The release of iOS 4.2 brought a few really handy features to the iPad (as well as iPhone and iPod Touch). Folder organization and “multi-tasking” were two major improvements available on the iPad, as is the ability to now print from any of these devices... directly. Prior to iOS 4.2, a document would need to be sent to a computer for printing.

Before continuing, you need to ensure that you have iOS 4.2 installed on your iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch. To verify, go to Settings | General | About on your device. If you are running anything prior to 4.2, dock your iOS device and update the software.

Currently, there are about a dozen or so printers (mostly HP brand) that support Apple’s “AirPrint” printing infrastructure (HP also calls this technology “ePrint”). I’m willing to bet, however, that you don’t have one of these printers. To be honest, I don’t know anyone who does. I have two printers at home (one HP laser and one Epson inkjet) and about 100 printers at the office (mostly HP lasers and plotters). NONE of which support this new infrastructure out of the box. If you are in the same boat, no need to worry. I have a solution for you (and it works really, really well).

Printopia is a small-footprint app that runs in the background on your Mac, and essentially converts your Mac into a print server for iOS devices. Here’s how it works:

After you install Printopia, it will add a new icon in your System Preferences. The app will look for printers that you already have installed on your Mac. In my case, it found one HP laser and one Epson inkjet. It adds those into the list of printers (automatically) that are now shared (over WiFi) with any iOS device on your network. You can also send print jobs to your Mac as a PDF or JPG, allowing you to save paper.

You can turn printers on or off as you wish, allowing you to choose which printers are available to iOS users. For example, you may not want to allow printing access from an iPad to a 44” wide plotter. Simply turn that printer off in Printopia (via System Preferences).

When it’s time to print, simply tap the action button in the app you are working in on your iOS device, then tap Print. At this point, you can select a printer from the list, and you should see the same printers that are now being shared via Printopia.

Printopia is free to try (fully functional), and if it works for you, the cost is only $10. Economical? That’s an understatement.