MYVU Personal Media Viewer for Apple’s iPod Video - Hands Free, Head-up Access to a Large Virtual Screen

The Macworld Conference and expo regained some of its former sparkle yesterday, with Apple’s star again on the rise thanks to the iPod becoming the high-tech darling of the masses and the announcements of Apple’s new Intel relationship. One announcement that missed prime time yesterday but could be very significant in the near term was MicroOptical’s myvu personal media viewer. The myvu viewer, which comprises eyewear with built in video viewing and audio systems, significantly enhances the way people watch video with an Apple iPod. We’ve previously written up the success of the MYVU in France, where under the Orange brand it is paired by France Telecom with a Samsung D600 cell phone, but when the masses realize they can can have a hands-free, heads-up access to a large virtual screen by connecting to their video iPod, well, cyber serf city will never look the same again.

By connecting the small, ultra-light “binocular” eyewear viewer to an iPod, users can watch their favorite music videos, video podcasts and TV shows with a large image right in front of their eyes. Since MicroOptical’s myvu viewer works indoors and outdoors, users can experience portable video anywhere, anytime. Because the display and audio systems are built into the eyewear, myvu can be worn in any position -- reclining on an airplane, sitting on a park bench and even lying down on a couch. MicroOptical CEO Mark Spitzer said, “we chose Macworld as the venue to debut the product in the U.S. because of the overwhelming response Apple has had for its video iPod. As the iPod changes the way people experience video, the myvu viewer will accelerate its adoption by providing hands free, head-up access to a large virtual image. The myvu viewer makes watching portable video more practical.”

Macworld attendees can have a personal demonstration of the viewer in booth 849 through January 13.