Samsung released their rendition of Android phone with projector built in. The phone is thicker than the Galaxy S but still pretty good at 14.9mm for a projector being built in. It is smaller than the newer 3M projectors while being more functional although we believe the 3M ones are brighter.

Samsung calls the P400 a micro projector, which suggests it can fit into a pocket. I consider that a gross exaggeration, unless you’re talking strictly about overcoat pockets. Nevertheless, what the P400 micro projector actually achieves is impressive enough that I won’t quibble over the description. It manages to combine a size and weight that make it highly portable with an impressively bright image for its size and unexpectedly high-quality audio.

At 2.5 by 5.8 by 5.7 inches (HWD) and 2.0 pounds for the projector itself, plus another 1.5 pounds for the power adapter and cables, the P400 is a touch too large and heavy to fit comfortably into the palm-size, aka pocket, projector category, along with models like the 0.8-pound Dell M109S.

Setting up this projector is easy. It comes with a VGA cable and a remote. To connect to a computer, simply plug in the power block and VGA cable, point the P400 at a screen or blank wall, and adjust the focus. There’s no zoom, but you can adjust the image size by moving the projector closer to or further from the screen. On my tests, I got our standard-size image for testing (2 meters wide, or about 98 inches diagonally) from a little over 13 feet, and a somewhat smaller image, at 1.4 meters wide (67 inches diagonally), from about 8 feet.

If you need to adjust additional settings on this micro projector, you can use either the remote or the touch-sensitive controls on top of the projector. I found the touch-sensitive controls a little frustrating to use. There’s no tactile feedback, which makes it easy to overshoot the command you’re aiming for. The remote offers much surer control, making it my preferred choice. It’s smaller than most remotes, but larger—and much easier to use—than the credit-card-size remotes that often come with portable projectors.

In addition to the VGA connector on the back of the P400, there’s also a composite video connector and RCA phono plugs for stereo audio input. If you want to connect to a video source and audio, however, you’ll need to buy the cables separately.

Typical micro projectors, like the M109S, are roughly bright enough for a 40-inch-diagonal image in a dark room, or a roughly 15-inch image in a room with bright sunlight. The P400 micro projector was usable in a dark room—although a little dimmer than I’d like for long sessions—at our standard 2-meter-wide size that we use for measuring brightness. More significant, it was bright enough to be comfortable for extended viewing in a dark room with a roughly 1.6-meter-wide (approximately 81-inch-diagonal) image.

Video quality when playing a DVD was disappointing. The micro projector lost much of the detail in dark areas, and the rainbow effect was even more prominent than with computer images—to the point of being seriously annoying for those who can see it. This is not a micro projector I’d want at home for watching movies, although I’d certainly consider it for projecting video games at large size. Very much on the plus side, the audio quality was good, and the volume was surprisingly loud—much louder, in fact, than what many larger portable projectors can manage. It’s easily enough to fill a small conference room, or deliver the audio that goes with a video game.

Although the Samsung P400 micro projector video shortcomings are significant, its audio and its ability to handle computer images are more than impressive for its size and weight. For home use, I can’t recommend it for applications like watching movies, but it’s a good candidate for video games. On the business side, it’s even easier to recommend. If you need a highly portable micro projector for short presentations to small groups, I’d call it a great choice—and even more so if your presentations include sound.

Acer has decided to produce 2 new micro projectors for the market.  Both powered by DLP, there is the C110 and C112.  The downright diminutive C110 (seen above) is a DLP-powered micro projector that gets all the juice it needs via USB, measures just 110- x 85- 25mm and offers up a WVGA (854 x 480) native resolution. The LED bulb is said to last up to 20,000 hours, and it’ll go from dead to dazzling in five seconds flat. Moving up a couple notches, there’s the C112 (pictured after the break), complete with an optional external battery (good for two hours, we’re told), a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and an identical WVGA resolution.  So it seems like the major difference is USB powered or battery powered.  Given that USB provides 5W of power, we don’t have high expectations for these 2 units however they could be the beginning of micro projectors that can be powered off a laptop.

We came across this micro projector that caught our eye.  The first notable feature of this projector is that it runs WindowsCE.  The 2nd feature we noticed was the statement of this being a joint venture with 3M.  3M does have a RGB optical engine now which Tursion is most likely using in this micro projector.  The fact this is a 30lumen micro projector, like 3Ms, we would guess this would equal the MPro150.

Here are the specs from the manufacturer.

Vivitek has released the Qumi micro projector, one of the first to be 3D ready.   The Qumi micro projectors incorporate the latest LED and other leading-edge technologies and features, such as 3D, to ensure that it is versatile enough to match the range of portable projectors out in the market.”   Weighing in at only 1.6 pounds, the Qumi micro projector is the first micro projector to be 3D-ready via Texas Instruments’ DLP® Link™ technology. The Qumi’s touch sensitive button controls and sleek design is ready to be used with a variety of devices, including, but not limited to digital cameras, laptops, smart phones and tablets. Vivitek’s Qumi micro projector is versatile and portable enough for both work and play, making it ideal for sharing digital content.

Qumi Key Features/Specifications:

Native WXGA (1280×800) resolution
Up to 300 lumens of brightness and a 2500:1 contrast ratio
3D-Ready (via DLP Link) and a DLP chipset from Texas Instruments
1.6 pounds; Dimensions: 6.3”(w) x 1.2”(h) x 3.9”(d)
30,000+ estimated LED hours of operation
Connectivity options include: Mini-HDMI, Universal I/O (24-pin connector for VGA/component input), 3.5mm video-in, 3.5mm mini-jack audio-out
USB and MicroSD slots for content and memory expansion
Built-in 1W speaker
Offered in a black or white finish
Available in May 2011; Estimated street price of $499.00(USD)

This is much different from what you would think of when someone says pico projector phone. Tipically you would think… “projecting on a wall” while this  only replacing the screen.  I imagine that Sony is going with this route because it allows for a much larger screen while allowing them to keep the unit compact. Also, The necessary requirements to make an LCD screen that large while that thin would be Incredibly difficult. There would be a HUGE amount of returns due to cracked LCDs.

Sony Ericsson has filed for a US patent for a “Mobile Communication Device with Built-In Projecting Screen” that could translate to a smartphone with an integrated pico projector. The device shown would also get a fold-out screen surface onto which that pico projector will throw the images on. From the technical drawings taken from the patent, it’s not likely the projector is made to work without the fold-out screen, however.

The reason for the development isn’t clear, as the screen surface isn’t much larger than the traditionalLCD screen of the handset, especially on the horizontal flip device shown in the photos. It’s also unknown what the screens would be made of, but their simple nature should mean they do not take up much space.

The idea is simply a patent thus far and may see only some if any of its developments implemented in the future, but patents are often used both as testbeds and as partial sources for new ideas. [viaUnwired View]