Zink announced two new products at Demo ’07 and to me it seems like Polaroid technology repackaged. Zink = zero ink.

Turns out that is essentially correct. From their web site: “In October of 2005, current ZINK management, in conjunction with private investors, purchased from Polaroid Corporation the technology and physical assets and hired the innovation team that now make-up ZINK Imaging.”

Their goal is to be a ‘media company’ which translates into ‘we’ll produce and market the consumables (Zink Paper) and let our partners worry about making money on quick-to-the-dustbin hardware’.

Not a bad strategy from an investor perspective but alas they are privately held. Laptopmag.com annointed them with one of their Mobile Mavericks awards.

The first two products announced are a small printer (estimated street pricing at $100 for the printer with a 20 pack of ‘paper’ going for U.S. $2.00 ie .20 per print) that is designed to go with mobile phones. The other device announced is phone/printer combo.

What strikes me as odd is that so far no one is picking up on the old Polaroid angle…what did everyone do? Sign an agreement not to mention it? It’s bizarre. It is like ignoring the elephant in the room. No one writing about this online has yet to mention the old Polaroid connection.

Has the technology changed that much? At all? What’s different? How did it improve? It seems to me like a lost opportunity to express just what did change and how consumers will come to like it.