We have added a lot a feature since v3.1 as can be seen in the table below:

If you want to get the release version just head over to the application page.

The interesting is that I don’t use my iPhones anymore. Since I bought the inexpensive Nexus 4 I have pretty much left the iPhone idle in my left pocket. Why? This is a difficult question to answer. I guess the 1s  part of the answer is that it does all of what I need to use it for and more. It also offer me things the iPhone did not… like some applications that Apple just would not allow (animated backgrounds, specialized keyboards, tight integration with Google Apps ecosystem, Google Cards, etc, etc).

The Nexus feel like a bit of fresh air in what I feel was just hardware refresh on the part of Apple. iOS has not evolved significantly since it release. Not as much as Android anyway. Android feel more open (it is . I can customize the look and feel of the phone, all the apps I need are available. Overall I find it more fun to use.

Do I miss iCloud? Not at all. In fact I hate iCloud as it feel way to “closed”. I can’t access my files from Windows machine or other platforms like I can with Google Drive. I think Apple is making a big mistake by keeping things exclusive to Apple only Apps here. I want my files to be free and I feel like iCloud is jailing them.

The Nexus 4 screen is also making a big difference. Every time I pick the iPhone 5 I feel like the screen is now too small. I much rather surf web sites on the Nexus.

I could keep going on and on but you get the point. Will I leave iPhone forever? Probably not. If Apple can come up with some good stuff in iOS 7 I may start to use the iPhone 5 again… but I don’t have too much hope. Google has moved ahead of Apple on phone OS and they will be hard to catch up to now.

If you are not experiencing or using this feature then there is no benefit to upgrade at this point.

You can find the new version on the main application page at http://netputing.com/applications/handyprint-v4-1/

Download v4.1.2

Virtual Printer Support

Add any number of virtual printers
from a wide range of options like
folder, applications and screen

Download v4.1.2

Share or not a printer

You can now easilly decide to share
or not a printer with iOS devices.
Simply unselect the printer you do not
want to share.

Download v4.1.2

Set various options

Download v4.1.2

You can set all kind of options to make
sure the application work best for you.
We keep adding more every release
so keep looking back.

Set options for every printers

You can configure printers the way you like
such that printings from iOS devices will come
out the way you intended. You prefer printing
in landscape? Just set it up and GO!

Download v4.1.2

We are pleased to announce the release of handyPrint v4.1.0b1. handyPrint v4.1 is, yet again, a major upgrade from our past versions. I can say that it is our most significant update so far. Most of the application has been re-written to offer better handling of AirPrint jobs from your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

The most significant change between v4.0 and v4.1 are:

- new print engine

- no longer require that printer be shared for them to be made available

- ability to customize print settings for each printers

- new flexible virtual printer support (print to file, print to screen, print to application, etc)

- simplified interface

You can download a copy of the application from the main application page over here.

The most significant change is the new print engine. We have totally changed how we do printer sharing. You will no longer need to share your printers for them to be made available via AirPrint. You only need to have them available on the Mac running handyPrint and they will automatically be shared.

The second big change is the introduction of unlimited virtual printers. You can now have multiple virtual printers to “Save as PDF to folder…” and also to “Open with application…”:

Something else that is brand new is the per printer options configuration! This is a dream come true:

You can now select the paper size you want, print layout, black and white, etc, etc and when you will print from your iOS device this is how it will come out! This is what I was always hoping we could do and we did it! I hope you like it. Still new and possibly buggy but worth looking at:

It is working pretty well on my side and I have not received much negative feedback so I think it is doing pretty good.

Features implemented so far are?

• Sensitivity gage to tune when the screen will lock to your specific Mac, Bluetooth device and environment.
• Application specific display sleep configuration to set how quickly the screen should blank out when away. Range from 1 minute to 3 hours
• Basic signal processing algorithm that should minimize inadvertent screen lock in case of Bluetooth interferences when you are working at your Mac
• Ability to hide/show Application Preference windows when it start
• Ability to add the application to the Login Items so it start when you login to your account
• Safety PIN in case the screen is locked and your Bluetooth device is not working. This will unlock the screen and turn the application OFF until you are ready to turn it back ON.

What is left to do?

• Provide a gage to tune the sensitivity to degraded Bluetooth signal when you work on your Mac
• Improve signal processing algorithm
• Implement other user suggested features

You can download a copy from the main application web page.

You can grab a copy from the application main page:

Download handyLock alpha

Here is a list of the fixes since alpha 1 was posted:

v1.0.0a5:

- Much better implementation of screen sleep. Screen saver still not implemented. Will work on this next. Should be easier now that screen sleep is implemented. Was not easy to figure out.

v1.0.0a4:

- Partial fix for sleeping monitor not working when handyLock is locking the screen. Need more work but partially resolved.

- Fix for logic as to when the screen will be unlocked. It was unlocking too fast before. Now it will only unlock when you are in the “near” range and will only lock when you are in the “far” range. Still need heavy signal tuning algorithms but the basic stuff is getting better.

v1.0.0a3:

- Fix for flawed logic in when to lock/unlock screen.

v1.0.0a2:

- Fix for ON/OFF switch not having effect.

As a result your screen will lock until you move back in range of your Mac and it will unlock on it’s own.

This is very convenient if you want to prevent access by kids, co-workers or others when you slip away to grab a coffee, a drink or take a bio brake.

As a 1st release the alpha version will not start on it’s own when you will login or boot your Mac. This is just in case something bad was to happen with it and as a result you would be locked out of your Mac. So this way if this ever happened you simple need to force a reboot and the application won’t engage when you login, granting you access and allowing you to troubleshoot what might have happened.

I have tried to cover all cases where such an event could occur but who knows. This is why this is alpha and should only be used be tech savvy users for now.

As can be seen on the screen above the application requires that you select a Bluetooth device that will act as your “Proximity keycard”. You want to aim at a signal strength value near 0 when your Bluetooth device is near your Mac.

Once you have selected a device that application will force you to select a PIN before allowing you to turn it on with the big ON/OFF switch. This is to prevent incident where the screen is locked and your Bluetooth device is missing or dead. Typing the pin in the lock screen window and hitting enter will unlock your Mac and put handyLock to OFF.

REMEMBER, this is an ealsy release, so be prepared for odd and strange behaviour.

Grab a copy from the application main page

I will be looking for testers for the application. If you are interested you will be able to download it and provide feedback so I can get to a polished implementation.

The 1st version will implement a basic set of features:

1. Associate 1 Bluetooth device with your Mac
2. Tune sensitivity to trigger the screen lock closer of farther from the Mac
3. Unlock the screen via a password in case your Bluetooth device is dead or out of range and you need to unlock your Mac.

I also need to create icons for the application. Will probably look ugly for the alpha

The nice thing is that the application will allow for a 14 days trial before requiring a small donation if you want to keep using it. This way you don’t end up spending $ on something that might not work.

This will be a useful application that will lock your screen on its own when you are walking away from our computer while it is turned on. For example, let say you work on something in the office or living room and you need to go grab a coffee. The application will notice via your phone that you are moving away and will lock your Mac so no one can get into it. As you walk back with your mug of coffee your Mac will sense that your are close and will unlock the screen without you having to do anything. Essentially handyLock will prevent you from having to put your machine to sleep and then wake it back up every time you walk away for a few minutes.

This application would do about the same thing as what the AppStore based Keycard does. We will probably keep the application outside of the AppStore for now since we like the ability for users to “try” before donating what they feel the application if worth to them. We will also aim at making it better than the current Keycard implementation that tend to either lock you Mac for no reason or not lock it at all (or you need to walk 45 feet before it does) as reported by many users. We think we found a way around those issues and will implement them in handyLock.

The problem with the AppStore is that you can’t actually try and see if the application work. So you end-up wasting precious dollars on something that either does not work, does not meet expectation of that you simply won’t use.