Pico Projector Guide: What Is A Pico Projector?

What Is A Pico Projector?

The word Pico is a Spanish term that technically means "one trillionth" but by many it is also define as very small and it has recently emerged as a standard term used by the projector industry to describe very small projectors. As such, Pico Projectors are tiny handheld projectors that are significantly smaller than the traditional table top projectors that we have come to expect.

Pico Projectors are a quickly emerging technology that is expected to explode over the next several years and their development is a direct response to the the rapid growth of portable electronic devices such as digital cameras, and mobile phone. Pico Projectors work better than older projectors that had to be projected onto a projector screen. Instead these new devices can be projected onto almost any surface regardless of its physical characteristics.

Over the past couple years Pico Projector sizes were similar to cell phones and thus began being tagged "pocket projectors" however recently Pico Projectors have been getting significantly smaller and it is expected that soon they will be able to be integrated with mobile phones and digital cameras.

What Type Of Lighting Do Pico Projectors Use?

Traditional projectors use incandescent lamps to project images which provides a significantly lower picture quality that new Pico Projectors that use LED lighting and laser lighting. LED and laser lightning are the newest digital imaging technologies and are currently being used on the newest TVs. Most Pico Projectors use LED but there are a few laser ones at this time.

What Are The Benefits/Advantages Of Pico Projectors Over Traditional Projectors?

Portability is the main advantage of a Pico Projector. In the past projectors were large, bulky, and it was difficult and time consuming to carry one to a presentation if needed. Soon, when someone wants to give a business or class presentation they can upload it onto their mobile phone and quickly pull it out in order to start the presentation. Gone will be the days of a projectors failing or someones presentation that is on a zip drive being incompatible with said projectors. Another advantage is cost. Pico Projectors, with their small size, are significantly cheaper than traditional projectors. Pico Projectors are also much better than older projectors because their images can be displayed on any surface rather than only an smooth, flat, white surfaces. Finally, one of the biggest advantages of Pico Projectors is their high picture quality as compared to traditional projectors.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Pico Projectors?

Currently Pico Projectors have the disadvantage of coming with little or no added features such as contrast or focus. However these features will probably be added as the Pico Projector is further developed. Another disadvantage is that you would need to carry another device around with you on top of your mobile phone. Pico Projectors will be much more realistic and convenient once they are fully integrated into mobile phones. Another disadvantages is that currently most Pico Projector displays are not bright enough to be used in a normally lit room. Again this is another feature that will likely be improved with time.

Are There Any Other Names For Pico Projectors?

Although a Pico Projector is the most common name it is also often referred to as a handheld projector, mobile projector, LED projector or pocket projector.

What Is The Future Of Pico Projectors?

All of the Pico Projectors that are currently on the market are essentially first generation products and are expected to improve greatly over the next several years as the technology is further developed. It's kind of like the Ipod, everybody knows how much better and cheaper the new Ipods are today as compared with the first generation ones.

Some things people can expect to see as the technology improves include higher picture quality, long battery life, smaller size, full mobile phone and digital camera integration, added features such as contrast and focus, better brightness for use in normally it rooms, lower prices, and much much more.

The growth of the Pico Projector industry is projected to be huge over the next several years with total shipments in 2013 expected to be 6 times what they were in 2009. In 2009 there were about 500,000 shipments of Pico Projectors and this number is expected to be 3 million by 2013 with it being a $1 billion industry. As Pico Projectors get better and begin being integrated in cell phones their popularity is expected to skyrocket. At some point we imagine that most everybody will be equipped with a Pico Projector in their pocket.