Lexmark rolls out cloud-based mobile printing suite November 15, 2011 10:00 by Chris Rails

Business professionals will be able to use their printer ink wherever they are thanks to a new cloud computing system from Lexmark. Its Print Release solution can be hosted in the cloud via a Software as a Service model, the firm said.

"Tablets, smartphones and cloud-based technology are rapidly changing the way enterprises are managing their technology assets," explains Marty Canning, Lexmark executive vice-president and president of imaging solutions and services.

The latest enhancements to the Print Release solution enable IT professionals to "continue enhancing their output strategies while concurrently managing infrastructure costs and empowering today’s mobile workers", he adds.

In addition, with the Lexmark Mobile Printing App, which is designed for Apple iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, employees can submit print jobs directly to the print queue and release them at any hosted Print Release-enabled output device.

The Lexmark Print Release solution can also be configured to allow employees to print from any email-enabled mobile device, including a BlackBerry, by simply attaching the document to an email and sending it to their corporate Print Release email account.

Lexmark explains that the system also gives companies the ability to track and manage print jobs submitted from these devices when coupled with its activity tracking solution, Document Accounting.

"For the past 20 years, Lexmark has helped many of the world's largest companies maximise their IT investment and improve their business processes, and Lexmark's new offerings are our latest examples of doing both successfully," adds Mr Canning.

Lexmark International was recently named by analyst firm Gartner in the Leaders quadrant of its 2011 MFP and Printer Magic Quadrant.

Among the reasons cited was the firm's ability to provide printers and the associated printing solutions and services, such as printer ink and toner cartridges, regardless of customer location. The new cloud-based system could further improve that area of the firm's business.