NEO-i iPhone Dock Includes Pico LED Projector

SAN FRANCISCO - Optoma was showing a new iPhone and iPod dock at Macworld Expo that includes speakers and a built-in pico LED projector that you can use to project movies and other videos onto a wall, screen, or other flat surface. The NEO-i turns your iPod touch, iPod, or iPad (with an optional kit) into movie projector that includes a quality sound system.

The device can project an image that is up to 120” across, though that large an image would be better in a darkened environment. On the Expo show floor, we were seeing movies about half that size being projected in a well-lit environment, and they were quite watchable.

NEO-i can project onto surfaces from 8” to 188” away, making for a projected image from 5” across to 120”. It projects in 480p resolution (standard TV resolution), and uses LED lights as the projector’s at up to 50 ANSI Lumens. The sound system includes a 16 watt amplifier that can put out up to 25 decibels.

The device also comes with a remote control that allows you to control your iPhone or iPod touch’s iPod controls when it is docked in the NEO-i. It also has HDMI and VGA inputs allowing you to connect computers, Blu-ray players, and other devices to project their content.

Optoma representatives told The Mac Observer that the NEO-i began shipping last Friday, and the company is ramping up production. MSRP is currently set at US$449 [Correction: The price has been corrected to $449. - Editor].

NEO-i

In this image, the NEO-i is projecting onto the center screen. The other two screens are from some of the company’s other projectors.