Device which prints moving images

Using augmented reality, bring your photos to life by pointing your smartphone at them

Following both the trend in portable printers and augmented reality, LifePrint wants to let you print ‘HyperPhotos’ that ‘come to life in your hands.’

Coupled with an app that aggregates all of your images from your camera roll, social media accounts, and even your GoPro, both still and live photos can be printed through the device. While the images don’t move by themselves, the same aggregating app enables you to animate the pictures simply by enabling your camera and hovering over the printout with your phone, a process it calls ‘Harry Potter mode.’


Devoid of any toner or ink cartridges, the startup’s website boasts of the relative ease of use, designed with technology (thermal printing) specifically picked out for a quality user experience. Moreover, the LifePrint printer ‘literally fits in your back pocket,’ and supports up to 15 prints per battery charge.


Even better, images are instantly shareable with friends and family in your network at click of a button, and can be sent discretely using a private mode for the express intent of ‘romantic pictures,’ Lastly, a robust photo editing suite, makes it possible to edit photos before being sent or printed, after which you have to option to print as a stick for pasting onto your mac or the deck of your skateboard.

Having been touted as your smartphone’s new BFF by Popsugar, a social network where you can follow people by Digital Trends and a physical Instagram for nostalgic Polaroid fans by Vice, the printer is being marketed as the ‘mobile printer for everyone.’ And while its true that all the social media and app support the printer comes packaged with broadens the range of those who can make use of it, be warned: only the iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy 5s, GoPro Hero 3 and GoPro Session generations and onwards are compatible.

With a print time of roughly 30 seconds, a battery charge time of one hour and printed photo sizes of 2″x3″ (50mm x 76mm), there are still some kinks to work out, but the technology looks promising for the democratization of AR capabilities. Whereas augmented reality was the exclusive domain of the business elite, think GoogleGlass, the introduction of the technology in smartphones and its ‘embed-ability’ in tangible objects means anyone can get their hands on it.

That said, LifePrint is currently retailing its printer at a base price of $129 plus shipping as a pre-order on IndieGoGo, with additional perks requiring you to add on certain lump sums.