'Printopia' and 'FingerPrint' Bring AirPrint Functionality to Shared Printers

Last week, it was revealed that Apple had pulled support for using the forthcoming AirPrint wireless printing functionality for iOS 4.2 devices to print to printers shared on PCs and Macs, restricting the feature to a handful of HP printers supporting AirPrint directly.

While several hacks to enable support for shared printers on AirPrint surfaced, a pair of commercial software releases are now providing a way for everyday users to enable the functionality on Mac OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard once iOS 4.2 finally debuts without the need to modify system files.

133332 printopia 500

Printopia from Ecamm Network installs as a preference pane in System Preferences and allows users to easily select which local and networked printers should be shared to iOS 4.2 devices on the local network. Users can also send print jobs from iOS 4.2 devices directly to their Macs (including Dropbox folders for automatic syncing), allowing for easy export of PDF/JPEG files without the need for actual printing. Printopia is priced at $9.95 with a 7-day free trial available.

133332 fingerprint 500
FingerPrint from Collobos Software similarly offers Bonjour-based sharing of printers for AirPrint functionality managed through a standalone application. FingerPrint is priced at $7.99 and is also available as a 7-day free trial.

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...