Increasingly, mobile professionals are discovering the tremendous range of uses for handheld computers such as Palm organizers. Whether for keeping schedules, contacts, reference materials, or a host of other information, the Palm device is fast becoming standard equipment in the office environment. Of course a common question among users who have discovered all of the great things they can store on a Palm device is "How do I print the information off?"

One solution to printing information from the Palm is to transfer the information to a desktop computer using a HotSync and then printing from the desktop. For busy professionals however, this is not always a practical solution. A much better option is to take advantage of the infra-red (IR) port on the Palm device to 'beam' information from the device directly to an IR-compatible (IrDA) printer. If you are looking for an IrDA printer to suits your needs, there are a wide variety available ranging from full-size models such as the familiar HP LaserJet and

	Seiko DPU-3445 Portable Printer

DeskJet models to more specialized printers such as the Seiko DPU-3445, which measures a mere 6.3" x 6.5" x 2.3", and the Canon BJC-50 (for users without IrDa printers, there are cables available to connect Palm devices to a printer using the printer's parallel port, although this does negate some of the advantages of a portable computer).

To enable printing from your Palm device, it is necessary to install a printing utility program such as PalmPrint or IrPrint. Both of these programs allow printing from many of the standard applications on the Palm, including the Memo Pad and To Do List. A number of common software applications can also be enabled to allow for printing, although these can depend on which of the printing utility programs you choose.

	PalmPrint User Interface

One of the most common applications to enable printing from the Palm device is PalmPrint from Stevens Creek Software. From the simple user interface this software provides, printing a memo or a todo list is as easy as a few taps of the stylus. Other information can be set to print by copying it to the clipboard on the Palm device and printing it from there.

PalmPrint has also been adopted by a number of third party software application developers, providing the ability to print directly from supported programs as well. This capability makes it easy to print detailed patient records from the Palm device for filing purposes, discussion with colleagues or any other purpose where a paper copy is required. Once the PalmPrint software is installed and configured, printing from these applications is generally no more difficult that choosing the appropriate selection from the drop-down menu or utilizing a command stroke.

	IrPrint User Interface

Another popular printing application is IrPrint from Is/Complete. IrPrint uses a different interface than PalmPrint which will likely be a bit more intuitive to most Palm users. Upon starting the program, users are presented with the familiar icons of the five main features that come on every Palm device. To print from any of these areas, one simply taps the appropriate icon and is immediately taken to the standard display for that feature (for example, choosing the Address Book icon will bring up the address list). Once the desired screen is located, a quick selection from the drop-down menu sends the information to the printer.

The most noticeable advantage of IrPrint is the capability to print directly from all standard applications on the Palm, rather than just a limited set and having to use the clipboard for the rest (it is also possible to print from the clipboard using IrPrint, however, it does require a separate piece of software). The most noticeable disadvantage, is the shortage of third-party applications that are IrPrint-enabled.

As more and more professionals discover the potential handheld computers have to simplify information management and improve patient care, the need to extract important data from the device will increase as well. Using the same IR capability that allows beaming of information from one device to another to also communicate with a printer provides an excellent method of doing just that.

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