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The best cheap projector
By Chris Heinonen This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. When readers choose to buy The Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, they may earn affiliate commissions that support their work. Read the full article here. After testing five projectors for 70 hours, we've concluded that the BenQ TH670 is the best cheap projector. It offers the best contrast ratio and the best color quality of everything we tested, as well as 1080p resolution, low input lag for video games, integrated speakers, plenty of lumens for any size screen, a backlit remote, and up to 10,000 hours of life from a single bulb. It also provides the best selection of image adjustments, with settings that are easy to understand, so it gives you more control over the displayed image than its competitors do.
Sony will have an Ultra HD Blu-ray player -- next year
The PS4 Pro is launching with 4K streaming and only a standard 1080p Blu-ray disc player, but Sony is ready to announce its first Ultra HD Blu-ray device. The UBP-X1000ES will ship in the spring of 2017, however, even then it will be tough to get one since Sony says it will be exclusively available through custom installers at first. The player is ready for "virtually any optical disk format" as well as Atmos and DTS:X audio tracks. From the sounds of things, it will be similar to Panasonic's $699 DMP-UB900, although we can only guess at the price since it has not been announced yet (if you have to ask...).
Pro Football Hall of Fame brings in holographic coaches
Think visiting a sports hall of fame involves little more than looking at athletes' relics? The Pro Football Hall of Fame wants to liven things up a bit. It's introducing the A Game for Life exhibit, where holographic versions (sadly, not likely true holograms) of famous figures like Joe Namath and Vince Lombardi will deliver pep talks and convey just how hard it is to make the Hall of Fame. This isn't just a glorified slideshow, either. The exhibition theater uses 15 projectors and 360-degree audio to give the NFL veterans more of a presence, and Rudy screenwriter Angelo Pizzo helped produce the script.
Samsung smartwatch concept turns your hand into a display
Smartwatch makers have tried a few ways to overcome the limitations of a tiny wrist-worn screen, such as gestures, pressure sensitivity or voice commands. Samsung thinks there might be a better way, though: moving the display beyond the watch. It's applying for a patent on a concept that would project a wearable's interface on to everything from your hand to the wall. It'd use sensors to detect those outside-of-the-wrist interactions, and it could even detect the geometry of your hand to adapt the interface to that area. You might see extra buttons on your fingers if your palm is open.
Sharp's adorable robot phone is a not-so-cute $1,800
The RoboHon is real, it's going on sale, and (obviously) it's going to Japan first. At a press launch at the Sharp's HQ in Tokyo, we finally got some important details, and it's not all good news. Launching on May 26th in its homeland, the robot phone will cost 198,000 yen (plus tax!) which comes out at over $1,800. In the spectrum of expensive zeitgeist technology, that makes the Oculus Rift et al. seem like a bargain. (Then again, the Rift doesn't do a cute little dance or talk to you in a kawaii robo-anime voice -- but your opinion may differ.)
Ford hopes you'll watch movies in self-driving cars
If and when self-driving cars become a practical reality, you'll probably want something to do during your journeys besides chatting with passengers or checking your phone. Thankfully, Ford might have an answer. It recently obtained a patent for an "autonomous vehicle entertainment system" that would let you watch videos when you're hands-free. Kick your vehicle into self-driving mode and a projector system could swing into action, complete with its own screen -- yes, you could watch a movie while you're on the way to visit family. Think of it as in-flight entertainment, just grounded.
ZTE's latest Android projector is basically a tablet
ZTE's Android projectors have often seemed like answers to a question no one asked, but the company might have found an audience with the newly unveiled Spro Plus. The device combines a 500-lumen projector with an Android-based control system that includes an 8.4-inch AMOLED screen, a Snapdragon 801 processor, optional LTE data and 128GB of expandable storage. In effect, it's a chunky mid-range tablet that can cast 80-inch images on your wall.
Here's a transforming robotic video projector
Cerevo unveiled its newest -- some would argue, wackiest -- invention to date at CES Unveiled. Dubbed the Tipron, this machine is equal parts autobot and long-throw projector. It stands just a foot and a half tall when completely folded (handy for when it's recharging or not in use) but then doubles in height as it unfurls to cast 80 inches of 720p video at your wall. The device can also wheel itself from room to room at your command via an Android app, so users aren't limited to watching content in a single space.
The best pico projector
By Chris HeinonenThis post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here.After 45 hours of research and hands-on testing with five models, we found the best pico projector is the AAXA P300. It's bright enough for both dark rooms and those with some light, and it's easier to position for a large image than its competitors. Plus, it has better contrast ratios, more inputs than other models, and an optional battery for use on the go. Other models might be more portable, but they won't be as useful as the AAXA P300.
Amazon wants augmented reality to be headset-free
Augmented reality (AR) isn't all headsets and funny glasses. Amazon wants to turn it into something that you can interact with in your living room, judging by a couple of the company's recently approved patents. The "object tracking" patent shows how a system of projectors and cameras could beam virtual images onto real objects, and track your hand while you interact with them. The other, called "reflector-based depth mapping," would use a projector to transform your room into a kind of holodeck, mapping the depth of objects and bodies in a room.
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.
ICYMI: Drone goes fishin', reflection fix for photos & more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-30983{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-30983, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-30983{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-30983").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: A $200,000 drone is helping wildlife officials protect fish from poaching and it looks super cool too. A new algorithm to eliminate reflections, raindrops and chain-link fences from photos is being tinkered with and we'd like it on all our photos now, please. And researchers at the University of Tokyo have a new prototype 3D projector that can project onto moving surfaces, no matter how much they shake.
Super-fast projector may be key to holodeck-like rooms
Projection mapping theoretically adds a Holodeck-like level of immersion to simulations, but current projectors are simply too slow to keep up with fast-moving people. That won't be an issue if University of Tokyo researchers have their way. They've developed DynaFlash, a 1,000 frames per second projector that can keep up with just about any moving object. It can't beam images into thin air, like you see above (that's just for show), but it can seemingly do everything else -- even if you shake or spin an object very quickly, you'll still get the image where you wanted it to be. The trick involves adding a special controller to a DLP (digital light processing) projector that, combined with fast image output, delivers both high frame rates and low latency.
Empire State Building projection shines a light on endangered animals
If you were hanging around midtown Manhattan this weekend, you may have noticed some exotic animals projected on to the side of the Empire State Building. What was that all about? As it turns out, that was one of the more ambitious examples of tech-powered advocacy in recent memory. It was Projecting Change, a collaboration between the Oceanic Preservation Society and Obscura Digital that used striking imagery to highlight the plights of endangered species, such as snow leopards and manta rays. The piece relied on 40 stacked projectors to beam 5K video on to the legendary New York City skyscraper. At 33 floors tall, the resulting image was clear within about 20 blocks' radius -- you could have had a good view at 14th Street. There's sadly no talk of repeating the event in the near future, but there are replays both on YouTube and Discovery if you want to see what happened. [Image credit: Joel Sartore and Ron Robinson/Obscura Digital]
Tiny house uses light to put you in the middle of a thunderstorm
Standing in a greenhouse and listening to the rain thunder against the roof can be strangely relaxing and therapeutic. Now, imagine if the same experience was recreated artificially. For the Triennale Der Photographie exhibition in Hamburg, designer Leigh Sachwitz has constructed a miniature house covered with semi-transparent projection screens. Once you step inside and turn off the hanging bulb, a series of projectors spring to life and batter you with heavy weather, including tornadoes and tropical thunderstorms. The dynamic sounds are recreated with speakers, but it's the projectors -- four on the inside, with another two cutting through a haze machine on the outside -- that really bring the installation to life. Circles quickly appear and disappear to recreate raindrops, while streaks of diagonal light imitate heavier downpours. It's not a particularly accurate art piece, but in terms of capturing atmosphere and mood, "INSIDE OUT" feels pretty spot on.
Wild UI concept uses paper to interact with projected displays
A simple table can be a profound tool for collaboration, so it's particularly disappointing that we haven't yet solved the puzzle of how to effectively digitize that experience. Microsoft's original Surface table was cool, but expensive, and newer options like Lenovo's Horizon PC still haven't taken off. But Tokyo-based design firm Takram has one idea that might help us achieve interactive digital tables (and other surfaces): Just use paper. Last year it developed a concept called "On the Fly Paper" for Intel's Collaboration Center in Japan, which uses an infrared sensor and specially formatted pieces of paper to manipulate a projected computer display. Basically, the paper acts as an input device: As soon as you place it on the table, the projected image changes both on the table and the paper itself. You can also manipulate things by moving the paper around and covering physical holes. What's truly remarkable is that your interactions with it register almost as quickly as a touch screen. Check out a brief demonstration below.
ASUS' tiny projector can play video from Android phones over USB
If having friends crowd around your smartphone screen to watch videos isn't exactly your idea of a good time, ASUS' new portable projector might be for you. The E1Z, announced today at Computex, is an LED projector that can play content right from your Android phone over micro-USB. Typically, projectors need HDMI dongles to project from smartphones. The E1Z is small enough to fit in your pocket, and it also has a rechargeable battery, so it can get up and running without being plugged into power. It also works as a portable battery pack, allowing you to charge any USB device with its 6,000mAh battery. We're still waiting for details on pricing, availability and actual specs, but ASUS reps mentioned that it may end up going for around $200.
Lenovo's projector phone beams a touchscreen onto any surface
Smartphones with built-in projectors -- well, just the two from Samsung, really -- haven't exactly been a huge hit so far, but Lenovo thinks it's finally got the right use case for this combination: beaming a touchscreen or virtual keyboard onto your desk. Announced at the Lenovo Tech World conference today is the Smart Cast, the world's first smartphone with an integrated focus-free laser projector, as opposed to the DLP tech on existing pico projectors. In addition to the usual wall projection mode, there's a "surface mode" that requires twisting the projector cap at the top (to enable reflection), propping up the phone with its kickstand, and then you'll have a projected touchscreen -- be it a virtual piano, a virtual keyboard or even Fruit Ninja -- right in front of you. Alas, that's all the info we've got so far. Until we get to see the real thing, you can check out the demo video after the break to stay entertained.
This pizza box doubles as a movie projector
Movie-and-pizza night usually means having to retreat to the TV in the living room, but not if you live in Hong Kong. Ad firm Ogilvy & Mather HK has built the Pizza Hut Blockbuster Box, a pizza box that turns into a projector at the drop of a hat. All you do is pluck a lens out of the protective stand, mount it in the side of the box and use your smartphone (conveniently perched on the stand) as the video source -- any video that plays on your phone suddenly becomes room-sized. There's no mention of whether or not this cardboard theater will reach other countries, but it's hard to imagine this concept being limited to one city for very long.
You can build Microsoft's Kinect-powered holodeck at home
Got a Kinect, a projector and a knack for code? If so, you can create a Star Trek-like holodeck in your living room. Microsoft has released the RoomAlive Toolkit, a software framework that lets you string together Kinect motion trackers to create interactive projection maps. You can use it to build anything from extra-immersive games through to art displays. This isn't exactly a trivial undertaking (Microsoft is promising lots of tutorials), but it means that you won't have to wait for someone else to bring your augmented reality dreams to life.
