New Cricut Machine Being Announced Tomorrow!

For the past few weeks Cricut has been sending out teaser images about the newest machine in their lineup. The reveal date is tomorrow! Here are some of the teaser images released:

Rumors online have been flying since the teasers were released. Any pictures or videos, however, seem to promptly found and exterminated. We can only speculate that the product pics are coming from these beta testers who are quoted in the teasers. I have personally seen promo pics myself, but will refrain from posting them to save myself from getting into trouble along with the other sites. (I will however, post approved promo pics after the reveal tomorrow.)

What DO we know? Well, we know the public common knowledge. Provo Craft (the company behind Cricut) applied for certain patents with the USPTO (US Patent and Trademark Office).

• On June 23, 2013, Provo Craft filed a trademark for a machine called the Cricut Explore. This is described as “Paper cutting machine for cutting paper, cardstock and other materials in flat form, and accessories therefor; blades for electronic cutting machines.”
• Also on June 23, 2013, Provo Craft filed for a trademark for Design Space.  This is described as “Downloadable computer software, downloadable cloud computer software, and downloadable computer software for use on mobile and cellular phones, all for operation of electronic cutting machines, operation of cutting and printing machines for paper and other materials in sheet form, and for designing and creating customized art images that are cut out and printed by electronic cutting machines and printing machines on paper and other materials in sheet form”.
• On October 1, 2013, Provo Craft filed a trademark for Aircut. This is described as “Computer software development tools; computer software for use as an application programming interface (API); Computer software for wireless content delivery”. A further description reads: “Providing temporary use of online non-downloadable computer software development tools; Providing temporary use of online non-downloadable computer software for use as an application programming interface (API); downloadable software in the nature of web applications to wirelessly transmit content to electronic cutting machines; downloadable software in the nature of mobile web applications to wirelessly transmit content to electronic cutting machines”.

Of things to note, we know the name of the new machine, and of the software to run this new machine (and hopefully be made to at some point run older machines in the Cricut line, as well. ) We know that they also are planning at some point to use a technology to wirelessly transmit data to this new machine. I will point out that the Design Space software mentions the potential to be controlled by tablet and smartphones! Also, unlike previous filings, it mentions “creating customized art images”. Does this hint at the ability to cut other than is available on current cartridges? I know I would love the ability to cut anything I want, and would love to be able to use any font on my computer.

Cricut has gotten into conflict in the past with 3rd party software companies that allowed you to cut beyond the Cricut cartridges. This caused a huge group of Cricut devotees to make the leap over to other cutting machines such as the Silhouette and the eClips. Hopefully this is a move in good faith to win back those that jumped ship.

I will be posting more, hopefully tomorrow, when the announcement is made! 🙂