Listen up hipsters: Polaroid just announced the launch of its new Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera, the first digital camera and instant printer combination available in the U.S. and Europe that's portable. So now you can stop mourning the discontinuation of Polaroid film or, better yet, hold those melancholy faces for PoGo poses and then print instantly!
According to the press release, "with the push of a button, consumers can select from among the digital photos on the camera, crop or edit them and in less than 60 seconds, print full-color, 2x3-inch prints—all with a single device."
The PoGo camera, like its older cousin, the PoGo Instant Mobile Printer, uses the same ink-free printing technology. This is made possible through a composite material that has embedded, heat-activated dye crystals. When the picture is printed, it's immediately dry to the touch, and resistant smudges and even water damage. This means that the shake-it-like-a-Polaroid-picture step of the process won't be necessary, or as the press release puts it, that step is simply "optional." Because, after all, while part of the fun was the instant gratification, we don't want to be gratified that instantly. There's something to be said for the image slowly creeping up on the photo paper.
The camera should be out in March 2009 for $199. RIP old school Polaroid, but your time was up.
