花了一段时间，但智能家居语音激活(Smart Home voice-activation)技术最终扩展到打印机和一体机 ( AIO )、打印、复印、扫描，有时还有传真打印机。
考虑到制造设备，尤其是已经内置智能无线技术的设备需要什么，它应该在很久以前就发生了。此外，考虑到语音激活(voice activation)已经存在了多长时间，您可能会对这项技术的支持程度感到惊讶。
(Brother)例如，在撰写本文时，一家大型打印机制造商(printer manufacturer)Brother仍然没有智能家居(Smart Home)打印机。
如果是这样，那么打印(If This, Then Print)
顶级智能家居(Smart Home)提供商当然是亚马逊 Alexa(Amazon Alexa)、谷歌 Home(Google Home)、苹果 Siri(Apple Siri)和微软 Cortana(Microsoft Cortana)。这些服务依赖于包含通过无线路由器(wireless router)连接到互联网的扬声器和麦克风的设备，以及智能手机、平板电脑、笔记本电脑和台式电脑等计算设备。
这两种方法都有优点和缺点。例如，像Alexa Echo这样的智能(Smart)设备通常需要多个设备才能将服务扩展到整个房子。智能(Smart)手机激活(phone activation)需要您随身携带手机。
不过，需要注意的重要一点是，通过Alexa(Alexa)和其他服务进行语音激活的所谓“智能”设备并不比没有智能家居技术(Smart Home technology)的类似设备更智能。
例如，智能灯泡仅包含能够理解和执行(Smart light)IFTTT（如果这样，那么那样）技术的无线电。换句话说，听音设备(listening device)会听到：“如果你听到Alexa，打开客厅的灯(living room light)（如果这个），然后打开灯（然后那个）”，这是非常简单的基本编程。
因此，无线打印机(wireless printer)只需要理解和执行IFTTT，它已经以一种或另一种方式完成了它，从而变得智能(Smart)或语音激活。换句话说，您实际上并没有与打印机本身交谈。
智能设备(Smart device)或您的计算设备解释并发送IFTTT 命令(IFTTT command)，有时直接，有时通过互联网。因此，当您说“ Google，打印我的日程”时，打印机所做的只是响应打印命令(Print command)，然后是打印日程所需的数据；它实际上并没有“听到”任何东西。
关键是，打印机真正需要变得“智能”的只是在其内部固件中增加几行代码。那么，您会认为更多的打印机将被语音激活。无论如何，以下是主要打印机制造商的列表以及每家公司通过智能家居(Smart Home)
打印机提供的产品。
兄弟(Brother)
正如我之前所说，Brother是从家庭到高端商务就绪型号的低端AIO 喷墨打印机的制造商，以及从入门级到大批量的激光打印机，不提供语音激活技术。(AIO inkjet)
该公司确实提供商业智能系列(Business Smart series)AIO设备，但该品牌早在智能家居技术(Smart Home technology)出现之前就已命名。
佳能(Canon)
佳能(Canon)过去几个月发布的所有家庭和家庭办公室Pixmas都支持 Amazon Alexa 和 Google Home(Amazon Alexa and Google Home support)，以及为那些倾向于为其他服务创建自己的脚本的人提供IFTTT 兼容性(IFTTT compatibility)（这并不像你想象的那么难思考）。
其中包括高端Pixma TS9520 和 TS9521C(Pixma TS9520 and TS9521C)宽幅消费级照片AIO打印机（后者是为剪贴簿设计的“工匠”打印机）、Pixma TS8220、TS6220和TS702消费级照片AIO打印机，以及作为面向家庭办公的TR4520 AIO。
佳能(Canon)会更新其整个喷墨打印机和AIO(AIOs)套件，其中有很多，大约每 12 到 18 个月一次，整条生产线大约每四到五年进行一次改造和更换。因此，可以肯定的是，从现在开始，其所有消费级喷墨机都将提供类似的
IFTTT 支持(IFTTT support)，以及该技术的任何进步。
该公司还生产从低端到中端的一系列激光打印机和AIO 。(AIOs)其中一些是为小型和家庭办公室设计的。
到目前为止，佳能(Canon)还没有发布任何关于是否计划为这些机器添加IFTTT 支持的信息， (IFTTT support)PR 代表(PR rep)对我的询问的回应是，“对不起(Sorry)，你必须等着看”，这不是对于任何对新产品计划保密的公司来说都是不寻常的（他们都这样做）。
爱普生(Epson)
爱普生(Epson)在很大程度上采用了Alexa 和 IFTTT 语音激活(Alexa and IFTTT voice activation)。它不仅会出现在公司所有未来的Epson EcoTank、WorkForce 和 Expression 打印机和AIO(AIOs)中，而且Epson还为其当前和过去支持Epson Connect的所有(Epson Connect)Epson EcoTank、WorkForce 和 Expression 型号提供了固件更新，这只需公司在过去几年制造的每一台机器。
到目前为止，该公司只实施了Alexa 支持(Alexa support)；尽管有Google Home和其他语音激活(voice activation)
服务的解决方案。例如，谷歌在这里提供了创建您自己的(Google)IFTTT
命令的帮助。(here.)您可以在IFTTT.com上找到您需要的所有帮助以及更多信息。
至于爱普生(Epson)何时会扩大支持范围以包括 Google Home 和其他公司，公司代表对我的询问的回答是，好吧，你猜对了，“我什么都不知道！”
生命值(HP)
惠普提供了几种家庭和基于家庭的办公室AIO(AIOs)，但到目前为止，它仅在其面向家庭的Tango 和 Tango X AIO上提供直接的(Tango and Tango X AIOs)Alexa、Google Home和IFTTT 支持(IFTTT support)。两个Tango(Tangos)之间的区别在于，后者带有类似书皮的包装，基本上可以伪装机器，这样您的家居装饰就不会被低级打印机弄脏。
请注意，您可以通过 HP 分配给其每台打印机的唯一电子邮件地址(email address)以及启用 HP 所谓的HP Printer Skill来激活其他 HP Web 连接设备上的Alexa。
您可以在此站点(at this site)找到设置Alexa 的说明。Google Home将(Google Home)按照这些说明(following these instructions)通过HP 打印机应用程序和 Google Cloud Print(HP printer app and Google Cloud Print)与其他联网的 HP 机器配合使用。
智能打印机的未来(The Future of Smart
Printers )
如果你问我，今天的许多AIO(AIOs)已经非常聪明了，不管有没有语音激活。在不离开沙发的情况下打印文档有什么优势吗？您敢打赌，但让我们面对现实吧，除了打印之外，您对声控打印机无能为力。
当然，您或您的打印机制造商可以包含用于扫描和复印的IFTTT脚本，但是如果不先将原件放在扫描仪压板(scanner platen)或自动文档进(document feeder)纸器( ADF ) 中，您将无法执行其中任何一项操作，除了某些非常具体的场景，有点违背目的。
无论如何，Brother（顺便说一句，它制造了出色的打印机和AIO(AIOs)）可能很快就会推出声控机器。
爱普生(Epson)最终将增加对其他服务的支持，佳能(Canon)将增加其智能家居(Smart Home)产品的数量，很可能是其未来所有面向家庭的机器。最终，我们甚至可能会在面向商业的打印机上看到这项技术。我们只需要拭目以待。
The State of Smart Home Printer Technology – Convenient, But Not All That Smart
It took a while, bυt Smart Home voice-activatiоn technology finally extended tо printers and all-in-one (AIO), print, coрy, scan, and sometimes fax, printers.
Considering what it takes to make a device, especially a device that already has wireless tech built-in, smart, it should have happened a long time ago. Also, given how long voice activation has been around, you’ll probably be surprised at how under-supported this technology really is.
Brother, a huge printer manufacturer, for example, as of this writing, still has no Smart Home printers at all.
If This, Then Print
The top Smart Home providers are, of course, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Siri, and Microsoft Cortana. These services rely on devices containing speakers and microphones that connect to the internet via your wireless router, as well as computing devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop PCs.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. The Smart devices, like Alexa Echo, for example, often require multiple devices for the service to extend all over the house. Smartphone activation requires you to have your phone with you.
What’s important to note, though, is that so called “smart” devices that activate vocally via Alexa and the other services are not all that much smarter than a similar device sans Smart Home technology.
Smart light bulbs, for instance, simply contain wireless radios with the ability to understand and execute IFTTT (if this then that) technology. In other words, the listening device hears: “If you hear Alexa, turn on the living room light (if this), then turn on the light (then that),” which is very simple, basic programing.
A wireless printer, then, needs only to understand and execute IFTTT, which it already does in one way or another, to become Smart, or voice activated. In other words, you’re not actually speaking to the printer itself.
The Smart device or your computing device interprets and sends the IFTTT command, sometimes directly and sometimes over the internet. So, when you say, “Google, print my schedule,” all the printer does is respond to a Print command, followed by the data required to print the schedule; it doesn’t actually “hear” anything.
The point is, all the printer really needs to become “smart”
is a few more lines of code in its internal firmware. You’d think, then, that
more printers would be voice activated. In any case, what follows is a list of
the major printer makers and what each company offers by way of Smart Home
printers.
Brother
As I said earlier, Brother, the maker of low-end AIO inkjet printers for the home to higher-end business-ready models, as well as laser printers from entry-level to high-volume, doesn’t offer voice activation technology.
The company does offer a Business Smart series of AIO devices, but that brand was named long before the advent of Smart Home technology.
Canon
All the home and home-based office Pixmas that Canon has released over the past several months come with Amazon Alexa and Google Home support, as well IFTTT compatibility for those inclined to create their own scripts for other services (it’s not as hard as you might think).
These include the higher-end Pixma TS9520 and TS9521C wide-format consumer-grade photo AIO printers (the latter is a “crafters” printer designed for scrapbookers), the Pixma TS8220, TS6220, and TS702 consumer-grade photo AIO printers, as well as the home-based office-oriented TR4520 AIO.
Canon updates its entire suite of inkjet printers and AIOs,
and there are many, about every 12 to 18 months, and the entire line is made
over and replaced about every four or five years. It’s safe to assume, then,
that from now on all its consumer-grade inkjet machines will come with similar
IFTTT support, as well as any advances in the technology.
The company also makes a line of laser printers and AIOs, ranging from lower-end to midrange. Several of these are designed for small and home-based offices.
So far, Canon hasn’t released any information about whether it plans on adding IFTTT support to these machines, and the PR rep’s response to my inquiry was, “Sorry, you’ll have to wait and see,” which is not unusual for any company that keeps their new-product plans secret (they all do).
Epson
Epson has embraced Alexa and IFTTT voice activation in a big
way. Not only will it come in all the company’s future Epson EcoTank, WorkForce
and Expression printers and AIOs, but Epson has also made a firmware update
available for all its current and past Epson EcoTank, WorkForce and Expression
models that support Epson Connect, which entails just about every machine the
company has made over the past few years.
So far, the company has implemented only Alexa support;
although there are solutions for Google Home and other voice activation
services. Google, for example, provides help for creating your own IFTTT
commands here. And you can find all the help you need and
more at IFTTT.com.
As for when Epson will widen its support to include Google
Home and others, the company rep’s response to my query was, well, you guessed
it, “I know nothing!”
HP
HP offers several home
and home-based office AIOs, but so far it provides direct Alexa, Google Home,
and IFTTT support only on its home-oriented Tango and Tango X AIOs. The
difference between the two Tangos is that the latter comes with a
book-cover-like wrap that essentially disguises the machine, so that your home
décor isn’t mucked up by a lowly printer.
Note that you can activate Alexa on other HP web-connected devices via the unique email address that HP assigns to each of its printers and by enabling what HP calls the HP Printer Skill.
You can find instructions for setting up Alexa at this site. Google Home will work with other web-connected HP machines via the HP printer app and Google Cloud Print by following these instructions.
The Future of Smart
Printers
If you ask me, many of today’s AIOs are already pretty darn smart, with or without voice activation. Is there an advantage to printing documents without leaving your couch? You bet there is, but let’s face it, there’s not much else you can do with a voice-activated printer other than print.
Sure, you or your printer manufacturer can include IFTTT scripts for scanning and making copies, but you can’t do either of these without first placing an original on the scanner platen or in the automatic document feeder (ADF), which, except for some very specific scenarios, sort of defeats the purpose.
In any case, it probably won’t be long before Brother (which makes terrific printers and AIOs, by the way) comes on board with voice-activated machines.
Epson will eventually add support for other services, and Canon will increase its number of Smart Home offerings, most likely all its future home-oriented machines. Eventually, we may even see the technology on business-oriented printers. We’ll just have to wait and see.
