Lady Gaga & Polaroid Unveil Grey Label: Bizarre LCD Photospecs & Instant Printer/camera
Polaroid's involvement with Lady Gaga still seems a little offbeat, but the unusually-costumed "Creative Director" has just unveiled a range of instant photography devices at CES 2011. Polaroid Grey Label consists of two sensible products – the GL10 Instant Mobile Printer and the GL30 Instant Digital Camera – and then a crazy one, the Lady Gaga GL20 Camera Glasses.Video demo after the cut
The GL10 printer and GL30 camera each use ZINK instant camera paper and can either print the shots from another digicam or, in the case of the GL30, take the shots itself and then produce hard copies. The GL30 also has various filters for adding retro and other affects. The GL10 will go on sale in May 2011, priced at $149.99, while the GL30 will arrive later in 2011, price tba.
As for the GL20 Camera Glasses, they're a set of oversized sunglasses with an integrated digital camera in the bridge and a pair of LCD displays behind the lenses. That means you can snap a shot and then display them rather than your eyes, which is probably great for fashion but not so useful for navigating rooms. They'll go on sale later in the year, pricing tba.
Press Release:
Polaroid and Lady Gaga Announce Grey LabelA Collaboration Between Two of the Most Influential Icons of Our Time, Polaroid Grey Label Comes to Life With Three New Products That Showcase the Magic of the Polaroid Instant Experience
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Polaroid and its Creative Director, Lady Gaga today unveiled Polaroid Grey Label, an original line of products co-designed with Lady Gaga. This collaboration between two cultural icons reflects Polaroid's long standing tradition of innovation tracing back to founder Dr. Edwin Land and Lady Gaga's mission to deliver products that enable creativity for all, celebrate artistry and make sharing instantaneous across the physical and digital. The inaugural Polaroid Grey Label line is truly expressive of Lady Gaga's artistic vision and includes the GL10 Instant Mobile Printer, GL30 Instant Digital Camera and the GL20 Camera Glasses, a unique new look at how to turn images into a fashion statement.
"I consider myself to be a visionary, not just a songwriter and a singer. I am an artist," said Lady Gaga, Polaroid's Creative Director. "I brought my vision and love of fashion, technology and obsession with the future into all of my work with Polaroid."
Polaroid Grey Label Products
Polaroid and Lady Gaga today unveiled the first trio of Polaroid Grey Label products at Polaroid's CES booth:
1. GL10 Instant Mobile Printer:
Advanced Technology: The newest instant printing experience begins with the embedded dye-crystal ZINK® Zero Ink® Technology from ZINK Imaging. Patented ZINK Paper™ is an advanced composite material with cyan, yellow, and magenta dye crystals embedded inside. Before printing, the embedded dye crystals are clear, so ZINK Paper®, looks like regular white photo paper. The GL10 Instant Mobile Printer uses heat to activate and colorize these crystals.
Superb Print Quality: The GL10 Instant Mobile Printer uses ZINK's second-generation thermal technology, delivering image quality that rivals a photo-lab. Prints emerge fully developed and protected by a smudge-proof, water-resistant coating.
Aesthetically Pleasing and Environmentally Responsible: Designed for both form and function for use both in the present and future. ZINK technology requires no messy ribbons, toner or inkjet cartridges.
The GL10 Instant Mobile Printer will be available in May 2011 (US $149.99 MSRP). ZINK 3x4" Paper will be available in May 2011 at a price to be announced.
2. GL30 Instant Digital Camera:
Brings the Polaroid Instant Experience to Life: Introducing a new generation to the joy of instant photography, the GL30 uses next generation ZINK Zero Ink Technology from ZINK Imaging.
Fuses the Digital and Physical Worlds: Featuring the benefits of a digital camera, instant photo printer and digital display, the GL30 is a creative tool that delivers the best of the digital and physical worlds.
Pays Tribute to Polaroid's Legacy: Reminiscent of Polaroid cameras of the past, the GL30 is clearly a significant departure from a typical camera. Designed for longevity, the GL30 is not only for the future, it's an object of desire. Users can select from a number of filters and borders to create truly original images that instantly fit in the palm of your hand.
The GL30 Instant Digital Camera will be available later this year, at a price to be announced.
3. GL20 Camera Glasses:
Merges Fashion With Photography: Never before has the world seen fashion, photography and technology come together in one, singular product.
Tells Your Story to the World: Users can instantly capture or upload photos with the built-in camera and then display the images on the glasses' LCD screens for others to see.
Expresses True Artistry and Originality: Only Lady Gaga could create a hybrid that's part fashion statement, part revolutionary technology and part tool for self-expression.
The GL20 Camera Glasses will be available later this year, at a price to be announced.
The Polaroid Grey Label Evolution
After being named Polaroid's Creative Director in January 2010, Lady Gaga and Polaroid collaborated to define a direction for the line that blended the brand's core values with Lady Gaga's creativity. Stemming from "greige goods," a fashion-industry term for fabric in its purest form, the Polaroid Grey Label line encompasses Polaroid's heritage of delivering simplicity with the style, wit and sensibility of Lady Gaga.
Committed to bringing originality back to product design across all genres, Lady Gaga articulated that all Polaroid Grey Label products communicate three essential elements of self-expression:
Creativity: All Polaroid Grey Label products are designed with the idea that creativity and sharing go hand in hand, in both the digital and the physical world.
Instant Artistry: All features found in Polaroid Grey Label products celebrate, express and bring an element of artistry and originality to the act of image making.
Fashion: Intended to be just as much everyday fashion accessories as innovative imaging tools, all Polaroid Grey Label products feature unexpected design elements such as leather touch points, brushed metal and exposed mechanical details.
"The Polaroid Grey Label line embodies the Polaroid brand, with an injection of the future-looking fashion and design mantra of Lady Gaga that simply can't be replicated," said Scott W. Hardy, Polaroid's President. "It represents Polaroid innovation for the new generation, one in which there are no limitations to sharing creativity through photography, both physical and digital."
About Polaroid
Across several generations, people regard Polaroid as one of the most trusted, well-respected and recognizable brands when it comes to instant photography. The Polaroid brand has been around for more than 70 years starting with polarized sunglasses which then evolved into instant film, camera and camera accessories, marking the beginning of the well recognized Polaroid Classic Border Logo. In recent years, the Polaroid brand has expanded into flat panel televisions, portable DVD players, digital photo frames, digital HD camcorders, waterproof digital cameras and more. People can expect to see new Polaroid products that will deliver the fun, instant gratification and value for which the brand has long stood.
For more information, visit www.Polaroid.com.
Polaroid, Polaroid & Pixel, Polaroid Grey Label, and Polaroid Classic Border Logo are trademarks of PLR IP Holdings, LLC.
About ZINK Imaging
ZINK Imaging Inc., a privately held company, was founded to enable millions of customers to enjoy the magic of ZINK® Zero Ink® products. ZINK Imaging invented, manufactures, and is an OEM supplier of the ZINK Printing Technology and the award winning ZINK Paper® to partners that will bring ZINK‐enabled products to market under their respective brands. ZINK Imaging's headquarters and research and development labs are in Massachusetts, with a state of the art manufacturing facility in Whitsett, North Carolina. For more information, please visit www.ZINK.com.