LG to Reveal World's Smallest Pocket Printer at CES 2014

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onover

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I'm just not sure that there's enough of a market for this product. 2x3 inch images are pretty small - smaller than most phone screens. That's a pretty small niche. And I presume the printer needs a specific paper to allow for ZINK? It would be significantly better if they could print slightly larger images.
 

lp231

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It seem to go forward in technology, we have to go backwards?

This pocket printer lets you print 2x3 images from your smart phone, which is nice and all, but now you'll have to carry two items in your pocket, this and your smart phone. As we go forward, shouldn't devices become more integrated into one another, not spread out all over the place?
This is the problem with current laptops, while they are getting thinner and lighter, they removed the optical drive and some even lack the basic necessities like a ethernet port. This makes who ever needs one, have to buy a external drive, external ethernet adapter.
I always thought that a laptop is suppose to be portable, the means easy to carry around without most of what you need in one nice package. Now with everything going external, this means instead of just carrying a laptop, you'll now have to carry a external optical drive and whatever external devices you might need, since that laptop doesn't have it built in. Doesn't that defeat the purpose being portable, when you have to carry all that extra stuff with you?
While this printer idea is cool, but Polarid already has their instant camera which can do the same thing, take pics, and print 2x3 images with ZINK technology.
http://www.polaroidstore.com/products/instant-cameras/10-megapixel-instant-print-digital-camera-z2300w-white.htm
 

JOSHSKORN

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Whaddaya gonna print? Hot Pocket! Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

karmazyn

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I don't think that innovation equals integration. There's no such thing as a perfect printer, phone or laptop. We all have different needs and thankfully the manufacturers make enough variations of their products to cater to most of us. Personally I don't think that most laptops need an optical drive or even an ethernet port. Most users install their system from a hidden partition set up by the manufacturer or a usb drive. We also get most of our media over the internet these days. I know I haven't used my DVD drive in more than a year. Also most users connect to their routers wirelessly. Now if you need a computer with any of the above options there's a ton of stuff to pick from. I'm just happy that laptops are getting more portable. As to the printer? I think it's better to have a separate device that you can connect to other phones and (hopefully in the future) cameras than to have what Polaroid offers, where you are stuck with one source of photos.
 

FFH

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This seems like something polaroid should've invented. I like the convenience of digital, but I do love to tangible objects. I just hope that this isn't a loss leader; as in very expensive proprietary ink and paper.
 

lemon40

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This seems like something polaroid should've invented. I like the convenience of digital, but I do love to tangible objects. I just hope that this isn't a loss leader; as in very expensive proprietary ink and paper.
I thought Polaroid did try something similar and it didn't catch on. I don't see this being much different. The vast majority of phone users it seems are okay having the pictures be perpetually digital.

-d
 

madlynx

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2"x3"? That's smaller than the smallest smartphone screen! Totally useless I think. Most of the time, the reason you need to print a document is because you need to send it by mail, like an application form. #1: Most places now give you the option to apply online (the INS, IRS, Universities, etc...). #2: If they don't offer that option yet, then they'll want the form to be letter or A4 size. Another reason you might want to print on the go is if you need to have the picture printed on-location right away. Script supervisors on a film shoot or cops on a minor crime scene might need that (huge market btw!). That's why they always used Polaroids. Now they might use an iPod. Not sure. Even though the picture quality is horrible, it doesn't matter as long as they see details. So being able to zoom in is a huge plus. Now try to see details on a 3"x2" print. Good luck, even with a big loupe! I think an 8.5" long stick, like scanners, would make much more sense. They might not fit in a "standard" pocket but that's not a problem. Just add something to attach them to your belt like a pen, or let fashion designers come up with a new pocket shape. It seems so much simpler to adapt a pocket shape to a device than the other way around.
 
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