Tomy xiao TIP-521 Digital Camera/ZINK Printer

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Following on from Polaroid’s PoGo ZINK Digital Instant Mobile Photo Printer, Tomy are set to follow Polaroid in embracing ZINK printing technology with their new 5 megapixel Tomy xiao TIP-521 Digital Camera which comes with integrated ZINK printer allowing you to print photos directly from the TIP-521 wherever you may be without the need for an external printer.

Interestingly, whilst Polariod themselves have actually ceased production of their instamatic cameras, the Tomy xiao TIP-521 Digital Camera could very much be considered to be the instamatic’s natural progression and, to that end, and being that Polaroid have already embraced both digital photography and ZINK printing technology, few would disagree that Polaroid must be kicking themselves that Tomy are set to very much take up where Polaroid left off whilst bringing the notion of instamatic cameras well into the digital age.  Moreover I dare say that Pure Digital may well also be kicking themselves for not introducing a version of their highly popular Flip with integrated ZINK printing capabilities for stills (we suspect, however, such a device may well surface should Tomy’s xiao TIP-521 prove a commercial success – and, personally, we think it might).

The Tomy xiao TIP-521 Digital Camera, apart from sporting 5MP capture resolution, is, it must be said, a fairly rudimentary camera in coming with a 2.4” LCD display, a 4x digital zoom, and a mere 16MB of integrated storage capacity which can be supplemented using SD/SDHC memory cards and can produce 2×3” color prints of your selected photographs in around 60 seconds (thankfully, unlike the old instamatics, you actually have a choice as to what images you want to output as hardcopies).

Tomy xiao TIP-521 Digital Camera Key Features

• 5.0 megapixels with 4x digital zoom
• 2.48″ full color LCD display
• 16MB internal memory plus SD/SDHC memory card support
• Multiple flash modes
• Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery and AC power adapter
• IrSimple/IrDA receiver
• Dimensions Approx. 149.5 x 74.5 x 25mm, ~294g (with battery)

Tomy xiao TIP-521 Digital Camera ZINK Printer Key Features

• Powered by ZINK Zero Ink Printing Technology from ZINK Imaging
• Prints 2″x3″ (5×7,6 cm) borderless, sticky-back ZINK prints
• Durable photos – smudge-proof, water-resistant, virtually tear-proof
• Fade-resistant, long-lasting images
• No waste – no ink cartridges – Just Add ZINK Paper

Set for release in Japan from 28 November the Tomy xiao TIP-521 Digital Camera with integrated ZNIK printer will retail for an as yet undisclosed price. No word, however, concerning any international release schedule or whether the xiao TIP-521 will actually ever be released outside of Japan – though we suspect it will.

(Please note that the post’s primary image is custom made for TFTS on account of available imagery being rather poor, so if you own a site and are considering swiping the image a linkback would be appricated as it took a while to put together.)

Zink [via LikeCool]