Polaroid prints to return from the dead?

 

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By David Bayon

Posted on 13 Mar 2008 at 12:19

On-the-move photo printing is set to make a return this summer, thanks to a new device from camera manufacturer Polaroid.

PC Pro was today given a demonstration of the company's Digital Instant Mobile Photo Printer, or PoGo, which uses Zero Ink (ZINK) technology to take any photo from a PictBridge or Bluetooth device and turn it into a print in less than a minute.

ZINK works thanks to the specially produced paper. It has embedded yellow, magenta and cyan dye crystals, "activated with 200 million heat pulses, in 30 seconds, in a single pass". Thus, the device itself carries no ink, and the only consumable cost is that of replacing the paper itself, which Polaroid says should be around £2.99 for 10 sheets or £5.99 for 30. The lack of ink also means prints are scratch- and water-resistant.

It is powered by a lithium ion battery, which will last for around 15 prints on a single two-hour charge. A full-size USB port sits on the side, although it prints from mobile devices only - connecting to a PC is not supported.

Given the pocketability of the device - it's about the size of a PDA and weighs 230g - the print size is currently limited to 2x3in, about the size of a business card. Prints are sticky-backed, meaning the initial market is sure to be teenagers with mobile phones rather than more serious photographers.

When asked about the possibility of larger, 6x4in models, a representative reiterated the device's portability as the main aim, rather than a challenge to current 6x4in photo printers.

The Digital Instant Mobile Photo Printer is due for launch this summer for "less than £100".

Camera integration?
Polaroid also had some pre-production samples of its upcoming range of digital compact cameras on show. The range comprises two 8-megapixel models, the t831 and i835, both of which feature a 3in LCD on the back. Both offer face-tracking, anti-shake, slideshow modes and video clips with audio.

We were therefore keen to find out if the ZINK print technology is eventually planned for integration into Polaroid's cameras - a seemingly sensible progression. A representative informed us that the actual print engine makes up only the final inch or so of the printer, with the rest used up by the paper tray, battery and connections; this would make the integration of the printer relatively unobtrusive.

He shied away from confirming the future plans, though, instead telling us, with a smile, that advancements would come "at a later date". So that's a yes, then.