CES Comeback Company of the Year Award: Polaroid
Sunday, January 9, 2011 at 5:40PM An AudioBoo preview:
For generations, Polaroid was regarded as one of the most trusted, well-respected and recognizable brands when it comes to instant photography. The Polaroid story began more than 70 years ago with polarized sunglasses, which then evolved into instant film, cameras, and camera accessories, marking the beginning of the well recognized Polaroid Classic Border Logo. In recent years, the brand has expanded into other consumer electronics categories as the name Polaroid has been rebranded and reintroduced into the public's consciousness.
I became acquainted with Polaraid again on Christmas Day, 2010. My wife's 13-year old cousin was showing off his new Polaroid PoGo printer. The PoGo is a hand-held mini printer that lets you print from your camera cell phone or digital camera with ZINK Zero Ink Printing Technology from ZINK Imaging. Yes, that's right, no ink! The pictures you print are small and aren't that sharp in resolution, but the technology here is fantastic.
What else was Polaroid up to as CES 2011? Actually, quite a lot.
Lady Gaga.
Polaroid's selection of pop icon Lady Gaga as their new creative director last year has now borne fruit, and at least a third of the product line is every bit as weird as you might expect. The Polarez GL20 sunglasses contain a built-in camera and two 1.7" OLED screens that can immediately display the photos you're taking — smack dab in the middle of your poker face.
You will be able to upload photos to the web right from the glasses, which will be available during the 2011 holiday season. In the video above it looks like the two screens might potentially obscure your actual vision while wearing the glasses, but Polaroid says they actually sit just below your usual field of view.
The other two announced products from Gaga's new Polaroid Grey Label are actually rather inspired: a completely re-invented Polaroid instant camera experience with the GL30, and an instant mobile printer dubbed the Polaprinter GL10. Using an inkless technology called ZINK, the GL10 connects to almost any device you can throw at it either directly or via Bluetooth to create prints on the go.
Tablet.
Polaroid is also getting ready to release a tablet. The Polaroid tablet is 9.7 inches and looks to be staying away from the trend of black rectangular tablets, by being closer to a 4:3 ratio, than the more common 16:9 ratio form factor that we’ve been seeing throughout the show, though it is still black. Here are the specs:
Cortex A8 1GHz processor
4GB internal storage
2 megapixel camera
6800 mAH battery
If this does come out, I expect it to be an inexpensive tablet, and it may be ore of a hit overseas than in North America.
Quotes from the show:
"As we introduce a line of revolutionary new products, we're excited to give our old and new fans around the world multiple ways to connect with the Made In Polaroid movement here at CES," said Scott W. Hardy, President of Polaroid. "Our CES lineup reflects Polaroid's rich 73-year legacy as the innovator of instant photography and celebrates the global community that's supporting Polaroid's incredible cultural resurgence. Nothing can compare to the originality and relevance of the Polaroid instant experience. Our mission is to inject that Polaroid experience across the digital and physical worlds."
“These glasses can be worn in public, you can walk around, you can take them to a club, take them to a show or mine, take pictures while I sing on stage,” Gaga joked as she talked about her new Polaroidline to the engaged audience.
Polaroid CEO Bobby Sager said about Gaga's glasses, “this product is absolutely and completely inspired by [Lady Gaga].”
"Lady Gaga's GL30: it actually looks something like an old-fashioned Polaroid camera, with its boxy, tapered shape. It is, of course, a digital camera that also prints 3x4 inch prints using Polaroid's ZINK technology. Pictures can be reviewed on a screen near the viewfinder before they are printed (only 10 blank pictures come in each pack). Best part: you can add in white border around you image to give it that vintage Polaroid look, when printed."
Polaroid's products may not be the most highend gadgets you see at CES, but they are different, and it's good to see this company still churning out some gadgets for us to enjoy.
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