Check out our full 3M Streaming Projector Powered by Roku review.
“The big screen is back,” screamed a slogan littered all over the cards, walls, and advertisements at the New York City-based press event this morning where 3M and Roku joined hands to announce their latest collaboration: the Streaming Projector. The pint-sized, Wi-Fi device is capable of 60 lumens, 800 x 480 pixel resolution, and can expand at a maximum of 120-inch screen, making it a neat and portable accessory for families, friends, or just personal entertainment.
Measuring 4.3 x 4.2 x 2 inches and weighing just a little under 1.5 pounds, the mini-Streaming Projector runs on the Roku Streaming Stick, which contains all your entertainment apps such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, Angry Birds, and more. You can also access the Channel Store to add more streams, such as CNBC — which will display the live channel as well as stock tickers and news headlines. An additional add-on for a separate remote controller, at $20, will also be available for those who prefer a more intuitive controller that has a motion sensor built-in, which makes playing Angry Birds capable by projector. If you want to connect your own HDMI ports from your Xbox or laptop, the Roku Streaming Stick is removable as well.
The 3M Streaming Projector is wireless, and runs on a rechargeable battery that has a life of 2.45 hours. For a small projector, that seems to be a decent amount to watch a movie and a few shows, but if this isn’t enough you can also plug in an AC cord to keep it running for longer. All the main controls are placed directly on the projector body itself, and the item can be tiled to project horizontally toward a screen, or vertically toward a ceiling. The Streaming Projector has a stereo system built-in, but you can also plug in your own headphones, sound system, or portable speakers to the included audio jack. At the demonstration we saw today, a detachable tripod that is separate from the projector itself was also shown. It’s available as add-on accessory via Amazon.
The entire device is essentially the Roku 2 XS, the company’s top-of-the-line media center, now with a built-in projector capacity. The Streaming Projector is pretty steeply-priced at $300, with pre-orders starting today and sold exclusively on Amazon. The item will be officially released on October 15 with an expecting ship date of October 22. Customers who order before then are eligible for a $20 credit toward Amazon Instant Video.
Stay tuned for a hands-on review of the Streaming Projector.
