Young Optics set to dish out pico-projector by mid-2008

Texas Instruments has been showing off its pico-projector technology for some time now, but it looks like it's finally making its way into a finished product, with Young Optics announcing that it expects to ship the first such projectors "by the end of second quarter or the beginning of the third quarter." In addition to the core TI technology, the projector makes use of a DLP chip and an LED light module, which pumps out a whopping 7 lumens of brightness while consuming just one watt of energy. No word as to what they'll cost or exactly where they'll show up, but cellphones seem to be the likely prime candidate, given Texas Instrument's past demonstrations of the technology.

[Via About Projectors]

[bob sakamano @ Feb 21st 2008 4:06PM]

they should throw it on digital cameras too for instant slide shows - no tv needed

[Jeff @ Feb 21st 2008 4:14PM]

...just a nice flat white surface and total darkness.

[Aguiluz @ Feb 21st 2008 4:37PM]

They should throw in some inputs so I can hook up my PS2 on it.

[Christian @ Feb 21st 2008 4:07PM]

Have they tried having a small external bluetooth device that does such that's also pocket size?

It's nice to see this of course but just wondering if we can somehow get this and also keep our recently purchase phones that will only need a few firmware tweek...

[Jeff @ Feb 21st 2008 4:13PM]

i still really don't see the utility of a projector in a cellphone...

unless it's magical; so tiny as to not significantly effect the size of the handset, and can put out very bright, contrasty images using very little power... and are ridiculously inexpensive.

If that's the case, i might watch a crappy clip of Lost projected 8x12" on my wall, maybe once, and the novelty will wear off.

am i wrong? is there some sort of actual USE this might satisfy? or is it really just a solution in search of a problem?

(Don't get me wrong, i think i could have all kinds of fun with an extremely tiny projector, but in my cellphone? CCDs in phones at least serve the purpose of taking pictures to use as wallpapers or contact images... but how would a projector be useful day-to-day?)

[letstakeawalk @ Feb 21st 2008 4:41PM]

Sounds like somebody's a grump today. Some peopple thought personal computers were pointless, that no person would ever really need one. Same thing for portable telephones. Why can't you just wait until you get where you're going to make a call? I do agree with the issues concerning power consumption, but progress continues...

[BillyBones @ Feb 21st 2008 5:08PM]

Help me Obi-wan Kenobi! You're my only hope!

[helloseth @ Feb 21st 2008 8:34PM]

Much as you acknowledged yourself, people once had the same opinion of cameras in phones.

Next time you're out having a sitdown dinner, look around in the dining room. You will no doubt see a table full of people where a cell phone is being passed around to show picture(s) to people at the table.

With a PJ, drop a napkin in the center of the table and throw the pictures on that. Or use uncle Bob's shirt. Or the guy's back at the table next to you. Or that cute waitresses apron. :D

[Jeff @ Feb 21st 2008 9:19PM]

I just doubt this is really something that solves ANY problem.

though, maybe a few iterations down the road when they're tiny and extremely capable, it'll be usable.

I just keep coming back to that this is a solution looking for a problem. I suppose once they're super tiny and super bright it might be worth cramming into a phone. until then it'll be a novelty. (possibly much like cameraphones, they're a novelty when they take 32x32 pixel images, but now at VGA to 5 MP they're (arguably) worth cramming into phones. )

[Phoenix @ Feb 22nd 2008 8:19AM]

Stick one of these on a Pocket PC or smartphone, prop it up on a book and then you've got an instant powerpoint projection system. in your pocket. Great for business people.

[martin @ Feb 21st 2008 4:15PM]

not sure i'd really like a lens stuck to the top of my phone, more useful if it was tiny and standalone

[Alex @ Feb 21st 2008 4:35PM]

Does it have a use, yes. Some people do aspire to do more with their life than watch lost. Maybe a traveling business man could make a pitch to a guy while they are in the can. "rrrrrpppp... and here you can see our projected earnings for the third quarter.."

[Drew @ Feb 21st 2008 4:41PM]

Oh man this thing will be the must have gadget integrated in a cell
phone come 2009 (once the prices become mortal)

Think about it, streaming TV on your cell phone now displayed on your
wall, it is the the epitome of laziness...

Slap this thing in a cheap SD card reading R2D2 styled enclosure and
it will fly off the shelf.

I'm sure that the display will be good enough to play some old school
video games. Tiger Road anyone?

Eventually when the resolution is adequate, you can have a PC in your
pocket, just the projector display, coupled with a virtual laser
keyboard!

When can I get the good one that Mysterio uses to fool Spiderman?

[blarg @ Feb 21st 2008 5:01PM]

Its a super-small projector (its the little hole lookin thing on the cellphone in the pic).

Essentially, this is a projector the size of an Andes mint, that takes little power, and supposedly gets pretty good res at a couple feet. So you could put it in a cellphone, PDA, camera, etc.

$20 says this is on the new iPod, by the way.

[sancho @ Feb 21st 2008 4:47PM]

what is this?

[deep @ Feb 21st 2008 4:52PM]

It's something that involves reading. Perhaps you should try something a little less challenging?

[sancho @ Feb 21st 2008 5:28PM]

oh is like kimble?

[bob @ Feb 21st 2008 8:47PM]

THIS IS SPARTA.


Sorry couldn't help it.

[john @ Feb 21st 2008 5:23PM]

Why only 7 lumens at 1W. The Cree XRE led's can achieve about 100 lumens per watt and can be easily had anywhere.

[Thor @ Feb 22nd 2008 5:09PM]

i think they should include a mini tripod too. I can just imagine trying to watch a movie with this thing and trying to hold it still. Maybe they should throw in some popcorn too.

[entropyman @ Feb 26th 2008 2:37AM]

screw the cellphone thing- I want a low power consumption handheld projector to use for hooking up to a ton of things- psp, archos- if it had vga I could use it on my wibrain or a second monitor on my laptop