Pico introduced a new crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo for an Android-based pocket projector and stylus combo, called the TouchPico. The mini projector can display up to an 80-inch image on any surface. Users can then draw on the projection using the stylus to illustrate their point.
The projector displays a 854 x 480 pixel resolution image up to 80 inches, diagonally. Although the TouchPico is not terribly bright at just 150 lumens, it looks like it’s easy to see in a dark room and mostly visible in half light. The projector also has an infrared camera on the front, so that it can track the movements of the stylus. That way, you can draw on articles, highlight specific areas, and more during business presentations, or draw images in the classroom.
The stylus is the main selling point for the TouchPico projector, but the campaign also highlights its many other functions, too. The projector can be used for Skype calls, video games, watching movies, and drawing.
The TouchPico is powered by a low-end Rocketchip 1GHz dual-core processor, features Wi-Fi, a MicroSD card slot, HDMI input, AV input, USB OTG port, and audio output. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, and although it runs an open source version of Android 4.2, it doesn’t have access to the official Google Play Store or Google’s apps. The company hopes to strike a deal with Google on that front, but for now, users will have to connect the projector to their smartphones via Wi-Fi direct or side load their apps onto the projector for now.
The projector’s battery life is also somewhat limited when it’s connected to your smartphone, at just 45 minutes. While the TouchPico’s battery should get you through your PowerPoint presentation or a single episode of The Office, it won’t let you finish a full-length movie. Regardless, teachers, students, and business people will undoubtedly find a use for this new projector and stylus combo.
Pico hopes to ship the TouchPico projectors by October, assuming the company reaches its $55,000 goal. Currently, you can grab one of the mobile projectors for $270 on Indiegogo, but as soon as they hit stores, the price will jump to $500.
