Understanding Mobile Printing Technology and Capabilities

Throughout a wide range of industries, mobile printers enable an endless array of documentation, ticketing and labeling tasks—from traditional barcodes to advanced radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Wireless mobile printers include many of the connectivity and convenience features previously found only on stationary models. The evolution in mobile printer functionality gives users the flexibility to print materials on demand, where and when they need them. Seamless mobility can drive new business processes that take advantage of point-of-transaction printing to improve worker productivity, labeling accuracy and responsiveness to customer needs.

Successful mobile printing applications depend on a convenient, intuitive process for workers to follow. IT departments must deploy mobile solutions that are easy to operate and suitable for use in the work environment, whether it is a busy outdoor receiving dock, a medical center or a retail store aisle. There are important distinctions among printers that are “moveable” and “mobile” printers. Understanding the design and performance features that differentiate mobile printers from stationary models is critical to developing beneficial new processes and selecting the optimal solutions.

Fact is, no single printing solution fits all business processes and user tasks. To help businesses make informed choices, this paper presents several informative topics on mobility, including mobile printing and associated wireless technology. Then, it presents example applications for reducing operating costs, increasing labor efficiency and improving customer service.