Optoma Neo-i iPod dock has own mini projector

Optoma's pico projector line took an unusual turn on Monday as the company launched the Neo-i. The iPhone and iPod speaker dock is the first to have its own pico projector. Adding the simple unit lets it cast up to an 854x480 image as large as 120 inches, turning the design into a portable movie system for regular photos and videos as well as any apps that support TV out, like Netflix.

The design is intended for dark rooms with just 50 lumens of brightness, but it puts out 16W of stereo audio regardless of how it's used. It can take video from other sources over HDMI and VGA, including through an Apple TV or the iPad's Dock Connector to VGA adapter. Listeners can steer audio through built-in controls on the dock itself in addition to the Apple hardware or a bundled IR remote.

All Dock Connector iPods with TV output should work with the dock, including the sixth-generation iPod nano. Optoma's price parallels the hybrid design and will see it cost $449 when it ships in mid-December.

by MacNN Staff