portableprojector
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LG adds brighter, more portable projectors to Minibeam lineup
For the very truly dedicated cord-cutters out there, LG has just announced two new portable, battery-powered projectors that can be set up blissfully free of any audio, video or power cables. The two models in LG's Minibeam lineup will debut next month at IFA 2016 in Berlin and hit retailers in the US shortly after.
Sony made a lamp that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker
Today wasn't only about smartphones and headphones for Sony. At its IFA 2015 press conference, the company also teased a lamp that doubles as a speaker -- like the TV remote it revealed recently -- and a new portable projector it's been working on. While Sony didn't share many details about either product on stage, a spokesperson did tell us that the projector can display up to 50 inches. Both devices are slated to launch next spring. In the meantime, here are some pictures of the prototypes Sony brought to Berlin.
Microvision's Show WX laser pico projector available to buy today, will ship March 24
Okay, so maybe Microvision is a little late with the release of its pocketable Show WX pico projector, but we'd rather have a truly useful projector late than a useless one on time. This laser-based beaut will offer you infinite focus -- something we can vouch for having tried out the same technology integrated in a rifle -- which essentially means that no matter how much you twist or jerk the projector around, or how distant your projected surface is, the picture will remain in focus. An 848 x 480 resolution image can be scaled from less than six inches all the way up to 200, though you're most likely to stick with anything up to 30 in order to make the most of the 10 lumens brightness on offer. The contrast ratio is rated as being greater than 5,000:1 while the battery will last you up to two hours on a charge. The wallet damage is $549 for the standard edition, but the limited edition teased above jumps all the way to $999, for which you'll get a personalized splash screen, LE insignia, a certificate of authenticity, a VGA dock and some other trinkets. Come on, it has lasers inside, it was never gonna be cheap!
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.
WowWee Cinemin Swivel iPod and iPhone pico projector review
The first time we saw a pico projector some of us thought: "Err... What's the point?" Slide show presentations from your phone? Doubt it -- not powerful enough for practical use. Cinematic experience in the toilet? Maybe, but you'd want a built-in projector on your PMP instead of a separate brick. Funky dance? Only in Japan. Finally, WowWee took a break from robotics to give us the answer with its foldable Cinemin Swivel pico projector: for watching videos on the ceiling while lying in bed, obviously. Still, we have our doubts about image quality, portability and practicality -- especially for $299. Read on to find out if this little guy is worth it.
Nextar hops on the bandwagon with Z10 LCoS micro projector
Just in case counting every last pico projector on or coming to the market was too easy for you, Nextar's hoping to boggle your hippocampus by adding one more to the furiously growing list. The outfit's LCoS-based Z10 is being launched alongside the equally portable PS-001 20-inch screen, and it'll check in weighing under 2.5-pounds and boasting a 640 x 480 resolution. As for additional specifications, you're looking at a brightness level between 7 and 12 lumens, a 360-degree lens shift capability with manual adjust and a 4:3 aspect ratio. To its credit, it will accept a litany of file formats and can be fed data via microSD / TF cards, a USB port and L/R audio ports. Both products are slated to hit retailers in the Spring for $299.99 and $39.99 in order of mention, and you can catch two more looks and the full release just after the break.
Mitsubishi debuts XD95U XGA micro projector
Mitsubishi's new XD95U DLP projector may not technically fall into the "pico" category, despite the company's attempts to proclaim it as such, but that doesn't mean it isn't tiny, with it weighing in at just a bit over three pounds and measuring a very portable 7.5- by 8.1-inches. The projector's specs also look like they should be up to most anyone's presentation needs, and include a full XGA resolution, 2,200 ANSI lumens, a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, and just the bare necessities when it comes to ports (composite, s-video, and VGA). Not surprisingly, you'll have to pay a considerable premium for that all that portability, with the XD95U boasting a suggested retail price of $1,495, which might just be enough to get some folks to reconsider the $500 Dell M109S and its non-standard 858 x 600 resolution.[Via Gearlog]
Dell's M109S pocket projector gets itself a ho-hum review
The portable Dell M109S projector which we saw a while back has just been reviewed over at Laptop Magazine. Similar to other pocket projectors, the verdict seems to be that the quality is nothing to explode in excitement over, but is impressive for such a small machine. Laptop praised the projector's LED as one of the "brightest in its class," though they seem disappointed with its non-standard native resolution of 858 x 600. They also laud the simplistic design of the projector, but found the buttons on the box "hard to use," and complained about the lack of remote control capability. Ultimately, they conclude that the size -- not as small as pico projectors, but not large enough to compete with higher-end models -- makes the M109S an awkward middle child. If you want the full rundown, however, hit the read link.
Dell's tiny M109S pocket projector gets hands-on treatment
It's one thing to hear 3.46- x 4.12- x 1.46-inches. It's another thing to see how giant someone's hand looks beside Dell's absolutely minuscule M109S pocket projector. Based on a hands-on session with a near-final prototype of the pico-PJ, the cats over at Popular Mechanics were mighty impressed with what they saw. They noted that "colors were a little more washed-out than a top-end home theater projector," but given the size and the manageable $499 price tag, it still managed to wow. Peep the in-action video in the read link.
Dell finally reveals $499 M109S SVGA pocket projector
We've been waiting ever patiently for this to get official, and at long last, that Project Projector we saw leaked in July has been revealed. Formally christened the M109S, this 0.8-pound beamer arrives with a native 858 x 600 resolution, a projection distance of up to 94.5-inches and a mercury-free LED light source that lasts up to four years. Moreover, it packs the ability to suck power from a Latitude or Vostro AC adapter if you're caught in a pinch, and yes, it's available today for $499 in the United States. As for the rest of the world, you wait.[Via AboutProjectors]
Viewsonic rolls out five new projectors for business and education
Those looking for a projector for something other than their home theater now have a bundle of new options to consider courtesy of Viewsonic, which has just announced five new models intended primarily for business and education use. Those include the PJ557D, PJ559D, PJ560D, PJ551D and PJ260D models, each of which appear to be only minor upgrades over earlier, similarly-numbered models. As with those previous models, these are all squarely at the low end of the spectrum, ranging in price from $649 to $1,099, and topping out at the standard XGA resolution. Standing out the most from the lot is the PJ560D model which, at 3,200 lumens is the brightest of the bunch, and the PJ260D, which is the only portable projector from the batch (although it still boasts a decent 2,000:1 contrast ration and 2,000 lumens). Look for all five to be available from all the usual sources sometime next month.
Alien Tech's portable short-throw projector on the horizon
Short-throw projectors are (thankfully) growing to be quite popular these days, but we've yet to see one designed more like a rocket and less like a block. Nevertheless, Alien Tech's LCD video projector manages to do just that, and while we'll admit that it seems more suited for a child's (very sweet) play room than a sophisticated AV setup, you can always paint it black and give it some cover if you're not so keen on the looks. Currently, the device has yet to be completely finalized, but it's slated to weigh 3.3-pounds, deliver an "optimal image" while just 80-inches from your screen / wall, offer a not-so-astounding 960 x 240 resolution (saywha?), and sport built-in RCA inputs and speakers to boot. Thankfully, this low-res PJ won't be demanding a large chunk of change, as the estimated asking price sits at just £149.99 ($308).
NEC's VT700 projector excites kids, bores teachers
While there's been no shortage of projectors for the suits of late, NEC is looking out for the CEOs (and subordinates) of tomorrow with the VT700. This portable device features a 1,024 x 768 native resolution, automatic keystone correction, near-instantaneous startup and shut down, 3,000 lumens, an integrated five-watt speaker, DVI input, a 3,000-hour lamp life, and audio out as well. Clearly designed with classrooms in mind, the wall-color correction technology "enables accurate colors to be projected onto whiteboards, blackboards, and colored walls," and Autosense automatically synchronizes the projector with computer signals to save technologically disadvantaged teachers from insanity. Notably, NEC touts the unit's three-year warranty as if schoolkids would ever put this thing in any sort of danger, and while it's due to start shipping (not coincidentally) in August, public pricing details remain a mystery.
Explay's ultraportable projector says make room
Just about everybody's getting on the portable projector bandwagon; you've got Sony, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Epson, Viewsonic, all with sub-laptop-sized devices being prepared to throw up dimly-LED-lit images onto boardroom walls the business world over. But Explay's about to say balls to that with their new pocketable digital projector, which they claim should hit the market in the first half of 2007. It's not exactly a groundbreaking concept or anything, but ultraportable projectors are definitely about to become the hot new turf for those companies, like PVPro and Digismart, of itching to get theirs to market first.
