Polaroid and Zink develop Digital Instant Mobile Photo Printer

We'd heard through the grapevine that the Zink portable printer camera would be getting boxed up and sent out to eager customers late this year, but now it seems as though Polaroid has jumped in for a bit of the action. Realistically, you shouldn't be too surprised that the former king of instant photography is syncing up with Zink, and we must say, this whole partnership conjures up some pretty fond memories of shakin' snapshots in tense anticipation as we waited for the scene to develop. Nostalgia aside, the firm's Digital Instant Mobile Photo Printer does indeed sport the Zink logo, and sure enough, it produces borderless 2- x 3-inch color prints instantly when fed images from a digicam or cellphone. We don't have a firmed up release date in front of us or anything, but all signs are pointing to soon -- very soon.

[RichardBronosky @ Feb 8th 2008 11:57PM]

Why is is this called a PMP?

Because with it, I become PIMP! Awe Yeah, you just got PUNished. I couldn't resist.

[Norman Speight @ Nov 14th 2007 11:18AM]

Sounds good, won't be so good if we have to pay an exhorbitant price for the print paper. i.e. if this is dye sublimation forget it, the cost is simply not acceptable these days. Digital means huge cost savings, no savings at all if dye sublimation is involved, hence a marketing flop.
I've heard all the arguments about 'that special situation. Truth is, ain't no special situation, Digital is all economy driven for the masses.

[Nubaeus @ Nov 14th 2007 6:21AM]

Brings a whole new meaning to PMP

[Jagannath A @ Nov 14th 2007 6:22AM]

as in Portable Media Printer ?

[Rob @ Nov 14th 2007 6:52AM]

Didn't I read somewhere that the Polaroid of today is not the same company we knew 10 or so years ago? I thought they got bought out by some Chinese company and now they're only a name thing. So, I guess there's no nostalgia involved when it's only the name we're talking about and not the quality and reputation of a company's products.

[Natedog @ Nov 14th 2007 7:58AM]

Fine then, ruin the moment.

But really, if they want true nostalgia, it shouldn't be borderless. It should be very borderful. Very, very borderful.

[SteveJ @ Nov 14th 2007 7:11AM]

Why 2x3? I guess just for portability, but really, a 2x3 print seems almost pointless doesn't it?

[StrangeBum @ Nov 14th 2007 8:36AM]

If you want to you could always take a photo, pan it either left or right, take a second photo. Print them both out and tape the backside and voila instant 4" x 6" photo for you, since you seem to be so fickle on the issue.

IMHO, this is sort of 'ehhh...maybe' I like the concept, but it will never be the same as it used to be. And the way people want everything smaller, faster and better I don't see much chance of a digital camera implementing a device like this into the camera itself; therefore, making a true snap and print camera combo. /rant

[Dan @ Nov 14th 2007 3:16PM]

Two 3x2 photos wouldn't make a 6x4 print. It'd be a 6x2 or 3x4. You'd need four to make it the same size.

[James @ Nov 14th 2007 8:48AM]

In other news, Polariod announced today that they would be developing a telephone that could be used almost anywhere, using high frequency radio waves!

Seriously, they did this already - about sixty years ago, actually. What changes with this thing, the fact that it's digital?

[3v1lkr0w @ Nov 15th 2007 8:48AM]

yes...the fact its digital is new. So you can see the pic before taking it...instead of taking it and hoping it came out right. I know i always sucked at taking pics before i got my digital camera.

[Sam Winter @ Feb 11th 2008 4:57AM]

"So you can see the pic before taking it.."

Whoah I didn't know the paper could time travel..

[COLINEFF @ Nov 15th 2007 1:25PM]

Polaroid the company that use to make cameras and film doesnt its just a company that collects royaltys on other companys using the Polaroid name.

[t-ray @ Nov 14th 2007 1:35PM]

You do know that shaking polaroids is forbidden, it's even in the manual. It's bad for them. Urban legend! :)

[Hany Hanna @ Nov 14th 2007 9:58AM]

StrangeBum ....if you tape two 2x3s together you don't get a 4x6......you either get a 4x3 or a 2x6.
Why can't we reply directly to people who replied?

[kyle @ Feb 10th 2008 9:34PM]

you can reply to their parent.

[TIMMAH! @ Nov 14th 2007 2:05PM]

Sheesh Polaroid, give it up already. How is this different than the P500 which has been on clearance for like the last 2 years over at Ritz for $12.95?

[JP @ Nov 14th 2007 2:51PM]

Definitely cool. But where have all the read links gone from the posts recently?

[JP @ Nov 14th 2007 2:51PM]

Definitely cool. But where have all the read links gone from the posts recently?

[asnooper @ Nov 15th 2007 8:17AM]

Do some research. Zink is closer to Polaroid than Polaroid is to Zink. The Zink crowd is the former Polaroid digital imaging and media research and engineering department, which was bought, spun off, refocused, retooled, and renamed. Polaroid is now just a marketing name owned by the same company that owns Fingerhut and ubid.com.