3M MPro110 Pico Projector Customer Review

3 stars

3 stars

3 stars

3 stars
DigitalTrends.com – David Tanaka – Dec 3, 2008 – Editorial review
Pros: Battery powered; highly portable; fan-less operation; VGA and composite connections

Cons: Dim output limits range; short VGA cable; lens suffer from pin-cushioning

3M’s MPro110 is the first of a new wave of tiny digital projectors about to wash onto the market. This sector saw some bounce earlier this year with Microvision, Texas Instruments and 3M all talking up their respective micro projector ventures, which will eventually find themselves incorporated into cellular phones, cameras, etc. But the MPro110, available here and now, follows a more traditional route. A pocket-sized digital projector that handles feeds from both VGA and composite video sources, we’re happy to report that it’s a solid fit for the average road warrior. And yes, it really does fit in the palm of your hand. Features and Design The darling feature of the 3M MPro110 is, naturally, its size. At roughly 4.5 inches long, two inches wide and just under an inch thick, the device is bigger and thicker than a Blackberry Pearl smartphone, but smaller than a 2.5-inch portable hard drive. The case is essentially an oblong box with rounded corners. The sides are black plastic, but the top plate, front end cap and door for the rechargeable battery on the back are matte silver. Inside is 3M’s micro projector engine. The imager technology is Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS). The projector’s native resolution is VGA (640×480 pixels), but it will display up to WXGA (1280×768) quality.

The 3M MPro110 pocket projector is so small and light that it could easily fit into an actual shirt pocket. Even with its included rechargeable battery, this device weighs just a few ounces and is barely larger than the remote controls of many other projectors. What would you use this tiny projector for? 3M offers several potential scenarios, including projecting videos or slideshows from your cell phone or camera, as well as for traditional laptop usage (if in a very dark room.) Sadly, this innovation feels more like a proof of concept than an actual projector.