I traveled 8,000 miles for the camera that killed Polaroid [Video]

It’s the kind of story that can form the foundation of a company’s identity and, if they’re lucky, the plot for their eventual fictionalized biopic: A brand dominating one kind of technology takes a bold, risky step into the great unknown so that it can lead its industry into the future. 

It’s a great story…when it’s successful.

When it’s not, well, that courageous grab for the brass ring of new technology can hamstring a company for years. Which is why you’ve probably forgotten about the Polaroid Polavision camera. And why your likely reference points for Polaroid are their recent licensing deals that brought their instant cameras back in an ironic, kitschy zombie existence that only seems to rub salt in the wound of its attempt to redefine home movies in the late ‘70s. 

The Polavision was touted as Polaroid’s biggest and most important innovation yet, having been in development for over a decade. Just as the …