Smartphone printer "Prynt" hits Crowdfunding goal Without Big Money Support

 

Crowdfunding is allowing several companies to get on their feet and provide a product that might have never been produced without the help of consumers who have a high interest in the service or item. The French tech company Prynt recently discovered how helpful crowdfunding can be if you have a product people want. According to the New York Post, Prynt started a Kickstarter campaign for a printing device that attaches to your smartphone and prints a Polaroid-style picture on the phone. The selected image on your smartphone can print out in roughly 30 seconds, and Prynt plans to sell the device for $99 this upcoming summer. However, those who helped invest in the product will get a discounted rate of $49 for donating to Kickstarter. The French company hopes to catch the attention of retro technology crowds that enjoy printed photos.

 

Reached funding goal in less than hour

Prynt certainly gained a quick following, as they were able to hit the Kickstarter goal in less than one hour, the Post reported. The company earned more than 112 percent of its total funding and is still getting plenty of backers. According to Engadget, Prynt comes as a smartphone casing that is compatible with Apple's iPhone 5, 5S, 5C and 6. The device also works on the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5. Prynt has a battery life that can print 20 pictures before needing a recharge and each case holds 10 photos. Refills will be sold for $5 per 10-pack, which makes the device affordable compared to similar technology available.

 

No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth

Instead of using a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection to link to your smartphone, Prynt instead plugs directly into the smartphone, The Daily Mail reported. Additionally, the printing device has its own internal charging system so it will not drain your smartphone's battery. While the printing device could be popular on its own, users can also record a video on the Prynt app and then print the video out as a photo. According to the source, once users scan the printed photo with the app, the smartphone will play the photo through an enlarged video.

 

Bringing back nostalgia

The company wants to be able to bring back the old memories of being able to hold a photo in your hands, but also use the technology to see the video that went into creating the photo. According to the Post, some in the smartphone add-on industry believe there isn't a strong enough market for the photo printing device, but that might not be the case since it was crowdfunded in less than an hour. There's no word yet on how protective the casing for the Prynt device will be, but with it attached to users' smartphones all the time, it could be prone to drops. While the nostalgia-themed device won't be ready until this summer, users should still consider personal insurance to protect their electronics and cameras in case they are ever lost, stolen or damaged.