Samsung debuts concept printers that dock with smartphones at 2013 IFA

By Les Shu August 29, 2013

samsung debuts concept printers with built in smartphone dock at 2013 ifa — Image used with permission by copyright holder

While we’re still a few days from the big IFA electronics extravaganza in Berlin (Internationale Funkausstellulng Berlin auf Deutsch), that hasn’t stopped companies from making some pre-show announcements. While rumors are flying about Samsung’s supposed smartwatch, the company has unveiled some concept printers it’ll be showing at IFA.

The first is called the Wave, a printer designed to print from your smartphones. It has a “minimal, organic design,” Samsung says, but to us it sort of looks like a fancy toilet if it wasn’t for the smartphone docked at the top. Since the photo shows a Galaxy-esque smartphone, we are going to guess it’s designed for a Samsung “Handy” (that’s a nickname Germans use for cell phones). No word as to what type of paper or ink technology it supports.

Samsung_2013-IFA_concept-printers_Wave — Image used with permission by copyright holder

A second printer, called the Indie, is another dock-based variant that doubles as a sound system and a printer. It has that unmistakably iPod-dock clock radio look. It’s an odd pairing, because printing photos is not something we think of doing while listening to music. Like the Wave, we don’t know what type of printing technology is uses, but if we had to guess from its size, it’s probably a photo printer. The Indie looks like one of those products companies make just because they can.

Samsung_2013-IFA_concept-printers_Indie — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The third concept is a monochrome laser printer that resembles a record player. Called the One & One, it “allows the user to print using two colors by designating one additional color from cyan, magenta, or yellow to complement the standard black,” Samsung says. So, it’s not really monochrome, but not full color.

Samsung_2013-IFA_concept-printers_One-and-One — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Also at the show, Samsung will show off its recently unveiled color laser printers with near-field communication (NFC) – stay tuned, we have a review coming soon. Plus, Samsung will demonstrate the concept printers it made for the 2013 International Design Excellence Awards.

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