Monday, August 31, 2015

Gene Munster, Apple, Augmented Reality


Apple Insider

Business Insider

Munster has picked up on a few clues within the industry that indicate Apple could be working on some type of augmented-reality device. For example, the company acquired a German augmented-reality startup called Metaio earlier this year, a move that was reported back in May.

Munster notes that Metaio owns 171 worldwide patents related to augmented-reality technology, which would put Apple in 11th place for the number of augmented-reality and head-mounted-display patents held. Google, Microsoft, Sony, and Samsung remain ahead of Apple in that regard.

Of course, MicroVision leads in those patents, but who's counting? We noted this in May of this year. 

MicroVision leads in Augmented Reality Patents

Apple Head Mounted Display Patent

If you read this Gene, say hi to your brother Mike who was in my class at STA.

Two Years Ago...

At the annual stockholders' meeting two years ago, we were treated to a vision of the future. Where a PicoP projector was seen in a tablet computer, and attached to a  cellphone. 

The picture that came from those devices was excellent. Nearly as good as what shows from the Celluon PicoAir and PicoPro. Those of us who attended that meeting all appreciated that awesome glimpse into the future. We know that eventually we will see such products during our daily lives and that other people will think they're as incredible as we do.

I'm sure there has been progress made even since PicoAir and PicoPro. I am expecting to see devices like this for sale soon. 

Way to go management and crew at MicroVision!! 

The party hasn't started yet, but the celebratory beverages are on ice.

I'm expecting good things soon -- there's no guarantee that any particular event will feature an announcement for us, but there is an October release of the MPCL1 -- it will almost certainly be getting something before that. 







The storms in the Pacific Northwest have apparently knocked out the internet at my primary workplace.

I'm only keeping up with things through short times spent at the public library and coffee shops.


I'll be at one of them for the SONY presentation on the 2nd. Repairs should happen on Thursday.

Flexible screen?

Imagine the great coverage an infinitely flexible, LARGE display will get... we're almost there.


KDVR

Tap the Wove Band with your finger and you can change the screen to display weather forecasts, headlines or email. The company envisions its own system of apps and services, similar to iOS or Android, to provide content for the product, which is slated for release in 2016.

Even if the Wove Band doesn’t take off, the technology is promising. The flexible display market is expected to be worth nearly $4 billion by 2020, according to analysis from MarketsandMarkets.

Polyera is one of a wave of startups, universities and even the U.S. military that are investing billions of dollars in the research and development of flexible screens.

Companies like Samsung have already taken the first leap by manufacturing phones with screens that wrap around the device from the front to the sides. LG even has its bendable “Flex” phones, which are nearly curved to the shape of your head.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Friday, August 28, 2015

iPad Pro -- UPDATED (again)

I'm not a big fan of unsubstantiated Apple rumors. I'm highly dubious that PicoP would end up as its first big release in an Apple Product, but this bears watching.

UPDATE 4:

Geek Snack -- iPad Pro Projector

There will be improved camera setups on the iPad Air Pro, and the projector the company will be using will be even better than those used by Lenovo in their Yoga line-up, and those are pretty darn good indeed. Besides having a projector, the iPad Air Pro will also come with a magnetic keyboard and stylus, to make the device a true multitasking beast, especially fit for office work and editing work.


UPDATE 3:

iPad Pro WILL be at September 9 event

PCMag


UPDATE 2:

A reader reminded me of this from Patently Apple. (Thanks for jogging the memory.) 


Again, please don't interpret this as a prediction being made that there will be a projector in the iPad Pro. I'm simply collecting evidence and finding places to watch for the appearance of PicoP. 

It does look very interesting though.
At Patently Apple



So some things from the recent past
Apple TV
Desk Free computer
Apple & Primesense (mentions MicroVision)

End Update #2

UPDATE: So, a friend calls after seeing this, (thank you Jason!) and is quite excited, because he recognized something about the case shown here. It puts things in interesting perspective:

The case is a case and a stand. (Which make the idea of a a USB-C port in that location seem even less likely) Here are the pictures of the case he sent me. I think he's onto something.

As you can see, the form factor of the case he has, and the one in the leak are very similar.




The cutout in the side of the flap doesn't look like much, unless you know what it does:


 


This doesn't make me sure of anything, but this combined with keystone correction (that we know SONY/MicroVision do) and this is a VERY interesting combination.

All of my previous cautions about getting too excited still stand.

by the way, if you have a comment or insight, respectful comments are certainly welcome. (I'll post everything that isn't rude or spam.)

-- End Update -- 


I am including this because:

  •  a previous report speculated that there would be a projector in the iPad Pro, from a credible source. (iPad Air Pro
  • This report relies on information from Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, who has been very accurate in his Apple predictions.
  • The additional opening is in an optimal location for a projector
  • The additional opening is credited to be for a USB-C connector, but it is (in my opinion) not an optimal location for a USB-C connection, and it seems, (particularly in the second image) to be significantly larger than it would need to be for a USB-C connection.

Again this is simply something that I'm going to watch, I've listed above the reasons I'm going to watch it much more closely.






Openings for stereo speakers on the bottom and top of the case, as well as an additional opening on the left side for an additional Lightning or USB-C port indicate this could be the real deal. The cases are also remarkably similar to the ones Sonny Dickson leaked last week. 
And then there's this spurious beauty from China's Weibo network...
Interesting "e-book" about the future of television. Wait until you hear what they have to say at their event next year.

Portability and cloud-based content is a big theme. MicroVision will own the delivery method for portability.



Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Sony Holiday Showcase from Vibe

This was plucked from VIBE. I don't often do this (post screen shots), but their site is annoyingly crammed with pop-up ads. I as a rule try to avoid the site. (Someone on IV posted this and it's worth a see.)

If you want to see it in the glory of it's original context, click the link.





Tokyo Game Show

Tuesday September 15

Another event to watch closely. Hopefully we'll have a good announcement before this -- and even more about it here. 




Sony is hosting its pre-Tokyo Game Show press conference on Tuesday, September 15 
at 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. local time/ 5:00 p.m. AEST / 8:00 a.m. BST / 12:00 a.m. PST / 3:00 a.m. EST.

IGN

Gamescom 2015 may have been dismal for PlayStation fans, but Sony's setting up a grandstand finish to the year. Not content with Paris Games Week and PlayStation Experience, the platform holder has now dated its annual pre-Tokyo Game Show press conference, which will take place on 15th September.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Leap Motion, Disney, Microvision

MicroVision -- the right products in the right place at the right time.


Leap Motion Picture

This picture, just posted by Leap Motion, reminded me of something: Disney Project Hideout

"HideOut further extends our work towards a new ‘game projector’ paradigm where the real world becomes a digital playground."

Project Hideout used PicoP (ShowWx)




Don't forget this gem from Disney either: Disney Weddings

Monday, August 24, 2015

A Smartphone with Greater Focus - UPDATED

It's out there, I'm not claiming to know what it means. 

"Infinite focus" is "greater."

UPDATE: Something it could be -- but they don't know either.

The term 'greater focus' in the tweet might be referring to the inclusion of the Hybrid AF technology (which combines phase detection and contrast autofocus systems) in the unannounced Sony Xperia Z5, just like the recently launched Xperia M5.

GadgetsNDTV

-- END UPDATE

September 2, 2015




Not that there was any doubt, but Sony Mobile has confirmed that a new smartphone “with greater focus” will launch at IFA 2015 on 2 September 2015. We expect that Sony will launch a new Xperia flagship,  along with a smaller ‘compact’ sibling. Sony is most likely to market these as the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact. A phablet version is also expected by the end of 2015, but this may not be ready for an announcement at IFA.

At UberGizmo

Sunday, August 23, 2015

SONY: Bigger, without getting bigger

This is from an article about the recently released C5 Ultra. I think it contains SONY's marketing language for devices with PicoP inside.


We made it bigger without getting bigger,” said Sony on the official announcement of the C5 Ultra.

With Xperia C5 Ultra, we’ve managed some smartphone magic. We’ve managed to maximise the display without adding bulk to your phone. With a wafer-thin bezel, Xperia C5 Ultra is almost all screen. Together with a cool aluminium frame and an ever so slightly curved back, it’s a smartphone that feels as good as it looks.”

Read more at http://rtn.asia/t-t/14556/monster-sized-sony-xperia-c5-ultra-available-in-india-at-price-of-rs-29k#2aEAgi4C4KOAE7oA.99

Friday, August 21, 2015

PicoP vs 4K TV -- the value question

PicoP Will Outperform 4K

I've been watching the emergence of 4k with some interest. If my memory serves me, I saw a 4k TV the first time last fall. What is happening is very interesting, and gives me more confidence than ever about the future of PicoP. People will prefer portability over high-resolution.

Whenever I see 4K televisions displayed, I try to take a look. When I imagine one in my living room, I don't get all that excited about it. I haven't seen much of the content that I watch on a 4K TV yet.  I don't think it will particularly enhance the experience. (they play some trailers from "House of Cards") 

When I look at a 4K display of video content that is common now, I get frustrated. I'm sure it's because they flash to the next scene while I'm still absorbing detail from the picture. The 4K display shows more in a picture than I can absorb. The scenes progress from one to another faster than I can take them in.

When I see 4K pictures, I want to study the pictures - I'm not looking at it for the reasons I tune into regular video.

I watch video to see the story, to be involved in it, to be entertained, to laugh or learn. 4K doesn't enhance that.

The VALUE QUESTION -- why do I want a display?

4K Display Value


I want a display to see the CONTENT that is being presented to me. It doesn't have to dazzle me -- when I watch video I'm watching it to experience the story, it makes me laugh, it appeals to my emotions -- I'm not there to study the resolution of the display. I will gain little if anything from 4K resolution when I'm watching the kind of content I currently enjoy. 

If we change the kind of content, and show more still pictures, detailed information, and slow the scenes, I think 4K may gain some legs. When current filming techniques are used, I get frustrated - because I'm looking at additional details of a scene and it flashes to a new one.

PicoP Display Value

PicoP's value is in its portability. It's at the near sweet-spot for resolution -- we can see the content well, and enjoy the content for the reasons we enjoy it with an immersive "big screen" display -- with a portable pocket-sized package.

SHARED experience. The display from PicoP is big enough to have a shared media experience with others. We WANT that. 

Portability: We carry little computer/communication/media devices around with us. We like them a lot. More than a Billion of them are sold annually. PicoP is the portable accessory (currently) and future embedded solution that makes them significantly more valuable.

Bigger Screen, smaller device: There are two value criteria that mobile companies know Everyone wants a BIGGER screen with their portable device, and they also want the device that has it to be SMALLER. These are very inconsistent desires that are perfectly consistent when PicoP is available.

In my own home, I will use the PicoPro over my higher-resolution television if I'm more comfortable in a different place. Higher resolution isn't worth the 13 steps it takes to get from the comfort of my bed to the alternate comfort of my living room.

Ecosystem Readiness

4K ecosystem isn't ready.

The current state of 4K TV must be frustrating to 4K screen brands -- there is so little content for them that it makes little sense to purchase one unless the television you are using now breaks or is destroyed. It took a decade for traditional HDTV to come down in price this far. Yesterday at a Walmart, I saw a 20% price rollback on a 4K TV (amazing display, I must admit!). You don't discount things that are seeing huge demand, not by that much. There isn't even a player I could find that plays content in 4K or any media to play on one if you had it. I think I saw a DVD player (very expensive) that would up-scale traditional DVD media. I suspect trying to divide each pixel into four pieces and show it will cause some funky looking video.


PicoP ecosystem is ready to go.

Virtually every mobile phone sold now has screen-mirroring capabilities, either wireless or through mini-HDMI connections (and soon with USB-C).

Content is widely available -- people are "cutting the cord" and going with internet and mobile deliverable content.

Wireless Carriers are Ready: they are primed with advertising, and mobile content. ATT bought DirecTV for it's content and content delivery, Verizon purchased AOL for it's video advertising capabilities. (Verizon and ATT see Huge Opportunity for Mobile Video)

I think we're onto the sleeper investment of a lifetime.

technological leaps

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Stuff to go with MPCL1 / Metal Gear Solid V & Star Wars

This is pretty interesting. I'm still waiting for some more news about the StarWars version of the PS4 -- (looking for anything that may link them to the new Star Wars theme parks at Disney Resorts)

That these are compact devices, is interesting, and the list "includes" these devices, but isn't exclusive to these devices. I will expect that MPCL1 will be a limited edition kind of device to start, and would be packaged well with other limited edition products targeted at enthusiasts.



The lineup of Sony devices includes the Xperia J1 Compact smartphone, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, Xperia Z4 Tablet, Walkman A16, and the Walkman ZX2, all designed with Phantom Pain logos engraved on the hardware, and custom wallpapers and sound effects pre-installed.

Sony Walkman at Crutchfield -- it supports numerous video formats. I will see if I can find something about the Walkman A16, and the ZX2


From SlashGear
From Jewocity

PS4 Metal Gear V Edition

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Samsung S7

These kinds of reports are difficult to take seriously. There were a lot of recent articles talking about S7 having a holographic display though, and there was even some attention for a do it yourself holographic display. (video below)

So, some of the language in here was worthy of mention -- take it with some salt.

Previous Article  - mentions "light emission device"


australianetworknews
Samsung has currently been in the spotlight with the launch of its Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. And now comes the news of the Korean tech-company working on the Samsung Galaxy S7.

It is speculated that the new offering would be a foldable phone, however, there is no confirmations on the design yet.

Codenamed ‘Jungfrau,’ the S7 may come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. Samsung may also be leaning towards using its own Exynos chipsets to power the device, according to Master Herald.

The tech giant’s flagship smartphone may boast of the world’s first holographic display, Christian Post noted. The site points towards a published Samsung patent application which depicts a mobile phone projecting images over its screen.

The projected images look much like the icons on the phone that could be activated with a touch. This indicates that the phone’s projector will be employing the camera to detect interaction with the holographs.

As per Master Herald, the company may not launch its flagship even though it may be ready by the year-end, since the Note 5 and the S6 Edge Plus are now making an appearance in the markets.


Tuesday, August 18, 2015

XFINITY WIFI

We are going to be viewing a lot more content on our portable devices. PicoP will make it possible, and much more desirable. Access to the content through mobile networks will be difficult until 5G becomes widely available. (Here's a reminder about 5G capabilities)



XFINITY has a great solution for fast data connections able to keep us in content. These are FREE WIFI connections if you're already an Xfinity customer, or you can pay them a monthly fee.

Wherever there is an Xfinity Customer with WIFI -- you'll have WIFI access as well!

Interactive WIFI Map


The Ecosystem is ready for PicoP -- right out of the gate, and that is a rare and beautiful thing for a new kind of technology.

Binge-viewing enhanced by PicoP

From MicroVision's Displayground

The end of the latest episode of our favorite television show used to leave us on edge. That cliffhanger eating away at us all week until the next episode aired and we continued on the vicious cycle. (Don’t even get me started about end-of-season cliffhangers!)

Thanks to Over-the-Top (OTT) services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, we can now satisfy our craving to watch multiple episodes in succession, sometimes even finishing an entire series or season in one sitting. Not surprisingly, a recent study from the TiVo Research Group found that this binge-watching behavior has become the new normal, with approximately 90 percent of the population preferring to partake in ‘TV benders’.

Some OTT services are catering to this “all in one” viewing experience by releasing entire seasons of shows up front, answering their subscribers’ need to binge watch as soon as the new material is available. To make things even more convenient, we don’t need an actual television to join the conversation about the latest House of Cards episodes. Our smartphones and tablets are the new TV screens, and they are with us everywhere we go.

So what does this mean for the mobile device market?

These video streaming platforms have created a new purpose for smartphones and tablets. Gone are the days when we were confined to sitting in front of a stationary television screen and flipping the channel during commercials. Instead, we have pocket-sized devices on which we can instantly view mobile video without interruption. The one thing we have been giving up when we view our movies and shows on a mobile device is a screen size big enough to sit back and watch the show in comfort, alone or with a group. But like everything else in the technology world, there is a solution at hand that makes larger-viewing experiences achievable.

Pico projection technology is helping enhance the choice people are already making by offering the option of mobility, without the limitations of a small screen. Customized viewing experiences give the consumer the power to pick the screen size that best suits the moment. Whether you’re on a plane, a passenger in a car, or even camping in a tent, you can project and watch your latest television obsession on a screen bigger than the 5 plus inch screen of a smartphone or tablet, getting as big as one that rivals the largest big screen at home.

As a growing part of the population is demanding “TV Everywhere,” pico projection can be the key to having content on-the-go and the big screen we are used to at home – the technology answer to having our cake and eating it too. Solutions such as MicroVision’s PicoP® display technology offer a vivid, always-in-focus picture and the ability to generate a screen size of over 100 inches from a device no bigger than a smartphone.

- See more at: http://www.microvision.com/binge-watching-craze-mobile-influenced-pico-projection-enhanced/#sthash.7peAramy.dpuf

Immersed Europe

RealWire

Mission Impossible 5 in VR Coming to Immersed Europe

Free Public Exhibit will Immerse Attendees into the World of the Walking Dead, Mission Impossible, Chernobyl and more!

Murcia, Spain (August 18, 2015) – Although intended for immersive technology professionals and industry, Immersed Europe will offer the general public a glimpse into the future of virtual and augmented reality with pre-registered, free public access to the exhibition on Friday evening, September 4th. Hosted by The Immersive Technology Alliance (ITA) and the University of Murcia, Immersed Europe takes place September 3rd to 4th (Thursday, Friday) at the Facultad de Economía y Empresa, Campus de Espinardo in Murcia, Spain.



Mission Impossible VR Experience

"With thanks to Paramount Pictures, MEC Global a GroupM company, and InMediaStudio, attendees are going to get to hang off the side of an airplane for dear life just like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 5! Combined with an Oculus Rift HMD, people will be amazed," said Neil Schneider, Executive Director of The Immersive Technology Alliance.

Immersed Europe is excited to welcome Emmanuel Marquez, CTO of Starbreeze Studios, to the inaugural event. Starbreeze Studios will be showing Overkill's The Walking Dead VR experience on their StarVR HMD, for the first time ever in Europe. "We look forward to unleashing the Walkers on Spain," said Marquez. Just like the TV show, their VR experience features a small group of survivors hanging on to their wits as they fight their way through a path of zombies in virtual reality.

Chornobyl360 will share VR footage of the city of Chernobyl, which has been trapped in a deteriorating time capsule since its nuclear meltdown and evacuation in 1986.

Arguably the first live VR broadcast of a conference, IM360 will be streaming samples of Immersed Europe so parts of it could be enjoyed from around the world…in virtual reality.

In addition to these highlights, there will be a wide range of technologies and experiences showcased at the Immersed Europe exhibition; most of which haven't been accessible elsewhere. Augmented reality and virtual reality products and technology will be well featured.

For professionals, Immersed Europe features two full days of career building sessions given by immersive technology industry leaders. A special 199 € single day pass for September 4th is now available for those wishing to only attend the Friday sessions and exhibits. Immersed Europe media partners are also offering discounts against the full rate of admission that covers both days.

Discounted exhibition opportunities are available for qualified early start-ups. All qualified conference registrants receive a free year of Immersed Access, a private online community for shared learning and collaboration among immersive tech professionals ($200 USD value).

Murcia, Spain is a fun vacation city with gorgeous beaches just 30 minutes away. Flights from other parts of Europe can be less than 100 € per way, and while supplies last, local four star hotel arrangements are just 60 € per night including breakfast (plus tax). Language translation services will be made available and conference meals are included.

A free exhibition will be open to the general public on the Friday evening. Please register in advance for the free expo hall admission.

Learn more and register at http://www.immersedeurope.com.

About The Immersive Technology Alliance (The ITA)
Immersed Europe is organized by The ITA. Non-profit and non-proprietary, The ITA is the official voice and industry body for technologies like augmented and virtual reality, stereoscopic 3D, gesture technology, and more.

###

Media Contact: Carol Warren
Crew Communications
Tel. 714-890-4500
Email: cwarren@crewcommunications.com

Monday, August 17, 2015

DirectTV ATT Advertisement

DirectTV / ATT Advertisement -- nice projection feature.

The ecosystem for PicoP is READY.

 

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Playstation Event -- August 18, 2015

I'm not a big gamer, but I think these games would look fantastic on the new projector that will be for the PlayStation. 

As the PicoP powered Projector is a PlayStation powered device, and this is getting the big upgrade on August 18, -- A solid possibility we get some more attention then. 

If you're not sure what projector from SONY is being talked about, check here: SONY MPCL1

If there's something on the 18th, that will be great & it will likely be emphasized on September 2, at Sony's IFA press conference.

This is starting to get fun!

Playstation Blog



PlayStation Forums get updated August 18

Monday, August 10, 2015

Bigger than the Internet?


Startups such as Blippar have already made significant inroads offering technology that lets users point their smartphones or tablets at objects, then watch as the screen unveils a 3D animation, game or graphic, bringing the object to life. But will AR capabilities really be the way of the future? We ask the experts if these new technology offerings are just a gimmick or offer real possibilities for marketers to lift their game.


Blippar CEO and co-founder, Ambarish Mitra, is confident augmented reality will eventually become bigger than the Internet itself. He says the high engagement factor stems from the fact that AR is so visual in nature, converging products into an interactive medium and offering discovery points and all the curiosity points in an everyday consumer’s journey.

“From the very beginning, I saw augmented reality as a very big opportunity,” he tells CMO.
“We were never just focusing on the technology, but on the storytelling. That became a big differentiator.”

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Holiday

Not abandoning anything, but I may be a little slow for the next couple of weeks.

Going to get some intense and quality family and friends time.

I'm quite sure that we'll get REALLY interesting news soon.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Attention from the Investor Press -- Forbes

Not a huge mention, but this is WHERE MicroVision has to be mentioned to get more investor traction. Good investors dig past the headlines. I could see the stock price getting a bump from this.


FORBES

I can certainly see the usefulness of this, and how it allows the PS4 to become a little bit more mobile like what we’re now seeing with Windows 10 Xbox One streaming. Granted, you’ll have to move the console itself around if you want to keep it hooked up to HDMI, but you can take it anywhere with a wall and a power outlet and you’ll have the ability to play the system.

I can even see this solving the “shared TV” problem that’s largely the point of Xbox One streaming. In this case, you could potentially angle the projector to an adjacent wall, pop in some headphones and play a game while someone else watches TV. That’s something even Xbox can’t offer with its new functionality.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Wild ride for Virtual & Augmented Reality - Christmas 2015

MicroVision stock? I'm going to keep holding it. Tight. My shares are NOT for sale.

It won't be long before a LOT more people see what's cooking under the hood.



Time Magazine

It's going to be a wild ride—and it starts this Christmas

In the August 17 cover story of TIME, we take a deep look at the mainstreaming of virtual reality, the long-promised technology that is now becoming widely available to consumers. Headsets from Facebook’s Oculus, Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Google and many others will start going on sale this year, and competition will increase dramatically through 2016. Throughout this year, we set out to try every major in-development headset out there. These devices promise to change not only entertainment, but education, health, and work. Here’s some of what we learned:


3. Silicon Valley is pouring money into the concept like crazy.

Venture capitalist Mike Rothenberg, who runs a VR accelerator, says his firm has already secured enough money to invest in a second round of virtual-reality companies this fall. “It’s hard for people to write checks for virtual reality until they try it. Then, not that hard,” he says. He likens this opportunity to the Internet in 1995. “No one calls a company an ‘Internet company’ anymore. In 10 years, everyone will have VR as part of their company.”




Who leads in Augmented Reality Patents? Microvision. This chart was before Apple Purchased metaio.



Who Leads in Augmented Reality?

MVIS = Takeover Target?

New Mobile Projector for Playstation Revealed

Gamescom is one of those events I've been hoping would reveal some news, and it looks like we have a public (or semi-public) appearance of SONY's MPCL1. 

The MPCL1 has been confirmed to be a MicroVision enabled device, affirmed to be released this fall by SONY, but has not had the big announcement, yet.

This relates well with something that came across my searching recently: SONY touting a smaller, lighter PS4. People may care about a console's size when they put it in their home, but they don't care about its weight unless it's portable.  So I'm expecting SONY to push portability in game consoles, and a projector like this would be essential to truly portable gaming. 




Gamescom

Geek Culture <<--- source article for content below.

Sony recently revealed a companion accessory for the PlayStation 4 console at a media event. We got a chance to get our hands on their upcoming mobile projector, which ran a demo of the PlayStation 4 exclusive game, Until Dawn.

Here are the key features that caught our attention: Laser Technology. Auto Focus & Free Focus modes. 

  • Can project up to 120 inch screen size.
  • 1920 x 720 resolution.
  • HDMI/MHL connection.
  • There is a tiny internal speaker to output audio, but most of us will plugging in a headset or external speakers to the stereo earphone jack.
  • The form factor of the device is really small. About the size of two Sony Xperia phones stacked together!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Surface Pro 4 -- New item to watch

News about Microsoft. No guarantees, but a good place to watch. If the device is going to be fanless, that's a good indicator for MicroVision if there is a projector included.

While I regard GeekSnack to be a reliable source, this is the first (or second) mention I've seen of a Surface Pro 4 with projector.... so this is something to watch, not a confirmed PicoP sighting. There are a lot of articles out there that mention the Surface Pro 4 that make no mention of a projector.

From GeekSnack

The Surface Pro 4 will have a fanless, aluminum design and will adhere to new design elements such as an even thinner and lighter body, resembling the iPad Air 2, as well as a waterproof or water resistant certifications. The chassis of the Surface Pro 4 is said to be made with an aluminum alloy that combines new industrial elements into the design, giving the tablet more durability. In the spirit of the new Lenovo Yoga line-up, the Surface Pro 4 will not only incorporate a similar watch hinge at the base, replacing the magnetic type cover, but will also incorporate a projector in the device.

Using a projector is something most Windows and Surface Pro users are very familiar with, and the addition of a proprietary, native projector to the Surface Pro 4 increases its usefulness in schools, learning environments and business environments.
While until now, Apple’s iPads were leaders in education, the Surface Pro 4 might take that throne away from Tim Cook and co. Still, these are unconfirmed reports, so I would suggest taking them with a heap of salt before getting your hopes too high.



Ibtime - release date

Other Projector Reference
And Again
From Info-Europa

Augmented Reality (and PicoP) will replace traditional screens

This is great news for investors in the company that is the leading holder and generator of Augmented Reality Patents.
“I believe that augmented reality will be the biggest technological revolution that happens in our lifetimes,” Sweeney said during a speech at the Chinajoy trade show, as reported by Venturebeat. “If we had this AR display, the deep thing to realize is this. Once you have an augmented reality display, you don’t need any other form of display." 


That is, of course, until you want to SHARE the content you're seeing -- then you need a PicoP laser projector.


Your smart phone does not need a screen. You don’t need a tablet. You don’t need a TV. You just take the screen with you on your glasses wherever you go.”

"The Unreal developer said he had seen tech demos of Augmented Reality being worked on by US startup Magic Leap, and although he couldn't elaborate due to a nondisclosure agreement, he "saw things that he didn't think were possible".