What sets the 3M MP220 apart from the rest isn’t that its fully portable and battery powered, or that it offers 2 hours of battery life. What’s important is they’ve managed to offer an impressive 50 lumens of brightness AND 2 hours of battery life in one compact and portable package. We recently reviewed the AAXA P4 that offered 80 lumens of brightness, and it was impressive but only lasts 70 minutes if you’re lucky.

The 3M MP220 has all the features we’ve come to expect from our pico projectors too. Offering 2GB of internal storage with option micro-SD for expanded storage, micro-USB, and plenty of AV and VGA inputs. Projecting all that across a 65″ screen and a WSVGA (1024 x 600) native resolution. The MP220 also comes equipped with stereo speakers, and a 50 lumen engine that lasts up to 20,000 hours all weighing under a pound.

Like we said above, it might not be the brightest or the smallest — but offering portability, quality, brightness, and that all important battery life all-in-one is the key difference here. The LED-lit navigation buttons were a nice edition as I’ve used a few in the past and trying to find the right button in the dark can be a challenge. The only con from my initial impressions is the lack of HDMI options — a feature many pico’s have been missing.

The 3M MP220 Mobile Pico Projector is slated for a late April launch and will come to market priced around the $479 mark. Expect a full SlashGear review soon!

Announced late last year many still haven’t seen or heard of such a device so we figured a few quick photos would give you a good idea of what to expect. This pocket projector is basically an iPhone 4/4S battery-equipped case featuring TI’s DLP Pico projector technology. It will extend the battery life almost double offering a 2,100 mAh battery, and also doubles as a case — just a bit fat and not very ergonomic.

The Brookstone projector case/sleeve only outputs around 15 lumens but being able to project an image up to 50″ in size is quite impressive for its size. 15 lumens might not be as bright as many pico projectors but they aren’t attached to a smartphone either. The projector isn’t anything professional but for the quick video playback or low-key presentation this would be perfect. In real world situations the built-in battery should give you more than double the battery life — but while projecting pictures and movies you’ll have around 3 hours to work with.

Just recently launched by Brookstone this can be yours for the low low price of $229 by clicking here.

The recently announced P4 from AAXA is a big step up from previous models such as the AAXA P2, and many similar priced projectors from the competition. Offering extremely crisp colors, great brightness, and being fully portable with a built-in battery makes this a perfect companion for any business minded individual.

Hardware

While many competing projectors might have better battery life its the 80 lumens of brightness and array of options that sets the P4 apart from the pack. Being labeled the “worlds brightest pico projector” gives it some big shoes to fill — and it didn’t disappoint.

The AAXA P4 Pico Projector is powered by a 750 MHz Windows CE mobile processor, and is plenty bright too. It gets an 80 lumen high-contrast optical engine by way of Texas Instruments DLP. It features AAXA’s vibrant color technology and the LED should last for up to 20,000 hours. Some of the other specs that make the P4 special include: 2GB of built-in memory, 1280×800 VGA input, micro-SD slot for extra storage (up to 32GB), composite video input, 1-watt stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack, and even 720p video support.

Included with the projector AAXA has provided a mini tripod as well as your usual charging and USB cables. The box also provides a mini to full-sized USB, VGA and AV input and more. The included remote (as seen in the video below) is a nice touch but is extremely cheap and gives off a bad impression.

The actual projector itself is very durable and feels great. It’s covered in a soft-coat matte black design and all the ports and buttons are extremely durable. Nothing feels cheap about this premium projector — and it shouldn’t for $399. The buttons on top make navigation easy and simple but the remote is a much better option. I would love to have a better included remote but that’s just me.

AAXA P4 Pico Projector unboxing

Software

Now the software side of things will be completely based on the buyers overall needs and usage. With Windows CE 6.0 on board we have plenty of options with mobile applications. With Office Mobile, Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF, and tons of Windows CE based games the options are fairly open. With the P4 AAXA doesn’t recommend you enter Windows too much unless needed and has a basic overlay to keep things straightforward and simple.

Setup is basically non existent unless you need to use Windows CE apps. The standard media player for pictures, and video is simple to navigate — although is pretty bland. From the start screen you can stream any movies from internal or external storage within seconds, the input settings are easy to access and dead simple. Those needing to start presentations will need to launch Windows CE and that takes a bit longer with a warning you must agree to on every start-up seems extreme.

Performance

While I’ve only used a few cheaper and much dimmer projectors in the past, everything about this projector was impressive in terms of performance. The 80 lumen engine is extremely powerful and is by far the brightest portable projector I’ve seen to date. the 750 MHz processor churns out 720p video with ease and my demo shows some impressive output watching AVATAR on a good 40″ size. Fast forwarding through videos or presentations is extremely fluid and there seems to be zero stutter or lag. The only downside to the performance is only about 75 minutes of battery life. To make things worse there isn’t a notification or indicator and once the battery is up you get lights out — no warning.

I can explain performance but instead I’ll just let you all watch the hands-on video demonstration. I start off showing the basic UI in a fully lit room before turning out the lights. The 80 lumens keeps things bright enough that a dark room isn’t required — but sure makes it nice. You’ll be able to use in a lit room with zero problems should the situation present itself.

AAXA P4 video demonstration with light/dark room

As you can see from the video preview the output is extremely bright and impressive, even from a good 6 ft away from the wall. The manual focus makes things very easy for quick adjustments and changes. From the AVATAR scenes in the clip to my Modern Warfare 3 trailer screenshot below you can clearly see just how great the colors are. Thanks to AAXA’s vibrant color technology the colors are exactly that — vibrant.

Wrap-Up

I’ve seen this projector in action for over 2 weeks now. I used it to stream a few clips while visiting family for my extended holiday vacation and everyone was pleasantly surprised by the sound and image output. With 1 watt stereo sound its nothing special but gets the job done. You wouldn’t expect such an incredible bright and vivid picture from this small pocket-able unit — but it does impress.

Battery life is rated for 75 minutes of usage but while outputting 720p video that time dropped significantly and it lasted around 60 minutes for me. While that isn’t very long, completely battery powered is the key here. Being small and weighing under a pound, being fully portable and battery powered makes this perfect for business situations where a full fledged projector isn’t possible. To conduct a full presentation with this quality all on the go with no wires is what sets this apart from the others. For those needing a bigger, longer lasting device for those weekly earnings reports AAXA also has some larger micro projectors to suite all needs.

For a fun toy the pricing is a bit steep but for the on-the-go businessman or professional it should find a place easily in your laptop bag of gear.

The AAXA P4 Pico Projector runs for a pretty penny at around $399 but it’s currently on sale for $339 for a limited time. Get your own today by clicking here.

Many pico projectors or too dim or weak, or don’t have long batteries that last through an entire presentation. Yes there are much brighter options available but not portable and battery-powered. This is one of the smallest and most portable projectors around while offering great brightness and a battery that should last through an entire presentation. With the AAXA P4 all you need is your laptop and the projector and you can take your presentation anywhere you go.

The AAXA P4 Pico Projector is powered by a 750MHz Windows CE mobile processor, and is plenty bright too. It gets an 80 lumen high-contrast optical engine by way of Texas Instruments DLP. It features AAXA’s vibrant color technology and the LED should last for 15,000 hours. Some of the other specs that make the P4 special include: 2GB of built-in memory, 1280×800 VGA input, microSD slot for extra storage, composite video input, 1-watt speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack, 720p video support, and support for 3rd party apps like Office Mobile and other Windows CE apps.

The new P4 projector is a big step up from the older P2 or other options from AAXA and is available now, priced at $399. It is currently on sale for just $339 and can be found right here.

This week’s Association for Computing Machinery’s Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology in Santa Barbara California is set to be the place where this project is formally unveiled, it currently combining a laser pico projector and a depth-sensing camera to create images on any surface and the ability to read interactions with those images in 3D space. Think of the Xbox Kinect, then imagine being able to use this sort of thing on whatever surface you like. Depth sensing on the go.

In the video you’ll see several different uses for this project already in the works such as dialing a phone, writing virtual notes on a notepad, and painting on a wall with your hand as the pallet. Like pico projectors we’ve seen in the past, this iteration of the OmniTouch project adjusts automatically to surface shapes and orientations to minimize distortion, and through the future the device will not need to be calibrated or for “any special sensors to be worn on the skin,” people will simply be able to drop it on their shoulder and start working.

Natural Interaction Research Group at Microsoft member Hrvoje Benko notes: “We wanted to capitalize on the tremendous surface area the real world provides.” And we can’t wait!

BONUS here’s another video showing more on finger tracking in this project:

Measuring in at 60 x 118 x 14 mm, the SHOWWX+ HDMI uses a laser projection system which means no focusing is necessary: simply point it at a wall and get up to a 2.5m display. Resolution is 848 x 480, which isn’t going to do much justice to your Full HD movies but is at least enough for some YouTube style entertainment. Brightness is 15 lumens and contrast is around 5,000:1, and the HDMI input is HDCP compliant for protected sources.

In addition to the HDMI, there’s the usual component input for use with a regular TV output from a laptop, DVD player or iPod. With the right adapter, meanwhile, you can also hook up a VGA connection, though with many notebooks having HDMI these days we doubt many will need that. The user-replaceable battery is good for up to 2hrs runtime.

The MicroVision SHOWWX+ HDMI is currently available to pre-order, priced at $369. It’s expected to begin shipping imminently.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

Since the pull-out panel would be a mere board, rather than requiring any sort of electronics, it could be much thinner and lighter than fitting a larger active panel of some sort. Alternatively, it could be a rolled-display, pulling out like a miniature version of a regular projector screen, or folded.

The application even suggests that the screen material could have dual-states, being flexible for storage and then hard when used for projection purposes; it’s not entirely clear what technology Sony Ericsson has in mind for that. Of course, it doesn’t mean we can expect projection-phones from Sony Ericsson any time soon, but it would certainly make mobile movie consumption a little more palatable.

[via Unwired View]

Video demo after the cut

However, automotive is just one angle the HUD system is being fettled for. Pioneer is apparently planning to use PicoP-based display engines in other consumer and after-market automotive products, though exact details of what we can expect – a Pioneer PMP, perhaps? – are unknown.

Rather than being a standalone system, Pioneer’s Network Vision tech paired via Bluetooth or WiFi with a smartphone running your choice of PND app. The company suggests that by keeping notifications and GPS directions on the screen and at the regular eye-line level rather than on a dashboard display, driver safety will be improved.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

Press Release:

MicroVision and Pioneer to Jointly Commercialize Innovative Laser Display Products

MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS), a leader in innovative ultra-miniature laser display technology, announced today that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pioneer Corporation, one of the top original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and business markets, to develop, manufacture and distribute display engines and display engine subsystems for consumer and in-vehicle head-up displays (HUDs) using the MicroVision PicoP(R) laser display technology.

Earlier this year, the two companies executed a joint development agreement to develop two critical components of the PicoP display engine: a laser light source module using direct red, blue, and green lasers and a separate display engine subsystem based on MicroVision’s patented PicoP laser scanning technology. Both are key pieces of the next-generation PicoP display engine that will offer OEMs significant commercial advantages in price, size, power, and performance for embedded solutions ranging from cell phones and eyewear, to airplanes and automobiles.

The MOU establishes the framework of a future manufacturing and commercial distribution agreement for PicoP-based display engines to be used in consumer, after-market and embedded automotive products. Pioneer has announced it is targeting commercial introduction of an in-vehicle HUD using PicoP technology into the consumer market in 2012.

“Pioneer has a strong history of bringing cutting edge technologies to mass markets,” stated Alexander Tokman, president and CEO of MicroVision. “We believe that by combining our respective market and product development capabilities, and leveraging best practices in manufacturing, MicroVision and Pioneer can accelerate introducing next-generation laser display products while reducing the total cost for both companies in getting there.”

Both Pioneer and MicroVision were recently recognized as finalists for the CEATEC Innovation Awards for 2010. Pioneer was recognized in the Automotive category for its demonstration of a HUD using laser scanning technology provided by MicroVision, and MicroVision was recognized in the Components category for its SHOWWX(TM) laser pico projector, powered by the PicoP display engine.

With the right cable – not included – you can hook up an iPhone or iPod, too, for impromptu drive-in sessions. Battery life is rated at up to 90 minutes, and you can project up to a 54-inch picture (though expect some significant fuzziness at that sort of scale). No threat to your local cinema, but if you’ve been looking to entertain the kids but put off by the usual pico-projector price tag, this one might fit the basic bill.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

There’s also a microSD card slot together with a USB port that supports USB Slide Show and USB Multimedia for direct playback from a memory key.  Finally there’s composite and component audio/video inputs and a stereo audio output for use if the integrated 0.5W mono speaker isn’t quite enough for you.

A battery good for up to 2hrs use in “ECO” mode (or 1hr in regular mode) and an optional remote round out the specs.  The Acer C20 pico-projector is available now, priced at £279.99 ($443).

Press Release:

C20 PICO projector: Smaller than ever

London, 4th October 2010 – With the increasing success of smartphones or advanced features phones, taking pictures or recording videos has become extremely easy. When it comes to showing your friends your funniest photos or the video you recorded during your holiday, is an entirely different story. It means sharing the screen of your phone or relying on notebooks and bulky projectors. Now, with the new Acer C20, a PICO projector so small it fits in your pocket, you can comfortably enjoy your videos, photos or presentation with your friends anywhere.

Available in three cool colours – Candy Pink, Metallic Blue and Silver – the C20 pico-projector is just about the size of a smartphone and weighs a handful of grams, yet delivers impressive performance, freeing you from the small screen and giving a whole new meaning to travelling light.

Easily connect the C20 to your laptop, mobile phone or camcorder via the built-in USB and HDMI, relax and enjoy your videos, pictures and presentations on any surface with a display size varying from 13cm (5″) to 168cm (66″). It’s just like having a portable cinema in your pocket. Furthermore, with the internal speaker you don’t even need to carry around a separate amplifier if you fancy watching a video.

The 2000:1 contrast ratio is well beyond the sort of level you can expect from such tiny device and ensure crystal clear, vibrant projections. Thanks to the amazing WVGA resolution and native 16:9 format picture quality looks quite impressive.

Not only the C20 Pico-projector is incredible compact, but it sets you free from your notebook. The integrated SDHC card reader gives you full access to multimedia contents, including audios, videos and pictures, in a normal or high capacity Micro SD card. You can also show presentations, videos and pictures directly from an USB flash disc, thanks to the USB Slide Show and USB multimedia functions. All these features take on-the-fly projection to an entire new level.

The new C20 Pico-projector combines DLP technology with RGB LED lamp technology, dramatically enhancing picture quality. LED technology offers several benefits over traditional lamps. First of all, it makes lamp replacement virtually unnecessary as LED lifetime lasts up to 20,000 hours; plus, the lack of breakable filaments or tubes increases durability. Combined with DLP, LED lamp technology delivers better color saturation and contrast performance.
When the ambient light do not necessitate full illumination you can also enable the EcoMode to extend the lifespan of LED and reduce power consumption.

Over time, projectors can be affected by colour decay that adds a yellowish or greenish shade to the images on screen. Now Acer’s projectors take advantage of ColorSafe II, DLP® technology and Acer unique colour compensation technology on the optical components to ensure picture integrity even after prolonged use, making them virtually immune to colour decay.

The Acer C20 Pico-projector is available now with an RRP of £279.99 Inc Vat.

It’s certainly compact enough to get lost under your HDTV, just 5.7 x 3.9 x 2.0 inches and made of sturdy metal and silver plastic. Although there are rubber feet for standalone use, you can also VESA mount it to the back of your display. Ports include audio in/out/microphone on the front, together with two USB 2.0 and a miniUSB, then VGA, HDMI, two further USB 2.0 and gigabit ethernet on the back. There’s also a DC power input – the external PSU is a reasonably small block – and a connector for the optional WiFi antenna.

Although described as barebones, there’s not a huge amount that the ARTiGO A1100 is missing. It comes with VIA’s single-core 1.2GHz U2500 Nano processor and the company’s VX855 MSP, the latter combining the GPU, Northbridge and Southbridge into a single chip. All the buyer need fit is a 2.5-inch SATA hard-drive and a stick of DDR2 SODIMM memory (up to 2GB). VIA don’t add WiFi as standard, but do offer an optional board which is easily connected, and there’s an optional SD card reader too.

Setup, then, is pretty straightforward, though you obviously also have to add the OS of your choice. Though the U2500 is happy with 64-bit platforms, don’t expect to get the full Windows 7 Ultimate experience from the A1100: the VX855 falls short of Aero compliance, meaning much of the graphical niceties in Microsoft’s flagship OS are absent, and multitasking with anything but the most basic of tasks is wishful thinking.

Opt for Windows XP or a Linux OS, however, and things are a whole lot slicker, though you might fall foul of VIA’s DirectX 9 limitations. We generally prefer the more flexible VLC over Microsoft’s own Windows Media Player app, but the VX855 lacks hardware acceleration for anything other than WMP. That leaves you at the mercy of the CPU.

In use, it’s a quiet system; not fanless, but the tiny 25mm fan is a discrete whirring and likely to be drowned out by whatever else is in the room. Unfortunately it’s also not especially capable, and the ARTiGO A1100 box gets very hot in use. We’d have happily accepted a little extra noise – and perhaps a slightly larger chassis – for a bigger, more effective fan. The miniUSB port is a neat addition, however, allowing you to hook the PC up to another computer and treat it as an external drive.

The CPU/GPU pairing was sufficient to play 720p HD video smoothly, but 1080p HD was less successful; at best we had some mild stuttering, while at worst there were multiple dropped frames and mis-matched audio. Obviously with no integrated optical drive or TV tuner, the ARTiGO’s HTPC credentials aren’t entirely solid. Office tasks and basic photo editing were more in line with the PC’s abilities, just as long as you’re content to do one thing at a time.

If the performance isn’t quite up to regular HTPC standards, neither is the basic functionality – at least not right now. We were unable to set the ARTiGO A1100 to boot up with its HDMI output active, instead finding it would always default to the VGA output. VIA is apparently working on a firmware update to fix this, but until that’s released it’s a frustrating flaw.

As with all barebones PCs, perhaps, the VIA ARTiGO A1100 isn’t really suited to a regular home user. With a street price of around $230 (budget $45 for the WiFi b/g adapter and $25 for the SD card reader) it’s cheaper than a prebuilt nettop, certainly, but factor in the time and money required to install an HDD, memory and OS, and then tweak the latter into giving the best performance with the CPU/GPU pairing, and you’re facing what’s obviously an enthusiast’s product.

If you’ve the patience and inclination, there’s plenty of potential for the VIA nettop. Its frugal power consumption makes it an ideal embedded device, as long as you’re willing to pretty much dedicate it to a single purpose: a simple file server, for instance. Unfortunately, what it won’t do is broaden VIA’s market among home users, at least until the company rolls out updated versions with faster, dual- and quad-core versions of the Nano CPU.

Video concept after the cut

For instance, if you drop the Seabird flat on a table, it creates “wings” consisting of two split-QWERTY panes and a trackpad area underneath.  When on its pedestal dock, meanwhile, the projected keyboard is all one block.  A sinuously curved chassis keeps the projector lenses partially elevated, together with making the smartphone nestle into the hand.

Unfortunately, Mozilla maintains it has no plans to produce a smartphone or even a smartphone OS – this is just a design exercise.

That actually makes for a reasonable flexible pico-projector in its own right, and the iGo is capable of a 1200 x 800 picture in either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio and with 20 ANSI lumens brightness.  Unfortunately it’s also a little more expensive than picos of recent months: Flip says it’ll be $349.99 when it arrives next month.

The two 8GB versions can store up to two hours of footage, while the 4GB models max out at an hour.  All but the cheapest UltraHD have image stabilization, and of course there’s the flip-out USB plug and preloaded copy of FlipShare for basic editing and uploading content.

The Flip Video UltraHD 4GB is $149.99 while the UltraHD 8GB is $199.99; the MinoHD 4GB is $179.99 while the MinoHD 8GB is $179.99.  They’re on sale today in various colors, or can be customized online at TheFlip.com.

Meanwhile Cisco has also kicked off a “Designed for Flip” accessories program, with various third-party companies taking advantage of the new FlipPort connector.  For instance, Blue Microphones will be offering the Mikey for Flip, an external microphone, while Scosche are readying a wireless clip-mic.  iGo have a new Pocket Projector accessory, a pico-projector which snaps onto the FlipPort for showing your footage at up to 70-inches.

Press Release:

Cisco Debuts All-New Flip Video Lineup

New Line Delivers Next-Generation Video Quality, Expanded Personalization Capabilities, and More Options for Fun
September 20, 2010 — San Francisco, CA
Cisco’s Flip Video™, the world’s leader in shoot-and share video cameras, today rolled out an all-new line of affordable UltraHD™ and MinoHD™ video cameras. These new video cameras feature Flip Video simplicity, enhanced HD video quality, hardware-based image stabilization, expanded product personalization options, and more ways to share video using pre-loaded FlipShare™ software. Flip also announced today Designed for Flip™, a new program offering fun accessories from a wide range of partners that include everything from wide angle lenses and external microphones to battery chargers and a portable projector (see separate release).

“This is without question the best line of Flip Video cameras we’ve ever created,” said Jonathan Kaplan, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco Consumer Products. “The new line combines Flip simplicity, affordability and fun with truly breakthrough video quality, image stabilization, and unlimited personalization options.”

Building upon the acclaimed Flip Video user experience — which makes it easy and fun for anyone to capture and share video — Flip Video’s new line has raised the bar again, by delivering amazing video quality without compromising Flip’s hallmark simplicity. By combining its innovative, always-on image stabilization technology with 720p resolution at 60 frames per second (fps), Flip now offers the consumer stunningly clear and steady video that’s both simple and affordable. The new Flip Video line is available nationwide starting at just $149.99, offering a video camera for every budget.

In addition, the entire Flip Video family is now available in personalized designs so Flip owners can express their own personal style with every Flip they buy, at no additional cost. Consumers can visit the Flip Online Store (TheFlip.com) to choose from thousands of designs from artists, celebrities, and iconic brands, or upload an image to create their own one-of-a-kind Flip video camera.

The new Flip video cameras also come pre-loaded with the latest version of FlipShare, which helps consumers easily organize, edit and share their videos. FlipShare upgrade now includes direct posts to Twitter™ – joining the convenient direct-share options already popular with Facebook™ and YouTube™. Flip Video users can count on stunning video no matter how they choose to view or share it – on a computer, their HDTV or using the simple direct uploads to social media sites.

New UltraHD Family
The world’s best-selling shoot-and-share video family – the Flip Video UltraHD – now offers two new models with even more reasons to own one. For the first time, the UltraHD line offers personalization through the Flip Online Store (TheFlip.com) with thousands of designs for users to create a video camera showcasing their own personal style. Along with always-on image stabilization and newly enhanced 720p/60 fps video quality, the new Flip Video UltraHD 2 hour also features a new slimmer design that fits easily in a pocket or purse. The UltraHD 2 hour is the first Flip video camera to feature FlipPort™ – a proprietary Flip-designed connector enabling new add-ons options as part of the newly announced Designed for Flip™ accessory program.

The new Flip Video UltraHD 1 hour is the first-ever HD Flip Video camera priced at $149.99. An industry top-seller and consumer favorite, this Flip offers more for less: one hour of high-quality HD video; Flip simplicity, no-hassle built-in memory; plus a choice of magenta, blue, white or thousands of unique designs.

New Flip MinoHD Line
The new MinoHD 1 hour and 2 hour video cameras are sleek and stylish with enhanced HD video quality. Like the new UltraHD 2HR, the new MinoHD video cameras now feature the built-in image stabilization and 720p/60 fps combination allowing consumers to capture incredibly clear and steady video. Flip customers can opt for black, silver or from thousands of designs at the Flip Online Store (TheFlip.com). To express their own personal style, consumers can easily upload their own image to create a one-of-a-kind Flip MinoHD video camera.

Availability
The new Flip video cameras will be broadly distributed and are available starting today at the Flip Video Store (www.TheFlip.com), Best Buy and Amazon.com and coming soon to Wal-Mart, Target and Staples.

Press Release:

Flip Video Expands Consumer Options with “Designed for Flip” Accessory Program

Shoot & Share Category Leader Offers New Ways to Extend the Fun with New Flip Accessories from Aquapac, Blue Microphones, Bower, iGo, Ikelite, Seagate and Scosche
September 20, 2010 — San Francisco, CA
Cisco’s Flip Video®, the shoot and share video camera leader, today announced an all-new accessory program called Designed for Flip™ to expand the Flip Video experience for consumers. New Designed for Flip accessories announced today include a range of products including: wide angle lens, two different types of enhanced external microphones, waterproof cases, battery chargers and a pocket projector.

“People choose Flip because it makes capturing and sharing video simple, affordable, and most of all, fun,” said Simon Fleming-Wood, senior director of marketing for Cisco’s Consumer Products. “The new Designed for Flip program extends the fun with more choices from leading accessory companies so Flip users can do more and go more places with their Flips.”

New Designed for Flip and FlipPort™
The all-new Designed for Flip line will debut several products starting today and then continue to roll out more accessories through the fall and beyond. The Flip Video Designed for Flip team is working with leading companies in multiple product segments to provide a wide selection of general purpose and specialized products for both current and future Flip video cameras.

A key component of the Designed for Flip initiative is a new Flip Video feature called FlipPort™. The FlipPort is a uniquely developed connector found on the bottom of the new Flip UltraHD 8 GB/2 hour video camera — also announced today — that will become a standard feature on future generations of Flip video cameras. The FlipPort, will allow a range of specialized accessories to easily plug right in to Flip video cameras and open up a world of new uses and creativity for consumers.

New Designed for Flip products using FlipPort include Mikey for Flip, from Blue Microphones™, a professional quality external microphone that lets Flip users capture even better sound quality ranging from a whisper to a rock concert. Scosche™ will also be offering a wireless lavaliere microphone that will enable up close audio ideal for interviews. iGo™ is also offering three new products: the Overtime Battery extender which doubles the Flip Video battery life; the Charge Anywhere power adapter can charge two products at once such as a Flip video camera and another USB accessory; and finally a new Pocket Projector will allow Flip owners to instantly project and watch their Flip video clips directly from the video camera anywhere and on any flat surface up to the size of a 70” TV. In addition, Seagate has plans to support Flip video cameras with FlipPort in the coming months.

For all Flip video cameras, the Designed for Flip accessory line also features a wide assortment of products to let users do more with their Flip. New accessories now available include Flip Waterproof cases from Aquapac®, which allow consumers to use their Flip video camera for activities such as sailing, snorkeling and skiing, a line of underwater cases from Ikelite™, ideal for scuba diving and a new magnetic Wide Angle Lens, from Bower™, that makes it easy to capture wide-angle video footage.

Pricing and Availability
Select Designed for Flip accessory products are available* today in the United States at the Flip Video Store (TheFlip.com) and will be coming soon to Amazon.com and other retailers.

For information about how to become a Designed for Flip developer, please contact developer@theflip.com.

It’ll be followed up by a WXGA 1366 x 768 version, with 25 lumens brightness, in late 2011.  A second version of the WVGA model, using a more powerful laser, will supposedly manage 20 lumens.  Power consumption is apparently around 1.8W, and the whole thing measures in at a compact 7mm thick.

Explay expect cellphones and digital cameras to be among the devices sporting their picos come early next year.  No word on how expensive each module is.

[via AV Watch]

The idea is that, when you have footage you want to show to more people than would be comfortable clustering around the Ordro’s 3-inch touchscreen LCD, you can snap on the projector and aim it at the nearest wall.  At 15 lumens it’s not going to rival your nearest cinema, but it’s certainly easier than toting a bag full of cables to hook up to an HDTV.

Meanwhile the rest of the camcorder is pretty standard, with a 10x optical zoom, SD/SDHC card slot for storage, various connectivity options (including USB and HDMI) and footage recorded in H.264.  On sale now direct from Ordro at $549.95.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

Now, $15k may not be a vast amount in the grand scheme of product development – how much do you think Microsoft have written off in cancelling Kin? – but hopefully it’ll be enough for Linder to get LuminAR to a stage where the inevitable investor interest sees something workable.

Press Release:

Audi Announces Winner of ‘The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge’

- MIT Graduate Student Natan Linder wins $15,000 in funding for his invention LuminAR

HERNDON, Va., July 8 /PRNewswire/ — In celebration of Audi’s integration in Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment’s Iron Man 2, Audi of America, Inc., announced the winner of its social media competition “Stark Expo & Audi Present: The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge.” MIT Graduate Student Natan Linder will receive $15,000 in funding to develop his invention, LuminAR, a digital bulb with built-in Internet technology that can project web content onto any surface. With the extension of a robotic lamp arm, LuminAR becomes a mobile internet projector. A video describing his invention can be viewed at http://audi.us/TonyStarkWinner.

“The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge” was designed to mirror Tony Stark’s desire to take Stark Industries in a new direction, using vast intellect and resources to eradicate problems through technology. Participants submitted videos with their concepts, and users rated the ideas.

“The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge has fulfilled Audi’s goal to provide support to a forward-thinking innovator who can make the world a better place through technology,” said Scott Keogh, CMO of Audi of America. “LuminAR is a progressive product that brings technology closer to the user.”

Linder’s LuminAR submission was one of the highest rated videos and received 132,112 views on YouTube, the most out of all the submissions received. The video then became one of two finalist videos judged by Audi of America executives, where it received the highest ranking. The runner-up video was created by Bobby Triantos, who will receive $5,000 in funding for his in-car Heads-up Augmented Reality Projection System concept.

“There is a transformation that happens from what you see in movies and how you perceive robotics. They eventually become things that we use everyday,” said Linder. “This is the idea that really drew me to the contest because—aside from being a fan of Iron Man—it represents a vision that I feel really connected to.”

Linder, who is a first year Masters student in the Fluid Interfaces group at the MIT Media Lab, aims to fully develop LuminAR in three to five years. He envisions the product becoming as common as everyday light fixtures. As a ten-year industry veteran of computer science and product design, Linder worked for Sun Microsystems, and was the co-founder of Samsung Electronics Israel R&D Center where he served as its Mobile R&D General Manager. He was also an Entrepreneur in Residence at Jerusalem Venture Partners, a leading VC in Israel. Prior to joining the Fluid Interfaces group, Linder was the Lead UI Designer at Heartland Robotics.

Linder will receive:

$15,000 in funding to develop his concept
His experience documented and featured on www.audiusa.com
A four-day trip for two to California including air transportation, hotel and meals
Transportation in the latest innovation from Audi, the 2011 A8
Spa treatments, tailored cocktail attire, and grooming to perfect his Stark style
A tour of Audi Design Center in Santa Monica
A VIP day with the ICON Aircraft team, joining them in flight and water testing of the innovative ICON A5 aircraft (one of Tony Stark’s toys)
A day at the Audi Sports Car Experience to drive Tony Stark’s favorite car, the Audi R8 on a racetrack

Tony Stark is seen throughout Iron Man 2 in his Audi R8 Spyder, the new soft top convertible version of the R8 super car which was featured in the first Iron Man. In addition to the R8 Spyder, the A8 sedan is also showcased in the film.

There’s also 1GB of onboard storage, together with a microSD card slot for adding capacity, and a mono 1W speaker should you prefer not to use headphones.  Connectivity includes VGA, USB and composite video input, and the onboard media player can cope not only with video files but Office documents and PDFs, potentially making the SP-H03 a useful little briefcase companion.

Battery life is around two hours, so good enough for a film with perhaps even a little to spare.  Not as small as some pico’s we’ve seen, certainly, but the slight spec advantage could make this a more tempting proposition overall.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

Video demo after the cut

That’s because the robot arm can move the LuminAR bulb around depending on what you’re doing at the time.  That could include a preset position showing IM and email status for easy, glanceable updates, or it could track your own movements around the desk, either keeping the UI visible no matter how much clutter you have, or superimposing information on top of books or magazines that you’re reading.  For instance, you could be reading a text and then tap a word that you don’t recognize, and LuminAR could project a definition right over the top.

It also recognizes 2D barcodes, which could be used as shortcuts. “This interface basically releases pixels from the screen, you can put them on other spaces” Linder says, highlighting the fact that even if you don’t have a slick robot arm spare, the generic light bulb fixture means you could use a normal lamp as the base station for a LuminAR interface.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

Video demo after the cut

The iOne – which is currently in mock-up form, and was non-functional at the show – will run a Samsung Cortex A8 processor, and have USB connectivity as well as dual microSD ports.  DigiLife reckon they’re about 80-percent of the way to having a working prototype, and could be up and running with it in around a month’s time.

Still to be decided is what sort of pico-projector may be used, with the company representative saying they’ve been approached by various firms trying to push different technologies.  Best of all – and perhaps most unbelievable – is the estimated price: DigiLife reckon the iOne tablet alone (i.e. without the pico-projector) could come in at under $200, while adding in the projector functionality would take it to around $280 to $300.  That seems pretty unlikely to us, but we’d love to be proved wrong.

March 2011, the company says, will see the launch of a 50-lumen pico-projector.  That will require special glasses in order to see the 3D effect, but Aiptek reckon they’ll have a follow-up model, with a whopping 100-lumens brightness and that requires no glasses for 3D use, sometime in 2012.

Exact details of the technology are unknown, though Aiptek will use DLP pico modules in their 2010 range.  That will include a camcorder with an integrated 15-lumen projector expected to arrive in Europe come June.

[via PicoProjector-Info 1 and 2]

If you want to use the 800 x 600 SVGA projector with your PC or Mac, you can hook it up via the MiniUSB port.  Meanwhile, the A/V inputs are intended to be used with DVD players and other media sources.  BeamBox reckon you’ll get up to a 75-inch picture with a 200:1 contrast ratio, and there’s 1GB of internal storage together with a microSD card slot.

The 12W LED is rated for up to 20,000hrs, and there’s a tiny 0.5W speaker along with a headphone socket.  The BeamBox Evolution R-2 is available now, priced at £250/$361.60.

Video demo after the cut

While the iPhone 3GS will play nicely with the ShowWX when it comes to video and photo slideshows, you need to jailbreak the smartphone in order to use an app like TVOut2.  That way you can get the game visuals to output via the pico-projector too.  Unlike DLP projectors, the laser-based ShowWX can focus on any surface with no manual intervention required; that means you see a clear, crisp image wherever you point it.

In fact, the only real problem Soundkite is facing is a shortage of suitable games to play with his new setup.  Maybe that will change if Microvision put their similar prototype into production.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

As well as playing videos, audio and images saved either to an SD card or a USB memory stick, you can plug in an analog A/V source such as a portable DVD player.  Alternatively, thanks to the WiFi, you can go online and apparently play streaming internet video and radio, as well as access online photo galleries.

Chinavision say you can access YouTube (suggesting Flash video support) and Flickr, and the price – $267.76 – is competitive even with a basic standalone pico-projector that lacks the onboard browsing functionality.  In fact the only thing missing is full web browsing; that really would’ve been the icing on the cake.

[via AboutProjectors]

Samsung reckon the AMOLED Beam W9600 is 1.5x as bright as its predecessor, the SPH-W7900.  Like that model, there’s support for showing photos and video (either recorded with the phone’s camera, or preloaded onto it), and the W9600 can also display Microsoft Office documents and play back DivX-encoded video.

Elsewhere there’s a DMB terestrial digital TV tuner, HSDPA, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and a front-facing camera for video calls, while onboard memory totals 11GB with a card slot for adding up to 16GB more.  The whole thing measures 56 x 116 x 15.7 mm.  No word on whether we might see the AMOLED Beam SPH-W9600 reach the US or Europe, but we’re guessing we’ll probably get the Samsung Beam I8520 instead.

Press Release:

Samsung Illuminates the Future With the AMOLED Beam, Its Latest Beam Projector Mobile Phone

Equipped with high quality AMOLED display and advanced beam projector features, the AMOLED Beam brings a stunning mobile experience to the Korean market

SEOUL, Korea – April 15, 2010 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today introduced the AMOLED Beam (SPH-W9600) to the Korean market. The successor to the Samsung Haptic Beam (SPH-W7900), the world’s first full-touch beam projector phone, the AMOLED Beam delivers an enhanced viewing experience and richer image projection.

Moving the mobile phone experience from personal use to social engagement, the AMOLED Beam allows users to project and share multi-media entertainment, games, video and pictures captured on the 5.0 megapixel camera. Business users can use the AMOLED Beam to swiftly and simply deliver professional presentations wherever and whenever required.

The AMOLED Beam provides an exciting mobile experience by projecting any content to a maximum screen size of 50 inches. The phone also boasts a display 1.5 times brighter than that of previous model, the Haptic Beam. Featuring a lightweight and compact design, the AMOLED Beam offers optimized features such as Microsoft Office and DivX codec support for convenient use, 3.3” WVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, and Terrestrial DMB.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2009 consolidated sales of US$116.8 billion. Employing approximately 188,000 people in 185 offices across 65 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

AMOLED Beam (SPH-W9600) Product Specifications

Network:

• HSDPA

Display:

• 3.3” WVGA AMOLED (800×480)

Camera / Video:

• 5.0 megapixel Camera + VGA Video Telephony Camera
• DivX support

Audio:

• Poly 64, MP3, CMX

Value-added Features:

• WVGA Projector (9 Lumen @ 1W)
• Terrestrial DMB

Connectivity:

• Bluetooth 2.0

Memory:

• 8GB + 3GB, external memory slot (Up to 16GB)

Size:

• 56 x 116 x 15.7mm

Battery:

• 1200 mAh

* Product specifications are subject to change without notice.

The cheaper PK201 is listed at $299 and offers two running modes: 12 lumens in Eco or 20 lumens in Standard.  There’s a microSD slot for up to 32GB cards, a 0.5W mono speaker and a 3.5mm audio output port.

As for the Optoma PK301, that’s brighter at 50 lumens in Standard mode (or 20 lumens in Eco mode) and has a microSD card slot, mono speaker and audio output.  It can project up to a 120-inch picture, versus the PK201′s smaller 66-inch picture, and has an optional external battery pack.  It’s listed at $399.  No word on when either model will actually begin shipping, however, hence the patience required.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

Gerwin’s intent is a little different to the Golden-i, which prioritizes remote data access rather than predominantly capture.  The headset has a 10.1-megapixel camera and an integrated pico-projector, which both hook up wirelessly to a mobile hotspot which uploads content directly to a remote cloud server.  When you want to share content, you do so publicly via the projector, and the whole thing is built into a pair of headphones.

So, more of a life-blogging tool than the Golden-i claims to be, but as a model of how to make wearable computing more aesthetically acceptable it’s a little more successful than the Kopin’s plastic-heavy style.  Unfortunately it’s all just a concept right now.

[via About Projectors]

Of course, the real interest here is the integrated pico-projector.  Samsung have used a Texas Instruments DLP module running at WVGA resolution, just like the Beam’s own AMOLED display, and it’s triggered by holding down a button on the right-hand side.  Whatever’s on the main display can be projected, and the Beam’s pico has a 6 lumen brightness rating.

That’s not enough to upstage your local Odeon, certainly, but in the darkened setup of Samsung’s demo area is was bright enough to enjoy movie clips or demo impromptu presentations.  As you can see in our video demo, after the cut, the Beam can also be used in relatively standard lighting, though of course the experience is somewhat dimmed then.  We had trouble focusing in when reasonably close to a surface, but found that pulling back washed out the picture as the ambient light took its toll.

Nonetheless, it’s an interesting proposition and perhaps one of the best pico-projector integrations we’ve seen so far.  Samsung have wisely taken advantage of the large chassis size to fit in a high-resolution camera, and the ability to then immediately show off photos and video without having to gather everyone around the display is a boon.

The Samsung Beam I8520 is expected to go on sale over the summer; no word on pricing or specific launch regions as yet.

Otherwise specifications for the notebook are unknown.  ASUS showed off a concept projector-notebook back in mid-2008 but it never transitioned over into a production model.  Meanwhile Wong also revealed that HP plan to focus on slate-format Tablet PCs in the coming months; one such example was featured in Microsoft’s CES 2010 keynote.

That suggests that availability for the accessory is about to change; previously reviewers were only sent the eXpo handset itself.  As for performance, the pico basically reproduces whatever is on the main display of the Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone at 480 x 320 resolution, with LG reckoning you’ll get up to a 66-inch picture out of it.

Portrait/landscape orientation switching is done via the camera button, and focus is controlled manually; it weighs around 50g.  The LG eXpo is $199.99 assuming a new, two-year agreement; the pico-projector module adds another $179 to that.

Connectivity includes VGA and NTSC/PAL TV inputs, though unlike many pico’s on the market there’s no integrated mediaplayer or onboard storage.  You do get 0.5W stereo speakers, however, and the RPJ-2000 is Apple-certified for use with iPods and iPhones; you’ll have to add a €30 ($43) adapter kit on top of its €219 ($315) sticker price.

RoyalTek will apparently launch five new pico-projectors in 2010, including a model with an integrated digital TV tuner.  No word on specific release schedules for those devices, though the TV tuner model is expected to hit the market in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in June.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

Video demo after the cut

We’ve seen a similar concept in the shape of the Game Gun, which was a DIY project and instead of a pico-projector used an LCD display attached to the top of the controller.  We’re guessing a similar setup is in place here, with some sort of accelerometer-equipped controller used to track the player’s movement and map it to head movement in the game.

Microvision haven’t revealed the full hardware details as yet, but they’ll be showing off the prototype system at Intel’s Extreme Masters PC gaming tournament in Edmonton, Alberta this weekend.  There gamers will be able to play Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, as shown in this video, as well as a more family-friendly game which uses a “projection disc” controller – again, with a laser-based pico attached – to navigate Aladdin on a flying carpet.

Press Release:

Microvision’s PicoP Display Engine at Heart of Realistic Game Demo at Intel Extreme Masters Tournament

EDMONTON, Alberta–(BUSINESS WIRE)–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® 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™ laser pico projectors – based on its PicoP® 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® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition can create a new way for gamers to become immersed in the game world.”

About Microvision

Microvision provides the PicoP display technology platform designed to enable next-generation display and imaging products for pico projectors, vehicle displays, and wearable displays that interface with mobile devices. The company’s projection display engine uses highly efficient laser light sources, which can create vivid images with high contrast and brightness. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.microvision.com and the company’s blog www.microvision.com/displayground.

About Intel

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com.

The advantage of a laser projector over the more traditional pico-projectors that have been shipping for some time now, is that there’s no focussing required.  Instead the image is always in focus, no matter the distance between the SHOWWX and the screen; Microvision claim pictures up to 150-inches can be projected, though the 848 x 480 resolution is going to get pretty grainy by that point.

Both VGA and TV inputs are present; we’re not sure exactly how long battery life is, however.  We can’t find any sign of the projector on Vodafone Spain’s site at time of writing, so it’s hard to say whether they’ll be doing international shipping for those outside of the country.

[via PicoProjector-info]

Update: The LG eXpo product page is now live – thanks Alejandro!

Update 2: Pricing is confirmed at $199 for the LG eXpo itself (assuming a new, two-year contract and a mail-in rebate) and $179 for the pico-projector attachment.

There’s also a 5-megapixel camera and a microSD card slot, together with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.  Where you’d usually expect to see a D-pad or trackball, LG have squeezed in what looks to be a fingerprint scanner which we’re guessing both controls horizontal scrolling as well as biometric security.

Full details about the LG eXpo are still unknown, as is the pricing for the Windows Phone.  However it will apparently arrive on December 7th in the US, which means LG have about a week to push out full specifications.

Update: According to the product page the eXpo (aka the LG GW820) has WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, triband UMTS (850/1900/2100) and a 1,500mAh battery.  The data sheet also indicates a 3.2-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen, 1GHz Qualcomm processor and confirms that in fact the fingerprint scanner manages not only horizontal but 5-way scrolling.  The projector, meanwhile, can create images up to 40-inches; no word on resolution as yet.

[via MobileBurn]

The core F-04B splits into two sections, a touchscreen part and a QWERTY keyboard, with the two linked via Bluetooth and functional either as a combined slider device or separately.  That makes everything pretty bulky – and Fujitsu’s touchscreen doesn’t get the highest marks – but there’s still space for a 12.2-megapixel camera, 1-Seg digital TV.

As for the 854 x 480 pico-projector, that clicks on in place of the keyboard section, which then doubles as a remote-control.  We’re not sure when our Japanese friends will be able to pick one up, but it seems like Fujitsu really do intend to launch the F-04B to the market.

[via PHONE Magazine]

As for pricing, it’s a reasonable £199 (pre VAT) in the UK or $350 in the US.  That’s an expensive iPhone case, certainly, but not at all outlandish for a pico-projector right now.  BeamBox themselves are currently selling their standalone Evolution R-1 – which we tested back in March – for $420.

You’re not just limited to iPhone content, either; there’s both an AV and VGA input together with a built-in speaker and an audio output.  Brightness is 10 lumens with a 100:1 contrast ratio and 640 x 480 maximum resolution.  The integrated battery can either be used solely for powering the pico-projector, or it can actually recharge your iPhone.

What we don’t know is exactly when the MiLi iPhone Projector will ship, but we’re guessing it won’t be too long after preorders start.  After all, a reasonably priced iPhone pico-projector could please a whole lot of people under the tree this Holiday season.

Video demo after the cut

Unfortunately that 2020 timeframe means the components of 2009 are a little too large to fit into Ericsson’s wishful-thinking mockup.  Instead the company have been demonstrating a rather more mundane (and arguably less frightening) prototype, which so far only squeezes in the projector, laser keyboard and a multiformat card reader.

Still, you can see the direction they’re going in: why make do with a tiny display and tiny keyboard (or lug around a huge display and a huge keyboard) when you can project them instead?  The track record of low-resolution pico-projectors and finger-hurting laser keyboards doesn’t exactly fill us with confidence, but perhaps the world of 2020 will only ever use soft-touch surfaces.

Unfortunately, like with the Nikon, the projection hardware can’t quite keep up with the recording optics.  DigiLife’s pico offers 640 x 360 resolution and 8 lux, so you’ll be missing out on detail; better, perhaps to stick with the integrated 2.5-inch LCD.  Other shooting modes include 848 x 480 at 60fps and 320 x 240 at 30fps, though it’s worth noting that it’s a fixed-focus lens and the 3x zoom is digital not optical.

Still, those last points are pretty par for the course with entry-level pocket camcorders, so you’re not missing out too much over direct rivals.  Where things will likely get interesting is the price; DigiLife aren’t saying how much the DDV-JF1 is going to cost, but we fully expect it to edge unpleasantly into true HD camcorder levels given the hardware they’re trying to include.

[via Pocket-lint]

Its sub-$200 price makes it a little over $20 less than its PK-101 sibling.  According to the Amazon description there’s a USB port which can be used for recharging, but no word on whether you can also hook up a netbook or similar and use it as an input; from what we heard earlier, the only input on the PK-100 is a simple composite video port, making the pico more suited to entertainment than as an impromptu business tool.

[via PicoProjector-Info]

They’re also claiming a somewhat unbelievable 1,000:1 contrast ratio, though we’ve a feeling you’d need to be in a particularly dark underground bunker in order to make the best of that.  Inputs include composite video but no USB, as we’ve seen on some picos recently, which means the PK-100 is more suited to entertainment than churning out your latest PowerPoint presentation.

As for that “bargain” price, Optoma expect the PK-100 to drop for $199, though hopefully online discounts will drag that down a little.  It undercuts the PK-101 by around $20, and the top-end PK-102 by $50.

[via PicoProjector-Info]