The buzz around AirPrint technology when it first came out was huge to say the least, with many people looking forward to printing right from their iPhone or iPad to any old networked printer. It really seemed pretty straightforward. To their horror, those people soon discovered that their printer more than likely didn’t work with the technology, and that iPad printing was still far away.
Indeed, the iPhone/iPad essentially works with only a select few printers, however recently many apps have been coming out which allow you print to any computer that’s on your network. PrintJinni is one of those apps, allowing you to print photos, documents and more right from iOS to any connected printer. Let’s see how it performs.
Layout
The layout of the app is clear and does what its supposed to do. All the options are clearly illustrated in the menu, with printer management and app settings also easily accessible. While many apps are like this, I would slightly criticise the way it is split down the middle. Twitter does this as well, but I for one would prefer to have the whole screen dedicated to the task at hand and not have in this case the editing space restricted. However, note that for documents you do have the option to expand it, even though it is not done by default, which it should be. For photos you don’t have any option though.
That last point then links to the next bit, which is the editing/formatting screen. It is slightly constrained by the menu, and as a result it’s a bit awkward to use. It’s also just not very clear how to change things, at least for photos. You select the photo you want to print, it appears on a white background, and you don’t really know what to do with it. While it does say pinch to zoom it small writing, it could be clearer. Layout only decent if you ask me.
Functionality
Before I even start this, let me point out that I’m only reviewing the restricted version. This is a fremium app, in other words, you have to pay if you want to access the full service (prices available in the FAQ here). They offer a trial, or if you don’t want that, you can choose the photos only option, which is what I’ve done. Having said that, there is no reason why a photo wouldn’t work like a document, so it’s not a major issue.
First things first. Does it actually print? Yes it does, and pretty well too. While it takes about 20-30 seconds for the printer to respond, it works as expected and the picture quality is no different from printing off a computer. That out the way, how easy is it to do so? Reasonably easy, but could be slightly more straightforward.
When you select your printer, you’re offered ‘Mac Shared Printers’, ‘Windows Shared Printers and ‘Direct Printers’. It would be easier in my opinion just to show the list directly. The less tech literate will probably select the wrong option, and having a list showing all the printers would make it easier to find the right one. It’s not that bad, but it could be improved.
Moving on to editing options, which aren’t great. For photos, the resize function isn’t very responsive, and pinch to zoom is more like many pinches and frustration to zoom. However the thing is that many people don’t need editing, and ultimately this app is for printing not for changing things around. While it would detract a lot from another type of app, in this case it’s not that important. If you want to edit, use another app.
Verdict
If you’re willing to pay the small fee to use the service, this is a solid printing solution. Nothing spectacular, but it prints, and really, that’s all that matters. It’s relatively easy to do, and even though the app could be improved in places, you won’t be disappointed if you get it.
While it might be worth looking at the other iPad printing solutions out there, PrintJinni certainly seems to get the job done.
Rating: 3.5/5[rating:3.5]
Price: Free (in-app subscription needed), App Store Link
Pros
- Simple printing, does job well
- Overall, layout clear and intuitive
- Easy to buy service inside app
Cons
- Way layout is split can be frustrating, especially if you want to edit
- iPad to paper takes about 30 seconds – not instantaneous
- Pinch to zoom editing unresponsive
