Leave it to your big brother to bring home the coolest thing on the block.

Brother Industries' new mobile printers literally put the power of a print shop in one's pocket. The company's PocketJet series of machines, set to hit the retail market after April, 2016, allow for direct, black-and-white thermal printing at 300+ 300 dpi resolution, eight page-per-minute (ppm) speed, all at a weight of just 610 grams. They are the market's first thermal printers to handle A4 size paper.

The company proudly showed off its new technology at the recent Retail Tech Japan exposition held March 8-11, 2016 at the Tokyo Big Sight venue in Odaiba, often to a crowd of interested onlookers. Brother solutions group representative Dai Yamashita demonstrated the PJ-773 display unit with an Apple iPad using a wi-fi connection. The machine instantly produced a flawless business document.

With a universal Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB connection, the printers can work with any modern operation system available on PCs or cell phones, including Microsoft, Apple, Linux, Android, and Citrix. "It makes it ideal for financial industry sales people and insurance agents who are often on the road," said Mr. Yamashita. "They can produce contracts, estimates, and samples of securities products for prospective clients on the fly."

The PJ-762, -763, and -763MFi models work with Bluetooth only. A 12-volt optional automobile cigarette lighter adapter can also recharge the unit's lithium-ion battery, affording complete portability. The unit has enough juice to produce about 600 pages of documents on one charge. An optional high-capacity Li-ion battery pack is also available.

The top of the line PJ-773 sports a retail price point of about 80,000 yen, while the lower-priced PJ-722 can print in 200 dpi resolution. The lineup has thus far generated a great deal of interest thus far, Mr. Yamashita added. Australian-based review site techradar.com reports that the New South Wales ambulance service has already put the devices to use.

"Despite its great incredibly little of size and also lightweight in design and also style, the manufacturing and development process has been focused on creating a durable, professional printer which can be carried in a computer system or briefcase bag, or mounted in a car permanently," said a recent online review by Central Printer Driver.

"It makes it ideal for financial industry sales people and insurance agents who are often on the road," said Mr. Yamashita.

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