It's a common complaint — people love having video portable but can't stand those tiny screens. Well, a compromise is coming: Optoma's Pico projector. Now in the prototype stage, Optoma plans a limited release in Europe this summer with a worldwide rollout in 2009. Functioning as a mini projector for your cellphone or iPod, the Pico sprays images and video on any handy surface: a wall, airplane tray table or some dude's back.
The Optoma is the first pico projector with DLP technology (the same as in most projection TVs these days), which will probably make it look better than previous attempts at this idea. We'll wait to see for ourselves when it becomes available (no price yet), but we suspect the boys at Texas Instruments (who make DLP tech) will regret making it possible for mischievous teens to commandeer people's backs with images that say, "Kick me" and "No fat chicks." Thanks, TI, thanks.
DVICE: Optoma Pico projector: Paint the town with iPod video
