Sadaf VidhaZuta, a printer as small as its name, and as light as air, has finally arrived. The small dimensions (7.5 cm x 10.2 cm) of the printer make it very easy to be carried wherever we want. It can print anywhere and on any size of paper. What more, the printer can even print wireless from any smartphone, laptop or tablet. All that is needed is, to download the Zuta app. It is compatible with iPhone, Android and Windows.
Target Segment for Zuta
The printer prints from left to right. As of now, it does gray scale printing but colour printing will be available soon. Founder Tuvia Elbaum says, “apart from many other things, Zuta printers will address the need of printing photos, study notes, packaging labels and event tickets”. Zuta printers are trying to cater to the demand of the industry where printing is necessary but there are no printers around.
Specifications
The product was initially a kickstarter project by Zuta labs. They managed to raise USD 600,000 for this innovation. The printer was officially launched in 2015. While it was earlier available for preorder at USD 199, it climbed up to USD 250 and now it costs USD 299 per printer.
The cartridge for the printer does not come free alongwith it. It has to be bought separately. The cost of cartridge and its shipping is an additional cost which is not included in $299/-. One cartridge can print around 100 pages. The battery lasts for an hour and is rechargeable via a USB port. The company has reportedly gotten offers of adaptation from game developers and art tutorials.
The Technology Edge
The portable printer uses robotics for its functionality. After multiple revisions, Zuta has got its technology right. The mini robot moves at the right speed and in the right direction, to print exactly as is displayed in the soft copy. Development of the omni-wheel system, lets the robot navigate the paper properly.
Zuta Labs have taken away the hassles of paper size and paper trays. Furthermore, if you want to print several pages, the printer will stop at the end of one page and wait for you to pick it up and put on the second page to start printing again!
Accuracy of Printing
A combination of the printer’s weight, omni-wheels and the stepper motor make micro and steady steps to avoid any sudden acceleration. This keeps the paper steady. Also, a special hatch mechanism prevents the ink from leaking. Zuta Labs seem to have covered every aspect of printing!
Our take?
We feel Zuta printer is undoubtedly a technology marvel. However, when everyone is talking about going paperless, we will have to wait and watch the future innovative variants of this product.
Since it is portable, the costs are relatively high. Along with the cartridge and shipping, it comes to about USD 314 – which is a whopping Rs. 20,943! Well if you are a tech geek, why not?
This portable printer is ideal for people who like to own gadgets and keep their life easy going. The company is working on its cost effectiveness but it will take some time before we have affordable variants.
Here is a demo of this innovative robotic printer:
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