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Casio's slim XJ-A projectors repurposed for gaming, we take a gander
Casio's XJ-A series projectors wowed us in January with an ultra-slim 43mm design, but at E3 2010 we got the chance to see whether image quality was equally bright -- the watchmaker was there with some economical models to attract the portable gaming crowd. Sure enough, it's an interesting choice if you want to play Xbox 360 in the field. Though hefty, the projector's small enough to fit into a messenger bag, and can throw a pretty decent-sized screen; using the company's 2,500 lumen, XJ-A240 model ($1,000), we emulated a 70-something-inch, 720p HDTV. At that size and resolution, colors were a little washed out, but impressive nonetheless -- though we did note that when attempting to play 1080p content on the same projector, the result was quite fuzzy. Casio claims that image's good for 20,000 hours, as the projector doesn't use a bulb, relying instead on a proprietary combo of laser and LED. The PJ accepts all standard TV resolutions through VGA or HDMI and has optional composite and component video breakout cables, though sadly no audio passthrough -- only a 1W integrated speaker. Starting at $800, the true bargain models sport only 2,000 lumens and a 1,024 x 768 resolution, but we could still see some snapping them up for split-screen Halo on a giant, portable TV.%Gallery-95581%
Casio's XJ-A series portable projectors are both attractive and environmentally conscious
Here's something you don't see everyday: a projector with some sex appeal behind it. Casio's XJ-A Series is quite the looker by design. It's pretty slim, too, measuring 43 mm in height. Your green friends can enjoy knowing it's Merucury-free, and you can take solace in up to 3,000 lumens. Of the seven models in the lineup, two have WXGA and five XGA, and depending on your choice you'll get USB or WiFi connectivity and a price tag between ¥148,000 and ¥318,000, or $1,518 and $3,399 if converted to stateside currency. See? Not everything exciting has to come from CES this week.
