Photo sharing moved almost entirely into the digital realm, but there’s still something special about pulling a snapshot out of your wallet to show off. Polaroid has created the best of both worlds with the Socialmatic camera: an instant print camera that also posts your images to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and other apps.

The Socialmatic camera prints out 2″ X 3″ images with Zink Zero Ink printing technology. They’re smudge-proof, tear-resistant, and water-resistant. But even if something were to happen to one of your picture print-outs, you’ll have a backup online.

Built-in wifi connects your Socialmatic to the internet. If you’re in a location with no wifi, the Socialmatic also connects to your mobile device via Bluetooth so it can upload from anywhere you get cell phone service.

Remarkably, the camera is also a tiny Android computer with a 4.5 inch touch screen, stereo speakers, and 4 GB of onboard storage. It lets you browse the internet and check email, though that kind of seems like Polaroid is stretching the features a little too far.

The 14 megapixel forward-facing camera is complemented by a smaller 2 megapixel backward-facing selfie lens. When it goes on sale in early 2015 it will retail for $299.

The post Polaroid’s New Camera Prints + Uploads Pics Instantly first appeared on Gajitz.

The way we take photographs has changed drastically in the past decade. So, too, have the instruments we use. Now more than ever, our important moments are being captured on cell phones and sports cameras like the GoPro. Casio is taking us one step further toward the future of photography with the Exilim EX-FR10, a camera that splits in half to double its photo-taking power.

The Exilim looks a lot like a normal (if somewhat clunky) digital camera in its connected form. It can be used in this form for taking photos, or the viewfinder can swivel around to help you take the perfect selfie. The camera goes one step further, though, by detaching entirely into two parts. The lens unit and controller unit can then be placed and used in separate locations.

The camera’s lens unit comes with accessories that let it be worn on a strap around the user’s neck, on a hat, on a wrist, or clipped to a backpack strap. It can be attached to a tripod for standard, steady shooting.

When separated, the control unit lets the user preview and frame shots. It also comes with a clip and loop so it can be attached securely to the user’s clothing or gear between shots.

Bluetooth lets the two pieces communicate, and both are tough enough to handle dust, rain, and fall of up to two meters. With HD video capability and decent (if somewhat surprisingly low-res) 14 megapixel stills, the Exilim EX-FR10 might be the next must-have adventure camera for outdoor selfie enthusiasts.

The post Camera Goes Two Pieces to Capture All of Your Activities first appeared on Gajitz.

Taking pictures with your iPhone really isn’t difficult, but what if you miss the feeling of a real camera in your hands? The Snappgrip is a snap-on accessory that takes your iPhone 5/5s back in time to become a hand-held camera with a real shutter button and a number of other helpful features.

As the name suggests, the accessory snaps on to the iPhone, giving it a handy grip that you can wrap your fingers around. A wrist strap makes sure that you don’t slip and let your expensive attachment and way more expensive phone fall and break. (Come to think of it, we should probably attach our iPhones to wrist straps all the time since we’re getting sick of paying to replace cracked screens. But we digress.) The attachment even features a tripod mount for serious photography.

The grip’s manual controls include flash off/on, zoom in/zoom out, video, and shooting mode. You can switch between landscape and portrait modes, though it isn’t clear if that is a manual control or still requires turning the phone to its side. Snappgrip’s accompanying iOS app will eventually be opened up to developers so they can create custom features. This $70 accessory is fun for those constant iPhone photographers who use their phones as cameras far more than they use them for calls.

The post Snap-On Accessory Makes iPhone-tography Even Easier first appeared on Gajitz.

Documentary storytelling takes an endless number of forms, one of the most fascinating being stories told by children about their day-to-day lives. Shree Nayar, a Columbia University computer scientist, saw huge potential for kids to express themselves while learning valuable skills.

Nayar’s project, called Bigshot, is a point-and-shoot digital camera that comes un-assembled in a kit. Kids follow the directions to put the pieces together, all the while learning the engineering and science concepts that make the camera work.

Like all digital cameras, the Bigshot needs a battery to work. But if the battery runs out before the user is done snapping photos, an integrated hand crank acts as a power generator. Three different lens modes – regular, wide angle, and 3D – give kids a wide variety of artistic possibilities.

The Bigshot is meant to educate children (and grownups) in underserved communities, giving them an opportunity to learn engineering, technology, science, and art. Children in these communities may not have other opportunities to have these educational and artistic experiences, and the Bigshot empowers them to learn and create. Nayar’s goal is to see his idea help children in underserved areas around the world.

The post Build-It-Yourself Camera Teaches Kids Engineering + Art first appeared on Gajitz.

Taking selfies (or pictures of oneself) has become so ubiquitous that we no longer bat an eye at seeing a teenage girl making duck lips and snapping a picture of herself in any setting. The Duo camera helps people take selfies in kind of a new way: with a two-piece camera.

The Duo, designed by Royal College of the Arts graduate Chin-Wei Liao, consists of two identical cameras which are easily separated. When the shutter button is pushed on either camera, both simultaneously take a picture. The images are instantly displayed on the cameras’ screens as a stitched-together pic.

If selfies are your only goal, you can easily set one camera up at a flattering angle and distance and use the second as a remote shutter button. However, there are some much more fun applications possible. Keep a camera and give one to a friend and see what kind of goofy, unexpected combinations of facial expressions emerge. Liao is still refining his concept, but he hopes to eventually use it to create an interactive performance piece between strangers.

The post Twice the Selfies: Two-Part Camera Takes Twin Snapshots first appeared on Gajitz.