Polaroid Socialmatic Lets You Print, Post and Share from a Single Device


Socialmatic2It seems as if technology has been taking quite a few of its cues from fashion lately. Every week there is a newer, more stylish smart wearable, a more sleekly designed tablet, or a new skin, wrap or cover to add originality and style to your smartphone. And don’t get us wrong, we love new ideas - but one surefire thing you can count on when it comes to style, in both the fashion and the tech world, is that what is gone will almost always come back around again. The Atari, bell bottomed pants, Ms. Pac–Man and even the mullet; all have seen a return to the forefront of popularity in the last decade, and it looks like Polaroid will be the next to follow suit. That’s right kids, the Polaroid pictures of your youth, which provided instant photographic gratification with a simple click and shake of the wrist, are making their way back onto the scene – but with a new twist on the old classic.

Socialmatic1The Polaroid Socialmatic Android camera mixes print and digital technology to truly make it an all-in-one device. The best way to describe it is by simply stating exactly what it is – a hybrid of the iconic instant Polaroid camera and an Android digital camera, bringing photogs a gadget that gives them the best of both worlds. The Socialmatic weighs in at a little over a pound and includes a 4.5-inch touchscreen display that allows user to frame up shots and access the smart camera’s functions and Android apps. After taking a picture, the digital photo shows up on the screen for final editing and approval. Once you are satisfied with what you’ve captured, you have the option of either storing the photo in the camera’s 4GB internal memory or microSD card slot or, with the simple touch of a button, printing out a 2x3-inch full-color sticker-based photo directly from the device. The integrated printer uses ZINK zero ink technology and photos print out in under a minute.

SocialmaticThe hardware itself houses a 14-megapixel forward facing lens up front as well as a 2-megapixel camera just above the display screen. In the top right-corner, where the viewfinder would have sat in the analog model, is a small LCD described by the company as a “Frontal LCD with mood assistant AI”. This adds a certain air of whimsy to the device, displaying a smiley face while snapping a photo or a shining sun to encourage you to get out and shoot more. Once captured, images can be customized with text, icons and clip art without the need for external editing, and integrated Wi-Fi makes sharing your images to social media a snap. No hotspot? No problem! The Socialmatic can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth technology and share images through your mobile connection. There has been no official word yet on pricing, but it is rumored to be in the $299-399 range. With any luck, we should be able to get our hands on one sometime in early 2015.

Topics: Technology News Display Screen Technology Gadgets & Peripherals Inventions & Innovations

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