Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer App For Mac Rating: 8,0/10 5312 reviews

The world of instant cameras and films has seen a spike in recent years, with products like Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 and Canon IVY Cliq. And it doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon. Fujifilm has just recently unveiled a new wireless photo printer by the name of Fujifilm Instax Mini Link. It's a battery-powered portable printer with Bluetooth connectivity and a horde of fun options, making it perfect for both home use and social events.

Another popular wireless mobile printer is the Polaroid Zip. It uses ZINK printing technology to churn out small photo prints and has Bluetooth connectivity. Plus, it's small enough to fit into the pockets of trousers. And unlike the one above, it has been there in the market for quite some time.

So, that got us thinking — can the new printers replace the old? Or, will the old printer reclaim its place on the throne?

That's what we are going to find out in this article, where we compare the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link with the Polaroid Zip wireless printer so that you can make an informed decision.

Polaroid - ZIP Mobile Printer The Polaroid - ZIP Mobile Printer is a photo printer that supports photo printing in pocket phones. It lets you print 2' x 3' smudge-proof color photos on peel-back sticky paper. It comes with a Bluetooth interface that helps users print directly from Android and iOS devices.

Let's get started.

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Design and Setup

Do you want your mobile photo printer to look flashy or simple? Because, if it's the former, you are going to be slightly disappointed with both the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link and the Polaroid Zip. While both of them are super pocketable, they do not look outstanding.

Both pack quite a simple design. Let's start with the Polaroid Zip first.

This photo printer measures 2.9 x 4.7 x 0.9-inches, which makes it pocket-friendly and easy to carry it around when you are traveling or camping. And talking about the prints, it ekes out 2 x 3-inches photos, perfect to put on the fridge door or on scrapbooks.

You can lift the top of this printer, just like a scanner, to put in the ZINK photo paper. This cavity also doubles as a holder for photo paper when the printer is not in active use. There are a couple of light indicators at the side to lets you know of the charging status.

Last but not least, it sports a strip of Polaroid brand colors at the side, which adds to its looks.

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Polaroid ZIP Wireless Mobile Photo Printer

Similar to the one above, Fujifilm has a simplistic approach to the design of the Instax Mini Link. There are a few textured lines on the body that not only amps up the looks of the printer but also helps in a better grip.

There's a neat logo at the front that also doubles as the power button and an indicator for the printing mode. An orange glow indicates Fun Mode, while a Blue glow means the normal Print Mode.

At 7.3 ounces and 4.9 x 3.5 x 1.3-inches, it's lightweight and can easily become your travel buddy.

Connectivity

When it comes to connectivity, the Instax Mini Link is one of the first Instax printers to come with Bluetooth (version 4.2). If you recollect most of the Instax printers usually connects via Wi-Fi. The advantage of Wi-Fi means you do not have to type in complicated Wi-Fi passwords. Plus, you'll be able to access the internet while the printing job is underway.

Another advantage is the multi-connection option, where a couple of your friends can connect to the printer to print photos.

A single print on the Instax Mini Link takes about 12 seconds, which is sort of okay when compared to its peers.

When it comes to user experience, many users seem to agree on the fact that the connection is pretty much seamless, at least till now.

Similar to the one above, the Polaroid Zip strictly runs on Bluetooth. Each print job takes around 50 seconds (slightly longer than the Instax printer), and there's no option to pair multiple devices at a time.

Apart from that, the Polaroid Zip also boasts of NFC (see cool ways to use NFC tags). With it, you can tap your phone to the top of the printer to connect and launch the app. Neat, right?

When it comes to user experience, it has been a mixed bag for many. While it has worked fine for many users, the experience has not been the same for many.

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Print Quality

Let's establish one fact — the print quality won't be the same as those of conventional photo printers. When you buy an instant printer, you have to compromise on the photo quality, especially when it comes to color accuracy. At times, photos tend to be a bit darker than usual, while at other times, you may end up with overblown images, if you are not careful with the exposure of the actual photo.

When it comes to the Polaroid Zip, the pictures are a tad on the darker spectrum. And if you are used to seeing high-res photos, these photos may appear a bit faded. The Zip uses ZINK printing technology. It's a no-ink tech, thereby removing the hassle of buying ink cartridges and toners. The only consumable, in this case, is the photo papers.

When it comes to user experiences, the reviews have been mixed. But thankfully, many think that the quality suffices the purpose.

On the other hand, the Instax Mini Link uses Instant Film, and it manages to develop pretty good photos. They have a certain vintage appeal in them and resemble the color-profile of good old Polaroids from yesteryears.

User reviews for this product have been pretty good, with users liking its picture quality and accuracy. The folks at Digital Trends echo the same.

MG3000 series Full Driver & Software Package (Mac) Last Updated: 22-Nov-2017 Issue Number. Canon mg3000 series for mac. To add a computer to connect to the printer on a LAN or to change from USB to LAN connection, perform setup using the Setup CD-ROM or follow the instructions on the Canon website. For Mac OS: To connect an additional computer to the printer via LAN, or to change from USB to LAN connection, follow the instructions on the Canon website. MG3000 series Full Driver & Software Package (Windows) Last Updated: 15-Jul-2016 Issue Number. Canon PIXMA MG3000 Printer series Full Driver & Software Package download for Microsoft Windows 32/64bit and MacOS X Operating Systems. Canon printer driver is an application software program that works on a computer to communicate with a printer. Upgrading to the latest version of the printer driver applies updates and fixes for problems in previous versions.

The print measures around 2.4 x 1.8-inch and are good enough to be passed around family and friends.

App Features

When it comes to fun photo printers, it would be a shame if they let you print. Luckily, the companion app for the Polaroid Zip comes bundled with several great features.

For one, you can add stickers, filters, and funky borders to your photos before you print them. And yeah, you can also combine a few of your favorite pictures to form a collage, but I doubt much detail would be visible in the tiny 2x3 print. But then again, fun, remember?

Apart from that, you can play with the photo's brightness, color, and more. The app is easy to use, and it isn't much difficult to figure out the steps.

The crux of the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link photo printer is its app. Remember that Fun Mode we talked about?

The Fun Mode lets you play around with collages and also lets you add frames & graphics to your images such as horns and angel wings. And there's more to this story.

There's a cool feature named Party Print which lets you connect with up to five friends to create a unique mix print. The best part is that you can't preview the final image before it prints.

Polaroid Zip Mobile Photo Printer

Up next is Video Print, which lets you grab a video frame and to print as a photo. Apart from these, several more interesting features. And it doesn't end there. To reprint a photo, you simply need to turn the printer upside down, press the power button. After that, the last photo will be printed in a matter of seconds.

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Battery Life

Sadly, when it comes to battery life, there's a massive difference between the two.

The ZIP's battery can outlast only 25 prints, whereas the Instax Mini Link's battery can churn about 100 photos before it calls it a day. And as per many, this claim is almost true.

Thankfully, both the printers can be recharged via a power cord (micro-USB cord). The charge time for both the Polaroid Zip and the Instax Mini Link is around 1.5 hours.

Which One Should You Buy

To start off, both the printers do their job as advertised, and they do make perfect accessories for social events. But if you ask me to choose between the two, I would like to side with the new and funky Instax Mini Link.

The battery life is great, the app is quite intuitive, and it uses photo paper. Also, it has quite a few 'fun' features which push it to the top with features like Surprise Mode, Party Mode, etc.

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Fujifilm Instax Mini Link Smartphone Printer

Plus, the difference in price isn't too much. If you're not within a tight budget and can spend 20 bucks more, you can invest in this photo printer.

But if you are looking for a conventional photo printer, minus the fun, you can always go back to the older and trusted Polaroid Zip.

Next up: Looking for uncomplicated digital photo frames? Have a look at the below article to find out the best ones.


The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read NextTop 6 Simple Digital Picture Frames for SeniorsAlso See#camera

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Did You Know

In December 2009, the Apple version of WhatsApp was updated to include photo sharing features.

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Want to print all of your favorite photos straight from your iPhone? New technology makes it possible to carry a mini printer in your pocket or purse so that you can produce on-the-go prints at the touch of a button.

iPhone photo printers don’t use messy ink cartridges that will spill or leak. Instead, they make use of special paper containing dye crystals that become colorized when exposed to heat. This technology means that mobile photo printers are radically smaller than other printers on the market. In some cases, they’re not much bigger than your cell phone. Here are our top picks for the best photo printers for iPhone.

The 7 best photo printers for iPhone

The first pocket-sized mini printer was developed by Polaroid back in 2007, and since that first Polaroid printer, dozens of companies have jumped on board with their own versions. So, what’s the best mini printer for iPhone today? Here are our top picks to help you decide.

Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer App For Mac Free

  1. Polaroid Zip Mobile Photo Printer
  2. HP Sprocket Select
  3. Prynt Pocket
  4. Fujifilm Instax Share
  5. Kodak Mini 2 HD Wireless Photo Printer
  6. Canon Selphy CP1300
  7. PicKit Mobile Photo Printer

The photos you shoot and edit for print will take up a lot of real estate on your phone. Use your storage wisely with an app like Gemini Photos, which will find and delete duplicate and similar photos with a few taps.

Download on the App Store

1. Polaroid Zip Mobile Photo Printer: Simple mini printer for iPhone

As Polaroid was the trendsetter in the mobile printer industry, it should come as no surprise that the Polaroid Zip can hold its own against the competition. The Polaroid Zip is about the size of a deck of cards and uses Zink zero-printing technology to print 2x3 full-color prints directly from your iPhone.

The only button on the Zip is the power button, and the only port is a Micro-USB port for charging. Your Zip will print about 14 photos on a single charge. Connect your phone to the Zip using the free app and Bluetooth technology, and you will be creating stunning prints in no time.

2. HP Sprocket Select: Eco-friendly mini printer for wallet-sized prints

The HP Sprocket Select stands out for its high-quality prints, which can be created via Bluetooth from your iPhone or Android device. Made from 50% recycled plastic, the HP Sprocket Select is also one of the most eco-friendly printers in its class. A built-in rechargeable battery, slim design, and simple user interface make this a standout among mini printers.

You might also like: How to create long exposure photos on iPhone

Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer App

The HP Sprocket Select can print more than 30 photos on a single charge, and the app comes with a variety of stickers, frames, and filters, so you can customize each and every photo before printing. Prints are 2.3x3.4 and include a sticky back to use your photos for a variety of creative projects.

3. Prynt Pocket: iPhone case that doubles as a printer

The Prynt Pocket is a cool little device that is about as close as you can get to printing a video using augmented reality. Using the Prynt app, you can take a photo, print it using your Prynt Pocket, and then digitally attach a video to your photo, so that when you look at your photo using the app, the video plays over the photo. It’s a surreal augmented reality trick that is sure to impress your friends.

Each Prynt Pocket comes with 10 sheets of printable paper, but you can easily order more using the Prynt app.

4. Fujifilm Instax Share SP-3: The square format instant printer

While the Fujifilm Instax Share SP-3 is too large to be considered pocket-sized, it’s still small enough to fit in a purse or a bag for on-the-go printing. The Fujifilm uses ink-free technology to create beautiful square images with broad appeal for the Instagram crowd.

Unlike many other mini printers, the Fujifilm uses Wi-Fi technology instead of Bluetooth and can print up to 160 photos on a single battery charge. Prints are 2.4x2.4, but the print paper is expensive, at about $1.50 per photo. The Instax app also lets you search and print photos from Instagram using your favorite hashtags.

5. Kodak Mini 2 HD Wireless Instant Photo Printer: HD printing in a small package

Unlike some of the other iPhone printers on this list, the Kodak Mini 2 HD Wireless Instant Printer doesn’t use Zink technology as its printing method. Instead, it uses thermal dye sublimation, which is a solid ink that liquefies when your iPhone starts sending a print job to your printer.

Polaroid Printer App Download

With this technology, the photo paper is passed through the printer four separate times to lay down the colors. Then it’s topped with a clear coat to make it reasonably waterproof. The Kodak Mini 2 HD Wireless can connect to your iPhone using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC technology, and a fully charged battery will print about 20 photos from your iPhone.

6. Canon Selphy CP1300: Most versatile portable photo printer

The Canon Selphy is not a mini printer, but it’s still quite small and portable. And unlike other portable photo printers, the Canon uses traditional ink for superior photo quality. The Canon Selphy can print photos using a variety of connection methods. Use it with your iPhone over a Wi-Fi network, or insert a USB memory stick or SD card.

This versatility makes it easy to use with a DSLR camera or other device, but, on the flip side, the Canon does not work with a dedicated app. Instead, it uses buttons on the printer and an integrated LCD screen more like a traditional printer.

7. PicKit Mobile Photo Printer: Vivid full-color prints from your iPhone

Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer App For Mac Computer

The PickKit Mobile Photo Printer uses dye-sublimation technology, producing vivid, high-quality photos in a small package. Connect your iPhone to your PicKit using Wi-Fi or NFC technology, install the PicKit app, and immediately get started printing gorgeous waterproof prints.

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This is a pocket-sized printer that prints wallet-sized photos that compare favorably to other printers on the list. A 10-pack of photo paper is included with the PicKit printer. All-in-one paper and ink cartridges are comparatively inexpensive.

Ready to get those photos off your phone and onto paper so that you can share, hang, and decorate with them? Mini photo printers make printing and sharing from your phone nearly effortless, and they are great digital tools for any caliber of photographer. But if you'd rather use an app than carry around a mini-printer, this roundup of photo printing apps for iPhone should help.