# Kindle Printer Driver



## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

I have an excellent idea - can someone knock it down?

Amazon should create a printer driver that allows people to print directly to the kindle.  This simple driver would convert the printout to a temporary PDF file on the user's machine and then email that file to the user's kindle account.  The next time users connect thier kindle thier document is available.

Right now - my wife - a computer novice - must print to a PDF file, then figure out where that file went, then send that file to her kindle account.  Its not hard - for me - its hard for her so she never does it.  If she could print to the kindle directly she would use it all the time.  

Anyone who's interested is welcome to use this wonder idea for any purpose.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

tjayrush--

welcome to KindleBoards and congratulations on your first post!  We've got a lot of talented computer gurus here, I'm sure we can get some feedback on the possibilities of your idea!

Betsy


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## Malweth (Oct 18, 2009)

I couldn't program it, but it doesn't sound too hard. Really, though, the Amazon conversion service supports most text based files. Can't a Word or HTML document be sent to that service? A "send to Kindle" extension to the Firefox web browser would be a nice addition. I don't know how good the Kindle conversion service is for these types of documents.

The only problem would be cost. $0.15 to click a button seems dangerous and expensive.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

I wasn't aware that you could send word files to the conversion service.  I wasn't
aware of the cost either.

Change of plan - you hook the kindle to your computer - you print to the kindle and it copies the PDF directly to the kindle.  Kind of defeats the automatic download aspect of the idea though.

Anyway it was just a thought.


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## SusanCassidy (Nov 9, 2008)

It is .15 per megabyte, which for a PDF file could add up.

Why doesn't she know where the PDF file went when she created it?  It seems to me that you have to specify where to save any new file.  That would make things easier, if you could help her figure that part out.

After that, emailing or running through a conversion program, then copying via USB is pretty easy.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

She's used to printing out things and taking them with her to read them.

The idea is that getting something to the kindle needs to be 100% as easy 
as that.  Anything more than that and she won't do it - cause printing is
so totally trivial.

She's busy.


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## SusanCassidy (Nov 9, 2008)

If she's using Word, you can (under the File menu) do 'Send to /  Mail Recipient, as Attachment'.  It will cost a little (but Word files are smaller than PDFs), but it is surely very easy.  You will have to make sure that the from email address is set up as valid in her 'Manage Your Kindle' page (a one-time thing).  This is assuming that she has an Outlook email.  I think that is the one that Word uses.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

Thanks.


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## tsemple (Apr 27, 2009)

tjayrush said:


> I have an excellent idea - can someone knock it down?
> 
> Amazon should create a printer driver that allows people to print directly to the kindle. This simple driver would convert the printout to a temporary PDF file on the user's machine and then email that file to the user's kindle account. The next time users connect thier kindle thier document is available.
> 
> ...


You could probably automate this fairly easily on a Mac, probably Windows also. The idea would be to set up a script that executes when a new file shows up in a particular folder, call calibre to do the conversion, then email.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I'm pretty sure they have similar programs for OCR with pictures of text you take with phones (Droids and iphones and the like) so I don't see this being a difficult thing to do either.  Someone with the knowledge and resources just needs to tackle it.  Sounds like you're just basically trying to cut out the middle man and streamline the experience, so I bet somewhere down the line we'll see something similar for the Kindle and pdfs.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

yes - exactly just cut out the middle man.


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## kamuu (Dec 28, 2009)

I'm surprised no one's mentioned CutePDF.  I use it toconvert all my files to PDF's for my DX.  Why pay amazon when you can do it for free. ;p


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I used the free conversion.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

kamuu said:


> I'm surprised no one's mentioned CutePDF. I use it toconvert all my files to PDF's for my DX. Why pay amazon when you can do it for free. ;p


CutePDF is a printer driver. Its perfect for creating PDF files. But then there's another step called 'getting the PDF to the kindle'. What I'm saying is - why isn't there a printer driver that will take as one of its parameters my kindle email address so I can print to the kindle directly (in effect). It would convert like CutePDF and then send all in one motion.

One person above mentioned using Send directly from word which works for any document created with a program that has Send as one of its choices. For other programs that don't the only way to PDF is through a printer driver.


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## kamuu (Dec 28, 2009)

so a convert & email program?  I'd be just fine with moving it over with a USB connection.  Doesn't Amazon charge for emailed docs?  It seems like more of a hassle to me, how long does it take usually to receive emails via amazon?  I assume it wouldn't be faster than a click and drag. ;\

edit: wait doesn't CutePDF let you designate where you want to 'print' your pdfs to?  /gone to check.

edit #2: Yea, if you hook up your  kindle to your comp then you can designate the pdf print to your kindle and it remembers the location.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

The point is 100% complete lack of interaction on the user's part.  My wife doesn't know a USB cable
from her elbow.  Printing to a printer she can handle.

Converting to PDF then emailing is not in her skill set - NOR SHOULD IT BE - she's an executive - 
she has way too many things to think about than Kindles.

She reads non-stop - she prints out 500 page reports on her printer and takes them with her
to work out.  Its a total hassle - she should be able to print her 500 page report directly to her
Kindle (in exactly the same way she prints now) and have it just magically be there when she 
gets to the Gym.  That's the idea.  The idea is - print and it magically shows up - no cables,
no emails, no nothing.  Just print and it shows up.

I, myself, am not interested in how to get files to the Kindle - I understand that - I'm interesting in 
making it 100% easy for her (and the millions of users who I am sure are just like her).  
Seems to me a printer driver is the easiest way to do that for all applications that 
can print.

For her - cost is really NOT an issue - think of printer cartridges, printer paper, waiting around for the
printout, etc., etc.  Those things have costs as well.


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## kamuu (Dec 28, 2009)

Well it's either print and have to manually connect her Kindle to wispernet and wait for it to be sent through Amazon's emailing service and have to worry about when it will arrive or if the doc is even too large to be emailed (if amazon has similar emailing restrictions to other basic office used emailing programs ie Outlook) or plug in the usb cable/charger to her computer, where it can be left permanently, and just print the pdf straight to her kindle...  I'm not meaning to be rude but if she's smart enough to be an executive I assume she'd be smart enough to remember what a USB cord and port look like.  I recommend you show her how to use CutePDF...  Nothing in the technology world works by magic, there's always some sort of effort needed on the human side.


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## kamuu (Dec 28, 2009)

I don't get the whole "I'm a successful CEO, executive, w/e" mindset that seems to make them immune to common interactions...  She brushes her own teeth right?  And you said she prints out 500+/- pages of documents, hooking up your kindle to a computer and using CutePDF has to be quicker than printing that many pages.


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## kamuu (Dec 28, 2009)

Amazon has an email service to email to your Kindle which you can recieve via whispernet.  I'm just not certain what, and if amazon chargers for this feature.

edit:  Something you should worry about is the security of the emails.  Her company might not want her to use an outside email service for some documents she needs to have sent.  CutePDF cuts out the middle man because it sends the docs to her kindle straight from her computer.  Hell if the documents she's needing to print are in PDF already all she needs to do id click and drag.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

kamuu said:


> if she's smart enough to be an executive I assume she'd be smart enough to remember what a USB cord


I am 100% totally kidding when I say this but she's just barely smart enough to be an executive so this whole kindle thing is going to be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

I'm kidding of course. I agree with you - she can do it - she just doesn't want to - I'm just trying to find a way to justify my having spent the $$$$ for this thing.

I'm going to bow out of the conversation now. Thanks for everyone's response.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

Jeff said:


> Yes, I knew that. I think the charge is 15 cents. Maybe I don't understand the OP. I thought the object was to be able to send a document to his wife's Kindle without Amazon's interaction.


The 15 cents per document is no problem. Printing costs a lot more than that I would think for a 100 page document.

Size limitations are probably a bigger issue (don't know what the limits are, if any, on whispernet).


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## kamuu (Dec 28, 2009)

Someone could create the program, but amazon charges $0.15 per megabyte, and while cost doesn't matter, she could be saving her company a lot of money down the road and a lot of trees by using a click and drag or a program like CutePDF which prints just like you would to an actual printer but just converts it to PDF form on your computer and will send it to where ever she wants it to, while not having to worry too much about sensitive company documents getting out or being sent through another company where you don't know who can view them.

Edit: Saving on print costs alone could justify the money spent on the kindle.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

kamuu said:


> Someone could create the program, but amazon charges $0.15 per megabyte, and while cost doesn't matter, she could be saving her company a lot of money down the road and a lot of trees by using a click and drag or a program like CutePDF which prints just like you would to an actual printer but just converts it to PDF form on your computer and will send it to where ever she wants it to, while not having to worry too much about sensitive company documents getting out or being sent through another company where you don't know who can view them.
> 
> Edit: Saving on print costs alone could justify the money spent on the kindle.


You're right. I thought it was $0.15 per document. CutePDF saving to the USB connected Kindle sounds like a pretty good idea. Thanks.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

I like your idea. I can't think of any limitations that would prevent an applet from working with Word and other programs to add a Print to Kindle option. I'd like to see that same applet work with Explorer and Safari, too. If you're willing to accept the Whispernet charges, I don't think it could be that hard. I may look into doing it on my Mac; I think with Mac's AppleScript, it wouldn't be very difficult. I'm not sure about a direct Word interface, I don't know the Microsoft limitations there. Are there any other 3rd party plug-ins for Microsoft? I can't think of any, but if they exist, then this shouldn't be a problem.

I'd pay for this, too. Anything to make my Kindle better and easier.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

The original idea was a printer driver so that every Windows program that can print to any old printer can print to the kindle - a plug-in is a cool idea but it would only work for things that support that kind of plug-in.  A printer driver would work for every single windows program that can print - which is every single windows program.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

tjayrush said:


> The original idea was a printer driver so that every Windows program that can print to any old printer can print to the kindle - a plug-in is a cool idea but it would only work for things that support that kind of plug-in. A printer driver would work for every single windows program that can print - which is every single windows program.


Have you tried posing your request on the MobileRead forums? There are many programmers who post there, and I would wager that one of them might take on your project request.


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## mikegee (Dec 30, 2009)

tjayrush said:


> The 15 cents per document is no problem. Printing costs a lot more than that I would think for a 100 page document.
> 
> Size limitations are probably a bigger issue (don't know what the limits are, if any, on whispernet).


well, im new to kindle, but not to .pdf, as i use acrobat everyday. I just typed a document word, coverted it to .pdf, used the email button on adobe to email directly to kindle account, and Voila, it is on my kindle. NO SEARCHING FOR FILE TO EMAIL

No biggie...but if I have my kindle with me I am going to send it usb immediately rather than by email
Mike


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

tjayrush said:


> You're right. I thought it was $0.15 per document. CutePDF saving to the USB connected Kindle sounds like a pretty good idea. Thanks.


If you're tech savvy (sounds like it) and want to make it as easy as possible, how about this: Get a second USB/plug cord and plug it into your computer with the Kindle end available easily at all times. (Or just use the one that comes with it if you don't think there will ever be a need to use it elsewhere.) When she has a document she wants to print to the Kindle, she can use CutePDF (or I use one called PDF995 which is similar). YOU can probably set some macros or something so that all she has to do is open the document, hit a function key and the computer will print the document using the PDF printer and put it directly onto the Kindle in the Documents folder. All she'll have to know to do is first plug the Kindle in and then click the 'print function' key you've created. I guess she would have to 'name' the document when asked, but that's it. Thinking about it, if she's using word, it will make a PDF much the same way. . .again, I bet you can write a Macro that does it quickly, including putting the new PDF on the Kindle.


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## kevindorsey (Mar 4, 2009)

mikegee said:


> well, im new to kindle, but not to .pdf, as i use acrobat everyday. I just typed a document word, coverted it to .pdf, used the email button on adobe to email directly to kindle account, and Voila, it is on my kindle. NO SEARCHING FOR FILE TO EMAIL
> 
> No biggie...but if I have my kindle with me I am going to send it usb immediately rather than by email
> Mike


Yea, if you are generally familiar with basic technology, format convertions, then stuff like that its no biggie.


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## tjayrush (Jan 11, 2010)

I totally agree - its no biggie - but it is just one smidgin more
of a biggie than printing to a printer which was the original
idea.

Some people hate anything even slightly different than
the way they're used to doing things.  I can't explain 
it - I'm just saying there are some people like that.

Thanks for all your help.  Bowing out again.


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