Micron Technology’s upcoming Pop Video pico projector will beam video at to the iPhone’s 960 x 540 resolution display. And at a cost of only $99, you can’t beat it. The key feature with the Pop Video pico projector is its 30-pin connector that allows you to dock your iPhone or iPod so that it forms one compact unit. Since it’s designed to be more portable, it doesn’t have an integrated doc like larger pico projectors. Plus, it fits into a pocket when not in use. It weighs only 3.5 ounces with 4.4 inches x 1.8 inches x .6 inch in dimension.
There’s also an accompanying Pop Video app that will allow you to manipulate and reformat the images, and will also allow you to beam additional content directly from your iPhone, like web pages, Facebook, and videos downloaded from iTunes or iTunes U that are not MPEG 3 protected. Can you say, “pocket home theater”?
The Micron Technology Pop Video Pico Projector for iPhone features a built-in Lithium-ion rechargeable battery, and on full charge, the portable pico projector can run for a good two hours. You’ll need a fairly dark space to project a pretty decent picture consider its limited lumins, but its low price certainly makes it a nice little accessory to have. Check out the specs below:
- Dimensions: 4.4 inches x 1.8 inches x .6 inch (HWD)
- Weight: 3.5 ounces (97g)
- Input: 30-pin dock connector
- Video Output: qHD (960 x 540 pixel resolution)
- Battery: Built-in Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
- Playtime: Up to two hours with full battery charge
- Charging: Micro-USB charging (1.2 compliant)
- Charge time: About 4 hours
- iOS version: 5.0 and greater
- Compatible with iPhone 4/4S and gen-3 and 4 iPod Touch
- Price: $99 (available for preorder now)
As for the light engine inside the Pop Video, Micron apparently uses something called FLCOS microdisplay technology, which is cheaper to produce and allegedly more energy efficient. Chances are the Pop Video can project a passable image at fairly large sizes. This is definitely a big step in the right direction for the pico projector market — both in terms of price point and form factor.
It’s now available for pre-order.
