Nikon Unveils a Camera With Built-In Projector 108
All the gadget blogs are covering Nikon's new S1000pj digital camera with integrated projector. Reader Sabre Runner recommends Engadget's writeup, which goes like this: "The Nikon Coolpix S1000pj has gone from crazy rumor to seemingly-real to whoa-here's-the-press-release in record time — the compact cam with the integrated projector was just officially announced, along with the three other cams we saw leaked earlier today. Leaked specs for the S1000pj were dead-on: a 12.1 megapixel sensor with ISO 6400 sensitivity mounted behind a 5x wide-angle zoom lens with five-way VR stabilization, and that LED-powered projector that'll put up a 40-inch image for slideshows complete with music, effects, and transitions. We're a little less excited about the $430 list price this thing will carry when it hits in September, but on the whole it's a pretty terrific idea and we're completely intrigued — looks like we'll be saving our pennies this month."
Laser pointers! (Score:4, Insightful)
And you thought laser pointers were annoying at the $1 movie theater! Wait'll this technology becomes commonplace.
I'll tell you what the use is (Score:4, Insightful)
The use is when you take a bunch of pictures and videos at the baby shower in the morning then bring them over to grandmas house who could not make it.
Instead of being greeted with a blank stare when you ask "where's your laptop so I can show you the pictures", you just beam them onto the wall.
Grandma is happy she can see the pictures / video right away, and you get back into the will.
Re:Gimmicky (Score:4, Insightful)
So were early digital cameras.
Give it 10 or 15 generations.
Re:Laser pointers! (Score:3, Insightful)
Ten lumens. The only way that projector will annoy you in a movie theater is if the idiot operating it is pointing it at your face.
Don't forget where we're coming from... (Score:4, Insightful)
Anyone complaining about the projector quality should stop and think for a moment...
It's a VIDEO PROJECTOR....on a COMPACT CAMERA....and it's the FIRST ONE...a cool moment in gadget history. Video projectors use to be three tube CRTs and weighed at least 40 pounds for a portable. You had to spend an hour waiting for it to warm up and performing tube alignment, keystone, etc. (been there, done that in 'the olden days' of multimedia presentation)
Yep, it's going to be very low power. Projectors are battery hungry. Yep it's going to be low resolution at first (640X480) but it's way better than nothing! That instant-review might be very useful, even at low resolution.
Yep, the badly produced PR video is faked. (why not just have the guy set it down on the table first?) but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt that it works, since it will be sold as a consumer product fairly shortly. They can make the projector image stabilization feature come later. :)
Re:More details (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Adverts are all faked - it's traditional (Score:3, Insightful)