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Over the past 6 months or so the gadget world has been buzzing with the newest technology in projectors. So what are these “Pico Projectors”, why is everyone so excited?

Imagine having a full fledged projector that fits into the palm of your hand. On a smaller scale, imagine having a projector built into your cell phone. That’s what the latest in projector technology is moving towards. But as with all new technologies there are still some major steps before we in the legal system can use them in a professional setting.

When Texas Instruments (the company that seems to be the farthest along in the technology) first demonstrated their prototype it was too low of a resolution, too large in size, and used too much battery power. But as with all technology times are changing.

Enter the first consumer available Pico Projector; the MPro110 by 3M (available September 30th, using TI technology). Weighing in at around 5.3 ounces and at 4.5 inches long, it’s small and light. Unfortunately, with a max resolution of 640×480 you won’t be putting it in your brief case and setting it up in the courtroom. Not to mention the image would be too washed out to be useful, this is due to it having very low lumens (some report as low as 10lumens, compared to the 3,500 we use in court).

At $359, I imagine within a year we most likely will be loaning these out to clients attached to an ipod touch for Keynote or PowerPoint presentation playback in a mediation setting. The only issue is will the LED technology used to project the images become so precise, that you can still get a quality image on a surface other than a screen?

Only time will tell, but I’m excited to get one of these in my hands. The ability to give quick demonstrations of our Keynote presentations without lugging around 5 pieces of equipment sounds like a dream.

Check out this Pico Projector fit into a BlackBerry Curve!!

Tags: mobile, pico, presentations, projector, technology