Sunday, 11 January 2009

The new Polaroid PoGo


The Guardian website has got a video of the new PoGo from Polaroid. The principle is a cross between digital quality photography and instant printing.

From the video it would seem that the camera is a bit chunky - obviously, it has a printer built in -but I still think the basic principle of polaroid, instant printing was more closely linked to instant review rather than the inherent joy of having a print. How many homes have polaroids scattered around. Maybe it's me but I thought polaroid prints were useful because the local chemist wouldn't develop *those* sort of photos.

Anyway, I digress. With digital cameras you get the instant review and instant print.....really? Not sure who that's targeted at, girls on a night out? Unlikely, families - yeah, maybe, possibly. Professionals, almost certainly not.

I went on about this when polaroid shut the factory for the proper instant print polaroid, but for me it was the anti-tech of the original, it's big, bulky but loveable. Designing new technology that is big and bulky seems counter-intuitive. I mean, when you inevitably run out of the
clever paper all that you have left fighting for space in your bag or pocket is a standard digital camera that's five sizes too big.

Now, a polaroid/facebook camera with built in 3G that you could tag and then instant upload - that I can see flying off the shelves.