How to Print Directly from iPad iPhone iOS Devices to Virtually Any Printer

Technology

Gift Idea for Father's Day, Grads &
Every Other Occasion

Don't you just hate not being able to print directly from your iPhone or iPad when you're on the run and need to print out important things like tickets, photos and documents from your mobile devices?  I know as an iPhone 6 and iPad 2 owner myself, this frustrates me to no end. True you can always send email to your laptop or print wirelessly if you own an AirPrint printer, but what if you don't have that option or desire to do either of those things? The Lantronix xPrintServer Home Edition solves the problem, enabling iOS device wireless printing on more than 4,000 well-known brand USB and network printers.

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Why the xPrintServer?

• Supports iPhone and iPad running iOS 4.6 and up
• Prints to vitually any printer
• No apps or software to buy or download
• Easy to use with automatic discovery and printer setup
• Prints directly from the iOS native menu
• Advanced configurations via web interface
• A single xPrintServer supports multiple printers & virtually unlimited iOS devices
• Enables printing from a Mac or PC through Bonjour print services

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Here's what came in the box featured the distinctive X logo

• xPrintServer Home Edition
• 3 ft Ethernet cable
• Power Adapter with 72" attached cord
• 3 International power plugs

I tried the xPrintServer out for my myself and was pleasantly surprised about how easy it was to use. It was literally plug in and use.

Setup involved just three simple and fast steps 
1 - Connecting my Epson Artisan 800 printer to xPrinterServer with the USB printer cable
2 - Connecting the network cable from our NETGEAR Night Hawk router to the device
3 - Connecting the power adapter into the device and plugging it into the wall

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After that 1-minute setup, I opened a photo on my iPad 2 and printed it out...

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What I Like About this Product

Besides being able to finally print directly from my iPhone and iPad on a non-AirPrint printer, I love that the xPrintServer Home Edition is lightweight which makes it not limited to home use and is easy to travel with. That's particularly important to me since I travel frequently for business and pleasure and often need to print things off my mobile devices. I also like the three included interchangeable international power plugs which will definitely come in handy for our family vacations whether we're traveling to Iceland, New Zealand, Europe, Central America, Israel or elsewhere in the world.

Image by Lantronix

More Information & Where to Buy

For more product details visit the official company website. The xPrintServer Home Edition is available for $99.95 direct online from Lantronix as well as from Amazon, CDW and others. Stay up to date on everything that Lantronix is doing by following the brand on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

FTC Disclosure: I received the xPrinterServer from Lantronix to facilitate this review. However opinions in this post are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Summer of Creativity Grants for Kids Who Are Making a Difference in the Community

Community

Here's something every parent of a child from 5 to 18 should know. As school lets out for the summer, Youth Service America (YSA) is calling on kids to make this a Summer of Creativity. YSA, through support from Disney | ABC Television Group will award Summer of Creativity Grants to young change-makers who have ideas and projects that positively impact their community.

Image from Youth Service America

Youth ages 5-18 in the U.S. are eligible to apply for Summer of Creativity Grants by submitting service project ideas that will make a difference in their local communities. One hundred and twenty five winners will be awarded individual $500 grants to implement their projects.

Select grantees will have a chance to be recognized on Good Morning America or their local ABC affiliate. Applications will be accepted through August 10, 2015, at YSA.org/BeInspired.

"With half the world’s population under the age of 25, our future depends on helping young people to find their voice, take action, and make a positive impact in their communities. We know that young people are uniquely suited to help solve problems - if given the opportunity,” said Steven A. Culbertson, President and CEO of YSA. 

“We need youth to be leaders and problem solvers today, not just the leaders of a distant tomorrow. Disney ABC Television Group’s Summer of Creativity is about shining a bright light on the incredible power of youth to use their ingenuity to change the world.” 

 For more information and to apply, visit www.YSA.org/BeInspired. YSA (Youth Service America) helps young people find their voice, take action, and make an impact on vital community issues. YSA activates, funds, trains, and recognizes young people ages 5-25 and their adult partners. For more information, visit www.YSA.org.

FTC Disclosure: I  did not receive any payment in association with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

GoPro HERO+ LCD for Fathers Day Review

Camera Review

Father's Day gifts for dads are notoriously hard to shop for -- daddy's closet is already overflowing with way too many neck ties and other gifts he doesn't use. Come to think of it, my personal experience is that even men shopping for their own fathers have a hard time finding the perfect gift.

MBE partnered with Best Buy for this story

The Gift to Capture Dad's Fave Moments

With Dad's special day this Sunday, why not consider buying your hero a GoPro HERO+ LCD? This uber cool wearable camera just launched at Best Buy and is just the thing to capture all his favorite moments, whether he's playing in the pool with kids, skiing The Rockies with his buddies or white water river rafting in Costa Rica with the family.

I know my hubbie loves using the GoPro HERO4 we own which was introduced last year. In fact, he's still talking about the awesome footage shot while wearing this camera mounted to his helmet racing down the luge during our recent family vacation to New Zealand. Actually my four teens and I also treasure our GoPro, so this doubles as both a gift for Daddy and a family present we all enjoy.

The new GoPro HERO+ LCD that just came out is even better, offering more advanced features that your Dad will appreciate. Like our own GoPro the newest member of the GoPro family is protected against a range of  weather conditions, thanks to the waterproof case that protects it from water, rain, snow, dust and more.

GoPro HERO+ LCD Features

Dad will be able to archive all the live and still action with this camera which allows him to capture 8.0MP photos and 1080p videos of his adventures. Also sports an ultra-wide-angle glass lens for clear shooting and built-in Wi-Fi and a Bluetooth interface for easy sharing of stored footage with family and friends, as well as via social media.

Included in the product's box

• HERO+LCD HD Waterproof Action Camera
• Micro USB cable
• Skeleton backdoor, touch backdoor
• Curved adhesive mount, flat adhesive mount
• Quick-release buckle
• Owner's manual

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Special GoPro Savings ONLY at Best Buy

• HERO+ LCD (Sku 6954009) with FREE 32GB Extreme Plus memory card (Sku 9387066). Valid 6/14-6/20

• Free $50 Best Buy Gift Card with purchase of the GoPro HERO4 Silver (Sku 8374096) or GoPro HERO4 Black (Sku 8374078). Valid 6/7-6/20

About Best Buy
Best Buy is your destination for the latest cameras and camcorders, including the brand new GoPro HERO+ LCD priced at $299.99 in stores now just in time for Father's Day gift giving. For more information visit BestBuy.com as well as follow @GoPro, @BestBuy and the hashtag #GoProatBestBuy on Twitter 

FTC Disclosure: MBE partnered with Best Buy for this story. However opinions in this post are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.