Okay... here is my list of PROS & CONS (remember that this is solely my OPINION!) for the Cricut IMAGINE:
PROS
- Price is $599... okay, the price is not a PRO point... but the fact that it will be launched on September 14th on HSN and will possibly offer flex pay is! It could be paid for before Christmas!
- Independent of the computer
- GYPSY COMPATIBLE
- I can still use the 160 cartridges that I already have in my library
- I can now do even more with those 160 cartridges, like add custom color and patterns! I am a late night crafter and no more will I be looking for pink polka dot paper in the middle of the night for a page title, because with the IMAGINE I can color anything I want pink polka dot!
- Compatible with my jukebox
- GYPSY COMPATIBLE
- 25 Imagine cartridges coming out! Wow... if the artwork is even half as good as what we have seen on the Imagine More cartridge at CHA... all I can say is WOW!
- Imagine artwork that I don't have to glue tiny little eyeballs on! Anyone who has assembled a disney character KNOWS what I am talking about here! hehee
- I can choose between cutting the Imagine images out as one piece or individual pieces... love having options!
- GYPSY COMPATIBLE
- RGB (every color shade has a RGB number) options... I love this one for sure! Have you ever needed a particular shade of blue to match a wedding invitation? OMGoodness! My daughter's wedding colors 2yrs ago were black (easy) and 'Tiffany' blue! Yep... Tiffany blue is not really blue, but not really teal, and not really turquoise... it is 'Tiffany'! I must have traveled to 50 different stores to look for cardstock to match and then 50 more just buying enough of it to make the 200 invitations, menus, favors and various other wedding things we made. If only she had waited 2yrs to get married! I could have made her cake with my cricut cake and we could have done all her wedding stuff on the Imagine! Kids! They just don't understand these things! LOL!
- GYPSY COMPATIBLE
- New cutting mats! I love that I can use the new mats in both my expression AND imagine. I also love that they have an improved adhesive!
- End panels come in different colors!
- No more cartridge overlays! I'm not sure yet, but I don't even think that the books will be necessary because of how the images are displayed on the Imagine screen. You can choose to view a virtual keyboard overlay OR you can view the images in a slider screen.
- GYPSY COMPATIBLE... did I say that already?
- The Imagine is able to receive updates, so like the gypsy, future enhancements are always good!
- I no longer have to pay $1.99 for a piece of scalloped cardstock... I can make my own and customize it to my projects!
CONS
- $599... While comparable to many 12x12 printers, it is still steep for most people.
- Independent of the computer, therefore not able to print word documents or photos
- Maybe too many options... sensory overload for some
- Imagine machine is heavier and larger than the expression. I definitely will not be dragging it to crops and retreats
- Consumable printer cartridges (black $34.99 & tri-color $39.99)... while I am not personally as concerned about this, it is definitely something to consider before purchasing
- Does not work with Design Studio
- This is the biggest 'con' in my book... the Imagine does not independently save projects. This is not an issue for gypsy owners, because all projects can just be saved in our gypsys.
Now for the winner of the Cricut Sunglasses!!
Anonymous said...
These sunglasses are AWESOME! I hope I win them! You're banner looked great in the Chirp too!
Michelle
millers at wildblue dot net
August 11, 2010 10:25 AM
Michelle! Please email me at ladybugandco@yahoo.com with your address because you just won a pair of Cricut Sunglasses!!
Cricutingly yours!
Tammy
42 comments:
Tammy, I think you forgot one pro...it's compatible with the Gypsy!!! :) LOL!
I think you've hit most of the pros & cons I've thought about, especially that it's NOT compatible with DS. Thanks for sharing this.
Do you live in MI so I can just use yours? :) Thanks for doing this list!!!
~cm
I think you've hit most of the pros & cons I've though. That beenin said I know the bigest con for me is still the price way to much for.
It is a biggggg puppy lol. I'm not sure where I could put it. So far I've been able to resist, so far... touch wood lol. I really did love the images I saw it make at CHA and that was only one cart!
Thanks for keeping us informed about the Imagine. I really like what it can do, but the price is steep and it will take up a lot of room. I'm still thinking on this one.
The price is the biggest con for me right now...I still have a month to save...1/2 way there! Will it be a tad cheaper on HSN? Fingers crossed!
rhondah*
Really good pros and cons. 15 pros verus 7 cons are not bad. I just love that it will work with our Gypsy!!! The cost is my biggest concern. Really high for most of us. Thanks for sharing!! :)
Tammy, wouldn't it be able to print out the photos that are in our Gypsy's?
I am disappointed that it is not Design Studio compatable. I still use Design Studio a lot.
I was a little more impressed by it when I saw a demo at CHA, but I still think it's somewhat limited on patterns & I don't want to have to buy 25 more carts just to get patterns I want.
I also wasn't impressed with how it cut. Most of the samples I saw had uneven borders & weren't centered over the design so there was more white border around one side & less on another.
Thanks Tammy for keeping us well posted about the new cricut. Though I do have one question, is it gyspy compatible?
Helen from Flower Mound
Thank you Tammy for keeping us informed. The price is kinda a big thing for me right now, but I will try to save my pennies. I cannot wait to see what all you guys do with it though. Linda
Wow, I was gonna ask if it was compatibale witht the Gypsy. Did you cover that already? Tee hee
Seriously though, thanks for the info
The pros outweigh the cons! I can't wait for the launch on September 14...I want to be the first one to get one at midnight! Do you think that is possible? i think we should have a watch party!
Marianne
I just have one question. Is it Gypsy compatible? LOL
Looks great but I am not sure that it will be in my budget this year.
Carrie
carriedan1 at live dot com
The price is rather steep, but I might consider it anyway. One of the things that would hold me back, I don't like combined electronics. Couldn't the provide a cable that would make it possible to print pictures from our computers?
Thank you for the pros and cons.
I'm still not buying it. Sorry! I am completely disappointed with Provocraft for not making it computer compatible. What's the use in having something that can cut and print 12 x 12 if you can't print let's say a 12 x 12 scrapbook page from the computer. They had the product that could have been a killer for sales but not in my book. Wasted space and money.
Also, I think they shot themselves in the foot by including a tri-color cartridge. Everybody knows most GREAT printers are staying away from that anymore. And, when you print in one shade or color more than another, you know one color will be empty while the others will still be full. But you will have to throw away your whole half full cartridge instead of a really empty one-color cartridge. That's the difference in buying and wasting $40 on a tri-color or buying a one-color $12 cartridge that you replace when it is really empty.
Would I like an Imagine? Sure!
Will I get one anytime soon? No way!
Sorry for being the party pooper. This is just MY opinion!
Great rundown on the pros and cons - thanks for that. Cost seems to be everyones comment but one of your viewers said she didn't like the way it cut. That's a real concern is that the hype overshadows the quality of what this machine can do. Who does like to buy the latest and greatest but at these prices, one has to be a bit more careful.
The price point is an issue but for me - I'm not a gypsy user - as we get older - the eyesight and availability to have a large screen is "desirable". So - for me - design studio is a "work on" issue.
Sweet! Thanks for the Pros and Cons. Did you get invited to the Gala? How do you get in? ;) I was just wondering if it was an invitation only thing or a Circle thing or what not.
Yay for Michelle! She just became a follower over at my blog and I am so excited to see that she won! She better put up a profile pic with those sunglasses on because that's what I would do!!! :)
Great pro's and con's list, thanks for sharing. My biggest con is the price. Yeah HSN has great deals on the first day of the debut, but its still a bit heavey for my wallet. I think if the printer part of the machine could print things from your computer then the price would be more resonable. Thanks for keeping us posted on all the wonderful crafting things:)
Ps. Congarts to the sunglasses winner:)
Monica L.
monita23 at ca dot rr dot com
I defintely WANT an Imagine....but will wait until the kinks are worked out...maybe they will have a deal on them around Black Friday??? :)
Thanks so much for this great list! I agree with each of them, although I don't own a gypsy. I have to admit that my first impression of the imagine was just okay, but the more I see it, the more I like it. Unfortunately, it is still out of my price range, so I'll have to wait until I can afford it. BTW my sister's wedding was also Tiffany blue - it's gorgeous but you are right that it's hard to find. Thanks again for doing your blog.
Ok Tammy! You Added WAYYYY to many Compatible with the gypsy in the pro section! LOL
Now I don't own the Gypsy.... I know, I know WHAT? but I prefer my Design Studio and love it the same way you love your gypsy.... and I'm very disapponted that PC decided not to make it Compatible with it... I'm also not impressed with the ink cartridges... Tri-Color ink cartrdiges ARE wasteful... that is a known fact! when (1) color is gone the whole thing doesn't work... So yes I am very disappointed that PC didn't go with a more reasonable option....like seperate ink colors.... They are cheaper than a tri- color and when one color runs out you don't have to replace the whole thing just that one color... everyone knows that all the colors do not run out at the same time... soooo this will be costly and wasteful! The price is a bit high... but I've paid that much for my Canon printer I have... and I bought it 4 yrs. ago for that price... I really would like one but I think I'll wait till they try to make it better than it is... (which they will) and hopefully by then, they will make a better choice on the printer ink... Or at least that is my hope.... I do appreciate your list of Pros and Cons and it gives me something to think about! Thanks for taking the time to list everything... Have a great day! :o)
I think you hit them all. My big concern is the cost of ink. I alway get mad at my printer when it tells me I need ink Again! Or it runs out in the middle of some project. I always end up with the kind that can't be refilled. Can the Imagines be refilled?
Thanks for going over the Pros and Cons. I think the biggest one is the cost. I just don't know if I can keep investing in my hobby.:(
Wow! Tammy what a great list. I can't wait to learn more about the Imagine and will watch on HSN. I so love my DS and am very sad it is not compatible.
Linda K.
What about not being able to use SCAL with it? I read somewhere that you won't be able to use SCAL with the this new Cricut Imagine. That right there would be a reason I wouldn't buy it (besides it being WAY too expensive to begin with). I have a Baby Bug and 19 (shape) carts along with SCAL. I don't buy font carts because I have SCAL. It's obvious that Provo Craft designed this new Cricut so it would not be able to be use with SCAL and you'd have no choice but to buy the font carts. I hope to upgrade to an Expression someday but have no desire to ever own an Imagine. Heck, when my HP printer runs out of ink it's like a year before we buy new ink cartridges for it because they're so darn expensive. I can't "imagine" having another item in my house that I have to keep ink in. lol!
I was thinking I didn't want one until you made the point about printing the just right color paper! Oh, and will it work with the Gypsy?(sorry, couldn't resist!)
I was thrilled about first hearing of the Imagine until I got all of the facts. 1st - too expensive 2nd - NOT compatible with Design Studio (which I love 3rd - Don't have a Gypsy 4th - Ink choice (adamant about single inks). Just disappointed!!!
Great list! If it were half the price, I would be sold!!
Question, on your list of cons you said it cannot save projects but you can on your Gypsy. Did you mean that since you created and saved it on your Gypsy already, not a problem -OR- You can save a project you designed on the Imagine onto your Gypsy when you are finished????
Inquiry minds want to know!
thank you for shaing this with us.
mcwooten1999@carolina.rr.com
All I can say is I want one. The only thing is I need a "sugar daddy" to afford one. I think that is a con? :)
Your pros and cons are great. One thing that I would like the Imagine to add is to be able to buy individual images from cartridges and download them to the Imagine so that one does not have to buy the entire cartridge just for a few images that we love. This will be totally worth the price to me. HP has the wireless technology so why not add this feature. My idea may be a little out there for some.
Yes Tammy you did hit on a lot of pro's, but someone said to me the other day you can buy a pretty nice LCD TV to mount to your wall for that price!! I agree!! I hope HSN will offer a better price even though they most likely will have flex pay. I have a HP all in one printer right now and a 12x12 hp and love my HP products so it was a great choice teaming up with them, that being said, I know about the ink and how much it cost and how often I have to buy ink, and I do lots of projects and when you are in the middle of doing one and low ink, you are stuck, the other con I have is I print pattern paper right now on my 12x12 printer and I can also print out images and fonts of color, and hand cut them and they look great, but again I do not do that a lot because of the ink usage. I try to keep at least on extra ink pack for both of my printers on hand, and that is like almost 100.00 x 2 for me. I love the Provo Craft products, but this one will diff be a wait and see for me.
Tammy,
Thanks for this and for covering so many of the questions I raised on my blog. I can think of one pro you missed and that is the whole concept of cutting and printing being simplified from the multistep processes we have to use now.
I also think you missed 2 big cons. First, it will not print 12 x 12, only 11.5 x 11.5. Second, it really needs a Gypsy for full functionality which is fine if you already have a G, but if not, then add another $125 or so to that price.
Hi Tammy, Thanks for all this work. I for one will not be buying the Imagine, it's to much money for one thing, plus the inks too. I love my Expression and my Gypsy. I don't care that the imagine prints. I love decorating my own things. If we start going to technical, it takes the joy out of being hands on. For those that do get it, that's great but I am so glad that it doesn't really interest me. :)
You have done such a great job telling us about the Imagine. I don't think I will be getting one though. I still have a baby bug and am planning to upgrade to an expression. Now with the Imagine coming out I may be able to get a good deal on an Expression this coming year!! LOL
My concerns are the tri color ink cartridges. With all the very detailed printing going on and also people printing an entire 12 by 12 paper..that will use ALOT of ink and the 150 to 80 page they said would be used is probably not accurate. I think the ink carts will be really expensive.
I also don't like the LOOK of alot of the images. It doesn't have the same CRAFTY image that you get. It sort of reminds me of the difference between digital scrapbooking and regular scrapbooking. I love, love going to Joann's and buying tons of paper. I guess I am not so particular in my crafting. I love to use what I have, it stretches my creativity to make something great.
I will have sensory overload with this machine and I think it will take the fun out of crafting for me because it's TOO SPECIFIC. I don't consider my self a casual cricut user because I create several times a week, but my approach is very casual.
Here's a con (sorry if someone posted this already...its getting late for me).
doesn't print/cut true 12x12
I agree with NathalieM about the print cartridges. I quit buying printers with tri-color cartridges because they are inefficient! I can't believe they used that old technology. Probably my biggest hesitation about not jumping in on the bandwagon at the HSN launch. I'm going to wait until it's been out there awhile before I commit. I have the original Cricut, an Expression, and a Pazzles Inspiration. I was really close to buying last night...
I have had the imagine since September, and I must say that I am very disappointed. For the $500 price tag, I expected much more. It is not able to "weld", for one thing. As one of the other ladies said, the images that are on the cartridges are very primitive, not at all what I expected. I will certainly tell every one who asks, to save their money.
One more con, it is not compatible with SCAL.
The Cricut Imagine is on SALE at Costco.com for $399.99 Delivered--#550197 but only valid from 11/1/10-11/30/10!!!!!!
Cricut also does not have the ability of using your 12X24 mats since the largest print size is not 12x12 Also can not use with SCAL software. I really want this machine but will have to keep expression for the features it is missing which is really stupid it should do everything the expression does plus more but instead it is going back in time makes no sense to me. Hoping SCAL does an update for compatiability.
And I am waiting for price to come down some.
I'm late on the Cricut train but i purchased my first machine, the Imagine, yesterday! On Cricut.com they have a limited time special on the Imagine for $299.99! Way better than the full price of $400+. I thought this would be helpful to those still contemplating purchasing one.
Happy Crafting!
Taylor
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