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Google is making a provision for Chrome OS to print web, native desktop or mobile apps on any device to any printer - both cloud-aware and legacy - anywhere in the world.

Of course cloud-aware printers - which are not the same as web-connected printers - don't exist yet but Google imagines printers one day being registered with one or more cloud print services.

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It's gotten as far as publishing the schematic below and the in-progress design documents and protocol specifications for a Web Service it calls Google Cloud Print.

It looks like PC-like complex print subsystems and print drivers for each platform are out and APIs are in.

It says it expects third-party cloud print services too.

It's starting with Windows and will support Mac and Linux later.

Of course legacy printers will require an Internet connection until somebody figures out a way of not having the PC on.

See http://code.google.com/apis/cloudprint/docs/faq.html.