what’s new
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MakerBot created a stir at CES 2015, with the announcement of
new filaments that have the look, weight and feel of metal, stone or
wood for more varied, realistic and attractive 3D prints. MakerBot
PLA Composite Filaments also share some of the properties of
these natural materials. For example, the Maple filament shown
at CES can be sanded, stained and finished; the iron filament is
magnetic; and over time the bronze filament develops an attractive
patina. The new composites for MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact,
Desktop and Z18 3D printers are due out later this year.
Capitalising on the fast-growing desktop labelling sector – up 27%
year-on-year, according to GfK – Brother has launched two new P-touch
label printers. The PT-D450VP (18mm) and flagship PT-D600VP (24mm)
replace the PT-2030VP and PT-2730VP, two of Brother’s best-selling
P-touch models in 2014. Both new models offer print speeds of up to
30mm per second and feature high-res LCD screens (including a colour
display on the flagship model), larger keyboards for faster typing and
quick keys that give easy access to
key features and templates. The
labellers can print a range of
clear, customisable and durable
labels and, for ease of use,
have auto-size detect and a
built-in auto-cutter (on the
PT-D600VP).
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Ink-free printing on tap
The Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer
and associated iOS/Android
app offer a quick and easy way
to edit, print and share photos
with friends and family. The
phone-sized,
battery-
powered
device connects to mobile
devices via Bluetooth or NFC
and prints a 2 x 3in colour
photo in just under a minute.
Instead of ink or toner, the
Polaroid Zip Mobile Printer uses
ink-free ZINK Paper embedded
with cyan, yellow and magenta
dye crystals that change colour
when exposed to heat. The
paper has a protective coating
and is adhesive-backed,
enabling photos to be used as
stickers.
Seal of approval
Blake’s Premium Office
envelope range has become
the first envelope range to
be endorsed for use with
Ricoh production printers.
Blake Envelopes director
Tim Browning said: “Blake’s
Premium Office envelope range
has been designed to work
with Ricoh’s pre-set printing
functions, freeing up valuable
time previously spent adjusting
the settings before a print run.
Ricoh users can be confident
that the envelope window film
won’t melt, as it is guaranteed
to withstand the temperature of
digital presses”.
More realistic 3D prints
A better label
All your pictures in
one place
The Canon Connect Station
CS100 photo and video
storage device provides up to
1TB of storage exclusively for
photos and video. Featuring
NFC and WiFi connectivity, it
frees up space on media cards
and enables PC-free sharing,
viewing and printing of images
from multiple devices. Users
can import images and videos
from a compatible Canon
digital camera or camcorder
simply by tapping the NFC
icon. Alternatively, they can
be transferred by USB, SD/
CF memory card or via a web
browser from smartphones,
tablets, PCs or other CS100
units. Images/video can be
viewed on a connected HDTV or
printed wirelessly on a PIXMA
or SELPHY printer. A remote
control and on-screen menu
make it easy to sort, manage,
arrange and retrieve images/
videos.
Made for sharing
Another new Polaroid device, the Polaroid Socialmatic Camera,
combines a 14 megapixel front- and 2 megapixel rear-camera; 4.5”
touchscreen LCD display for viewing and editing images; 4GB of
internal storage; a Micro SD card slot; built-in ZINK instant printing;
and an Android operating system and built-in WiFi that enables
users to upload images to social networking sites (images can also
be uploaded using a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone).
