January 5th, 2010
This week you’ll see a lot of new gadgets in the news — that’s because it’s time for the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Every year, technology companies gather around this conference to demo cutting-edge contraptions and speculate about what the year holds in new developments. Let’s take a look at what we can expect in new projectors:
Touch. As the brand new Light Blue Optics “Light Touch” demonstrates, the “touch” trend in electronics is now entering the projector realm. Their 10-inch projector was announced today, which turns any surface into a touch screen using laser technology. Their simulated examples are definitely breathtaking (see above) — but we won’t see how well it really works until the conference.
High-definition. “HD” is getting non-stop buzz everywhere as Blu-ray players and discs get cheaper and cheaper. Vivitek plans to release two 1080p projector models at CES and others will surely follow suit. In spite of the buzz, HD projection is still so new that it’s prohibitively expensive: thousands for a new unit.
Small and portable. Ever heard of a “pico projector”? It’s a new trend in pocket-sized projectors. A few versions were already released in 2009 but we’ll probably see these mini projectors crammed into everything from laptops to cell phones at CES. Texas Instruments is demoing a new model and Logic Bolt just released a buzzed-about new projector-phone. Unfortunately, even new models have abysmal battery life, and dim, tiny screens. We’ll see if this new trend gets off the ground.
3D. It’s taking over at the movie theaters and it might take over at home one day as well. Optoma announced yesterday that it would release a whole line of 3D projectors at CES. Last year, 3D flat screens made a major splash at CES, but none have caught on yet. Panasonic was a pioneer in the area and will likely keep it up. However, without a standard format, these technologies remain an experiment. In other words: Don’t expect your neighbor to have a 3D projector any time soon.
Energy-savers. Greener technology always attracts attention at CES and the projector niche will have its fair share of similar developments. The most energy-consuming aspect of a projector is the bright light projecting the image. NEC is solving that problem by releasing a projector line that throws less light — it’s a short throw projector. Instead, the user keeps it closer to the screen. But limited light and distance clearly has its disadvantages.
What do you think of these new technologies? Leave a comment.
January 1st, 2010
Have a safe and happy new year from your friends at Projector123.com
If you’re like approximately 90% of the American population, you firmly resolve to accomplish specific results each January, yet your interest wanes within about 3-8 weeks. Perhaps you are so disappointed in past results that you lack the will to even set New Year’s Resolutions at all. Well, don’t despair. Here are some practical hints to help you maintain your resolve all year long.
The most common New Year’s Resolutions include fitness goals and smoking cessation. Many people also vow to “get organized” once and for all (as if it were a one-time event!) If “getting organized” were a one-time activity, a lot more people would achieve that goal. Unfortunately, it requires a constant choice to “get” and “remain” organized.
Step one in your nuts-and-bolts guide to “setting goals that stick” is to figure out exactly what you want. Here’s a hint: you don’t want to lose weight, get out of debt or get organized. Perhaps what you really want is to look sexy, feel healthy, be in control of your finances and live life without stress. You’ll get far better results when you focus on what you do want instead of what you don’t want.
Figure out exactly what you want to be, do or have, and get specific about it. Do some research if you have to. If you dream of taking a luxurious vacation to an exotic locale, stop dreaming and start taking action that will get you there.
Start with a little research on the internet, at your local bookstore or library and by talking to people who’ve been there. For example, which countries do you want to visit? Which cities in each country? What national or historical landmarks do you have a burning desire to experience? What time of year is best for the geographic area? What documents or immunizations will you need? What languages are spoken and do you need to learn these or can you get by in English? Start getting really clear on what you want to get out of this once-in-a-lifetime vacation you’ve been wanting.
That should keep you busy until our next installment which covers how to get what you want.
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