Mini projectors are growing so much in popularity that even a manufacturer best known for making niche toys is getting into the act.
Earlier today, Jakks Pacific announced its first mini projector, the EyeClops, following a year when it released the EyeClops Infrared Stealth goggles for night vision. The LED projector will come with built-in speakers and the company is promising up to ten hours of operation on an undetermined number of D batteries.
The black design definitely seems to follow the EyeClops aesthetic -- make it durable, fun to look at, and easy to play with. Just like the LG mini projector that was released late last month, the EyeClops is palm-sized but looks thick and unpocketable.
No technical details were released but if it comes anywhere near the specs from the LG HS102 (800 x 600 resolution, 160 ANSI lumen-brightness, and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio) for the expected price ($100), I'll be lining up to get one for my little cousins. For the money, that's quite unlikely, so I'll lower my expectations to 10-80 lumens, and an 800:1 ratio.
And that means I won't be buying anyone anything, so stop begging, you crazy kids.
Like we noted previously, players at this size are allowing companies to increase their image quality to such an extent that they're pushing out the need for regular projectors and might even squeeze out the burgeoning Pico projectormarket. I think most people would trade off a bit on size if they could get a projector with better picture quality.
We'll see if this projector is one of them. The EyeClops will be available in the Fall.
