Short throw pico projectors are getting more and more of a standard. People have limited space but want a bigger image at a shorter distance and QP Optoelectronics is set to unveil their new short throw pocket projector at this years Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2014 in Las Vegas.

In just a few weeks, QP Optoeletronics will debut some exciting new developments with their ultra-short throw pico projection technology.  Continuous improvements have resulted in a projection engine that has throw ratios of 0.5 to 0.3.  A typical pico projector will have a throw ratio of 1.4 to 2.2.  This means that a user can produce images that are 3-5 times (or greater) in size from a fixed distance.  This is a critical advantage for a pico projector. James Lupino, QP Optoelectonics’ Vice President of Business Development states, “We believe 2014-2015 is where innovative products will emerge that include our short throw projector as a key enabling component.”QP Opto is targeting both mobile projection, as well as head-up displays (HUD) and mobile eyewear, where greater throw ratio and high brightness are beneficial.  We look forward to seeing these latest advancements from QP Optoelectronics and will publish any new developments here, at Picopros.com!

[www.picopros.com]

Alcatel has a new pico/pocket projector docking port to support mobile phones. They’ve made this to give mobile users the ability to project directly from their phone without draining the battery of the phone. It isn’t for sale just yet and no release date has been announced. Stay tuned for updates!

Alcatel OneTouch is at least keeping an eye on this niche with a new docking station that doubles as an aforementioned pico projector. It’s a prototype accessory that’s compatible with the OneTouch Hero, thanks to its set of magnetic docking contacts on the back — all you have to do is clip it on and the phone recognizes that it’s been attached. The projector is 12Lm, which is a little dimmer than we’d prefer (we were told that the final product may actually be brighter than this, but they can’t confirm for now), and the company claims it can show a screen larger than 70 inches.

If you’re a motorcycle rider then you’d know how we’re limited in sight and all the gadgets and things people cars play with on their drives to work. Well, now there are companies that are using pico projectors and using them in motorcycle helmets. All those cool movies where they show futuristic helmets that can tell you when you’re locked onto the enemy and ready to fire is now a reality!

Head-up Display (HUD) technology has been around for years.  However, adoption has been limited due to performance, cost, and lack of connectivity.  Well, things are changing – rapidly.  We’ve reported on exciting new products from Kenwood and Pioneer aimed at automobiles.  Now, HUD technology is starting to make its way into motorcycle helmets.  You read that right – helmets.

Head-up Display (HUD) technology has been around for years.  However, adoption has been limited due to performance, cost, and lack of connectivity.  Well, things are changing – rapidly.  We’ve reported on exciting new products from Kenwood and Pioneer aimed at automobiles.  Now, HUD technology is starting to make its way into motorcycle helmets.  You read that right – helmets.

Nuviz has started a Kickstarter campaign to raise funding to bring their technology to market.  Seeking a modest sum of $185,000, Nuviz will use the funds to scale production.  Backers of $479 will receive a complete unit to attach to their helmet, gaining access to all kinds of information, including navigation, various apps, and more!  Nuviz utilizes LCoS microprojection technology, for the geeks that are interested in that type of thing (like us).

[PicoPros.com]

Here is another company thats bringing another HUD Helmet to the game!

Presto: 360-degree situational awareness for riders who are used to mainly seeing their elbows in the often near-useless rear view mirrors that come stock on most motorcycles. Plus, the helmet can pair with a smartphone (Android at this point) to add phone call, music playback functionality, and more if riders want it.

In this world of “an Internet of things” as Weller describes our now cellphone-centric e-lives, the P1 is unusual in that it’s a standalone device and does not need the connection to a smartphone to operate: the GPS, HUD, power supply, and the operating system (called Synapse) are all built into the helmet, which looks much like any high-end helmet on the market today and functions as a data hub rather than an accessory for a phone. Synapse operates via voice commands and also speaks back to the rider. The HUD system in the P1 sits low and to the right, out of the rider’s main forward vision. Weller said he chose that position because it’s second nature for many people to look in that area for the GPS system in their cars – at least, it was for him.
[Digitaltrends.com]

Among the many things at the IFA that was introduced, Aiptek is one of the first to announce a mini LED projector case that is specifically designed for the iPhone 5- the MobileCinema i55. It has a brightness of 50 lumens and claims to produce up to a 60 inch image. It also doubles as a battery pack which is a nice feature. A big complaint about adding a projector to the phone is how thick and bulky it makes it. But since a lot of people already are willing to make their phone thick for an extended battery, the MobileCinema i55 might be able to offer a good value. Any new iPhone 5 accessories are getting a lot of attention these days, but we will see if this product will really be able to perform down the road. What are your thoughts, would you buy it for your iPhone 5?

For the complete coverage please visit full story at Ubergizmo.

OEM250 vs. M2

Got a hold of the OEM250 micro projector 2 weeks ago and am here to do a comparison review with the previous M2 model by the same makers. I very much enjoyed the AAXA M2 micro projector from a few years back, so after some research I ventured out and bought the new AAXA OEM250. The OEM250 is a nifty little device that produces more lumens, better color saturation, and better build-quality for a cheaper price compared to the M2.

First off, let’s take a look at the basics. I don’t want to bore you with every single spec, so see bottom of this page for full spec sheets of both models.

I want to focus on some key differences for general use. Both models have all the typical bells and whistles that today’s micro or pico projectors should have (props to AAXA for having that even on the old M2 model!) Both support all major connections – VGA, HDMI, A/V, have 3.5 audio-out for external speakers (when the onboard speakers aren’t enough) and have direct play back abilities from USB and SD cards.

A great thing about both models is that they both have full HDMI ports, something that definitely comes in handy when in a pinch and no other cables are needed. One upgrade of the OEM250 is that it also has a full VGA port, something the M2 doesn’t have. That’s great for business use and classroom use since VGA is commonly prominent in those worlds, but personally the full HDMI is my main concern. HDMI is where everything is heading towards (if not already there.) Both models have ports that support A/V inputs and include the necessary cables in the box.

Now let’s look at the key features and main differences- lumens (and price!) The OEM250 as its name suggests out puts a maximum lumen of 250, and when on eco mode still 210 lumens, which is actually a great brightness for a device of this size and this price ($289 from the AAXA manufacture website directly.) It is much brighter than the previous M2 model ($379 through Google shopping), which has an advertised brightness of 110 lumens. Although to both models’ credit, they are great in both dark room AND bright room settings (people often forget that these so-called low-lumen-ranges are in fact very bright! Not compared to the bulky lamp based ones of course, but that’s another discussion.)

[top: OEM250 bottom: M2] As the picture shows, the OEM250 produces a much brighter picture vs. the M2.

The next big difference is color saturation. The OEM250 has a significant improvement on color reproduction. This is most likely due to the difference in brightness and also OEM250 uses DLP vs LCOS of the M2. (to find out more about DLP and LCOS see reference http://www.theprojectorpros.com/learn.php?s=learn&p=theater_front_projector )

[top: OEM250 bottom- M2]

[top: OEM250 bottom: M2] When comparing the two models side by side like this, it is clear that the OEM250 is able to produce a much better picture. The details, color, and edges are all more accurate.

Next key difference is resolution. Now while the OEM250’s native resolution is SVGA, and the M2 is XVGA, both support HD content up to 720p. What that means basically is I can watch all of my favorite shows either from download or streaming and will be able to enjoy great picture quality. Even though the M2 technically has higher resolution than the OEM250, the OEM250 produces a much better looking image/video in the end due to the brightness and better color reproduction.

Performance: picture and video comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM1R0JxpGQA

Full review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dF9X1ScwwM

CONCLUSION

The OEM250 is a great upgrade from the M2. For a cheaper price ($289 vs $379), it produces superior picture quality due the higher brightness, better color saturation, and better detail reproduction compared to the M2. It has a slightly better connectivity board and better over-all build quality.