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RICOH Smart Device Connector

The wide acceptance of smart devices such as smartphones and tablets has not only changed the way we communicate and consume information, but also the way we work. 

This is evident by the popularity of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend, where the use of personal smart devices is increasing in a wide range of business environments.

Ricoh recognises the importance of the smart device trend and has provided a number of mobile apps that enable users to operate compatible Ricoh devices using their mobile device.

What is RICOH Smart Device Connector?

RICOH Smart Device Connector is a free app for Apple iOS and Google Android smart devices, which provides easy and fast connection with Ricoh devices such as MFPs, printers, projectors, and Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs).  

Its key features are: 

  • Multi-device connection—the app allows users to connect to multiple Ricoh devices from the palm of their hand, bringing innovation to their way of work. 
  • Smart operation—users can operate MFP functions such as copy, scan, print, and fax directly from their smart device. The app can also connect to Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage services, allowing users to access their documents on the go.  
  • Quick connection—the app uses Wireless Direct to enable smart devices to directly access the Ricoh device without joining the company network. Depending on the device, the pairing can be done with Near Field Communication (NFC), Quick Response Code (QR Code), or Bluetooth Smart technologies.
  • Easy personalisation—users can store up to ten personal print, scan, copy, or fax preferences in the app and use them whenever they are at the MFP to save time. They can also use the contact details stored in their smart device’s address book in Scan to email and fax operations.

Why RICOH Smart Device Connector?

The company introduced RICOH Smart Device Connector to improve the connection process between smart devices and compatible Ricoh devices that was provided with the previous RICOH Smart Device Print&Scan app.
 
For example, the discontinued RICOH Smart Device Print&Scan required a smart device to join an internal network and perform device registration before being able to connect to a compatible Ricoh device.
 
The RICOH Smart Device Connector reduces these complexities with support for peer-to-peer connection to a compatible MFP using Wireless Direct. The new app provides has all the features of the RICOH Smart Device Print&Scan app and more, including support for the latest mobile technologies such as NFC (Android devices only) and QR Code to maximise the full capabilities of modern devices. 
 

It also supports Bluetooth Smart, which allows iOS or Android smart devices to connect to a Ricoh MFP or printer equipped with the second generation Smart Operation Panel.      

Bluetooth, together with the Quick Authentication feature of the Smart Operation Panel, enables users to securely authenticate to a Ricoh device using their smart device. 

How does it work?

Users with a compatible Ricoh device and smart device can download the free RICOH Smart Device Connector app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. These are the requirements before the app can be used: 
DeviceRequirements
iOSBluetooth Smart, QR Code scanner 
AndroidBluetooth Smart, NFC
Ricoh deviceSmart Operation Panel (for MFPs and printers), QR Code app1, NFC tag2, SmartSDK for mainframe

1—preinstalled on Smart Operation Panel or can be downloaded from Ricoh eDC server.
2—included in Smart Operation Panel option or can be provided as a service part.


iOS device 

Apple iOS devices with the RICOH Smart Device Connector app can be paired with the MFP using a QR Code. Users scan the QR Code to receive the connecting information such as Service Set Identifier (SSID), password, and IP address. 

Once connected, users are able to print, copy, scan, and fax documents directly from their smart device using the app’s intuitive user interface. 

Supported file formats are JPEG, PNG, single page TIFF, BMP, GIF, PDF, and Microsoft Office documents.

An iOS device can also be connected to an MFP via Bluetooth, which will authenticate the device automatically (requires Quick Authentication function).  

In terms of projectors and IWB, a QR Code is displayed on the device, which can then be scanned by an iOS device to receive the required connection details.

Android device 

Android devices with the RICOH Smart Device Connector app can be paired with a Ricoh device in the same way as an iOS device—using QR Code or Bluetooth. 

Furthermore NFC-enabled Android devices allow users to connect to an MFP simply by tapping their smart device on the Smart Operation Panel. This enables the Android device to automatically receive the required information to establish a connection between MFP and Android devices. Just touch and go!

Once connected, the operation is similar to that of iOS devices. Supported file formats are JPEG, PNG, PDF, and Microsoft Office documents.

Summary of connection methods

The table shows a summary of connection methods according to Ricoh device and smart device operating system. 

Operating systemMFP/PrinterProjectorIWB
iOSQR Code, Bluetooth SmartQR CodeQR Code
AndroidQR Code, Bluetooth Smart, NFCQR CodeQR Code, NFC

Note: Both operating systems can also connect to Ricoh devices manually by entering a supplied IP address and password.

 

Benefits for the customer

The RICOH Smart Device Connector is an innovative app that enables stronger integration and flexible operation between compatible Ricoh MFPs and smart devices. It offers these key customer benefits:

  • Simple peer-to-peer connection via Wireless Direct1 eliminates the need to join the company network before users can copy, print, scan, or fax from their smart device
  • Quick pairing of devices using QR Code,  NFC, or Bluetooth Smart technologies vastly reduces setup time and boosts productivity
  • Connection to Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and OneDrive cloud storage allows users to access their documents on the go, improving workflow and productivity
  • Quick authentication via smartphone simplifies the authentication process at the MFP   
  • Print jobs can be sent to a print server and Ricoh print solutions for maximum interoperability with existing systems
  • Intuitive user interface allows customers to easily operate MFP functions from their smart device   
  • Customers can personalise and store up to ten favourite settings on their smart device, reducing time spent operating the MFP 
  • Scanned documents or faxes can be sent directly from the app to contacts in the smart device’s address book, providing greater convenience  
  • Secure printing functions such as Locked print is available for security-conscious customers.

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