Tag: projector

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Displays

SPUD provides you with portable pop-up projector

Portable projectors can come in handy, but they typically require perfect lighting and a perfect wall to use them with, meaning they cannot be used anywhere. They also tend to have relatively low brightness, resolution and battery life.

But that’s not the case with the Spontaneous Pop-up Display (SPUD). It’s a high-resolution, projector-based display with a 24-inch screen that collapses and expands like an umbrella. Because of SPUD’s light weight (less than 2 pounds) and compact form factor, when collapsed, it easily fits in the user’s purse, backpack, laptop bag, or even their jacket pockets. Its patented projection screen doesn’t wrinkle when collapsed.

SPUD can be connected to any device via HDMI or a separate adapter, and doesn’t use a light bulb/lamp in its projection system. The system instead uses three R/G/B LEDs as the light source, and they have a lifespan of about 50,000 hours, meaning one can use SPUD for 10 hours a day for well over 10 years before worrying about its lifespan, according to its makers.

SPUD ships in June at $499. But Kickstarter backers have been able to order one with a pledge starting at $349 for super early birds. Its makers hope to raise $33,000 by Dec. 16.

Multiple usage scenarios can be envisioned for SPUD, including for business presentations, for playing video games and while traveling. One additional big plus compared to typical portable projectors is that it uses a flexible polymer that can’t crack or chip and, if it gets dirty, SPUD is also washable.

On the other hand, despite its 1280 x 720 resolution being better than portable projectors like the 854 x 480 Asus S1, some consumers may be looking only for a device that supports 4K at this point. Its screen size is also likely too small for some consumers, but its maker is looking to offer larger display sizes in the future.

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Connected Objects Displays

H1 strives to be the #1 smart projector with 4K, Android support

A good home theater system can be costly when you factor in the TV and stereo system including speakers and an amplifier.

H1 is a portable, 3D full HD smart projector that features Harman Kardon 45mm dual unit stereo sound. The projector uses Texas Instruments DLP technology and its brightness is rated at 900 ANSI lumens for daytime or bright-light viewing. H1 is the latest LED projector from Chinese manufacturer XGIMI, and transforms any surface into a 300-inch screen.

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Displays

PaperLight projector and smart board makes presentations more portable

It would be nice to make business presentations while traveling from place to place without having to schlep around a heavy projector.

patent-claimedPaperLight is a patent-pending portable combination smart board and projector that works with any computer without the need for any software. The 37-inch desktop interactive projection display device features touch-screen functionality and enables users to make markups and write on documents with a stylus pen … or their fingertips. The device ships in December at $1,800. But Kickstarter backers have been able to order one for a $1,500 pledge. Its makers hope to raise $151,000 by July 7.

PaperLight’s portability, helped by a touch-screen display made of plastic rather than glass, is a key selling point, as is the fact that no software is required. It’s also a plus that the device tower can be folded in half. But there are so many portable and smaller pico projectors on the market now that PaperLight seems at least a bit dated.

 

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Connected Objects Displays

JmGO View smart projector is a personal you-tube for video

editors-choiceThe portable LED projector market continues to grow, with smart functionality among the features becoming especially popular.

JmGO View is a tube-like portable projector that offers that and several other high-end features, including stereoscopic 3D, Texas Instruments DLP, full metal casing made of aluminum alloy, and surround sound audio with built-in Dolby Digital Plus speakers. It works in conjunction with an Android app, and can be used anywhere to project movies, videogames and other video content in widescreen 1280 x 720 pixel HD resolution onto any white, flat surface.

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Connected Objects Displays

Z4 Aurora punches above its weight for portable projectors

The typical portable LED projector offers consumers a pretty good way to display video and other content on any flat surface wherever they are. But most aren’t designed to offer a complete entertainment experience including good-quality sound.

Z4 Aurora, however, is a smart, portable LED projector that features integrated Android functionality and stereo sound from audio company Harmon/Kardon. The projector can turn any surface into a 300-inch screen. Apps and games can be wirelessly streamed onto the projector, which also supports active-shutter, stereoscopic 3D video, as well as MP4, 4K and Blu-ray video. It uses an energy-conserving bulb and has a projected lifetime of 30,000 hours, more than the average expected lifetime of several rival projectors.

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Displays

360Mini projector shows your vistas wherever you look

An increasing number of cameras, including PanoCam3D, enable 360-degree shooting. But there are only a limited number of display devices that allow such still photos and videos to be seen the way they were shot.

360Mini is a media projector that can display 360-degree images and videos the same way they were shot: as a seamless 360-degree panorama. The three-foot-tall projector can be accessed via Wi-Fi to edit and upload data, and mobile devices can be used to navigate through the uploaded content or to control the projector, according to its Kickstarter campaign.

The projector ships in July. Future pricing isn’t provided by the campaign, but early bird backers can get one at pricing that starts at about $978. Its makers are hoping to raise $92,356 by Jan. 24.

360Mini is a clever concept and it’s likely going to be appealing to many people who have shot 360-degree photos or video. But it remains to be seen how popular 360-degree imaging is going to be and how often even fans of the technology are going to want to view such images.

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Displays

Beam smart projector shows video, images from any light socket on any surface

editors-choicePico projectors that can be connected to Android and iOS mobile devices to display video and other content can come in handy at home and at the office when making presentations. Combining a pico projector with an LED light bulb into a device that can be connected to any light socket could make it even more handy.

patent-claimedThat’s precisely what the makers of Beam have created. It’s an always-connected 100-lumen LED projector that promises 20,000 projection hours, and comes equipped with an LED light, two 2-watt speakers and 8 GB of onboard storage. Beam features a tapered, cylindrical design that’s designed to accommodate any standard light socket. Any electronic device can be connected to Beam, including mice, keyboards, game controllers, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speakers, and smartwatches.

Beam turns any flat surface into a big screen, whether it’s a table, ceiling, floor or wall. It also enables users to listen to music via its speakers. Beam can be programmed to do a wide range of things, such as play music or display certain content at specific times each day, or whenever somebody turns on connected Bluetooth speakers or starts the Beam app. It will ship at $399 in October. Beam’s maker set a goal of raising $200,000 by March 24. That money will be used to complete Beam development and start production, according to its Kickstarter campaign.

Beam, which is featured in Backerjack’s Episode 7 podcast, holds a great deal of promise. Its multi-functionality and unique design help it easily stand out from the growing number of pico projectors on the market, including TouchPico.

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Accents Connected Objects

Coolest Clock immodestly takes its time, projects it on wall below

Having a projector in the home is a big deal. An adjustable screen capable of displaying all kinds of content in sharp, high quality fidelity is something anyone would be happy to have, mainly because of the versatility it affords. It turns out that magical things happen when projectors are combined with other things, too.

The aptly named Coolest Clock mixes a projector with a clock to offer people a little bit of everything when they look up at the wall. The name is a bit misleading, though — it isn’t only a clock, and for all intents and purposes it’s everything but a clock. Think of it as the home screen on a smart device, only bigger and littered with widgets for everything from  social media notifications and live weather to breaking news and quotes. The Wi-Fi enabled module can hang anywhere on the wall, and both its projection size and clock skins are completely adjustable when used with an iOS app or web interface. The Coolest Clock is going for $179 now, shooting up to $199 later. The product is scheduled to ship in December 2015 if the $20,000 campaign goal is achieved.

The Coolest Clock is very multi-faceted and unsurprisingly boasts some other, useful task-oriented features like to-do lists and scheduled reminders. Unfortunately, the product lacks sound notifications unless a stretch goal is reached, a feature that should be in the main build anyway. The SmarTock is a similar product, but the Coolest Clock trumps it on sheer variety of options, making it an interesting purchase for those wanting something unique in their home.

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Podcasts

The Backerjack Podcast, Episode 7, with Ross Rubin and Steve Sande

It’s time for Episode 7 of The Backerjack Podcast. This week, Ross and Steve take on three projects:

  • It’s an LED light bulb, it’s a pico projector, it’s Beam. Insert it into a standard light socket and then project your content just about anywhere. It’s cool enough to put goosebumps on your gooseneck. Find out why we think it’s a a particularly bright idea.
  • More impressive than The One discussed in Episode 6, the Neo Smart Jar tracks the nutritional value of its contents and even suggests recipes. Find out why it’s at the leading edge of  IoT.
  • Pigeon takes another stab at the connected picture frame. Will this grannytech fly or wind up as roadkill?
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Cell Phone Accessories Displays Input Tablet Accessories

Portable DAMO creates wall-sized touch screen for Android devices

While giving a corporate slide presentation, it would be handy to be able to control the images just by touching them on the wall or projection screen that they’re appearing on.

The DAMO from Taiwan is a portable accessory that connects via Wi-Fi to Android 4.2 and higher smartphones and tablets, and then displays whatever is on the Android device screen through any projector. The DAMO sensor connects to the projector via an HDMI cable. The touch screen that is created can be as large as 80 inches. When the user touches the wall or other surface with an included DAMO ring or pen device, an infrared signal is sent to the DAMO sensor and then back to the Android device. Interacting can also be done via hand gestures or controlled via the Android device screen.

The sensor can also be attached to a TV or computer monitor. Backers who provide $99 as part of an early bird Indiegogo special will get a DAMO system when it ships in August of this year. That’s $70 less than its expected $169 price. The money is going to be used to put DAMO into mass production. Its makers are trying to raise $90,000 by March 8.

DAMO holds promise. But the limited number of devices that it supports now will limit its potential customer base. It has some similarities to the cheaper Project Wedge, which supports more mobile devices, but otherwise pales in comparison to DAMO. The main customer for DAMO will likely be people who frequently make business presentations, although there could be some limited appeal among kids. The product’s name is a version of the Chinese name of a Buddhist monk, also known in English as Bodhidharma. Besides being credited with training Shaolin monks in martial arts, Bodhidharma is said to be the founder of Zen Buddhism, which is why charms in his likeness are popular in Japan. The green DAMO logo is a take on those charms, also known as Daruma dolls, the DAMO team says.