CES 2012: Optoma Announces Pocket-Sized 100 Lumens Projector

Optoma was at a CES 2012 press briefing with three of its pint-sized projectors on display, two of which are new. The first of these -- the PK320 -- is a tiny pocket-sized projector that, when powered by an AC adapter, runs at 100 lumens. But when on battery power, its LED lamp automatically ratchets down to run at 25 lumens.

The rechargeable battery is built-into the $449 PK320 and the entire device weighs-in at a mere four ounces. As with all of Optoma's projectors, the PK320 doesn't necessarily need a PC to drive its presentation. The projector (shown in the embedded video below) can read Powerpoint and PDF files off a USB thumb drive. In other words, a traveling salesperson doesn't need to bring their entire PC with them. They only need to bring the PK320 and a thumb drive containing the presentation.

According to Optoma senior director product and marketing Jon Grodem, the PK320 can project an image of about 30 inches when operating on its AC-powered 100 lumen setting. For traveling salespeople, Optoma also sells a leather portfolio that opens up into a small screen (shown in the video) that works really well with the PK320. The portfolio is $79.

Also on display at CES but not yet shipping is Optoma's ML300. For those people that can't make do with the pocket-sized 100 lumen offering, the ML300 might do the trick. It weighs-in at a 1 lb. and, using its 300 lumen bulb, can cast an image of 50 to 70 inches. The ML300 can take content off of USB thumb drives and SD cards and has an HDMI interface as well.

In the video, Grodem shows how the ML300 is getting its content through a USB-based WiFi dongle. Over WiFi, a PC or Mac can stream its presentation to an ML300 or its bigger brother, the ML500. The ML300 is $499 and is due to ship at the end of January 2012.

If the ML300 won't do, then maybe the ML500 will get the job done. At 500 lumens, the ML500 can cast a 70 to 80-inch image and costs $599.