Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer: instant printing from your device

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.

SOURCE: Polaroid (1, 2)

Story Timeline

• Polaroid Socialmatic combines old school instant pics with social media


• Polaroid's Socialmatic camera coming in January; pre-orders now up

FLIR's New Tiny Predator-Vision Thermal Camera Now Fits Any Device

We loved everything about the compact FLIR ONE thermal camera the company announced at CES last year, except for the fact that it was initially only available for iOS devices, and it required your phone to be trapped inside a fairly cumbersome case. So the company decided to fix that, revealing a tiny new version of the FLIR ONE at CES this year that hangs off the bottom of either iOS or Android devices.

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The Dell Venue 8 7000 series tablets on sale now via Best Buy

We wrote about the Dell Venue 8 7000 series tablets a few months back in 2014 (here and here) because of its solid claims to be the world’s thinnest tablet at a slim 6.0mm. Although not the thinnest device by some distance, some slim form factor smartphones won’t even come close to that number, let alone tablets – but Dell has done it, and they’re up for sale now via Best Buy.

The Dell Venue 8 7840 in particular is currently priced at USD$399 with free shipping – seems ok for a slim tablet with robust specs. The Venue tablet is powered by an Intel Atom Z3580 2.3Ghz quad-core processor, supported by 2GB of RAM. Internal storage – for files, images and selfies – is at 16GB, and you can be assured of 2K resolution (2560x1600) goodness on that 8.4-inch screen. The tablet will run Android 4.4 Kitkat out of the box, with no word if an update to Lollipop is upcoming.

Dell has integrated Intel’s RealSense digital photography technology into these tablets – the reason for the weird triple camera placement behind the tablet. This is designed to create a depth map of an image, allowing users to change the focus of an image even after it has been taken. Pretty nifty.

This should be a great tablet at this price point, and those looking for a “go to” tablet for robust processes should consider the Dell Venue 8 7000 series. Check out the source link for purchase options.

SOURCE: Best Buy

Story Timeline

• Dell Venue 8 7000 series tablet debuts with 6mm profile


• Dell Venue 8 7000 series to start shipping in November


• Dell Venue 10 Bluetooth Keyboard spied at the FCC

​Pioneer NEX Systems Put CarPlay and Android Auto In Your Old Hatchback

Pioneer's NEX in-dash systems are some of the most advanced out there, putting interactive multimedia and navigation powers in even the crappiest vehicles. And they're getting even better in 2015 with support for both Android Auto and CarPlay. No matter which side of the smartphone wars you're on, Pioneer has you covered.

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Hand-on with Lamborghini’s Antares, 88 luxury smartphones

A lot of the exhibitors here at CES 2015 are showing off their latest wares, but some are not exactly the newest but are still perhaps worth flaunting. One of those is Lamborghini, who is putting on display two of its rather exorbitant smartphones, one of which dates back to 2013. The Antares and the 88 Tauri are probably one of the more aggressive luxury phones you'll ever set your eyes on, and that is most likely by design. After all, nothing says luxury sports car than a smartphone that looks like a luxury sports car.

The older Antares reflects the trend of luxury smartphones almost two years ago, meaning mid-range specs with overpriced numbers. Here it translates to things like a 1.5 Ghz quad-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, a 4-inch display, and a $4,000 price tag. The 88 Tauri, on the other hand, was just announced last month and while it sticks to the pricing scheme, the specs see some significant improvement. There's a 2.3 Ghz quad-core processor, 3 GB of RAM, and a 5-inch 1080p display to top it off.

Unlike other devices in the same category, like those from Vertu, for example, there is probably less class in a Lamborghini smartphone at first glance. The phones can be best describe as strong-looking, which is perhaps the intention as it would reflect Lamborghini's line of cars. It is in the details, like the hand-embroidered leather, a metal body, and bits and pieces of gold here and there, that mark the device as a truly expensive device.

All in all, these Lamborghini's are, without a doubt, extravagant pieces of electronics whose designs might not fit even most socialites' aesthetic tastes. That also makes the smartphones extremely overpriced for their value, and customers looking for premium status symbols might look for their fix in other brands. Another detail that detracts from a happy Lamborghini experience is the case, which big and heavy. Perhaps this bulk and heft again speaks of the smartphone's automotive roots, but it will probably not speak to users, even the more luxury-inclined ones.

Lamborghini Antares

Lamborghini 88 Tauri

Story Timeline

• Antares luxury smartphone struts its Italian spirit, courtesy of Tonino Lamborghini


• Tonino Lamborghini 88 Tauri DSDA smartphone unveiled


• Tonino Lamborghini releases high spec luxury phone

Hyundai’s Blue Link app now available for Android Wear

A man is walking across a full parking lot, when he realizes he forgets where he parked his car. He speaks into his watch, saying "Find car." He glances at the watch, and immediately walks towards the located car, speaks into his wrist again, and the door opens. No, this isn't a scene from a sci-fi movie back in the 90s. This can be an actual real-life scene, that is, if you're a Hyundai car owner. Welcome to life with your Blue Link smartwatch app.

The Blue Link app has actually been available for Android smartphones and compatible Hyundai vehicles but at CES 2015, they unveiled the app for smartwatches running on the Android Wear platform. Now you'll be cooler as you try to control your car just by swiping your wearable, or even more convenient, just speaking into your smartwatch (especially when you're driving).

Now you'll be able to remotely start and stop your car (only if it is in remote engine start mode), lock and unlock the door, honk the horn and flash lights. You can also find your car if you've "misplaced" it and call Blue Link's roadside assistance if you run into car trouble. Just make sure you won't get distracted while playing with your smartwatch while driving and that you keep your wearable safe from other people.

The app works with Android Wear smartwatches, including Samsung Gear Live, LG G Watch, Moto 360, and Sony SmartWatch 3 among others. Some Hyundai vehicles, like the Sonata 2012 and 2013 models already have Blue Link support but they will be further expanding it to the newer 2015 models of their Genesis, Sonata, and Azera. You can download the Blue Link smartwatch app from the Google Play Store by the first quarter of this year.

Samsung takes on youth market with Galaxy E7 and E5

A lot of people are really hoping that selfie related gadgets would not catch on but it seems like OEMs are trying to capture that segment of the market that would like to see more options for gadgets that cater to their need for capturing selfies. Samsung is taking on the younger market (we assume they're more selfie obsessed than the other generations) with two new products, the Galaxy E7 and E5, now available in India.

The major selling point of the two devices is that they are conducive to taking self portraits, with their 5MP front facing camera. It also brings other features that contribute to the complete "selfie experience" like wide angled shots, allowing users to take angles up to 120 degrees. You'll also be able to control taking front facing pictures with a palm gesture or with a voice command. Even the phones' physical design is meant for the selfie addict as it is ergonomic with an easy grip for one hand and they also both have narrow bezels.

Galaxy E7

But other than that, the phones also boast of bringing vivid images to users with their Super AMOLED displays that enhances the viewing experience, whether you're watching the videos or reading content on the screen. It optimizes the brightness and color saturation of the device using the Adaptive Display technology. The Galaxy E5 has a 5.0 display, 1.5GB RAM, and 16GB internal memory while the Galaxy E7 has a 5.5 inch screen, 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal memory as well.

However, you won't be able to get one of these for your self photo sessions since it will only be available in India for now. Pricing and availability details have not been announced yet so stay tuned, if you're from that country or if you have ways of buying the Galaxy E5 and E7 from where you are.

Galaxy E5

SOURCE: Samsung