The Canon IVY measures 0.7 x 3.2 x 4.7 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.6 ounces. These dimensions are close enough to those of competing models that print photos at the same size, such as the Lifeprint 2×3, HP Sprocket, and Polaroid Insta-Share, to be negligible. The big exception in this lineup is the Lifeprint 3×4.5, which prints significantly larger photos. It measures 1 x 4.5 x 6.3 inches and weighs 12 ounces. That’s about one-third the size of the other printers mentioned here, which specialize in outputting 2 x 3-inch (wallet) photos. Canon offers the IVY in three color schemes, all of which are two-tone, with white on top and a pastel tone around the edges and on the bottom. All are pleasant, but somewhat unusual looking colors for a printer. Since the IVY uses your smartphone or tablet’s interface, it has no control panel to speak of. On the back is a micro-USB port for charging the device, as well as an LED for charging status and a reset pinhole. On the left edge is the power button. A slot on the front edge, from which the printed photos come out, spans the paper path. Aside from the pastel colors, this configuration is nearly identical to the Lifeprint 2×3. Like the Lifeprint, HP Sprocket, and a few other models, the Canon IVY uses ZINK Zero Ink printing technology, which means the printer itself doesn’t require an ink cartridge. Instead, it uses paper with ink crystals that melt when heated by the printer and display colors on the paper. There’s only one option for connectivity, and it’s wireless: Bluetooth, and only via a portable Android or iOS device. You cannot connect the IVY to a PC or connect to the IVY via a Wi-Fi connection. However, you can connect to one of several cloud and social media sites, including OneDrive, Google Cloud Print, Facebook, and Instagram. You pair the IVY printer with your mobile device like any other Bluetooth device using the device’s Bluetooth control panel. Canon Mini Print is the app you use to operate this printer. Aside from some cosmetic differences, it works similarly to the software on competing products. You load and print images from the phone’s memory or from the Internet. You can choose to print photos as is, or edit and/or enhance them with the app’s various correction filters and special effects. One feature that Canon Mini Print offers, unlike the other programs, is the ability to stitch multiple prints together at the edges to create larger images or collages. To assemble these larger images, the software simply cuts the image into four pieces that you glue back together after printing.
