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  • Mobile Printers: What You Need to Know

    Posted by BIXOLON May 22, 2017

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As consumers demands shift, so too does the technology that businesses use to service them. Whether it be using large computers to take orders in fast food restaurants or handheld devices to take drink orders in a busy cinema, the technology that businesses used five years ago simply doesn’t work in today’s fast moving and customer centric world.
 

Mobile printers are beginning to play an increasingly important part in many businesses. Restaurants use them to provide credit card receipts, pawn shops use them to provide handling of goods receipts and many other businesses rely on them for an array of businesses.
 

For those starting a new business or adopting this technology, understanding what to look for in a mobile printing device is important. With their premium price tags and important role, overlooking even the simplest of specifications could have a significant commercial impact.
 

In this article, we’re following on from our previous guide to thermal printers and will be sharing our insights on choosing the perfect mobile printer for you. We’ll delve into the technicalities of our own devices and explore the benefits of mobile printers when compared to alternatives.
 

What is a Mobile Printer and Why Use Them?

Whether working in retail, hospitality, transport or logistics; you will have undoubtedly encountered a mobile printer at some point. They are often found partnered with either a tablet or card reader.

Mobile printers do, in most circumstances, utilise ink-based printing. Thermal printing, which is covered further in our previous article, is more common on large label printers. Unlike thermal printing, ink-based printing can achieve a print speed of up to 80mm per second. Furthermore, it can provide a greater variety of colours and high 203dpi print quality in some circumstances.

Mobile printers also work perfectly with tablets and smartphones. Our SPP-R400, for example, is compatible with the Apple iOS, Android, Symbian and Windows operating systems. When this compatibility is partnered with its USB, Bluetooth and WiFi support, the possible uses are truly endless.
 

Which Mobile Printer is Right for You?

When shopping for a mobile printer, you will be left shocked by the vast variety on offer from a varying selection of manufacturers. Whilst many of these will provide a decent print quality and support USB connectivity, there are of course many other things you should take into consideration.
 

Firstly, and as mentioned above, understanding what level of operating system compatibility and connectivity is available is essential. Should you be looking to utilise a tablet or smartphone to offer tableside payment, for example, ensuring that your mobile printing device supports both the iOS and Android operation systems is pivotal. Without such support, connecting your mobile printer to an iPad or Android smartphone could prove challenging.
 

An additional consideration that should be made when purchasing a mobile printer is the drop testing it has been put through. Our SPP-R310, for example, has a drop test certification of 1.8 metres. It is also IP54 dust proof and water resistant.
 

Assuming compatibility, connectivity and adequate drop testing having been performed, you will likely have found the ideal mobile printer. The final consideration, however, is what level of support the manufacturer provides in the future. Whether it be through easily available technical documents or telephone support, ensuring that both hardware and software support is provided is vital.
 

For more information visit http://www.bixolon.com or contact your local BIXOLON sales representative.

Keywords :   #Mobile Printing

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