Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Microvision Show WX laser pico projector review: How does the Show WX compare to other pico projectors?

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

After a 3 year wait the Microvision Show WX projector has finally gone on sale in the USA for a staggering $999 / £666 / €735. Whilst it might be going on sale at devilish prices (I’m sure those prices in sterling and dollars have some significance) it should come down in price to around £500 in the UK and will probably arrive in Q3 or Q4 this year.

Here’s our quick review of the show WX

Pros of Microvision Show WX pico projector

- its very thin and lightweight

- it has auto focus means its always in focus

- its widescreen (although this can be a problem actually fitting it onto some walls or screens)

- its the nicest design of any pico projector and in terms of style its up there with the iphone

- it has VGA connectivity as well as connection to ipods etc (but cant be used as a standalone device with no SD card or onboard memory)

Cons of Microvision Show WX pico projector

- the brightness is disappointing at only 10 lumens as when the lights are turned on or the blinds are not completely shut its very difficult to see. Pocket projectors like the Adapt 305 are significantly brighter in these conditions.

- its £300 / $450 / €330 more expensive than the Adapt 305 and 3M mpro 150 with far less features

- no micro SD slot or onboard memory

- takes a while to warm up and switch on compared to all other picos

- menu buttons are quite fiddly and its easy to turn it off by accident and annoying when you have to switch it back on again and wait an age

- there is quite a lot of speckling on the screen so you’d need to really show it on a proper screen rather than just any wall which you would do with a normal projector. This maybe why Microvision have decided to bundle a screen with it but clearly your paying for it at $999.

Overall, the Microvision Show WX is beautiful design but overall its disappointing considering the 3 year wait and that many other competitors have now produced far superior products. Couple the lack of brightness with the enourmous price tag its really hard to recommend this projector when projectors like the 3m Mpro 150 and the Adapt 305 are cheaper, brighter, have more connectivity, are easier to use and are quicker to boot up.

Realistically the Microvision Show WX is a mid range rather than a top of the range mini projector and there are many projectors at around £290 / $430/  €320 whcih would equal its performance but if you want the best projector for less money then the Adapt 305 is still the number one choice pocket  projector in the world today.

Personal Projector exhibiting at Gadget Show Live, NEC 7th - 11th April

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Personal Projector are pleased to announce that they will be exhibiting at Birmingham NEC’s Gadget Show for the second year running.

Be sure to come and visit our stand B13 and enter our competitions where we will be offering a number of prizes ranging from pico projectors to high end LED laser projectors. Just enter your email address at the stand for a chance to win some of the best prizes at the show.

This year we will be launching some new products at the show including the worlds first battery powered pico portable projector with built in digital TV and a lumens rating higher than anything previously seen.

We will also be demonstrating the new high end LED & Laser projectors which have between 2,000 and 3,000 lumens aimed at those wishing to save a fortune on replacement lamps. Watch this space for more info on these.

Finally we will be demonstrating all the latest pico, micro, pocket and personal projectors from the major manufactuers including all their new offerings due in Q2 this year.

April 7-11th

Birmingham NEC

Personal Projector

Stand B13

Tel: 0845 121 8800

Drop Test: Adapt 305 proves robust on Live TV (STV)

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Ooops, well this was slightly embarrassing. On yesterdays Gadget Section of The Hour on STV, Scotland’s ITV,  the technology review didnt go quite according to plan when the guys tested the Adapt 305 on Live TV. The poor little projector got knocked off its pedestal by a popcorn machine and bounced off a hard floor in the studio.

The presenter cleverly recovered by saying it was a good drop test and it proves that this projector was very well made..amazingly the Adapt 305 still works perfectly. Check out the video here (3.15 secs into the video http://tinyurl.com/ybvje3u).

For more detailed video on the Adapt 305, its features and why its the number one pocket projector in the world click here

Luke Skywalker arrives: Laser Projectors and importing pico projectors from overseas

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

New laser projectors will come onto the market this year but as the recent article in todays New York Times suggests they have a long way to go before they become useful and affordable.  You only have to look at the latest laser products coming out of the US which are still in their infancy to realise its going to be at least next year before a true laser product comes to market which appeals to the whole market.

According to the New York Times the lasers are suffering from speckly picture quality, flashes of blank screens, file conversion problems, resolution challenges when switching from your laptop to the pico, are difficult to use and with poor speakers. The worst of it all, is it costs $600 and by the time that gets converted into euros or pounds it will be £600.  Importing anything into the EU results in large import duties of 14%, plus at least 17.5% vat plus shipping and handling charges which makes it not worthwhile for a consumer or business to import them in low quantities.

So it begs the question why anyone would pay twice the price for a laser pocket projector which has half the resolution of the world’s brightest LED pocket projector, the Adapt 305.

None of these issues occur with projectors like the Adapt 305 which is currently voted the world’s best pocket projector as it has twice the lumens (45), accepts most file formats without conversion, has 4gb of onboard memory and micro sd slot and has connections for just about everything you can think of including standard VGA. The extra brightness, improved storage, ease of use and the fact its $150 or £150 cheaper suggest you’d be mad to go for laser right now unless of course you like dressing up as Luke Skywalker and pretending its a useful Lightsaber…

Great new offers on Aiptek and Benq pico projectors

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Personal Projector has some great new offers on a range of Aiptek pocket cinema projectors. Stocks are extremely limited on the Aiptek models so dont delay in ordering as this will be the last chance to purchase high quality pocket projectors at these prices.

Aiptek V10 Plus -  When launched this projector was £320 and is now on a very limited offer of £215 plus vat and it includes a spare battery worth £20 to give you double the battery power when your out on your travels as well as giving you the extra memory power over the V10 and ability to record video directly onto the projectors own memory.

Aiptek V10 - Was £299 when launched and is now an unbelievable £185 plus vat for one of the best ever selling pocket projectors - its a complete bargain but hurry and buy now as stock will go fast at these prices.

Aiptek T30 - Was £286 now £199 plus vat. Huge savings on one of the brightest pocket projectors available. Superb for connecting to an iphone or DVD.

Benq GP1 - Save £100 - reduced from £450 to £349

Contact us on +44 845 121 8800 or email us for more info.

Pocket Projector Sale now on…

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

The Personal Projector is sale is now on.

We are offering micro / pico / mini / pocket projectors at the best prices on the web. See our entire range of pocket and palm projectors from Adapt, Aiptek, 3M, and Benq. These are the lowest prices ever on pico projectors.

Model Description Pico Projector Sale price
Aiptek T20 Best Value pico projector for notebooks (USB pico) £173 now £149 / €166 /$226
Aiptek V10 Best value with onboard memory / SD card £225 now £185 / €206 / $280
Aiptek V10+ Best for sharing videos with record facility £269 now £215 / €240 / $326
Aiptek T30 Best Brightness (in Aiptek range) £244 now £199 / €222 / $301
BenQ GP1 LED palm projector (Best Overall) £450 now £349 / €390 / $529
Aiptek Camcorder HD mini camcorder / webcam / still cam £86 now  £73 /   €84 / $118

www.personalprojector.co.uk

Adapt Product Support Information

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

Here are some useful support information pages if you have bought one of our products.

Adapt 305 Support

There are some helpful product support guides including manuals and FAQ guides.

If you are struggling to connect your laptop to the Adapt 305 (via a VGA cable) then it can help if you change the combination in which you connect and power on devices (just like a traditional projector the order you connect can make a difference as all laptops are different) and we’ve found the optimum way to connect is as follows:-

1.      Power the projector on (slide switch at side of unit and then press the reset button (bottom left) on main panel). You should see a blue screen on the projector

2.      Power on your laptop

3.      Plug it into the laptop VGA port first and then plug the VGA cable into the projector (if this doesn’t work try other way around)

4.      If your laptop doesn’t auto recognise the projector, use the toggle key  (usually this is one of the keyboard function keys eg F7 or F5) to switch between your laptop screen and the projector screen

For more info see the Adapt website

1.      FAQ - http://www.adapt-mobile.com/support/faqs.php?sh_id=42

2.      Updates to firmware/CODECs will also appear here (although your product has the most recent codec currently) http://www.adapt-mobile.com/multimedia/detail.php?p_id=524

3.      In general, if you are having any difficulties with the projector over the holidays then please press the RESET button (explained in attached manual) and this can solve many issues

If you have any support questions on your Adapt 305 pocket projector please email Productsupport@adapt-mobile.com

Aiptek Product Support

For any Aiptek products please refer to:-

email: support@aiptek.de

Tel: 0203 0516 408

www.aiptek.co.uk

Gadget Show’s Top 50 Xmas Presents: Adapt ADPP 305

Thursday, December 10th, 2009
Christmas Top 50 Gadgets 2009

Christmas Top 50 Gadgets 2009

There are some great gadgets in this years Web TV Gadget Show Christmas Special 2009 and a pocket projector entered the list for the first time.

If you’re looking to do some research on what to buy for xmas then look no further and check out the videos and see the products in action.

In terms of micro / pocket / pico / mini projectors the only one to make it into this years list is the Adapt 305 pocket projector which comes in at number 45 on the Gadget Show 2009 xmas list.

To find out more and see the video of the Adapt ADPP 305 in action click here

Adapt 305 Product Support Information

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

In this article you can find more info on where to get support on the Adapt 305 Pocket Projector.

Adapt 305 user guide (improved searchable version)

Adapt 305 FAQ (your first port of call for any technical questions)

Updates to firmware/CODECs will also appear here (although your product has the most recent codec currently)

If you have any support questions on your Adapt 305 pocket projector please email  Productsupport@adapt-mobile.com

What we really want for Christmas

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

What We Really Want for Christmas

In the Mail on Sunday (29th Nov) there is a great list of fabulous gadgets that you might really want for xmas. Its the first of a two part section on gadgets you might want for work or pleasure.

3m mpro 120

3m mpro 120

At number two on the Mail on Sunday list is the M3 Mpro 120 micro projector (should actually be the 3M pocket projector as I dont think 3M have started selling BMW’s just yet).

The Daily Mail (3rd Dec) has also been putting you in the picture when it comes to projectors, with their review on a wide range of other mini projectors. Here are the ratings for each projector:-

Adapt 305 micro projector (5 star rating - Star Buy)

3m Mpro 120 pocket projector (4 star rating)

Aiptek T20 micro notebook projector (3 star rating)

Aiptek V10 pocket projector (3 star rating)

Optimap PK101 mini projector (2 star rating)

For more information on the mini / pocket / micro / mini or pico projectors see Personal Projector’s product page.

Elonex Ebook reader with multi-format ebook support

Friday, September 25th, 2009
Elonex Ebook Reader

Elonex Ebook Reader

The Elonex ebook is a revolution in reading which even the most technophobic readers are simply going to love. As soon as you take the ebook out of its box its hard not to like this ebook reader.

A number of things strike you as you open the box. We were amazed at just  how thin and incredibly lightweight the ebook is, making it very easy to use. What’s also striking is the exceptional design of this ebook, which not only has a great look and feel to it but also has a nice tactile grip making it very easy to use.

Of course, the key test is how good the screen is compared to a trusty old book and its suprisingly very similar to reading a standard book. There is no back light so your eyes dont strain to read from a screen as they would do if you were reading on a normal computer screen. One of the key features of the ebook is this e-ink technology and its perhaps the main reason people should now buy an ebook.

Imagine being able to take all the books, text books and business publications you have and store them on this one device (or in the SD card slot) and carry them around in something that weighs just a few grams. The ebook reader comes already pre-loaded with 100 books including War and Peace which loads in just a few seconds and the battery will last for 8,000 page turns!

One of the key advantages of this book is that its multi format so it keeps your options open when it comes to buying ebooks from the various different online bookstores.

So its great for any keen readers or anyone wanting to renew a passion for reading but its also ideal for education or business users wanting to cut down on paper and store content in a simple easy to read format. Once you’ve got one of these ebooks you’ll wonder how you ever survived without one….

The ebook can be purchased for £169 ex VAT.

The Perfect Pico Accessory: Aiptek all in one HD Camcorder, HD Still Cam and Web Cam

Friday, September 4th, 2009

Aiptek HD Camcorder / HD Still Cam / Webcam

Aiptek HD Camcorder / HD Still Cam / Webcam

The Aiptek Camcorder AHD C100 a great 3-in-1 gadget offering high quality HD video, a web cam and excellent HD still pics. Its quite a unique gadget with good value for money at £99 plus its simple to use and provides excellent video/picture quality, portability and pico projector compatibility. It also syncs perfectly with Aiptek pocket projectors providing instant playback without the need to use a PC to convert video files.

If you haven’t bought a video camera in a few years you will be impressed just how small and light these devices have now become, not to mention the value they offer. The last camcorder I bought was a few years ago and it cost £600 and its staggering to think this £99 camcorder offers better picture quality, is far lighter and much easier to operate. The ability to use SD cards to hold video footage also makes it very easy to record and store a large amount of video on high capacity HD cards.

A key feature of this camcorder is its simplicity and ease of use, in fact even your Grandad could easily operate this device as there are only 3 buttons and the menus are childs play.

SD card with USB

SD card with USB

The AHD C100 is similar to other devices such as the flip cam which is also very popular due to its simplicity. Whilst the flip cam uses a flip-out USB stick to transfer content from one device to another the Aiptek AHD can take advantage of folding SD cards which transform into a USB stick. Thus you can easily transfer not just to a PC but to a whole range of devices including cameras and pocket projectors. This also means you benefit from wireless connection so there’s no hunting high and low for that cable with the right ending to fit the camcorder!

Aiptek Pocket Cinema

Aiptek Pocket Cinema

One of the best features of this Aiptek camcorder is it’s the perfect accessory for the Aiptek range of pico projectors as it syncs perfectly between both devices. Compatibility between Aiptek devices means there is no need to convert video files on the PC prior to watching them. Simply press record on the camcorder and then take the SD card out and slide it into the Aiptek Pocket Cinema (V10 or V10+) and the video will playback instantly on the projectors 50″ screen. This is great for quick and easy playback, especially if you’ve just taken a video and need to play it back to a large group. It would be ideal for training, education, learning and development. Its also possible to connect a cable and playback in real time so you can record your friends doing karaoke down the pub and play it back in real time onto a large wall! Also great for weddings, so people can record content cheaply during the day and then easily play it back later.

Project without wires or laptop

Project without wires or laptop

Connectivity is also good and it comes with all the cables you would expect to playback video on your TV. If your looking to upgrade your webcam as well then this would be a good solution too as its simple to connect directly to the laptop/pc.

To find out more visit www.personalprojector.co.uk where the product is available for £99 and can also be bought as a package with the Aiptek V10+ and folding USB/SD card.

New projector 3M Mpro 120: Bright & Powerful

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

3m Mpro 120 video

3M Mpro 120

3M Mpro 120

The 3M Mpro 120 is the new pocket projector offering from 3M which is a marked improvement on its predecessor, the Mpro 110. 3M have come up with a nice sleek design for this projector and have targeted the product squarely at the demanding business customer.

You can expect a number of new benefits with the Mpro 120 including enhanced brightness and picture quality, amazing battery life, integrated speakers and a rubberised exterior design.

(more…)

Aiptek T20 Pocket Cinema Projector

Saturday, August 15th, 2009
Aiptek T20 with Digital Picture Quality Pico

Aiptek T20 with Digital Picture Quality

The new Aiptek T20 Pocket Cinema Projector is now available prior to its Sept launch at Personal Projector. The Aitpek T20 is a revolutionary pico projector as its the first to connect a projector to a laptop via a USB. This means you can replace your heavy analogue VGA cables, battery and mains charger with just one lightweight cable. It’s also the lightest projector on the market today (125g) and offers incredible sharp picture quality for its tiny size.

The projector is the lightest we’ve ever seen as its doesn’t need a battery to power it as power is drawn from the USB itself. For this reason Aiptek have been able to make it ultra small too. (more…)

Adapt 305 T3 Pico Projector Review: Overall Winner

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
Adapt 305 with VGA and micro SD card

Adapt 305 with VGA and micro SD card

The new Adapt 305 pocket projector is due for release 30th October.

T3 magazine recently voted this the best pocket projector on the market (overall winner). This new projector is revolutionary in terms of brightness, storage, video formats and connectivity and will be exclusively available at Personal Projector.

Up unitl now if you wanted to purchase a pocket project you had to choose between either a projector with a pass through connnection to a laptop (like a traditional projector such as the 3M) OR choose a stand alone projector which had onboard memory/SD card (such as the Aiptek)…well now you can have both in the Adapt 305. (more…)

Personal Projector nominated for New Business Awards

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Personal Projector are pleased to be nominated for the Wakefield first New Business Award 2009.

Here is some information ABOUT PERSONAL PROJECTOR and the pocket projectors and projector phones they offer.

Our key focus and successes have been based on supplying the latest innovative products, providing fast delivery and ensuring 100% customer satisfaction for all our customers across the globe.

The Awards will be held in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, mid July.

London Lite reviews pocket projectors

Friday, June 12th, 2009

London Lite, Thursday 28th May 2009

The popular London newspaper, London Lite, reviewed a number of pocket projectors in its recent technology round-up of the latest hot gadgets.

The London Lite review covered a number of pico projectors including

- 3M Mpro 110
- Aiptek V10+
- Adapt Pico Projector
- Aiptek Docking Station

Aiptek V10 Plus with Record & Store

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
Aiptek V10 Plus

Aiptek V10 Plus

The new Aiptek V10 Plus is the first pico projector to offer a Record & Store feature…this bascially means that each time you pass through any video through the projector it will record it directly onto the units own internal memory (2GB).

Now you might be thinking why on earth would I need this feature.. well apart from the extra memory (1gb) you get with the V10 Plus model its well worth using the Record & Store feature to SHARE content with friends and colleagues.

Imagine you’re down the pub and you’re friends have just come back from the holiday of a lifetime..lets say they’ve been on safari they can now project 50 inches high onto the pub wall their own version of Big Cat Week. Lets say there was a comedy moment where the lions decide that your friend looks like a nice lunch and starts to give chase while your friend’s videoing the experience, then you might want to share the clip with others too…so you just press record on your projector and it stores it ready for you to play your own copy back later and share with others.

Whether its business or pleasure this really does open a great new way to share videos from iphones or mobile phones equiped with video-out, DVD’s etc.

For business users, if you already have a large number of videos on your website or on your laptop then its a great way to show them to your customers and targets and for you to share content both inside and outside your organisation.

Obviously copyright protection is in place so you cant start recording your favourite blockbuster movie straight onto the device but there is so much publically available content on You Tube now surely there are hours of fun to be had out of this great new projector and for business users its one extra way to differentiate yourself with wow factor video sharing.

Should I buy the Optoma Pocket Projector?

Thursday, February 5th, 2009
Optoma Pico PK101 Projector

Optoma Pico PK101 Projector

At Personal Projector we get many enquiries from businesses asking if we stock the Optoma pocket projector, which we dont for a number of reasons.

Whilst there are a number of plus points re the Optoma projector such as its size and price the feedback we are getting is that its not really suitable for business users. The Optoma has definitely been made down to a price and is one of the cheapest pocket projectors on the market as noted in the recent Stuff magazine article on pocket projectors. However for business users, its well worth paying the extra for that improved screen quality you get from 3m projector or even the Aiptek projector which both offer 640 x 480 resolution (see Compare Pico Projectors for more info).

Certainly from a business viewpoint many users who are used to high quality projectors in the boardroom feel the Optoma’s poorer screen resolution (480 x 220)  is too much to sacrifice for the sake of £30-£40 extra. In addition, the Optoma doesn’t have any onboard memory or SD capability like the Aiptek Projector so you still have to carry your laptop (or other device) so you can connect to it whereas with the Aiptek you could ditch your laptop altogether.

Learning Technologies Exhibition Olympia: Don’t feel like a Donkey

Monday, January 26th, 2009

Personal Projector will be at the Learning Technologies exhibition, Olympia this week to demonstrate to trainers and the L&D community how mini projectors are revolutionising learning technologies.

Be a Pack Horse No More

Be a Pack Horse No More

Trainers around the country are starting to buy into the concept of using pocket projectors instead of having to lug around more equipment than a donkey. Now instead of having to carry the projector, power supplies and different cables for each device trainers are beginning to switch to one device that simply fits in your pocket. They are ditching the laptop and projector and having informal training sessions with small groups of users and shooting from the hip…quite literally.

If you’re regularly on the road then these types of device can be invaluable, as not only are they easy to set up with only 4 seconds on and off time but it means as a trainer you’re 100% certain that you have the content you need at the ready immediately and are not having to rely on the venue for anything, including power or worrying about compatability of devices or even whether or not if the projector you’ve booked is actually going to turn up so you can start the session on time.

Shoot From the Hip

Shoot From the Hip

The real advantage for most trainers seems to be that they can use the device on any surface or wall and it’s also a great way to enhance people’s attention as the device really creates a wow factor and heightens attention spans. Although this will wear off for the longer training sessions it’s certainly useful to know you can present your company, brochures, videos, artwork etc just about anywhere to try and get your message across in a different way.

A noticable trend with mini projectors is that with the growth in web books or Netbooks it means trainers can carry around huge volumes of information on a very small laptop yet carry with them a very small projector like the 3M micro projector and project up to 50″ so they get the best of both worlds.

Representatives from Personal Projector will be at the Learning Technologies Exhibition, Olympia 28th and 29th January so if you’d like to shed that pack horse feeling contact them on 0845 121 8800 for a demo.

How to grab your customers’ attention: Use personal projectors!

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
Event Show Olympia

Personal Projector will be at the Event Show on Wed and Thurs this week. Should you wish to see a demo of how you can really grab your customers attention at any event, exhibition or marketing event then come and see us or call us on 07954 211 375 or 0845 121 8800.

Mini pocket projectors are ideal for any companies wanting to create something really different for their events or exhibitions. Each of your staff could benefit from having a projector with its own built in memory so you can really demonstrate your capabilities and project your company brochures, corporate video or marketing materials on a hand held projector.

Its ideal to be able to show multiple messages without having to heavily invest in expensive plasma screens or even expensive or hard to find power sources as all the devices are battery powered and really low cost. Not to mention, how impressed will your prospect be if you just answer there questions there and then with a video, powerpoint or even marketing exposé on the nearest wall or even onto the floor.

Event Show Olympia

Charge all your devices with one charger: too good to be true?

Sunday, January 18th, 2009
Charge projectors without wires

Powermat's Wireless charging solution

The Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas may have been a little emptier than usual in 2009 with only half the usual number of visitors and many exhibitors deciding simply not to attend, however there were several exciting developments which will make a difference to peoples lives over the next few months

One such development is the wireless powermat which will bring an end to carrying lots of chargers and cables for multiple devices. It also means you’ll never need to worry about picking up the wrong charger if all your chargers start to look the same.

The matts will be ideal for travellers carrying around multiple devices such as an ipod, mobile, camera, camcorder, psp or even pico projector. Initially the matts are likely to compatible with the most popular gadgets on the market such as the iphone or major brands perhaps followed closely by the most power hungry gadgets.

To date the one drawback with wireless chargers has been that multiple adaptors have been required to ensure compatabilty which means carrying around a stack of adaptors which is only a minor improvement on carrying lots of chargers in the first place. The beauty of the wireless power matts is that the batteries themselves have “sleeves” attached to them which can either be either retro fitted or embeded during manufacturing. Thus, all you have to do is place any compatible device onto the matt and through near field conduction the batteries are charged as normal with no cables or plugs in sight.

This will be great for road warriors and we’re really looking forward to seeing them in operation for the mini projector market as although these devices have a very respectable 2 hour battery life it would really be a bonus to be able to charge up several spare batteries at once on a power matt. Hopefully the manufacturers will incorporate these options into the next generation of pico projectors and we’ll soon see them in projectors such as the 3m micro projector or the Aiptek Pocket Cinema V10.

Pocket Projectors at BETT

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009
BETT Show, Olympia 2009

BETT Show, Olympia 2009

Personal Projector are at BETT, the education show, Olympia this week and will be hooking up with teachers and trainers from across the UK to discuss uses and applications of hand held projectors in the classroom. If anyone at the show this week, would like to chat about pocket projectors and their applications please dont hesitate to call us on either 07954 21 375 or 0845 121 8800 and we would be happy to talk about the various options on the market.

To date, there have been some interesting uses of the mini pocket projector in education as demonstrated by Clare Kelly an Acting Head Teacher and  Teacher of the Year 2005 (Northern Region ). Clare says, “we are beginning to harness this type of portable projection technology in the classroom. For example, within our primary school we are finding it useful for promoting quality speaking and listening opportunities in order to support the objectives of the renewed framework for literacy.”

Clare also believes that the technology has a number of benefits for both pupils and teachers, “Children are really taking an interest in the content because its coming from an exciting new device that they can actually control themselves. With it being so portable it can be used in teaching areas without traditional projection facilities such as shared learning areas. One such example is with teaching assistants delivering the daily phonics session.

3m Micro projector

3m Micro projector

One of the things I really like about the projectors is their portability; they can easily be transported around school and used in a variety of teaching spaces. There is no need to ensure there is a power socket available or a projection screen. Staff project onto wall space, easels and even onto a large sheet of paper.  The projectors are ideal for working with small groups of children with Teaching Assistants or group members who can control the content delivery.

The ability to play video clips has been a  particularly  exciting application for the product. Staff have downloaded content from Espresso and Teacher Tube onto the Aiptek Pocket Cinema for use with small groups.  We recently used it when teaching French where videos of native speakers reading French story books were played to encourage a genuine French accent. The advantage of the pocket projector is that it focuses pupil learning and in MFL lessons pupils are more likely to experiment and practice speaking a foreign language if they are in a small group situation. It also helps they they also think that it’s a totally cool technology!

From a budgeting perspective,  mini projectors are affordable, totally portable and help us fulfil many objectives such as improved mobile learning, enhanced knowledge sharing, improved health and safety (as there are fewer wires), greener use of technology and will even help lower our long term costs (bulbs don’t need to be replaced).

From a teachers point of view, small hand held projectors are ideal as they are completely silent as they have no fan and can be turned on and off almost instantly without the need to boot up and down.

We used Personal Projector as they were the only firm who we felt clearly understood our training and education needs and also helped the school choose the right pico projector as there are some very distinct differences between the types available.”(see compare pico projectors).

How does the Aiptek Pocket Cinema compare to the 3m Micro Projector?

Monday, January 5th, 2009

When asking yourself which pocket, mini, pico or micro projector you should choose, there are a number of things to consider. The table below highlights the key differences between 3m micro projector and the Aiptek Pocket Cinema V10 projector.

The final choice of which mini projector will come down to what type of content you need to project and whether or not you will have your laptop with you. Its ultimately a trade off between the need for direct laptop connection at VGA quality (3m) versus the convenience of having your content on the projector but with the need to convert video files and (in some cases) enhance PowerPoint files (Aiptek).

Table of Comparison: Key differences between 3m and Aiptek pocket projectors

Key differences between projectors Aiptek 3m Comments
Project directly from laptop (VGA connection) Only if laptop has Video out port Yes - Both products will project via other devices such as DVD, Wii, Mobiles with TV out
- Aiptek also projects by transferring content directly via USB drive or to SD card
Projection size 50-100 inches 50 inches Aiptek although advertised at 50 inches, certain content such as still images and videos can expand to 100 inches in good lighting conditions
Picture quality (Best for:) Video/Still photos PowerPoint Both use 3m components although the Aiptek is slightly brighter offering larger picture for stills/videos and 3m is better for PowerPoint due to VGA connection and no need to transfer or convert
Remote control Yes No Credit card size, handy in board room
Tripod included Yes Optional Both products use standard camera tripods
Internal memory Yes No 1gb internal memory
External memory (SD/MMC card) Yes No Up to 8gb external memory
AV out Yes No Connect external speakers to Aiptek
On board stereo speakers Yes No Ideal for videos or slide shows with music
Video conversion Required Pass through only With Aiptek, videos are converted on laptop with supplied Arcsoft software.

File converters (e.g. www.zamzar .com) mean most video files available

One of the main differences with the 2 projectors is the fact that the Aiptek Pocket Cinema V10 means you no longer have to carry either a laptop or heavy projector with lots of cables. The Aiptek combines both projector and laptop with a 1 to 2 hour battery life.

Conversely, the 3m micro projector has the advantage of working out of the box with a laptop by connecting through a supplied VGA cable (i.e. as you would normally connect a laptop to a standard projector). So although the 3m projector doesn’t have any onboard memory it will connect directly and easily to a laptop without the need to transfer or convert any (video or PowerPoint) files.

Its also worth mentioning when not to use/purchase a pico projector. Pocket projectors don’t lend themselves well to
-        PowerPoint presentations with lots of small text to groups of >10-12 people
-        Where sunlight shines directly onto the area
-        Onto dark surfaces / walls or heavily textured surfaces

The table above highlights the major differences between the pico projectors and its also worth noting the benefits of both Aiptek Pocket Cinema V10 and 3m micro projector:-

-        Fast boot. Switch projector on or off in less than 5 secs without risking bulb damage

-        Silent operation: These LED projectors dont require a fan which means no noise

-        Can Pass through a TV out: act as a pass through system for any electronic device with a video out or TV out (RCA yellow cables) which means you can project from portable DVD players, games consoles, mobile phones (Nokia N95/96) etc

-        Are Environmentally friendly: are far greener than older projectors with no need to replace expensive mercury bulbs

-        Have Lower total cost of ownership than older projectors as bulbs last significantly  longer

-        Have a 1-2 hour battery life - great for when there is a powercut or no plug/powersource and means you don’t have wires everywhere (improving health and safety aspects)

-        Increase sharing of content (how many times have you listened to someone go through a presentation and just seen the back of the laptop, mobile)

Ultimately, both products are incredible advances in micro projection and will help deliver the wow factor to whoever uses/sees them. Overall, the final choice of which pocket projector is best for users has come down to

-        If you’re a business user often working heavily with PowerPoint and prefer to carry a laptop around then most users will need the 3m micro projector

-        If you’re either a consumer or business user wishing to “Project and Go” just about anywhere and do impromptu presentations, watch a video or playback photos then most users will prefer the Aiptek Pocket Cinema V10.

-        Users working mainly with video or still images also tend to prefer the Aiptek device as the projection size can be far larger than the 3m device.

Pocket Projectors Present a Clear Idea of the Future

Friday, December 19th, 2008

Presentations and displays are being revolutionised with the launch of a new generation of pocket projectors by Personal Projector, offering clear images of still pictures and video whilst being small enough to fit into the palm of your hand.

Reducing the size of the equipment needed to display a PowerPoint presentation, spreadsheet or video is leading to innovative new approaches to company pitches, meetings and reports. Advances in battery life and electronics now make it possible to carry everything needed for a presentation in your pocket.

Oliver Webster, Managing Director of Personal Projector, says the new technology creates greater flexibility and connectivity for companies:

”It is now possible for someone to email a presentation to your mobile phone and for you to project it directly to colleagues via the Pocket Projector. The device can also connect to camcorders, cameras and even games consoles.”

“The new generation of pocket projectors means you can present displays anywhere and project them on to almost anyone or anything from a napkin in a restaurant to the side of a vehicle, on the floor of an exhibition hall or even on to a standard projection screen in a meeting room with no projector.”

“By having something so portable, you can store up to 9 gigabytes (the equivalent of two DVD’s) which is ideal for an impromptu business meeting or sales pitch without having to get out a laptop and wait for it to start it up.”

Oliver adds it’s not just for work: “The device can connect to DVD players, video recorders and games consoles meaning there are a number of family applications. You could let your kids watch a film in the back of a car on a long journey, play computer games without the need for a screen or watch family holiday videos on a hotel room wall.”

“The projectors are about the size of a mobile phone whilst videos and presentations can be stored on standard SD cards or even on a mobile phone.

“We are getting a lot of interest, not just from gadget fans, but from sales teams, SME businesses, public sector and creatives. Users are now able to improve their communication, content sharing and distinguish themselves from their competitors with on-the-go presentations with a real WOW factor. “

“Personal Projector is about advising our customers how they can get the most out of this new technology.

There are other great advantages for businesses too, such as using LED’s instead of expensive lamps, thereby reducing the total costs of projector ownership and providing a far greener solution as there are no mercury disposal issues.”