New DLP chipset allows for tiny projectors

3:33 pm PST • January 7, 2009

Last year, Texas Instruments announced that they had developed what they called their “pico” chipset for DLP projectors. This year, some of them are actually available.

From the press release:

PICO PROJECTION MEDIA PLAYERS (PPMP’s)

Samsung MBP200: Compact and lightweight, the portable MBP200 can connect to mobile phones and laptops and allows users to project content with up to a 50-inch viewing screen. The MBP200 is a stand alone media player with an SD card slot letting users listen to music and create playlists, as well as project video, pictures or PDF, PowerPoint, Word or Excel files. Samsung has not yet announced U.S. shipping details on this product or anticipated price point.
Cinemin Stick by WowWee Technologies: Roughly the size of a candy bar, the Cinemin Stick comes equipped with 4GB of internal memory and an expandable SD memory card slot for easy access to your videos, digital photos and other media. WowWee has not yet announced U.S. availability or price details for this product.
Cinemin Station by WowWee Technologies: Combining big pictures with big audio, this little media center – merely the size of two soda cans – is a modern-day boombox, the ultimate dock for your iPod, iPhone, or other multimedia devices. WowWee has not yet announced U.S. shipping or price details for this product.

MODULAR PICO PROJECTORS

Optoma Pico PK-101: Smaller than most smart phones and weighing approximately four ounces, the Optoma Pico PK-101 pocket projector can turn any environment into a mobile cinema experience and even connects to your iPod or other multimedia device. The PK-101 can be purchased for approximately $399. This product is on sale in Japan through Apple stores and in the U.S. through Amazon.com and Best Buy.com
Cinemin Swivel: Comparable to the size of the Cinemin Stick, this affordable lightweight micro projector uses a unique adjustable 90-degree hinge for ceiling projection – putting your favorite videos, photos, and more on display anywhere, anytime. The Cinemin Swivel will be available in Q2 2009 for approximately $299.
BUGprojector: This is a mini pico-projector module from BUGlabs which incorporates DLP® Pico technology to beam an image to a flat surface just eight inches away. With a native resolution of 480×320 pixels, stereo playback and a brightness of 9 lumens, users can project videos, photos and presentations on the go.

NOTEBOOK COMPANIONS

Acer K10 Pico Projector: Weighing just over a pound and comparable to the size of a pocket dictionary, the Acer K10 Pico Projector can be paired with Acer notebook to project your presentations. It is especially developed for business professionals. The K10 will go on sale this month for approximately $450 (£299).
BenQ GP1: Positioned as the ultimate on-the-go digital lifestyle device, the BenQ GP1 most notably stands out from the crowd with its integrated USB reader, enabling users to easily run movies, pictures, and office applications directly from a USB thumb drive without the need for notebook attachment. The GP1 will be available March 2009 through the BenQ e-store and other channels for $599.
Dell M109S: Akin to the petite size of a pocket dictionary, the handy M109S connects to a Dell Latitude notebook and is primed to be your superlative assistant during small group presentations and collaborative meetings. When the business day ends, play games and watch movies in a bigger way. The product is now available for purchase for under $499.00 through www.dell.com.
Toshiba TDP-F10U Mobile LED Projector: Weighing just over a pound and comparable to the size of a paperback novel, the TDP-F10U Mobile LED Projector utilizes an LED light source to serve as your reliable presenter on the road. Information on pricing and availability will be released from Toshiba.