Today, it seems like everyone is traveling with a Laptop, BlackBerry, iPhone or iPad.  And in many cases, people have multiple devices.  Because of this, public places, such as airports, hotels, restaurants and coffee shops are providing free wireless internet access to meet the demands of their customers.  But what do those customers do when they have documents that they need to print?

HotSpot Printing from Ricoh/Savin can be the answer to this question.  It allows users to print securely across the internet without the need for device-specific print drivers or special software.  There are 4 methods for HotSpot printing:

1. Email Printing: Simply send an email with your document(s) attached, to the HotSpot printer’s email address.  You will receive an email back that contains a secure release code, which you will enter on the keypad at the HotSpot printer, to retrieve your prints.
2. App Printing (BlackBerry, iPhone, and iPad):  Choose one of the available apps to search and print to all public HotSpot locations.  Using GPS, the app can find the nearest HotSpot printer to your location.
3. Web Printing:  Go to the URL (internet address) of the HotSpot printer that you would like to use (you can search www.printspots.com to find a location), upload your document(s), and enter your email address.  You will receive an email back that contains a secure release code, which you will enter on the keypad at the HotSpot printer, to retrieve your prints.
4. PrintWhere Driver:  Download the free PrintWhere driver from www.printeron.com and print to a HotSpot printer from any application using the standard File>Print method.

HotSpot printing has been an ideal solution in the hospitality industry because it requires little to no IT intervention for drivers, cables or specialized software for guests, and it can be tied into a PayPal account for per page billing.  Also, with the Web Printing feature, the HotSpot printer’s URL can be customized to drive brand recognition to build customer loyalty.  However, HotSpot printers also add value in the corporate environment, allowing driverless printing, mobile printing, and an easy output solution for visiting executives.  As HotSpot printing grows, the retail industry can use the technology to drive foot traffic and generate revenue by offering printing kiosks.