Earlier this year, Polaroid unveiled its pocket-sized Zip (Zink Instant Photoprinter) designed for linking to a smartphone to crank out full-color images on demand. Gizmag recently had a chance to put one through its paces as Polaroid goes back to its instant pictures roots.

One less obvious effect of the digital revolution is how it's changed the public's attitudes towards photography. When taking pictures meant digging out "the" camera and loading it with expensive film, family photography was a special effort that was used to preserve the memory of special moments, such as birthdays and weddings.

The rise of the small digital camera has changed all that. Look around an average room and it isn't unusual to pick out at least half a dozen cameras set in computer monitors, mobile phones, and other devices. In addition, the lack of film means that these cameras are used more socially with people snapping pictures of their lunch, cats, and the ubiquitous selfie.

For the traditional camera companies, this change caught many of them wrong footed with disastrous results – Polaroid among them. However, being able to capture an image on a phone isn't universally satisfying. Some people, for example, want a hard copy to stick in their wallet or swap around at parties, and then there's grandma for who wants a "real" picture to keep.

It's to fulfill this niche that the Zip is apparently aimed by combining a compact build, ease of use and fast printing.