Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Porta-Plotter

for when you just need a copy
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Need a quick copy of something, and no copier in sight? Just take a picture of it with your digital camera, pop the SD card into the Porta-Plotter, select the picture number on the text only screen, stick any kind of paper in the adjustable tray and a ink pen or pencil in the pen slot, and press "Plot". Great for forgery, too!
Spacecoyote, Sep 14 2008

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       A "plotter" isn't a copier, you have to tell it how to draw the figure. That being said, the world needs more (cheap) plotters: bitmaps, bah!
FlyingToaster, Sep 14 2008
  

       Luckily there is a lot of open source code for vectorizing bitmaps.
Spacecoyote, Sep 14 2008
  

       What magic is used for the plotter to know what data is to be vectorized/rendered and what data isn't?   

       How is this better than any of the modern photo printers (many of which will print photos by "docking" the camera to them)?
phoenix, Sep 14 2008
  

       //How is this better than any of the modern photo printers?//
Well, a plotter can just be a small base, jointed arm and pen... or :) a base like a miniature donut with the pen stuck through the centre; 3 magnetically controlled, rubber-coated ball-bearings inset on the bottom scurry it 'round the paper.
FlyingToaster, Sep 14 2008
  

       //What magic is used?// No magic here, it just vectorizes everything in the picture (after thresholding the picture to monochrome). It's up to you to take a good picture.   

       //How is this better than any of the modern photo printers?//   

       It's cheaper and more portable. All you need is a pen and paper rather than 4 kinds of expensive ink and special photo paper.   

       The mechanics are simpler. Instead of 4 print heads and a paper feeder, all it needs is a paper tray and a pen arm.
Spacecoyote, Sep 14 2008
  

       //all it needs is a paper tray and a pen arm//
how about a clipboard with the mechanism normally hidden under the clip
FlyingToaster, Sep 14 2008
  

       Yeah that would work, although I wouldn't bother with hiding the mechanism.
Spacecoyote, Sep 14 2008
  

       Some jerk boned this while I wasn't looking :(
Spacecoyote, Oct 30 2008
  

       probably being boned while you are not looking is better!   

       apologies, I have been downloading too many russell brand podcasts!   

       please may I say that I still worship dear Russell, it wos all the awfuk Jonathan Woss's fault... he was the one that mentioned on Sach's message service that RB had f**k'd the satanic slut...   

       should I link for american HBers?
po, Oct 30 2008
  

       //All you need is a pen and paper rather than 4 kinds of expensive ink and special photo paper.//   

       Which one runs the vectorizing program the pen or the paper?
theGem, Oct 30 2008
  

       The pen and paper are supplies, the computer in the pen arm base runs the vectorizing program.
Spacecoyote, Oct 30 2008
  


 

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