Chinese iPhone Wannabe Sports Embedded Projector

This latest discovery from the Orient serves to reiterate the fact that tiny embedded projectors are coming to a cellphone near you. This is the first cell phone slated to go into production that includes a embedded LED projector. This not so subtle addition, can project up to a 30" screen at 640x480 resolution.

The battery life, while projecting, is said to be two hours. My guess is the spokesperson at the trade show, where this was introduced, made up this answer. But, I'm a bit cynical. The battery could really last that long. Either way it's going to be interesting to read some user reviews of this model and their suggestions on improvements.

I'd never heard of the phone's manufacturer ChinaKing, but a quick look at their site uncovers a slew of somewhat unorthodox phone offerings.




via ...OhGizmo!.., Engadget..
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Microvision’s Vision of the Future

Photo Courtesy of Microvision Incorporated

CES News

Pico projectors promise to increase the pervasiveness of tiny projectors embedded in all sort of devices. Microvision is unveiling a prototype of a minuscule standalone projector called “Show” (inventive name guys) next week at CES.

Microvision, Pico's developer, is selling their projection system as the perfect solution for easily sharing videos or photos. Pico projectors enable other manufactures to develop smaller wearable displays, more versatile vehicle heads up displays, and tiny integrated or peripheral projectors. They envision their PicoP display engine being added to pretty much any device that has or attaches to a display.

This ability to embed these projectors in tiny technologies is made possible due to the PicoP display engine's minute size and low power consumption. The actual process by which this technology achieves these projections is very fascinating, especially to a purveyor of pixels such as myself.

I could see this projection technology gaining wide acceptance among photographers as a way of quickly proofing photos without having to carry laptops or display monitors to all you’re shoots. As it exists now the resolution is, a less than stellar, WVGA (848 X 480 pixels).

My only qualm with this technology is the degree to which these projectors would be used in advertising. I will loathe the day when advertisers will inundated us with sparkling projections on billboards, subway cars, sides of buildings, and so on. After all, the LED ad screens that debuted on the N/R/W subway line’s 23rd street station entrance haven’t spread to many other entryways in the MTA system; most likely due to the costs of running and maintaining them.

Maybe this projection technology will remain too expensive to be a viable replacement of printed ads. Come to think of it, that’s doubtful considering Mircovision estimates products could be priced at as low as $500 and still turn tidy profit. Also, advertisers could change ads remotely while saving on printing cost. So yeah, this revolution is pretty much inevitable.

One final note, it's true TV ads are getting cut out by DVRs and internet uploads. Will this be where those ads go next? Being that I'm a photographer, I’m hoping that companies will continue opting for the cheaper production cost associated with photographic stills rather than only producing video ads.

There are still magazines, right? Oh yeah, LG Phillips is looking to change that too. They’ve develop an ultra thin flexible LCD displays that could easily replace paper ads in magazines. Guess I’d better start learning how to shoot video.

..Via Gizmowatch..

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