The HP Sprocket wireless printer is a portable instant device that prints photos from your smartphone. These kinds of printers have existed for a while, and although HP’s printer doesn’t create the highest quality images, the images are beautiful and great for keeping memories. The Sprocket comes in two standard colours, Black or White.
The device is rechargeable through a Micro USB, and can connect to your phone through Bluetooth, obviously, you need to download the Sprocket application which is available for both iOS and Android. The printer requires Zink/HP photo paper to work. That means you don’t need ink because Zink’s proprietary printing technology puts crystals on every sheet that show up as specific colours when they’re heated up.
The Sprocket will set you back almost R2 000,00 and the Zink/HP printing paper, which in the box you will get 20 sheets, will set you back R199,00. With the set of printing paper comes a Smartsheet, which is a blue paper with some barcodes on it. The Smartsheet needs to be placed at the bottom when loading the stack of papers into the printer. It then passes through the printer automatically before the first print job. There is a mini tray inside the printer to keep the Zink sheets.
A fun factor about the printer is that you can take it anywhere with you. At almost the same size as your smartphone (or maybe slightly bigger, depending on the phone you have), the printer can fit into your handbag and you don’t have to worry about external ink cartridges or an external battery. The battery life is pretty decent, but when you’re away from home and running low on power, you can always charge the printer with a power bank.
With the app, you can pull photos from your camera roll, Instagram, Flickr, or Facebook account, and you can take a photo of whatever you want to print on the spot. The app requires updates every now and then but that’s nothing to worry about when there are exciting features like being able to edit your shots with effects like graphics, borders, text and filters before you print. This adds a personal touch to your images.
The app also shows you the battery level of the printer. The Sprocket automatically powers off after a few minutes of inactivity, which helps save power.
Conclusion:
All-in-all the HP Sprocket is a very useful device to own. It offers convenience for all your instant picture printing needs and allows you to capture, edit and save all those beautiful memories. With the 2×3-inch snapshots, you can make a collage or decorate your scrapbook. With the holiday season coming up, this could be a great Christmas gift.
By Fundisiwe Maseko
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