World's First Universal Print Service Plug-In for Android 4.4

SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - Jan 7, 2014) -  Software Imaging Limited, a Hancom Inc. group company, today announced the first Universal Print Service Plug-in for the Android Print Framework recently released in the Android 4.4 KitKat OS. The solution supports over 8,500 printers from more than 20 major printer manufacturers.

The Android Print Framework provides a Print Manager and consistent API for client apps and ISVs (Independent Software Vendors). It requires Print Service Plug-ins to drive printers and opens an opportunity for value-added features and enhanced user experience. To achieve wide printer coverage a user may need to search for and install many plug-ins. This can be time consuming, adds complexity to the printing experience and potentially presents many different printing user interfaces.

The Software Imaging Universal Print Service Plug-in delivers support for over 8,500 printers from more than 20 printer manufacturers with the installation of only one plug-in. It enables printing via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB connections and so enables users to "Print Any Document, To Any Printer, Anywhere" without the need for cloud based servers.

Additionally, the Software Imaging Universal Print Service Plug-in provides a single, unified and consistent printing user experience and user interface for all applications and all printers. It also delivers a number of value-added features such as a rich menu of print job functions and print preview, allowing users to see what their print will look like.

The Software Imaging Universal Print Service Plug-in uses Hancom Document Rendering technology to ensure the highest quality and fidelity of printed documents from sources such as Hancom Office, ThinkFree Viewer, MS Office™, PDF, images, contacts, calendars, web pages, Gmail, etc.

The Software Imaging Universal Print Service Plug-in for Android 4.4 is currently in Beta testing and will be available to smartphone and tablet manufacturers and printer OEMs in the first quarter of 2014.

"We see tablets and smartphones replacing laptops for many applications, which means that the complexity of content on these devices is increasing rapidly. Nobody ever purchases a laptop that cannot print, so it is clear that the consumer demand for mobile printing is increasing dramatically," said Peter Lismer, CEO of Software Imaging. "We feel the Android Print Framework provides a major step forward for device manufacturers and ISVs wishing to provide printing to their users. Our Universal Print Service Plug-in is the simplest and most comprehensive way to deliver truly universal printing from Android 4.4."

HongGoo Lee, CEO of Hancom, said, "This announcement of the Software Imaging Universal Print Service Plug-in for Android 4.4 is a major step forward in our objective to be at the forefront of mobile printing technology. It demonstrates the importance of our acquisition of Software Imaging, announced in April this year, and our goal to strengthen our position as a global technology leader."

About Software Imaging
Software Imaging is well respected as one of the most influential and reliable technology solution providers in the printing and imaging space.

For over twenty five years the company has been at the forefront of global innovation in printing and imaging software, providing its partners with access to advanced technologies and expertise in areas of printer drivers, colour science, raster image processing (RIPs), mobile printing and more. Software Imaging is a leader in XPS technology for Windows Vista and developed the XPSDrv reference drivers shipped with Microsoft's Windows Driver Kit. We are at the forefront of mobile printing solutions for Android, Blackberry, iPhone, iPad and Windows Mobile, operating systems.

Headquartered in the UK and part of the Hancom Group, Software Imaging provides technology and development services to the world's largest suppliers of printers, digital copiers and mobile devices.

About Hancom
Founded in 1990, Hancom Inc. has maintained its leading position worldwide in desktop, online and mobile office productivity markets. The company currently offers Hancom Office 2013, an acclaimed alternative office suite for desktop environment together with ThinkFree family of products. For further information, please visit www.hancomoffice.com.

ThinkFree, ThinkFree Office, ThinkFree Server, ThinkFree Mobile and ThinkFree Online are registered trademarks of Hancom Inc. All other trademarks and/or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2013 Hancom, Inc.

About ThinkFree
ThinkFree, Inc., based in San Jose, CA, is the world leader in publishing office productivity applications and services for the connected world. Its award-winning software architecture is flexible for installation on mobile devices and desktop operating systems, or as an on-premise server solution residing behind the firewall or in the cloud. Majority owned by Hancom Inc., a publicly held company on the Korean KOSDAQ stock market, ThinkFree offers market-leading software solutions that leverage the power of the Internet and provide users with a consistent, unified and productive experience regardless of computing platform. Visit ThinkFree at www.thinkfree.com.