Since printing is a basic function, you would assume that it would be available on almost any device on which you can read a document. But, there are many devices that prevent users from connecting them to a printer.
Amazon Kindle Reader tablets certainly come to mind. Aside from many e-books that have DRM protection, Kindle tablets can't even be connected to printers. That is, with the exception of the Kindle Fire. This hybrid between Amazon Fire tablets and Kindle readers is much more versatile, although more expensive too.
Connect to a printer
There are two ways to connect your Kindle Fire to a printer. You can use a USB cable, physical connection, or connect to the printer via Wi-Fi, if the printer has wireless capability.
- Swipe down on the screen to display the Quick Settings menu.
- Tap the Wireless icon.
- Move the slider next to the Wi-Fi option to enable.
- Find and connect to the same network as the printer.
So far, so good. Law? This is the easy part. Now for the hard stuff.
Manage DRM protection
The main reason why a regular e-book reader like a standard Kindle tablet won't let you print e-books is that users won't be able to post e-books to torrent sites or distribute hard copies to anyone looking for free e-books, which will cost Amazon as well. and their authors a fortune.
Not all e-books have DRM protection, but most do. All eBooks and documents that have an .azw extension, or eBooks purchased from Kindle, require tampering and conversion before they can be printed. Even if you own the eBook, you will still need to convert it.
How do you do that? You will only be able to do this by installing and using third-party DRM removal software. Epubor is a well-known software which is available in Kindle Fire format and also for PC and Mac users.
Note that on a Kindle Fire, you don't need to jailbreak the device to install third-party software. This makes the DRM removal and conversion process quite simple. After installing Epubor or another software you like, follow the instructions for each program, as they contain step-by-step guides on how to do it from start to finish.
Conversion of non-DRM e-books
Just because you're done removing DRM protection from your .azw files doesn't mean they're ready to print just yet. In addition to a DRM removal app, you'll also need to install a PDF converter. Again, Epubor does a good job of providing Kindle Fire users with the full suite of programs needed to print e-books through their Epubor Kindle to PDF converter.
However, you should note that many .azw to PDF converters may not work on your tablet. This means you'll need to move the files to your laptop or computer, convert them there with a Windows or MacOS program, and then put them back on your tablet.
Printing e-books and other files
Now that you have documents and e-books ready to print, you will also need a printing application. Kindle Fire tablets, while capable of communicating with printers, do not do so natively, as some mainstream smartphones and tablets do.
Again, this means you will need to download and install a third-party app. The HP ePrint app generally works well on Kindle Fire and Fire HD tablets. That's not to say that OfficeSuite won't do a good job either.
- Open your printing application.
- Load the PDF document you want to print.
- Check if you are still connected to the same wireless network as the printer.
- Adjust how you want to print (one-sided, two-sided, font, etc.)
- Find a printer in the list of available devices and press print.
Although various printing application interfaces may differ, the steps required to use them are generally the same. If you used one, you can use them all.
Is it worth printing e-books and DRM documents?
Now that you know how, do you think it's something you could do? Keep in mind that breaking DRM protection is considered illegal. It should also be noted that DRM protection is constantly evolving. It's not inconceivable that some removal software will eventually stop working. Corrupting your copy of a document with DRM removal software is also a possibility.
At the same time, we understand that being able to read a black and white book on paper is also nice, and saving a few dollars is even better. On that note, do you think you'll be using a regular Kindle eReader again, or is paying a little extra for the Kindle Fire HD worth it, given all you can do with it?
