In the last couple of years, we’ve been able to control more aspects of our home environment through our voice, without touching a single button. You can not only play your music, but lock your doors, turn on your lights, and raise and lower your thermostat through voice commands. And now, with the introduction of the voice-activated, sleek, modern HP Tango printer, if you have an Amazon Echo or Alexa-enabled speaker, you can print with just a shout as well.
The Tango’s ability to respond to your voice isn’t the only standout feature. It’s the first printer to use a cloud-based, two-way network connection, enabling you to print, scan and copy wherever you are in the world using the HP Smart app (particularly convenient when, say, you’re on a business trip and forgot to print the rock-climbing-wall birthday party waiver for your kid who’s at home with his sitter). Through the HP Smart app, you can also quickly scan files from your phone and beam them to the cloud, email or print them. And with an HP Instant Ink subscription, you can print free photos up to 5×7 from your phone. The HP Tango will replenish your ink when you need it. Still, printing without touching a button is undeniably compelling. So how does the HP Tango’s voice-activated printing work? Learn how to quickly enable this convenient skill.
Set up your Tango to print
Once your HP Tango is connected to your home’s wifi network, you need to pair it with your Amazon Echo or Alexa-enabled device. First, retrieve your printer’s email address by simply tapping the Tango’s ⓘ icon on its touchscreen and printing an information page. Then, from your Apple ios or Android device, go into the Alexa app and search for and then “enable” the “HP Printer” skill. (Skills are found under the “skills and games” option behind the app’s menu hamburger, top-left of screen.) Give permission for Alexa to control your HP Tango printer, then enter that unique email address when prompted. Now you’re ready.
The prompt to print is “Alexa, ask my printer to….” Give it a try by asking her to print a help page, which lists some things she can do with your Tango, like print calendars, coloring pages, lists and comics.
Printing Lists
First, tell Alexa to “Create a list,” and give it a name when prompted, like “Groceries.” Then, while assessing the contents of your fridge, tell Alexa which items you need to pick up and she’ll add them. When you’re done, say “Alexa, ask my printer to print my list,” and specify “Groceries” when asked which. You’ll have it waiting for you in the Tango tray as you head out the door.
Similarly, you can ask Alexa to “create a to-do” list. Give it a name, tell her what you want on that list, then ask her to print it out on your HP Tango. It’s a convenient way to document tasks that pop into your head when you have your hands full with something else. Tell Alexa to print it, and presto, you’re well on your way to a hyper-efficient Saturday errand-run.
Fun and Games
Need to occupy a renegade toddler while you’re cooking dinner (or deter him from requesting “Baby Shark” for the 17th time)? The HP Tango can print out coloring pages (“Alexa, ask my printer to print a coloring page from Crayola”), including pages for you (“Alexa, ask my printer to print Art Therapy”). It can also print “wide-ruled notebook paper” or “metric graph paper,” saving you a run to the drugstore to complete that night’s homework assignment.
Printing Recipes
If you add the AllRecipes skill to Alexa (follow steps to add the HP skill above, only this time search for “All Recipes”), you can voice prompt your HP Tango to print a recipe of the day, a specific recipe you have saved in your AllRecipes account, or even a dish you search for by name or set of ingredients. Once the skill is enabled, say “Alexa, open AllRecipes” and tell her what you’re looking for. For instance, “Alexa, what can I make with chicken, bell peppers and paprika?” Alexa can even give you recipe review ratings–just ask. Once you’ve found the recipe you want, say “Alexa, ask my printer to print recipe.”
Look for more apps to take advantage of the HP Tango-Alexa link soon.