何设备上轻松打印的好方法。享受！
Google Cloud Print – A Complete Guide
If you hаven’t hеard of Gоogle Сloud Print, that’s nоt totally surprising. Even though it’s been around since 2011, it hasn’t become widely used. However, that is ѕomething that might change ovеr the next yeаr or so. Unlіke some Google services that get cannеd during Spring cleanіng, Googlе Cloud Print has beеn getting more and more features addеd to it.
So first of all, what is Google Cloud Print? It’s basically a way for users to connect their printers (wired or wireless) to the Internet and have the ability to print from any device (web, desktop, mobile) from anywhere in the world. What’s nice about Google Cloud Print is that you can print from a device without needing to install any printer drivers on the system. This can save an enormous amount of time and energy.
For example, if you bought a new Windows PC and connected it to your network, you normally would have to find the drivers for your current printers, load the software and go through all the steps to get it installed on that PC. Now only does that take time and a lot of troubleshooting usually, it also slows down your system with a lot of extra printer software/tools you don’t need. From here on out, I will refer to it as GCP.
With GCP, you just install the Google Cloud Printer Driver on your Windows machine and you can now print from any program directly to any printer you have added in GCP. So is GCP is the greatest thing in the world? Well, there are a few caveats and limitations that I will explain below.
Where Can I Print From?
GCP sounds great, but you might be asking from where can I actually print from? Well, that’s where GCP has been making big leaps in the last year. At first, you could only print from Chrome OS, Google Chrome on any platform and Gmail and Google Docs on your mobile. The first increase to this list was the Cloud Print app in the Google Play Store for Android devices.
With this app, users can print a variety of local files directly to GCP including SMS chats, pictures, Facebook, Dropbox, Box, Mail and more. Users can also manage printers, share printers, manage print jobs and more from the app. As of right now, there is not a Cloud Print app in the Apple App store, but with Google’s great track record for releasing Google apps for iOS devices, there is a good chance we will see Cloud Print make it’s way to iPhones and iPads soon.
On July 23rd, 2013, Google really made GCP a lot more useful by introducing the Google Cloud Print Driver. You can install this on any Windows machine and it will allow you to choose Google Cloud Printer when printing from any Windows application.
They also released Google Cloud Print Service in addition to Print Driver. Cloud Print Service will run as a Windows service and can be used to connect older legacy printers to GCP. The Print Service is more geared towards businesses and schools.
Lastly, there is a short list of apps that work with GCP and allow you to print from them. For example, on iOS, you can download PrintCentral Pro, which will let you print emails, contacts, text messages, etc from an iOS device to GCP. At this time, Google hasn’t released a Print Driver for Mac, but you can download an app called Cloud Printer which does pretty much the same thing.
Now that you understand where you can currently print from, let’s take a look at connecting printers to GCP.
Cloud Print Ready vs Classic Printers
The main thing to understand about GCP is how you connect the printers to the actual service. There are two types of printers in the GCP world: Cloud Ready and Classic Printers. Cloud Ready printers are those that already come with the GCP service installed and configured. This is by far the best way to use GCP because the printer will actually register itself with the GCP service over your network and will always be available for printing.
The other great thing about Cloud Ready printers is that they will automatically update their firmware and drivers over the Internet, so you don’t even have to worry about it. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of printers out there yet that support GCP. You can see the entire list of Cloud Ready Printers here:
https://www.google.com/cloudprint/learn/printers.html
If you do have one of the printers listed there, you can click on the link provided for setting it up with GCP. You basically just have to register your Google email address with GCP on the printer.
Next up are Classic Printers. Classic Printers are what most people will be using when setting up GCP. Classic Printers are either printers that are directly connected to your computer via a cable or wireless printers installed on your machine. Any printer that you can print to from your computer can be added to GCP regardless of how it is connected.
Now the major difference between a Cloud Ready and a Classic printer is that in order to print to any Classic printers, the computer that has the printers installed has to be on and you have to be logged into Google Chrome. If you turn off the computer or log out of Chrome and try to print to GCP, the print job will simply be added to the print queue. When the computer turns back on and you log into Chrome, the print job will then be printed.
Adding a Classic Printer
Adding a Classic Printer to GCP is pretty straight-forward. First, go to the computer that has the printers already installed and open Chrome. Then click on the Chrome menu button (three horizontal lines) and choose Settings.
Scroll down and then click on Show advanced settings. Scroll down some more until you see Google Cloud Print.
Go ahead and click on the Add printers button and a popup box will appear with a list of the currently installed printers.
You can also choose to automatically register new printers when you connect them to your computer. That’s all there is to adding printers to GCP. Now it will take you to the GCP management console where you should see your printers listed.
Uploading Files to Print
In addition to the various ways you can print mentioned above, you also have the option to upload a file directly to GCP and print it. So, for example, if you’re on a Mac and want to print a PDF file or an image or a Word doc or whatever, you can just upload it. Log into the GCP console, click on PRINT and then click on Upload file to print.
I uploaded an Excel file and it printed just fine. From what I can tell, it seems like you can print any kind of file. I was able to even print an Adobe Photoshop file. So far, I haven’t been able to NOT print something, so that’s pretty great.
Sharing Printers
One neat feature of GCP is the ability to share a printer with someone else that has a Google account. It’s got to be one of the best features of GCP. Last week my parents came into town and they needed to print a boarding pass for the return flight. Normally, they just use my computer and print it from there, but this time I decided to give GCP a bit of a test.
I went to the GCP console, selected a printer and clicked on Share.
Then I just typed in the email address and chose the Can Print permission.
In her Google account, she received an email with a link to add the printer.
She clicked on the link and then had to click Accept to add my printer to her Google Cloud Print account.
And that was literally it! Then she just printed the boarding pass from Chrome and chose my printer. It printed in two seconds and we were done. No need to use my computer, no need to download printer drivers on her computer. Just send a link, click on it and print! Next time someone visits you and needs to print and you don’t want them on your computer, use GCP if they have a Google account! It’s the first time in a long time I have been impressed by something working so well and efficiently.
Conclusion
By using Google Cloud Print, you can also consolidate all of your printers into one place. For example, if you have wireless printer installed on one machine, but have a second printer connected by cable to a second machine, you can add both printers to Google Cloud Print and print to either print from any computer or any mobile device.
In addition, you can print any file to Google Drive or directly to a FedEx Office. The ability to save to Google Drive kind of makes GCP like Evernote. You can print a webpage for later viewing straight to Google Drive.
Overall, Google Cloud Print has become a lot more useful over the year. Google will continue adding more features to GCP, which will make it a great way for consumers to print easily from anywhere and any device. Enjoy!
