Google Cloud Print Now Available for FedEx Locations and Ice Cream Sandwich

Google announced today over at the Google Chrome Blog that the Google Cloud Print service has been expanded. Paolo Ferraris, a Software Engineer at Google, announced that, as of today, the service can be used to print to any FedEx location. By choosing the “Print to FedEx Office” option (shown above) in Cloud Print, a user will be provided with a retrieval code. The code can be redeemed at any FedEx Office Print &Go self-service device. I could certainly have used such a service in college, when the FedEx store was on my bike route to campus. Better late than never, I suppose.

Another expansion of Google Cloud Print capabilities has also rolled-out today: Cloud Print for Ice Cream Sandwich. Android smartphone or tablet users lucky enough to have Android 4.0 on their device will be able to “print” to their mobile device. What this means is that when users select their Android device in Cloud Print, a PDF of the document will open in the Chrome browser on the device. Note that this does require the Chrome for Android Beta app to be installed on the android device.

Lastly, Google also used the post to announce that Cannon is now offering printers that are Google Cloud Print Ready. This is in addition to printers that are already Google Cloud Print Ready from HP, Kodak, and Epson.

So, lots of interesting avenues of expansion for Google Cloud Print, now that the service is gaining in popularity. I would love to see the service become ubiquitous enough to be taken for granted, but, even more, I want to see a world where the printing of personal documents is obsolete. The new Android 4.0 functionality of Cloud Print seems to be a subtle nudge in that direction.