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3M Launches First Pocket Projector

Posted by kdawson on from the gadget-holy-grail dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Popsci.com has a writeup on 3M's new pocket projector, the 3M MPro 110, set to launch on September 30. 'In a dark room, it could project a big enough image to be the ultimate cheap-o home theater. The projector will sell for a mere $359. It doesn't have a speaker, so you'll have to get that separately. But really, how good could a microscopic speaker jammed into this thing sound, anyway?'"

32 of 187 comments (clear)

  1. They also have... by mbstone · · Score: 4, Funny

    a lollipop with a Batman projector built-in, in case one has the need to summon the Caped Crusader. I saw it at 7-11.

    1. Re:They also have... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Am I the only person to have read that as "Pocket Protector"?

    2. Re:They also have... by Ihmhi · · Score: 4, Funny

      I read it as "rocket projector", and I thought it was amazingly awesome. Like, a projector that flies across the room, shows a 1 second video, and then kills the C.F.O.

      --
      Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
    3. Re:They also have... by bill_kress · · Score: 2, Insightful

      First line in TFA:
      "That's projector, not protector. But geeks will rejoice nonetheless."

  2. only 640x480 by h4rr4r · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Not going to be much of a cheap hometheater setup at that resolution.

    1. Re:only 640x480 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That's why they called it a Pocket Projector rather than a Home Theater Projector.

    2. Re:only 640x480 by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Informative

      Nope. 720 Ã-- 480 for NTSC and 720 Ã-- 576 for PAL.

    3. Re:only 640x480 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      No.

      720 x 576 is 4:3 PAL where the pixel aspect ratio is 1.06

      16:9 PAL is 720 x 576 where the pixel aspect ratio is 1.42

    4. Re:only 640x480 by Plaid+Phantom · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm imagining this projector combined with a Bluetooth Laser Keyboard. With a mini computer made out of Gumstix or something.

      --
      All comments are properties and trademarks of the voices in my head. Not like I'm gonna claim them.
    5. Re:only 640x480 by amRadioHed · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Actually, the ideal while camping is to have no electronics at all apart from a cellphone for emergencies only. IMHO, that is.

      --
      We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace
    6. Re:only 640x480 by zakezuke · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually, the ideal while camping is to have no electronics at all apart from a cellphone for emergencies only. IMHO, that is.

      That may be your ideal, however that doesn't make it the ideal.

      Camping serves many purposes, top among which is it's the cheapest form of lodging even if in the states there are heavy restrictions on doing it.

      Another purpose it serves is recreation. There are a ton of natural wonders that either don't have services near by, or are just outside the reach of civilization. This may include lakes, hot springs, beaches, mountains, valleys, and certainly many others. However, this doesn't exclude camping for it's own purpose.

      Presuming recreation, whose to say that one can't for example catch a fun filled day of natural fun? The funny thing about natural fun is it gets dark at night, which limits your options for late night entertainment.

      The first time I went camping was somewhere where you could park your car and pitch a tent, away from civilization. I bought a tape player. The batteries died after the first day, but I enjoyed "roughing it" with music. Other times I bought along my laptop, not so much because I wanted to use it but it made an ultra handy backup light.

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  3. First? Not a chance by damn_registrars · · Score: 3, Funny

    We've had them for a long, long time.

    Oh, wait that was pocket projectors? I'm sorry. I was only off my one consonant.

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  4. Almost won the UberGeek award by R2.0 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Anybody else read that as "3M Pocket Protector"? Because with those specs, that would be AWESOME!

    --
    "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
    1. Re:Almost won the UberGeek award by Technician · · Score: 3, Funny

      Anybody else read that as "3M Pocket Protector"? Because with those specs, that would be AWESOME!

      3M pocket protectors have been with us for many years. To make one, take the sleve from a 3M floppy (5-1/4in) and fold it in half. Fill the front with pens and the back with your calculator and you are all set.

      --
      The truth shall set you free!
  5. HR Violation by nick_davison · · Score: 5, Funny

    I tried showing one of my female colleagues my pocket projector.

    Anyone hiring?

  6. Specs by lordofthechia · · Score: 5, Informative

    The article didn't list any specs but a little digging found this:

    3M MPRO 110M
    640x480 Resolution
    LCoS Technology (supposedly similar to DLP)
    VGA and composite in
    150g weight

    Considering how small 1080p DLP chips are, and now that they're using LEDs as lightsources, I was suprised that a DLP model wasn't first to market...

    That said, 3M has a smaller model for cell phone use: here .

    --
    Georgia Tech, the leader in Chia(tm) technology.
    1. Re:Specs by lordofthechia · · Score: 4, Informative

      Spoke too soon. I knew some friends at TI had mentioned seeing prototypes of compact DLP projectors. Seems they're already marketing them to cell phone companies:
      http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/9849/10873/hands-on-dlp-mobile-phone-projector.phtml

      Soon... very soon we'll have our tricorders!

      --
      Georgia Tech, the leader in Chia(tm) technology.
  7. Smart phone presentations? by crow · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Something like this would be great when combined with a Windows Mobile version of Powerpoint or an iPhone version of Keynote. One more step towards eliminating the need for laptops. (Next up, docking stations for smart phones.)

  8. Re:First? Not a chance by Theolojin · · Score: 4, Funny

    Er, 3M makes rocket fuel? Definitely news for nerds.

    Oh, wait. That was pocket projectors. I'm sorry. I was only off by one consonant.

    --
    Life is short; think quickly.
  9. Put it in a laptop? by AscianBound · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Interesting... it actually seems like it's small enough that you could fit it in a laptop. That way you wouldn't even have to have mess with carrying around two separate objects (and be bothered to set them up). Though of course the question of how licensing would work comes to mind.

    It'd be a nice laptop feature to have though, once the technology matures a little bit.

  10. Good for DIY multitouch setups by sonamchauhan · · Score: 3, Informative

    Good for DIY multitouch setups
    http://www.google.com.au/search?q=multitouch

  11. Who needs sound? by inode_buddha · · Score: 5, Funny

    Who needs sound when you project goatse from your cellphone on a crowded bus?

    --
    C|N>K
    1. Re:Who needs sound? by zakezuke · · Score: 4, Funny

      Who needs sound when you project goatse from your cellphone on a crowded bus?

      Who needs a projector when you can setup a wifi hotpoint with everything redirected to a local cache of goatse.

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  12. Re:First? Not a chance by CaptainPatent · · Score: 4, Funny

    We've had them for a long, long time.

    Oh, wait that was pocket projectors? I'm sorry. I was only off my one consonant.

    I know! 350 bucks and I STILL have ink on my shirt!

    That'll teach me to glance at the subject line.

    --
    Well, back to rejecting software patent applications.
  13. Microscopic Speakers Sound Great by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 4, Informative

    SoundAndVision.com (_Stereo Review_ magazine's website) is giving audiophile raves to a $180, 5.6 inch, 9.5 ounce portable speaker called Foxl. So the answer to the question is that for about $500, a projector and the Foxl could make a microscopic kit into a hugely entertaining movie theater.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  14. Smart phone interface! by Scubaraf · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is the killer app for this product. I work in a hospital - the reason we don't use PDA's or iPhones to interact with our patients' electronic records is that the screen is too small to see the necessary data and the interface is too slow for entering lengthy narrative information. Laptops or tablet PC's could do this, but they are too large to carry around in your pocket. Enter the iPhone with this projector and handwriting or voice recognition. Total game changer in my field.

  15. nothing really new here by cashman73 · · Score: 2, Informative

    It's interesting. But nothing really new or groundbreaking; we discussed another pocket projector that uses lasers back in January of this year. We also talked about other small projectors on April 1 of this year, too.

    1. Re:nothing really new here by ndege · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Actually, as another poster pointed out, what is groundbreaking is that this is the first uber-small projector to actually be "for sale". As I understand it, all the other "small" projectors are expensive prototypes used in large corporate peeing contests at trade-shows.

      Chevy Volt anyone?

      --
      Sig Return: 204 No Content
  16. Cell Phone Terminal Services Client by davidwr · · Score: 2, Interesting

    With this and a virtual keyboard and mouse, you can carry your laptop in your pocket.

    What, your laptop doesn't fit in your pocket? Would you settle for a cell phone running something like ThinStation and a cellular-internet hookup? Remember, "The network is the computer."

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  17. Re:First? Not a chance by commodoresloat · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm sorry. I was only off my one consonant.

    Make that two now.

  18. Re:Altoid Amps by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes. Electronics are small. That's hardly new.

    Now, small speakers that don't suck, THAT would be new.

  19. Even older were IBM pocket protectors. by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 2, Informative

    - Staple two IBM tab cards together along one narrow and about 3/4 of two long sides.

      - Fold down the top of one card.

      - Stuff in pocket.

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way