Bonitor MP302 Pico Projector review

The Bonitor MP302 Pico Projector is tiny, portable, and compatible with both PCs and Macs, but a host of problems makes it a less than ideal choice.

Bonitor MP302 Pico Projector

Bonitor MP302 Pico Projector

The Bonitor MP302 Pico Projector ($289 direct) is a tiny, glossy white pico projector that's compatible not just with Windows PCs but with Macs, a rarity among pocket projectors. It can show photos and videos from its modest internal memory, or emulate your computer's screen over a USB connection. Bonitor pegs it as a consumer-oriented model—mostly for watching videos or perusing photos—that can also run business presentations off a laptop. In testing, however, it presented enough functional and performance problems to make my experience with it notably frustrating.

Buy the Optoma EP-PK-101 PICO Pocket Projector- 4 oz.

The glossy white MP302 uses a three-LED (red-green-blue) light source and LCOS (liquid crystal on silicon) projection technology, and is rated at 15 lumens. It measures 3.9 by 2.1 inches, is just under an inch thick, and weighs 3.9 ounces. Its sole connection is a USB port, for linking to your computer via the included dual USB cable that plugs into two of your computer's USB ports to provide both power and data.

Buy the Samsung SP-H03 PICO PROJECTOR; LED & DLP

Read the full Bonitor MP302 Pico Projector review at PCMag

TI Predicts Increase in Pico Projector Phones

Projector chipmaker Texas Instruments predicts a surge in the number of mobile phones with built-in pico projectors coming onto the market, as technology and wireless data networks become more efficient.

Buy the LG eXpo GW820 Windows Phone (AT&T)

Although phones with pico projectors are not a new concept, TI expects their popularity to grow with trends such as the arrival of faster, 4G networks and the move towards tiered pricing for wireless data.

Via Projector Point

Acer C20 PICO projector

The smartphone-sized Acer C20 pico projector hooks up via USB or HDMI and promises a WVGA resolution picture of up to 66-inches with 2,000:1 contrast and 20 lumens brightness.

 

Acer C20 Specs (click image)

Via SlashGear

ViewSonic PLED-W200 DLP pico projector

ViewSonic PLED-W200 DLP pico projector information

 Image source: Engadget

ViewSonic PLED-W200 DLP Projector Release Information
 

Manufacturer	ViewSonic
Manufacturer Part #	PLED-W200
MSRP	$499.00
Production Status	Announced
Release Date	APR 2011

ViewSonic PLED-W200 DLP Projector Specifications

General	Aspect Ratio	16:10 (Native) 4:3, 16:9
	Brightness (ANSI Lumens)	200 ANSI lumens
	Contrast Ratio	2000:1
	Display Type	DLP
	Resolution (Native / Max)	WXGA (1280 x 800)
Size	Dimensions (WxHxD)	5.0in. x 1.0in. x 5.0in. (12.7cm x 2.54cm x 12.7cm)
	Weight	1.0 lbs. (0.45 kg)
Connectivity	Inputs	1 x SD Card 1 x USB
	Audio	2 x 10W Speakers
Projection Lens	Lamp Type	LED
	Lamp Life	20000 hrs
	Projection Mode	Front
	Projection Screen Size (Diagonal)	in. ~ 300in. (0cm ~ 762cm)

Buy a ViewSonic PJD5111 2500 Lumens Portable DLP Projector

DLP Pico nHD chip announced

The leading developers of the technology used in every major brand of projector have unveiled a pioneering new chip that will allow projectors to be shrunk to even smaller sizes.

Texas Instruments – the company that makes the crucial digital light processing, or DLP, chips – launched a new DLP Pico chip at last week's IFA Berlin consumer electronics show.

The tiny chip, which has been called the nHD chip, is only around the size of a raisin but has proven extremely effective in projecting images with resolutions of up 640x360 pixels. The size of the chip is likely to make pico projectors a much more commonplace feature in gadgets such as cameras, mobile phones and portable games consoles.

Texas Instruments says the new model gives a much-improved contrast ratio of 1000:1 for much darker black tones and a richer colour spectrum. It will also significantly lower the power consumption of devices using it, compared to older projection technology.

Via ProjectorPoint

Philips PicoPix camcorder range launched at IFA Berlin

Philips joins other major brands including Optoma and Aiptek by adding the hand-held devices to their range. The company chose to make rumors official at one of the world's biggest platforms for consumer electronics in the world.

The image quality of the projectors are between 20 and 30 lumens, depending on which model you buy, with a resolution of 800x600 and contrast ratio of 400:1.

Buy an Optoma PK201 Pico Pocket Projector

The more advanced models – the 1230 and 1430 – come with a integrated battery, giving 2.5 hours of playback, while the 1020 model can be powered via a USB computer connection.

The 1230 also features stereo loudspeakers, while the 1430 has the speakers, as well as an integrated MP4 player and an SD card slot.

Embracing the eco-friendly requirements of modern gadgets, all of the projectors feature low energy consumption LED bulbs, with lifespans of up to 20,000 hours.

Buy Optoma PK102 Pico Pocket Projector

Via ProjectorPoint

MiLi iPhone Projector Accessory

When the iPhone first came out it was a pretty eye catching desirable status symbol. Now everyones, got the damn thing and you're just as likely to see a 14 year old kid wielding the amazing smartphone power as some old rich dude in a Porsche. Hmmm... so what could you do to make your iPhone stand out a bit from the masses and enter the realm of the extraordinary again? Purchase the MiLi iPhone Projector of course.

This unfold-able LED pico projector is designed specifically with your iPhone in mind. Simply flip it open and dock your iPhone. Play any movie or video on your phone and project it up to 70 inches wide. Your friends will gasp in awe at your new pocketable movie theater. What's more, plug in any other AV source or VGA input from your laptop and display that as well. The built-in battery even powers and recharges your iPhone while docked in the projector.

Buy the MiLi Power-Angel 1200mAh Extended Battery Backup & Stand for iPhone 3G 3GS & iPod Touch 2G 3G (Black)

The MiLi iPhone Projector can also be used with your laptop via other AV sources or VGA input from your laptop. The built-in battery even powers and recharges your iPhone while docked in the projector. It also has a built-in speaker that can boost the volume of your iPhone. It comes with a 100-240V AC Wall adapter for charging, VGA Video Cable, Composite Video Cable, and IR Remote. This will be the talk of your friends and family so be sure to order yours today.

The Mili iPhone Projector is available at thinkgeek for $349.99.

Optoma PK301 pico projector

"The Optoma Pico PK301 is probably the most impressive Pico projector on the market today," commented Product Manager, Richard Stamper.  "With impressive resolution and brightness the PK301 is an essential business tool, brilliantly handling and projecting highly professional looking PowerPoint ® slides, photo and video files.  After work, you'll be watching movies at up to 120 inches using the HDMI input or the built in memory.

Buy the Optoma PK301 Pico Pocket Projector

A MicroSD slot allows for up to 32GB of removable storage space with the PK301, whilst connectivity options include mini HDMI, VGA and USB.

Whilst the WVGA (854 x 480) pixel resolution is nothing to write home about, the tiny size and 250g weight make it a perfect portable device for those regularly travelling to make presentations.

Via Tech Digest

Samsung SP-H03 pico projector

Weighing in at 210g, the device aims at super portability and hopes to appeal to those of you who are employed with that oh-so-joyous task of performing presentations.

Graham Long, Vice President of Samsung's IT Business Division at Samsung Electronics said:

“The SP-H03 was designed to be extremely portable, eliminating the hassle and setup issues often encountered by presenters as they travel from organisation to organisation".

“By creating a convenient, portable, powerful and inexpensive device, Samsung is poised to assert its leadership at the top of this market”.

Suitable for projecting images from 9 to 80 inches the SP-H03 gives 30 ANSI lumens of brightness and gives you a 1GB internal memory, but is expandable with a MicroSD card so storing data shouldn't be a problem.

The detachable battery will apparently last up to the 2-hour mark in Eco mode (no word on battery life when not in "eco" mode) which should be just enough for presentations, but if you want to watch movies it sounds like you'll need to hunt for a power socket.

3M Mpro 150 Pico Projector

The MPro 150 is astonishingly minute, weighing a mere 158g. Yes, that’s great for Bond-loving execs looking to mimic Q’s own mini-gadget filled briefcase, but what we’re really after here is image quality. Tucked inside the MPr0 150’s minuscule shell is its MM200 optical engine, which uses an advanced liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) system where most use a DLP engine. 3M claims that this gives you a full colour gamut (reproduction).

Unfortunately, we found the MPro 150’s pictures extremely lacking in brightness. There’s a bit more lumination than the similarly sized Optoma PK101 (the MPro packs 15 lumens) but it still yields flat and lifeless pictures. We suggest you don’t dare increase the picture size over 35in and be sure to turn off or black-out any light source you can find. Otherwise it’s fuzzy heaven.

Buy the 3M Pocket Projector MPro150

Read the full review at Stuff Mid-East

Texas Instruments Blaze tablet: 1GHz processor & pico projector

Texas Instruments has unveiled the Blaze tablet design built for developers. The design puts its newer 1GHz OMAP4 chip behind a 10-inch, multi-touch screen and a modular design that can add any number of features. It has the option of an external DLP pico projector alongside camera modules, 3G, FM radio, GPS and Wi-Fi.

Buy an Apple iPad Tablet (64GB, Wifi)

The reference slate has 1GB of RAM and 32GB of flash as well as a raft of expansion, ranging from HDMI video output to an SD card slot and USB. An accelerometer and gyroscope make it ready for games and other motion-sensitive apps.

Buy a 7" inch Google Android Touchpad Tablet PC notebook Netbook Internet MID UMPC E-Book Reader

Via electronista

Samsung Galaxy Beam: AMOLED touch screen, Android OS, projector

Samsung, which has been making serious plays in the smartphone world, has announced that their "Beam" phone, which has Android and a built-in projector, will soon be shipping.

The phone itself is a real spectacle. It has a 3.7" touchscreen (Super AMOLED display), Android 2.1, Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS, 802.11n Wi-Fi, an 8MP phone, FM radio, microSD slot and yes, a DLP-based pico projector. It's certainly a never-before-seen set of specifications, and the battery life of 7 hours of talk time is also fairly unheard of.

Buy a Samsung Galaxy Spica GT-I5700 Black Unlocked

Via hothardware

Favi RIOLED-Q and RIOLED-V pico projectors

Favi is releasing a pair some time between late February and early March for prices yet unknown. First is the RIOLED-Q (pictured) which sports a pretty 800 x 600 native resolution at 50 lumens -- supposedly the best brightness in class (like the Optoma PK301), along with built-in SD / MMC card reader, battery, three-watt stereo speaker and an ever-so-handy digital keystone correction. Joining the party is the smaller RIOLED-V which is shy about its display specification, but proudly packs a card reader and WiFi to cater its various web apps for YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, Yahoo News, Weather, Email, Internet Radio and web browser.

Via Engadget

RoyalTek RPJ-2000 pico projector

RoyalTek's maiden entry into the pico projector market has resulted in the RPJ-2000, where this standalone projector sans internal memory will rely on 3M's 2nd-generation LCoS engine. Out in Taiwan and Europe, this model has received the go ahead from Apple to be used with the iPhone and iPod. It runs quietly thanks to Quanta's fanless technology, and retails for around 219 Euros across the Atlantic for the basic model. iPhone and iPod owners who want to hook up their devices to this will have to fork out another 30 Euros for a connectivity kit. RoyalTek has targeted a 60,000 unit sales in 2010.

Via UberGizmo

Light Blue Optics "Light Touch" coming to CES?

Light Blue Optics are rumored to launch their first product, the “Light Touch” at CES (Jan 6th).

LBO’s pico projector modules are Holographic Laser-based, and apparently allow the user to touch the projected image to provide user input.

Their modules support WVGA-QVGA images at 10 lumens. LBO’s proprietary technology has an ultra-wide throw angle and the ability to correct for optical aberrations using software. The projectors can switch between conventional front projection onto a wall and a novel table-down projection mode where the device is placed on a table and the content is projected down onto the surface in front of it. LBO has recently raised $15 million.

Via IntoMobile

LG eXpo projector accessory unboxing video

The eXpo is a Windows Mobile 6.5 QWERTY slider handset offering the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (a la the TG01 and the HTC HD2). AT&T is currently offering the phone for $300 on a 2-year contract.

Other specs for the eXpo include a 3.2-inch display, a 5-megapixel camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a microSD slot for up to 16GB cards.

Buy the LG eXpo Windows Phone (AT&T)

The projector - which snaps on to the back of the phone - is not actually available yet to buy in the States but is thought to be due soon priced around the $170 mark.

The video above, a kind of fake cubicle-based unboxing, shows both devices and the kind of projected imagery the phone is capable of.

Via Pocket-lint

AAXA M1 micro-projector

Two models will be on offer, each capable of projecting up to a 100-inch picture.  The entry-level M1 Standard gets a 3.5mm composite video input (complete with a suitable adapter cable), a native SVGA 800 x 600 resolution, 66 lumen brightness from its LED lighting, and a handy remote control, while the M1 Plus adds a 1280 x 960 VGA input (though you’ll obviously only get 800 x 600 max output); both also have 3.5mm headphone jacks and a microUSB port.  Eventually, AAXA say, you’ll be able to use that USB connection to hook up a computer, though right now they’re not providing the necessary drivers.

Otherwise there’s 1GB of onboard storage and an SD card reader, integrated media player app and stereo 1W speakers; the whole thing measures 112 x 105 x 46 mm.  Each model is available for preorder now, priced at $299 for the AAXA M1 Standard and $359 for the AAXA M1 Plus.  They’ll ship on December 21st and January 21st respectively.

Buy the AAXA P2 Pico Projector

News via SlashGear

Microvision and Intel create gaming rig with Show WX pico projector

Players of first-person shooter computer games traditionally play while seated with a keyboard, mouse, and fixed monitor.
However, these hardcore gamers soon may be unleashed from their stationary position to enjoy a realistic virtual combat experience with life-sized video images, projected on walls, ceilings and floors, all from a weapon-styled projection game controller they hold in their hands.

Among the first consumers to try a prototype of such a product will be the players and spectators attending the Intel(R) Extreme Masters PC gaming tournament in Edmonton, Alberta on Friday, Dec. 11 through Sunday, Dec. 13. Intel Corp., sponsor of the event, has invited laser display technology supplier Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS), of Redmond, Wash., to give gamers a first look at a new technology that projects a follow-you-anywhere video image - up to 200 inches across - from a handheld game controller.

Game players at the tourney who give the prototype a spin will experience "an immersive, 360-degree feel," promises Ian Brown, Microvision's Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "The company's laser projection engine can show a distortion-free image on nearly any flat or curved surface. Consequently, the game goes along with the gamer and reflects the character's position in three-dimensional space."

It's no coincidence that Microvision also happens to be a main mover behind the emerging consumer-electronics product category known as "pico projectors." In September, the company started shipping its first SHOWWX(TM) laser pico projectors - based on its PicoP(R) display engine - to customers in the Asia Pacific region and Europe. But the game tournament demo in Canada will show off the versatility of Microvision's PicoP display engine beyond the streaming movies, music videos, camera-phone snapshots and business presentations which are the media most likely to be shown with pico projectors.

"The game application takes advantage of our PicoP display engine's infinite focus," Brown says. "We believe that Microvision's technology can be used to create a new level of realism and interactive freedom for gamers. As the worldwide market for video games exceeds $50 billion, we are very excited to partner with Intel to showcase this new advance in gaming technology to the world's best gamers at Intel Extreme Masters."

"Intel believes that radical innovations like Microvision's laser projection engine will continue to drive the gaming industry forward," said George Woo, Intel Corporation's Marketing Manager of the Intel Extreme Masters. "We are pleased to demonstrate how Microvision's technology and the Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 processor Extreme Edition can create a new way for gamers to become immersed in the game world."

Buy a Cinemin Swivel Multimedia Pico Projector

Microvision is happy to announce that they have teamed up with Intel to create a brand new gaming system that will help motivate gamers to get up from their chairs and really get into the game. The prototype that they have created is a first person shooter game, but the controller is actually the character’s rifle. Instead of using a fixed monitor, the system uses Microvision’s SHOW WX projector, which is mounted to the gun controller. The game system allows the user to move around his room to display the digital environment. In other words, when the player turns left, the character turns left. The character’s movement is still depending on buttons on the gun, but this technology allows the gamer to experience the game in a way that no one else has yet to attempt. Microvision and Intel plans to display the technology this weekend at the Intel Extreme Masters PC Gaming Tournament in Edmonton Alberta. “The game application takes advantage of our PicoP display engine’s infinite focus,” Brown says. “We believe that Microvision’s technology can be used to create a new level of realism and interactive freedom for gamers. As the worldwide market for video games exceeds $50 billion, we are very excited to partner with Intel to showcase this new advance in gaming technology to the world’s best gamers at Intel Extreme Masters.”


Via AboutProjectors, Microvision press release

Brightboxe multimedia/gaming DLP projector

Featurign the same DLP pico projector module as the LG eXpo, the Brightboxe multimedia/gaming DLP projector was recently announced.

Designed to connect easily to any Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, or Sony PS2 or PS3, the Brightboxe promises a 480p resolution and a 500:1 contrast ratio. It also uses pure RGB LEDs as a light source, so it never needs lamp replacement. Under normal lighting conditions, the Brightboxe can crank out a 60-inch image. If you have something a bit more controlled, you can expect images greater than 100 inches.

Via bigpicturebigsound.com

LG GW820 eXpo smartphone gets projector accessory

 

 

LG GW820 eXpo Specs

 

Carrier

AT&T

Form Factor

Slide

Camera

5.0 MP AF camera with built-in flash

Music Player

Windows® Media Player

Qwerty

Full, Compact QWERTY Keyboard for Fast Messaging

Touch Screen

Yes

Bluetooth

Version: 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)

Web

Internet Explorer® Mobile

Technology

GPRS/EDGE Quad-band

Frequency

Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), UMTS/HSDPA Tri-band (850/1900/2100 MHz)

Dimensions

4.45” (H) x 2.24” (W) x 0.648” (D)

Battery

1500mAh Li-polymer