3M Launches First Pocket Projector

An anonymous reader writes "Popsci.com has a writeup on 3M's new pocket projector, the 3M MPro 110, set to launch on September 30. 'In a dark room, it could project a big enough image to be the ultimate cheap-o home theater. The projector will sell for a mere $359. It doesn't have a speaker, so you'll have to get that separately. But really, how good could a microscopic speaker jammed into this thing sound, anyway?'"

only 640x480

[h4rr4r]

Not going to be much of a cheap hometheater setup at that resolution.

Smart phone interface!

[Scubaraf]

This is the killer app for this product. I work in a hospital - the reason we don't use PDA's or iPhones to interact with our patients' electronic records is that the screen is too small to see the necessary data and the interface is too slow for entering lengthy narrative information. Laptops or tablet PC's could do this, but they are too large to carry around in your pocket. Enter the iPhone with this projector and handwriting or voice recognition. Total game changer in my field.

Cell Phone Terminal Services Client

[davidwr]

With this and a virtual keyboard [virtual-la...yboard.com] and mouse, you can carry your laptop in your pocket.

What, your laptop doesn't fit in your pocket? Would you settle for a cell phone running something like ThinStation [sourceforge.net] and a cellular-internet hookup? Remember, "The network is the computer."

Re:only 640x480

[zakezuke]

Actually, the ideal while camping is to have no electronics at all apart from a cellphone for emergencies only. IMHO, that is.

That may be your ideal, however that doesn't make it the ideal.

Camping serves many purposes, top among which is it's the cheapest form of lodging even if in the states there are heavy restrictions on doing it.

Another purpose it serves is recreation. There are a ton of natural wonders that either don't have services near by, or are just outside the reach of civilization. This may include lakes, hot springs, beaches, mountains, valleys, and certainly many others. However, this doesn't exclude camping for it's own purpose.

Presuming recreation, whose to say that one can't for example catch a fun filled day of natural fun? The funny thing about natural fun is it gets dark at night, which limits your options for late night entertainment.

The first time I went camping was somewhere where you could park your car and pitch a tent, away from civilization. I bought a tape player. The batteries died after the first day, but I enjoyed "roughing it" with music. Other times I bought along my laptop, not so much because I wanted to use it but it made an ultra handy backup light.