Macworld Expo: Microvision projector kicks up interest

It's not available for purchase yet, but the tiny Microvision Pico projector on display at Macworld Expo definitely made an impact. The device -- roughly the size and weight of an iPhone -- throws a clear and sharp WVGA (848x480) image across a table or a room onto any light-colored surface.

With VGA and composite video inputs, it's a perfect match for portable media players of any sort, or road-warrior presentation needs for small audiences. Battery power is slated to last about 2 hours (90 minutes on the prototype) and it charges over USB. A laser-based projection technology creates images that never need focusing, regardless of the throw distance.

Microvision expects to ship the Pico device in the middle of 2009, with pricing not yet finalized ("at or under $500" is the expectation). We got a little bit of hands-on time in the video below. Note that the scan pattern visible when the projection is in frame is an artifact of the camera's scan rate -- the actual projected image looks great. You can also see some fascinating "unofficial" experiments using a Pico projector at the underground Pico blog.

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Source: http://www.microvision.com/showwx/

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Macworld Hardware

It's not available for purchase yet, but the tiny Microvision Pico projector on display at Macworld Expo definitely made an impact. The...

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Mark

Will it play using usb power or only off battery power? In other words, am I limited to 90 or 120 minutes only?

January 20 2009 at 9:07 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Tony C

Note to all that 3M's (and almost everyone else's) pico projector is DLP and LED based -- only Microvision's is entirely LASER based. Interesting offshoot from what they're primarily known for with consumers, but a somewhat natural progression: laser bar code scanners.

January 14 2009 at 8:35 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Kevin

Here's another mini projector from 3M

http://www.popsci.com/video/2008-01/3m-beats-everyone-micro-projector-business

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YOjhYKpSEk

They used to have movie and propaganda on their frontpage before Christmas.

January 13 2009 at 10:42 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Julie

I saw this at Macworld and thought it had some really neat possibilities. I'm most looking forward to future development as it gets smaller and brighter, and eventually built into the iPod itself. But for a 1st gen product, it's pretty decent and the price point makes it a tempting, both for it's own uses and as a backup to a regular projector for certain applications. I'm sure it would look better in a dark room than on the Expo floor, but the fact that you don't have to worry about focus is a plus in my book.

January 13 2009 at 7:21 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Scott

I have one by 3m, that I won in a drawing, it is pretty cool. Its not as bright as I would have hoped, but It is just cool. I would guess they would all have the same problems.

January 13 2009 at 7:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply