I’ve always wanted to have the complete setup that includes speakers, projector and the ability to print and make super cool post card books. Now, it looks like I actually need it, so time to look for a great pico projector that is small and lightweight and throws a good enough picture for casual use. PC Magazine did a good review. ConsumerSearch does a good job with an overview as well.
- Canon iP100. Bigger as a mobile printer this can do 8.5×11 but still weights 4.4 pounds but doesn’t take a battery, so it is the next step up. It has an optional bluetooth adapter and a battery so it can be completely wireless. ConsumerSearch likes it. It can print 8×10 so is more flexible and is about the same size as the PictureMate Charm. It is mainly physically larger. Like the Charm it is relatively old having shipped in 2008. Portableprint.com likes it too. There are a bunch of accessories. First is the BU-30 which allows you to connect to your computer with Bluetooth. Then there is a package of the color ink CGI-36 plus 100 sheets of 4×6 paper for $36. Finally if you really need it you can spend $80 more for Li-on batteries to make it really portable. The main issue with it appears to be a few years ago when it had lots of sheet feeding problems.
- Epson PictureMate Charm. $149 direct. This has a five pound package. Supposedly the best printer quality 5.7- by 9.1- by 6.7-inch (HWD) white box with a handle on it. At 4.9 pound, it isn’t light but does have a battery pack you can get as well. $50 direct. $38 for cartridge that prints 100 photos. PC Magazine and ConsumerSearch both like it. It is relatively old in the business launching in 2009. Its main issue seems to be the strange way Epson has bundled ink with the paper, so you can’t get more ink without more paper. Pretty wierd.
- Canon Selphy ES40. $149 direct. 8.9 x 8.9 x 5.4. This comes in second for PC Magazine and is the top choice for DP Magazine as does thecomputerprinters.com
Plus a great portable printer (they are called dye sublimation technically) that produce a nice 4×6 photo and ideally is battery powered so that you can do everything without even AC power.
For projectors, the big change is the move to so called portable, then pocket then pico projectors which are again battery powered and with lower resolution but it will still show. Projectorcentral.com is a good resource for this.
- Portable. Dell M410-D. It is expensive at $800, but is just 2.4 lb and high resolution DLP at 1280×800 and is 2000 lumens so decently bright
- Pocket. Vivitek Qumi Q2. This is just 1280×800 and $500 but is just 300 lumens so much less bright. 1.4 pounds so you give up alot when you shrink.
- Pocket. LG HX350T is also small and with its brick it is 2.8 pounds. But has an LED so a 30000 hours battery life. pretty amazing. 1024×768 resolution. $300. It is tiny at 2.4″ height by 6.3″ width by 5.3″ depth
- Picol. Favi Ed-LEP-PICO. Just 50 lumens and is 848×480. Having this small brightness means only a 40″ image in a dark room, so that is a huge tradeoff. It is not really a general purpose player, mainly supports an SD card so if really for display from your SD compatible camera. Tha main advantage is
Then the last is the lightest weight speakers that are again battery powered since you don’t know where AC power is.
Finally the nerve center is a laptop that does it all. For me that is the latest MacBook Air. It is fast enough for photo editing and projection.
