While nothing can replace the old Instamatic Polaroid, this new take on an old idea, the Polaroid PoGo, is probably long overdue. While there hasn't been any word on picture quality or the cost of Polaroid PoGo™ ZINK Photo Paper™, the prints will be 2"x3" and the camera itself weighs in at around 10 oz.The printing process uses "inkless printing [which] embeds color into the paper – no ink cartridges or ribbons needed." While it is a highly technical process, and you can read about it here, I can paraphrase by saying that the paper has a special coating which allows the camera to create different colors with precise and varying applications of heat. The manufacturer claims that the range of colors is in the millions, but as I said, there has not been any independent word on picture quality.
I was going to mention that, per our discussion yesterday, this sounds like a real alternative to the toxic and polluting ink cartridge printers currently available. Then I thought about what sort of horrendous chemicals must have been used to create the ZINK system, and I thought better of it. Then I thought I would tell you all about it here, and I did. Case closed.
Look for the Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera beginning in March 2009 for $200.
via gizmodo
