Samsung Thinks Small
Samsung has a couple of new products that break the mold on what you might expect from computer peripherals. Samsung's Dual Display 2263DX is a dual display with a twist. It is actually a normal 22-inch LCD display that also includes a 7-inch "companion" display that attaches to the larger display, "via a pivoting, swiveling arm which allows it to be positioned on either side or above the main display for a truly comfortable, customizable work environment." The smaller display uses the USB-based DisplayLink technology.
The 22-inch display features a native resolution of 1,680x1,050; while the 7-inch is 800x600. Samsung claims a brightness of 300 cd2/m and 200 cd2/m for them, respectively, as well as contrast ratios of 1000:1 and 400:1, and response times of 5ms and 30ms. The 22-incher includes 15-pin D-SUB, DVI-D, and HDMI video inputs, as well as a microphone and headphone jacks. The 7-inch display plugs into the larger display via a USB connection on the larger unit. The larger display also includes an integrated 3-megapixel webcam, speakers, and a microphone.
Another curious Samsung device on the near horizon is the Samsung P400 Pocket Projector, as first reported by CNET U.K.'s Rory Reid. Reid reports that the mini-projector is light and small, and can run on battery power for up to 2 hours. It even has a built-in speaker:
"It only runs at SVGA resolution -- 800x600 pixels -- but that's higher than the resolution used by DVD movies and, indeed, consoles such as the Nintendo Wii and PS2. The quality of the image was commendable, too. We managed to get an image size of approximately 50 inches from around 2m away, and the 150 ANSI lumens brightness was certainly watchable -- even in a room that was reasonably well-lit."
While Samsung has found some innovative ways to squeeze productivity from miniaturized products, believe it or not, others are working on shrinking down devices even further. Back in early January, 3M announced an "ultra-compact, LED-illuminated projection engine" designed to be integrated into portable devices, such as cell phones. "Roughly the size of a wireless earpiece and less than half an inch thick, the 3M mobile projection engine delivers brilliant VGA resolution images..."
"When deployed in a host platform, such as a mobile phone, 3M’s technology can project a 40-inch or larger image with no-speckle and a high-fill factor that ensures superior image quality. Each engine uses an advanced liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) electronic imager in conjunction with proprietary 3M optics technology."
It would appear that thinking small pays off after all.
