Bluetooth technology is making photo and document printing more convenient and fun than ever before thanks to Bluetooth enabled printers, dongles for printers, cameras and camera phones. As the primary driver of Bluetooth enabled printing, camera phones are providing a quick and easy way for consumers to instantly capture and wirelessly print digital photos. And in an effort to highlight the many ways to print using Bluetooth wireless technology, August has been declared "Bluetooth Print Month" by the Bluetooth SIG, the trade association responsible for creating and promoting the global wireless standard.

As camera phones advance in quality and popularity, more people are using mobile phones to snap spontaneous, candid and special shots. Digital photos can be easily printed wirelessly from mobile phones with Bluetooth technology. And beyond using home or office printers, consumers can wirelessly print photos to in-store kiosks at many retail stores around the country. Also, with the introduction of the first Bluetooth camera in April of this year, Kodak's V610, users will now be able to print photos directly from a camera to a kiosk or personal printer via a Bluetooth link.

"Recognizing growing consumer demand to easily and wirelessly print digital photos, it was a logical choice to integrate Bluetooth technology into the V610," said Mary Hadley, General Manager, Kodak Digital Still Cameras. "With Bluetooth technology, consumers can easily transfer images to any Bluetooth enabled printer within 30 feet meaning a user could print images from their camera or camera phone to whichever printer is most convenient at the moment, be it their home printer, an in-store kiosk, or even a friend's or colleague's printer to share hard-copy photos."

Document Printing

Beyond photo printing, Bluetooth technology helps consumers clear the clutter of cumbersome wires in the home and office environments, as well as providing on-the-go printing ability. Users can print other types of documents beyond photos such as receipts or Word files directly from a laptop or PDA. With Bluetooth technology, information printed from a laptop or PDA is as easy as searching for the printer and clicking "send via Bluetooth" (or similar) on the document to be printed -- devices do not need to be part of an existing network to print.

"Printing is an often overlooked functionality of Bluetooth technology. To highlight the benefits and features of this convenient use of Bluetooth mobile devices, the SIG is excited to declare August 'Bluetooth Print Month,'" said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG. "The growing popularity of camera phones is definitely driving Bluetooth wireless photo printing. By leveraging this market momentum, the SIG will educate consumers on how simple Bluetooth technology is to use for all their printing needs in a variety of environments."

The SIG recently launched the Experience Icon Program to guide and help consumers purchase interoperable products implementing Bluetooth wireless technology. When consumers and retailers see the print icon (below), they will know at a glance that they can wirelessly print directly from a computer, mobile phone, PDA or any other device displaying the print icon.

Print -- The print icon lets you know that printing can be simpler by allowing you to wirelessly print directly from your computer, mobile phone, PDA or any other device displaying the print icon.