CES 2008: 3M Launches Mobile Phone Projector January 08, 2008

Just a few days ago I covered the launch of a new projection system for mobile devices by Microvision and now here’s 3M with a fully operation projection device that can be implanted into any mobile phone. Sweet.

The LED-based device is less than half an inch thick and roughly the same size as a wireless earpiece. Despite this, 3M claims that it is capable of VGA resolution images and unlike certain other tiny projection technologies, it is available today. Texas Instruments showed it’s own Pico Projector in action here a few months back.

3M claims that its wee projector is capable of firing out a 40in, or larger, image with “no-speckle and a high-fill factor that ensures superior image quality”.

“3M mobile projection engines achieve the size, efficiency, image quality and affordability needed for consumer adoption of this promising new product category,” said Mike Kelly, executive vice president, 3M Display and Graphics Business.

It will be interesting to see which phone maker snaps this up first. It’s about time luxury mobile phones offered something a lot more useful and cool than some silly shiny metal and Swarovski crystals.-Martin Lynch