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Polaroid's Q-series Android tablets offer a taste of KitKat starting at $129
Polaroid isn't known as a technology vanguard, but it's showing a little forward thinking today with the launch of three budget tablets. The 7-inch Q7 (pictured below), 8-inch Q8 (above) and 10.1-inch Q10 all run Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box, giving them a slight edge over more advanced devices that are still running older software. Not that they'll be especially noteworthy otherwise. All three ship with unnamed (but likely low-end) quad-core processors, and HDMI video is the only real standout feature. You may forgive the modest specs when you see the pricing, however. The Q series will sell at prices between $129 and $179 when it ships in the spring, which makes it one of the cheapest ways to try Google's latest mobile OS.
Polaroid debuting $1,000 4K TV at CES
Polaroid's been struggling with a bit of an identity crisis since the halcyon days of instant photography. Did you know, for example, that the company's been putting its name on TVs? Polaroid's celebrating CES with the release of two ambitious (if not particularly memorably named) sets at extremely low price point. The more notable of the two is a 50-inch 4K set with three HDMI inputs, priced at $1,000. Can't quite swing that? Good news, a mere $600 will get you a 50-inch set with a Roku Streaming Stick built-in -- and that one's got HDMI inputs, as well. Both sets will be on-hand in Vegas next week.
Nikon takes first blood against Polaroid's knock-off J1
Remember when Nikon noticed that Polaroid's iM1836 looked a little too much like the J1 and lawyered-up? The case has arrived at the Southern District Court of New York, where a judge probably took 30 seconds to nod their head and say "Yeah, that's the same device." As such, Nikon has won a preliminary injunction preventing the sale and manufacture of the suspiciously-similar shooter. If you were in the hunt for a J1 knock-off, it looks as if you'll have to take your business elsewhere -- at least for now.
Polaroid Kids Tablet 2 comes loaded with apps from Cartoon Network, Disney and Marvel
A kid-friendly tablet often isn't enough by itself to keep little tykes happy -- you have to get the content they want, too. Polaroid is counting on this formula to lure parents to its newly available Kids Tablet 2. The 7-inch slate comes preloaded with the full versions of 70-plus apps and e-books from Cartoon Network, Disney and Marvel, giving children plenty to do right from the start. It's also a big step up in performance versus the (frankly pokey) original. Along with a software upgrade to Android 4.2, the new Kids Tablet carries a dual-core 1.6GHz ARM Cortex-A9 chip, 1GB of RAM, a 1,024 x 600 screen and a front camera to complement the existing rear sensor. Polaroid's tablet isn't the cheapest in its class when it's selling for $149 through Toys R Us, but it may save adults the trouble of hunting for software.
Nikon goes after Polaroid, says the iM1836 is a dead-ringer for the J1
If you glanced at the Polaroid iM1836 and thought "You know, that looks a bit like Nikon's J1," you're not alone. Nikon, you see, is suing Polaroid's owner Sakar, claiming that the Android-running ILC infringes upon Nikon's trade dress and design language for its own range of mirrorless shooters. After failing to reach an agreement behind-the-scenes, Nikon is now seeking an injunction that'll prevent Sakar producing or selling any more -- so, is anyone up for a game of spot the difference?
Socialmatic camera priced at $300, channels Sting for marketing tagline
Polaroid's second chance has a price, and it's $299. At that amount though, it's hard to tell how much the novelty of instant-printing is worth in comparison to less kitschy and more capable options. What's more, Socialmatic is confirmed to ship with Android. Just imagine what a sepia-tinged faded print will look like six months on. [Thanks, Christian]
Polaroid's Polamatic app brings its unique brand of nostalgia to Android
If the multitude of apps with faux-retro photo filters simply isn't enough, you'll be happy to know that Polamatic for Android is available today in the Google Play store. Polamatic allows you to adorn your artfully staged cat photos with a choice of 36 different borders, including Polaroid's classic white frame. Additionally, the app comes with 20 distinct filters and captions with a selection of 24 fonts. Also included is the option to share your photos via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr and even Instagram. The latter might be the reigning monarch of photo editing apps, but even its aesthetic is an homage to Polaroid's old school style. To make your new photos look old (in the hippest of ways), head on over to the source link below to download the app.
Polaroid's XS80 action camera records adventures in 1080p, whether you're shaking or not
Polaroid's come a long way since, well, Polaroid. Now its portfolio includes retro devices, tablets and action cameras. It's that last category we're interested in today, as the company just announced a new shooter, the Polaroid XS80. The credentials break down thus: HD recording in 1080p and 720p and VGA, waterproof to 30 feet, 16- 5- and 3-megapixel still modes and 120 degrees FOV. The barrel-bodied camera also includes a G sensor for auto rotation, plus anti-shake technology, a memory card slot (good for 32GB) and an HDMI socket. The price ($130 including helmet mount) puts this just below the XS100 model, but if this is just the right level of extreme for you, the good news is it's available now.
Polaroid to make Socialmatic Camera a reality for fans of Instagram, recursion
Instagram owes its distinctive identity to Polaroid's OneStep cameras; it's now time to return the favor. Socialmatic has signed a deal for a production, Polaroid-branded version of its 2012 Socialmatic Camera concept you see above, which translates the mobile app's retro icon to a real-world, instant-print shooter. While technical details are scarce, the agreement will see accessory maker C&A Marketing build and sell the design sometime in the first quarter of 2014. If the finished Polaroid work is anything like the concept, it could be more than a novelty with its interchangeable lens system, 4.3-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, WiFi and 16GB of storage. We don't know if the camera will ship with Android, but we hope it does -- there would be an appropriately Xzibit-like aspect to running Instagram on top of an Instagram-shaped camera.
Polaroid shows off M10 tablet for $229, we go hands-on (video)
Polaroid had its 7-inch M7 slate on hand at CES 2013, and you best believe there's an older sibling in that other requisite slate size: the 10.1-inch M10. (We dig the straightforward naming scheme with these products, by the way.) Like the M7, it sports a 1,280 x 800 resolution. It runs a quad-core Cortex A7 CPU with 1GB of RAM, but curiously we found this larger device to be more sluggish than its dual-core little brother. It runs Android Jelly Bean with a light skin that consists of widget tiles. This features both a 2-MP front-facing camera and a 5-MP rear shooter, and ports include HDM1-out. Unlike the rubber-backed M7, the M10 sports a brushed-metal finish on the rear, which looks more elegant but doesn't provide the same comfy fit in the hand. The slate includes 16GB of on-board storage, but that's expandable via microSD card. It will go for $229 when it launches alongside the M7 this spring. Check out our hands-on gallery for a closer look and be sure to head past the break for a video demo.
Hands-on with Polaroid's M7 Android tablet (video)
Polaroid has its generically named Kids Tablet on hand at CES -- and don't you worry, we tested its child-proof design with a few hearty drops -- but the company is also displaying two full-grown Android tablets. The smaller of the two is the M7, which packs a 7-inch, 1,280 x 800 display. Under the hood is a 1.6GHz dual-core A9 processor with 1GB of RAM, and a 2-megapixel front camera sits to the left of the display. We found the tablet very responsive when swiping through home screens and jumping in and out of apps. This guy is running Jelly Bean -- with a skin of tile-like widgets running on top (it seemed a little too similar to Windows Phone 8's Metro interface, if you ask us). We can't emphasize enough how prevalent the fingerprints were when we picked up this device. Sure, it was well into a long day at CES, but the display was much greasier than other tablets we've handled. The tablet sports a rubber, textured backing which may seem cheaper than a metal finish but provides for a very comfortable grip. There's 8GB of internal storage, and the microSD card slot allows you supplement that. The MSRP is $129, with release for this spring. For now, check out our hands-on gallery and video after the break. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Polaroid's Scott Hardy (update: video embedded)
Polaroid is a company in flux. CEO Scott Hardy made that clear when we sat down with him back at Photokina back in September. Will the iconic camera company be able to reinvent itself in this age of ubiquitous cameraphones and Instagrams? We'll get his take after the break. January 9, 2013 4:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
Polaroid Kids Tablet hits CES, and we drop it on the ground a couple of times (video)
The Kids Tablet? Okay, Polaroid doesn't get any points for creativity on the naming side of things, but the company clearly did put some thought into creating a low-price slate for tiny hands. This seven-incher features a rugged rubberized design -- in fact the company didn't flinch when we dropped it twice during the video hands-on that you'll find after the break. The buttons are big and easy to press, and tablet looks fairly easy to clean after the inevitable PB&J smears. The screen leave a bit to be desired, we'll say that, but that's probably to be expected from a $150 kids tablet. The device runs Android 4.0, featuring a Polaroid skin that looks a bit like Microsoft tiles -- again, probably a good thing for clumsy little fingers. Polaroid's also loaded up some kids software, like Kids Vids, a video app that pulls videos off of YouTube based on the users' age. There some age controls on here as well, though they're hardly the most involved we've seen on a device like this. Interested parties with tech loving kids can pick the tablet up now.
Polaroid's interchangeable lens cameras hands-on (video)
Interchangeable lens cameras from Polaroid? Yep. They're here at CES, and the company let us spend some hands-on time at tonight's Pepcom event at the MGM Grand. It's important to note, right off the bat, that these things are still firmly in prototype mode, so we'll hold off on passing any sort of judgement on build quality until the company puts something a bit more final in our hands. For the moment, however, they're buggy at best. And they certainly don't have the build quality of a, say Sony NEX, but that's to be expected in part due to the fact that these guys start at $299 as beginner level cameras. At the high end is the iM1836, which has WiFi and Android 4.1 built-in. We played around with the touchscreen a bit, and, as mentioned before, it didn't behave at all as intended, so we weren't able to play Fruit Ninja on the thing. In its final version, you'll be able to use third-party camera apps, if you're so inclined -- and play a bit of Angry Birds, of course. Of the three, the build quality is certainly the highest here. It feels on-par with a lower-mid-level point-and-shoot. And this camera, as with its cheaper siblings, has the sensor built into the lens, oddly, which Polaroid is convinced with cut down on dust and scratches. Click on through for a (somewhat noisey) video.%Gallery-175175%
Polaroid confirms iM1836 mirrorless with Android, adds three more cameras
Polaroid left little doubt that it was launching its Android-based, interchangeable lens camera at CES, and sure enough, it's here: meet the iM1836. It mates an 18.1-megapixel, 1080p video-capable mirrorless body with Android (which we now know to be Android 4.1) to quickly share imagery with social networks over WiFi, or directly to other devices through Bluetooth. Its 3.5-inch display won't put the Galaxy Camera's 4.8-inch panel to shame, but Polaroid is no doubt counting on the ability to swap optics (which includes Micro Four Thirds lenses, through an optional adapter) and a pop-up flash to clinch a sale. The iM1836 should arrive in the first quarter at a $399 price, with a 10-30mm lens included -- uncommonly cheap for a camera that could potentially outshoot its Nikon and Samsung opponents. That's not the only camera in the Polaroid brand's 2013 lineup, however. Non-Android parallels to the iM1836 are coming with both WiFi ( iM1232W, $349) and without (iM1030, $299) for cost-conscious photographers; those who don't mind a fixed-in-place lens can get the iS2433, a $199 bridge camera with a 24x (25-600mm equivalent) lens, a 16-megapixel backlit Sony CMOS sensor and a 3-inch LCD. One camcorder, the iD975, is joining the fray with 1080p video, 16-megapixel stills, a 3-inch touchscreen and a video-in-video mode that shows the person recording video along with the main footage. Polaroid hasn't provided launch dates for its more conventional shooters. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Polaroid announces 7-inch kids tablet sporting Android 4.0, looks to show it off at CES
Looking to sneak in some announcements ahead of its arrival in Vegas for CES, Polaroid has taken the wraps off of a 7-inch kids tablet running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The slate wields a capacitive, multi-touch display with a resolution of 800 x 480 wrapped in side and rear bumpers for added protection. Built-in parental controls monitor content and safe web browsing alongside 35 preloaded apps and streaming media. As far as internals go, the Polaroid tablet houses a 1GHz Cortex A8 processor with 512MB of RAM to power the Google OS. A 2-megapixel camera sits around back with 8GB internal storage, SD slot, a 3,500mAh battery and WiFi connectivity in tow. The $150 slate is available now from the source link below and will arrive at Kohl's later this month. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Polaroid plans experimental Fotobar stores that will let you print your photos
Polaroid hasn't been shy to try various tactics as it attempts to compete in the age of digital photography, but it always seems to come back to the idea it's best known for. It's latest effort is a bit more of a roundabout way to get some tangible photos in your hands, though: a series of "experimental" Photobar stores where you can go and have your digital photos professionally printed. The first of those will open in Delray Beach, Florida in February, with a total of at least ten stores promised for 2013, including locations in New York, Las Vegas and Boston -- each staffed with so-called Photenders to help you get the best results, and equipped with a "patent-pending proprietary technology" that'll let you wirelessly transfer photos from your phone to a workstation. What's more, the stores won't just be producing glossy photos, but what Polaroid describes as handcrafted pieces using canvas, metal, acrylic, wood or bamboo -- those will be shipped to the customer within 72 hours, and are apparently of the same variety that can currently be ordered on Polaroid's Photobar website. You'll still need to get your Polaroid film elsewhere, though.
Polaroid CEO: Android-powered interchangeable-lens camera will launch at CES
It looks like that Russian Polaroid social media advert may not be far-fetched, after all. In an email to Imaging Resource, Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy confirmed that "there will be an Android-powered, interchangeable-lens camera introduced by Polaroid at CES 2013." He didn't elaborate on specs, pricing or availability, but the earlier leak lists an 18-megapixel sensor, 3.5-inch touchscreen, 10-30mm lens and built-in WiFi -- all of which seem like reasonable inclusions for an entry-level mirrorless camera. The company's chief executive added that specifications would be confirmed at CES, at which point we'd also hope to see the new compact ILC in the flesh. The practicality of an Android-powered mirrorless model remains up for debate, but curious early adopters eager to open their wallets may now have but weeks to wait to add the world's first such device to their camera collection.
Polaroid IM1836 Android-based mirrorless camera appears on Russian site ahead of CES
It looks like Polaroid's betting big on Android. Judging by a product image and description leaked on a Russian social media site, the company is gearing up to launch an Android-based mirrorless ILC, perhaps as soon as CES. Specs are fairly light, but the compact camera does appear to include an 18-megapixel sensor, a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 10-30mm lens, a pop-up flash, HDMI output and built-in WiFi. As TechRadar points out, the camera looks very similar to the Nikon J1 and J2, and it also features a kit lens with the same zoom range. That's not to suggest that this shooter will share components with its pint-sized counterpart, but we wouldn't rule it out entirely, especially considering that Polaroid doesn't have its own inventory of interchangeable lenses. There's no release schedule suggested, but the timing is curious, especially considering that the company made its first Android announcement at last year's CES. Will your next mirrorless ILC be a Polaroid?
The Engadget Interview: Polaroid CEO Scott Hardy (video)
There's a big frame in Polaroid's Photokina booth -- a giant, blown up version of the iconic white border that graced the company's instant photos for so many decades, beckoning passersby to stand behind it and pose, like muscle man cutouts at a traveling carnival. Directly to its right, attendees stand around a row of product from the company aimed at recapturing some of the nostalgia inherent in the Polaroid name. It's nothing compared to the gathering at a booth 20-or-so feet across the room, where international guests stand fascinated by the Instant Lab, an accordion-style gizmo that transforms iPhone images into instant photos, utilizing film produced at the last remaining Polaroid factory, since purchased by a company fittingly named "Impossible." The early 21st century is a strange time to be the head of a company like Polaroid, standing at a bit of a crossroads between new and old technologies, attempting to harness the cache (and nostalgia) that comes with 75 years of history, while keeping up with the latest trends in digital imaging and slates. We sat down with the company's CEO Scott Hardy to discuss precisely what it means to be Polaroid in 2012, where the company goes from here and how much looking back is necessary to keep it moving ahead.
