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SideBySide makes tiny projectors fun again (video)
Kids these days just don't get thrilled by tiny projectors the way they used to. Disney Research is hoping to address the problem with its new SideBySide prototype, a pico projector that interacts with images projected nearby. The device outputs both visible and infrared light, while a built-in sensor detects the latter, allowing it to react to the image. The team showed off a handful of applications for the technology, including a few games, drag and drop file sharing and the ability to change perspectives on a 3D model. Non-interactive video after the jump.
HTC Explorer now official, we go hands-on (updated)
This little soldier carries the big responsibility of extending HTC's dominance to the budget end of the Android spectrum, and it must achieve this mission with only a bare minimum of weaponry: a 3.2-inch HVGA (480 x 320) capacitive display, 600MHz processor, 3MP camera and 512MB of expandable memory. You'll just have to believe us when we say we had a play with a pre-release device at an HTC event recently, even though the manufacturer's reps refused to let us take any photos or video to prove it. You'll find publicity shots in the gallery below plus a full press release, some educated guesswork about price and availability and our initial impressions of the handset right after the break. Update: The UK's Three network has confirmed it will stock the device, but it hasn't divulged the price. %Gallery-135168%
HTC Pico gets pictured, looks like a Wildfire S with a case of the blues
We're just getting accustomed to the HTC Wildfire S in the US, but the Taiwanese company appears to be prepping another device with similar specs for other parts of the world. The HTC Pico is a newcomer to the company's healthy lexicon of codenames, yet from the images leaked to XDA China it seems almost ready to hit the market. A full list of device specs happened to be included as well: the Pico will run on a 600MHz single-core CPU and 384MB of RAM, and will use a 3.2-inch HVGA display. It'll come with Android 2.3 underneath "HTC Sense Zero," which we believe may be a streamlined version of the Sense UI designed for lower-end devices -- perhaps in reaction to the Desire Gingerbread debacle. Curiously, the Pico may not be destined for North American shores, as it lacks 850 / 1900 WCDMA bands. There's no word on exactly where, when or even if this stranger will appear, though it may very well be heading to Europe and emerging markets. If the blue hue sends chills up your spine, continue below the break to see the spec list in its full (midrange) glory.
Apple pico projector patent application makes shared workspaces fun again
Really, there's nothing new in Apple's patent flirtation with the world of projection, but the latest application does take things to a whole new level, with pico projectors connected to the iPhone, iPad and MacBook. Cupertino's "Projected Display Shared Workspaces" patent application details a utopian universe wherein tiny projectors are connected to Apple products, with communication links across devices that allow for the sharing of image data between projected displays in the aforementioned "shared workspaces." Oh, and included cameras let the user interact with the displays via gestures, Wii-style, which puts our old projector shadow puppet shows to shame.%Gallery-130432%
Fujitsu LifeBook S761/C and P771/C replace optical drives with pico projectors, past with future
Optical disc drives may be passé nowadays, but the enclosures usually reserved for them in laptops need not go to waste. Fujitsu has just rolled out its latest line of portables and a pair of them pack a pretty awesome new extra: an integrated pico projector. The 13.3-inch LifeBook S761/C and 12.1-inch P771/C both fill their ODD slots with a small visualizer, and while the specs of its actual output aren't clear, the two machines have been fully specced and priced. The S761/C can offer you a Core i5-2520M CPU, a (presumably upgradeable) 1GB of RAM, 160GB of storage, and a 1366 x 768 resolution for a price of ¥219,450 ($2,675). Moving down in size class but up in price, the P771/C matches those specs, but for a squarer 1280 x 800 resolution, and asks for ¥255,150 ($3,110). Both will be available in Japan in mid-May, which is also when Fujitsu will release its LifeBook E741/C, whose claim to fame is the ability to authenticate users by reading the veins in their palms. Sexy!
German researchers prototype 6mm thick pico projector
Pico projectors just keep shrinking, and a new prototype developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Engineering is helping said shrinking along pretty strikingly. The team has developed a prototype pico which is just 6mm thick, making it the world's slimmest ever. Better yet, the projected image is 10 times brighter than a pico projector of its size would have previously been -- had it existed. The new lens on the projector is so small that it could potentially be integrated into smart phones without boosting size or weight. The new prototype is made of 45 red, green or blue microlenses, each with a 200 x 200 pixel LCD, inspired by a microlens array called a fly's eye condenser. The resulting resolution is nearly, but not quite, WVGA with 11 lumens of brightness. The prototype will be shown off at Nano Tech 2011 in Tokyo. [Image credit: Fraunhofer Institute]
Pioneer prototype laser-based heads-up display with Android hands-on (video)
Looking down at gauges? Officially passe. Check out Pioneer's vision of the future, a prototype that uses an embedded laser projector (a Microvision, as it were). They showed it a little earlier in Japan but this is the first time we've seen it in the US, and we got a chance to try it out. Right now it's just running a static demo, but the idea is that a virtual concierge (represented by our favorite mascot) pops up to give you information, and you could also get streaming video from traffic cameras, all without you having to look down. The information is supposed to come via a smartphone, we learned later an Android one at that, though things are a little vague. A release date is a little vague too, sometime in 2012, though we're told the company is working with car companies. But could we get this by next year? We'll see. %Gallery-113481%
ViewSonic PLED-W200 DLP pico projector hands-on
Just two days ago, we brought you word of a Texas Instruments powered pico projector by ViewSonic. We found the 0.9-pounder and snapped some pics of an (unfortunately) non-functioning unit. It features a 4-in-1 card reader, mini USB cable, and adapter for an included dongle that supports VGA and composite cables. With a 1280 x 800 WXGA resolution, the 200 lumen bulb is LED-based and has a lamp life of 20 to 30 thousand hours. The scrolling wheel, that you can peek at in the gallery below the fold, rests atop the projector and focuses the image. As for size limitation, the rep said up to 300 inches. The company said it'll retail at $479 when it ships in April. %Gallery-113303%
Texas Instruments announces DLP Pico HD chipset, slew of pico projectors CES-bound
Texas Instruments has just announced its latest DLP projector chipset, the Pico HD. The newest, tiny chipset offer HD WXGA resolution projections of up to 100 inches, and promises to be brighter and clearer than ever. So what does this mean to you, the consumer? Well, Texas Instruments is promising a host of hardware partners showing off their brand spanking new projecting wares. We don't have full details yet, but we do know that we can expect to see Acer unveil its HW300T pocket projector, while ViewSonic will show the PLED-W200 DLP Pico projector, and offerings from Optoma and LG to boot. We'll track them all down for you as soon as our tiny hands possibly can. And that, in a nutshell, is our Texas Instruments pico news of the day. The full-fledged, not in a nutshell press release is after the break.
Pioneer teams with Microvision on laser heads-up display, next-gen pico projector tech
Remember when Pioneer's Android minions shot laser beams from their eyes and created an awesome prototype heads-up display? It turns out those lasers came from a Microbision PicoP projector, and that prototype is inching towards reality. You see, Pioneer's partnered with Microvision to build a brand-new laser module for the commercial version -- which is set to debut in 2012 -- using a brand-new display engine and the actual green laser that's been missing from the formula up until now. We can't wait to burn driving directions into our collective retina, so we'll be watching this one closely from now on. PR and video after the break.
BenQ DV S11 camcorder has a pico up in there
Sharing is caring, and imaging devices that pack pico projectors sure do make it easy to care -- assuming you're in a dimly-lit room with a flat, color-free surface at your disposal. BenQ's DV S11 is the latest, a 1080p zoomless camcorder that exists in the Flip style and can also capture five megapixel stills. No specs are listed for the projector itself, except that it's said to be able to push a 50-inch picture out its hole -- presumably only if you're at the bottom of a cave or in some similarly light-free environment. The combo is available now in Hong Kong priced at $2,399 HKD, which equates to about $300 American.
AAXA busts out its bright little XGA M2 projector
AAXA is known in some circles for making bright little pico projectors, and its newest, the M2, is no exception. This latest model packs 110 lumens of brightness, XGA (1024 x 768) resolution -- seemingly a first for the world of tiny projectors. It also has 1GB of built-in storage plus an SD card slot if you need to get serious. The micro projector also boasts VGA, HDMI, and USB ports. Other than that, the M2 has a built-in media player with support for MP4, MP3, AVI, JPG, and other file formats, and optional cables for iPod, PSP and smartphone hookups. AAXA's M2 is available now, and you can grab one for $369.
WowWee Cinemin Slice takes the pico out of your pocket
We can't say we've ever dreamt of a pico projector / speaker dock combo, but we also can't say the idea doesn't make a bit of sense. Continuing its expansion into the projector space with its Cinemin sub-brand, WowWee's Slice is much more than your usual unitasking pico -- it packs six-watt stereo speakers along with a 854 x 480 resolution, 16 lumens DLP projector. As you can see, it's been designed for your choice of Apple products -- its 30-pin connector is compatible with the iPad, iPhone 3G/3GS/4, etc. -- but the back of the device does hold additional VGA, mini-HDMI and AV ports for hooking up whatever other gadget you've been dying to project on a wall. Speaking of that projection, the maximum image size is 60 inches, though you'll have to set it back quite a bit from the projected surface to achieve that viewing size -- WowWee says the viewable range is anywhere between 11 to 125 inches. We caught a look at the Slice at the CES Press Preview event in NYC, and have to say it's not a bad looking dock -- the glowing red LED buttons give it some pizzazz. Obviously, it was hard for us to judge the image and sound quality from the brief look, but we were able to hear Bolt over the event background noise if that counts for anything. The Slice will be priced around $400 but won't be hitting stores until January -- until then you've got the pictures in the gallery below and some more tech specs at the source link. %Gallery-107130%
Microvision integrates direct green laser into pico projector prototype, completes RGB achievement
You should by now be aware that we're big fans of Microvision's Show WX pico projectors. Whether integrated into the smartphones or gaming peripherals of the future, we feel like the company's Laser Display Engine has a big part to play in our lives. It's therefore very welcome news to hear that its research team has managed to integrate a "direct" green laser into the portable projector setup, making for simpler and cheaper manufacturing of smaller components. Up to this point, Microvision has been performing its color mixing using a red laser, a blue laser, and a red laser specially re-calibrated to output green light, but that added bit of complexity can now be set aside with the inclusion of lasers that produce green hues natively. The company cites at least five global manufacturers ready to produce direct green beamers in commercial quantities by late 2011, so with a bit of luck and price competition, the pico projector dream might have itself a glorious realization after all.
3M Shoot 'N Share does just that: shoots 720p, shares with its built-in pico
3M may have snuck out two pico projectors for the guy in the boardroom yesterday, but its latest handheld is clearly designed for after-hour usage. Figuring it can leverage its projector roots and jump right on into the camcorder / camera side of things, the company's Shoot 'N Share packs a 5 megapixel sensor that can capture 720p MP4 video as well as take stills. Once you're done recording, you can tap the capacitive projector button and display it on the wall (or in our style, on someone's forehead). We figured with only 14 lumens of brightness it would be fairly dim, but some recorded video was actually bright enough to make out in a fairly light room. However, it only projects at 640 x 480, though we guess for $299 we didn't expect much more. The projector... er, camera, has a microSD card slot and HDMI jack on its edges, but it's definitely chunkier than we'd like. Hit the shots below to decide for yourself and the press release after the break for a few extra details. %Gallery-102474%
3M MP160 and MP180 pico projectors bring business casual to your pocket, sort of
The pico projector has always walked a fine line -- the smaller they are, the less features they typically boast. 3M's been cranking out the picos for a long time now, and its just outed two new ones firmly aimed at the business crowd. The MP160 and MP180 are both small (no surprises there), with the MP180 being the most full-featured of the two. That one packs WiFi, a touchscreen, Bluetooth, an integrated MP3 player, 4GB of storage, an SD slot and USB for all your quick, on-the-go projecting needs. The stripped down MP160 doesn't have any of those extras, but both feature external speakers and audio output. As far as the actual projectors are concerned, but the MP160 and MP180 have 30 lumens of brightness and a two-hour battery life with SVGA resolution -- a good showing for projectors of this type. Both are available for pre-order at 3M right now, with shipments in early October. The MP160 sells for $349 while the MP180 will run you $399. The full press release is below. Updated: We actually got to check out the MP180 for ourselves. There are some shots below, but the unit we saw was an early prototype and couldn't keep a connection to a WiFi network. The resistive touchscreen on the device was also pretty flaky. Still it looks like it'll be an interesting little gadget when 3M works out the kinks. %Gallery-102469%
Toshiba outs Lumileo pico projectors, only one of which requires a plug
Toshiba's new LED-based pico projectors won't shake the world with VGA resolutions, 14 lumens and just 80 minutes of battery life, but we have to admit the Lumileo P100 and Lumileo M200's focusing dial and keypad do look a spot more stylish than some of the cubes and rectangles we've tried. And while we've just pretty much described the P100 model in full, the M200 has an additional feature that might be worth your while -- like the 3M MPro, it plays back video (including DivX), Word, PowerPoint, Excel and PDF files directly from 2GB of internal memory or your microSD card of choice, with no attached PC required. Otherwise, both project up to 60-inch pictures from VGA or "TV in" ports not shown here, and both will appear in Europe to claim an unspecified amount of that continent's discretionary cash during the fourth quarter of this year. PR after the break.
Pico projector camera concept is, as usual, better than the real thing
Oh, don't get us wrong, we rather enjoyed our time with Nikon's S1100pj projector camera, but this here Pico concept design is on a whole other level. We're talking both in terms of cuteness and inventiveness. You might have recognized by now that one of the Pico's "eyes" is the camera lens while the other is the projector, but what of the "smile?" Why, that's your microphone's sound intake port. And its little feet -- acting as a stabilizing stand when in projector mode -- also double up as covers for the external connection jacks. Masterful. Look for it to appear in your dreams some time very soon.
Another augmented reality, pico-projecting lamp threatens desktops, brings tablet reinforcements (video)
How long have dumblamps been ruling our desktops for? Their reign of evenly scattered light might finally be coming to a close. A few months back it was MIT student Natan Linder putting a pico projector in a lamp to create LuminAR. Now, researcher Li-Wei Chan from National Taiwan University has crafted something similar, again with a pico projector replacing a bulb, this time relying on an IR camera to detect position. The lamp projects an image into a surface that users can interact with, while tablets (also augmented with use IR cameras) can be used to display a 3D view of the 2D projected content, allowing a user to look around and zoom in dynamically. The voice-over in the video below talks of potential military applications, generals analyzing battlefields, but for once we'd like to think that this sort of thing would be used for peace. You know, planning nature walks, watching virtual horsies romp around in a pretend field, that sort of thing.
Nikon Coolpix S1100pj projector cam arrives with USB projection and touchscreen telestrator capabilities; S5100 arrives in tow
Looks like those German Coolpix leaks were right on the money -- Nikon's just announced the Coolpix S1100pj and the S5100. The S1100pj is a seriously hot update to the original quirky and lovable Nikon Coolpix S1000pj projector-cam: not only is it thinner and sleeker, but the projector is brighter at 14 lumens and can now beam images off a laptop over USB. The control scheme also looks to have been simplified, with a new three-inch 460,000-dot touchscreen taking over most duties and enabling a wild telestrator-style paint mode which lets you draw right on top of projected images in real-time. Camera-wise, it's an iterative bump over the previous model: 14 megapixel sensor with 720p movie mode and ISO 6400 sensitivity, 28-140mm 5x optical zoom with five-way stabilizer, and the ability to detect faces, smiles and blinks. Perhaps best of all, MSRP has dropped $100 to $349, which actually makes it a somewhat reasonable consideration if you're shopping higher-end cams. Yep, we definitely want to play with one -- it'll hit in a bunch of colors next month sometime. The Coolpix S5100 is a bit less interesting, slotting in between the S6000 and S4000. Nothing too complicated here, just a 12.1 megapixel sensor with ISO 3200 sensitivity and a 720p movie mode, 5x optical zoom with four-way stabilization, and a nifty tripod-detection function that automatically tweaks shutter speed and exposure to produce blur-free images when the camera is handheld. It'll be $179 in a bunch of colors when it hits in October -- check a shot after the break, along with the full PR for both cams. P.S.- That's both of the leaked Coolpix models -- we've got a feeling we'll be hearing about that D3100 DSLR rather soon as well. %Gallery-99566%
