Hasta La Gadget!

Pocket projectors are going mainstream as HP became the latest company to introduce a compact projector for notebooks.

HP’s pocket projector measures four inches by three inches and weighs less than a pound. It can project an image up to 60 inches from a distance of 8.5 feet, which makes it pretty handy for meetings and for use at conferences. The 858 x 600 SVGA resolution results in crisp images and the 100 lumens bulb, says HP, can offer up to 10,000 hours of usage life.

Though it can work with any laptop with a VGA connection, HP has designed some features that will make it attractive for consumers who already own HP notebooks. The projector’s AC adapter is the same as an HP notebook adapter so you can carry just one while traveling.

The projector ships with a tripod in a neat little bag that’s about the size of a make-up pouch. And at $500, it is a good buy.

The one thing we wish this projector had was battery power. The lack of it means long cords and a scramble for the nearest power outlets, something you can do without while you worry about that presentation to make.

Photo: HP