As much as we rely on digital storage for our photos these days, there are still some people who would love to have actual photos they can hold in their hands, put in their scrapbooks, tack on their cork boards, etc. But going to a photo printing shop takes a bit more effort and wouldn't you prefer to have your own printing capability? Polaroid, the pioneer in mobile instant photo printing, now has a device that can print those photos stored on your mobile device.
The Zip Mobile Printer can be paired with any smartphone or tablet, letting you print instantly your photo of choice. Using a dedicated mobile app, the portable device (almost as big/small as a regular smartphone) lets you print your memories on a 2x3 color photo paper. You can edit the photo through the app, adding enhancements and choosing from 12 color filters. You can even make a collage of up to 9 photos that can come out in one single print.
You can even create business cards through the app and then print them on the go. Even cooler, you can make your edits to the photo private, print out the original image with a QR code and when read, it will reveal the final edited image. The Zip Mobile printer uses the Zero Ink Printing technology and it gives you your printed photo in less than a minute. It will be on sale this spring in the US and will cost you just $129.99.
Meanwhile, their other instant photo printing product, the Polaroid Socialmatic instant digital camera is now available for shipping. The device takes pictures, prints them, and also has the ability to post and share on your favorite social networks. It's available for $299.99 through Amazon and Photojojo.