Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for transforming entity device to a multi-functional device via a remote communication link. In particular, the system may be configured to receive an interaction request from an associate, via an associate device, wherein the interaction request is associated with a user, authenticate the associate using the associate device, in response to authenticating the associate, establish a remote communication link between the associate device and an entity device, receive an activation request from the associate to activate the entity device, via the associate device and the remote communication link, and in response to receiving the activation request, activate the entity device and transform the entity device to a multi-functional device.

A communication device may include a first type of interface and a second type of interface. The communication device may execute the communication of object data with a mobile device using the second type of interface after executing a specific process for causing the communication device to shift to a communication-enabled state, in a case where it is determined that the communication device is not currently in the communication-enabled state. Also, the communication device may execute the communication of the object data with the mobile device using the second type of interface without executing the specific process, in a case where it is determined that the communication device is currently in the communication-enabled state.

An information processing apparatus connectable to one or more devices via a network. The apparatus includes a measuring unit measuring an inclination of the apparatus; a determining unit determining whether the inclination of the apparatus relative to a given surface of one of the one or more devices is within a predetermined inclination range; a receiving unit that receives radio waves; an obtaining unit obtaining identification information from the radio waves; a radio wave strength measuring unit measuring strength of the radio waves; a selection unit determining whether to select a given one of the one or more devices based on the strength of the radio waves; and a connection unit connecting the information processing apparatus to one of the one or more devices selected by the selection unit and for which the inclination of the apparatus is within the predetermined inclination range.

A server system connectable to a print system including a transmission unit configured to transmit received print data to a printer includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire information indicating an amount of a consumable which is used for printing of transmitted print data to the printer, and a placement unit configured to place an order for the consumable to be used by the printer, based on the acquired information.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores computer-readable instructions, the computer-readable instructions, in response to being activated by an operating system, causing the portable terminal to perform: a first acceptance process of accepting an operation designating one of image forming devices communicable; a first storage process of causing the memory to store a first device ID, as a designated device ID; a second acceptance process of accepting an operation designating contents; and an operation instruction process of transmitting operation instruction information, and the computer-readable instructions, in response to being activated by another program, causing the portable terminal to perform: an acquisition process of acquiring, from the another program, a second device ID for identifying the image forming device; and a second storage process of causing the memory to store the second device ID, as the designated device ID.

An image forming apparatus includes a processor configured to: transmit an inquiry as to whether or not printing of print data is allowed to an authenticated terminal when the print data are received from an external terminal, the authenticated terminal having an authority to perform printing and the external terminal being not registered in advance as the authenticated terminal; and make preparation to print the print data when a permission to print the print data is received from the authenticated terminal.

A terminal device may execute a first attempt process in which the terminal device attempts to communicate with a server on the Internet via a communication interface by using a specific LAN to which the terminal device is currently connected; and in a case where the attempt to communicate with the server is successful in the first attempt process, send connection information to a communication device different from the terminal device, the connection information being for connecting the communication device to the specific LAN, wherein in a case where a specific condition is fulfilled, the connection information is not sent to the communication device, the specific condition including a condition that the attempt to communicate with the server fails in the first attempt process.

A printing apparatus displays a setting screen on a display portion. The printing apparatus includes: a communication portion that transmits and receives communication data; a setting portion that associates a setting corresponding to a user's input via the setting screen with the communication data received by the communication portion; a storage portion in which the communication data and the setting are stored in association with each other; a control portion that performs control related to communication of the communication data, based on the stored setting; and a printing portion that performs printing.

A printing system is provided including a printer server accessible over a first network at a first location and a cloud service accessible from both the first location and a second network at a second network. A user with a client computer moving between the first network and the second network can print using either the printer server, when the user is on the first network, or the cloud service, when the user is on the second network. The client computer is configured detect its location and receive configuration information from the cloud service. The configuration information changes the method used by the client computer to print depending upon the client computer's detected location.

In a communication system, an image forming apparatus sends an address of a receiving section to an external device. The external device receives a selection of image data through plural thumbnails displayed on a display section, and wirelessly sends the selected image data to the image forming apparatus with the address. The image forming apparatus receives the selected image data sent with the address by the external device, and prints an image based on the selected image data. The image forming apparatus accepts a selection indicating whether a communication between the external device and the image forming apparatus is performed by a first communication system method or a second communication system method. The image forming apparatus performs sending and/or receiving the image data with the address by the first communication system method when the first communication system method is selected, and performs sending and/or receiving the image data with the address by the second communication system method when the second communication system method is selected.