Chrome OS to Print Through Cloud

Google wants to use cloud computing to make the Chrome OS independent of local printers.

In the official Chromium blog, Google is of the mind that local printer connections and installing individual printer drivers are no longer feasible for the mobile user community. For the exclusively Web apps in what the search engine maker calls their "Web-connected platform," Google has come up with a new design that makes printing from anywhere to any printer possible.

Chrome OS grabs at the cloud: the Google platform wants to make devices independent of printer drivers with their Google Cloud Print service.

The Google Cloud Print concept is based on all devices and platforms being connected to the Web, although Google calls it the "cloud" instead. Every app should be able to send data to any printer, no matter if it's a Web, mobile or desktop app. The concept doesn't depend on drivers, but on a not so clearly defined cloud service to which users submit print jobs. The service should take care of sending the print job with its selected parameters to the respective printer.

The Google blog attests that Google Cloud Print is still under development. However, code for a first cut of a Cloud Print Proxy implementation is already available, along with documentation. APIs are to come next. The declared goal is to get the community involved as soon as possible. One open debate is what open standards to use for true Google Cloud Print consistent functioning.