Mobile Technology

Pico-packin' Ayane smartphone can project 42-inch images

Pico-packin' Ayane smartphone can project 42-inch images
The MagicOn Ayane has a built-in pico projector
The MagicOn Ayane has a built-in pico projector
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Turn down the lights and point the Ayane at a nearby wall for a 42-inch slideshow
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Turn down the lights and point the Ayane at a nearby wall for a 42-inch slideshow
Images don't necessarily need to be thrown on a wall
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Images don't necessarily need to be thrown on a wall
The MagicOn Ayane has a built-in pico projector
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The MagicOn Ayane has a built-in pico projector
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The manual focus projector puts out 35 lumens, has a resolution of 480 x 640, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and is capable of throwing a 42-inch image onto a flat surface nearby
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The manual focus projector puts out 35 lumens, has a resolution of 480 x 640, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and is capable of throwing a 42-inch image onto a flat surface nearby
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The Ayane sports a 4-inch multi-touch IPS display at 800 x 480 resolution
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The Ayane sports a 4-inch multi-touch IPS display at 800 x 480 resolution
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The MagicOn Ayane features a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor on an MTK 6589 chipset, supported by 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of included storage, with microSD expansion
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The MagicOn Ayane features a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor on an MTK 6589 chipset, supported by 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of included storage, with microSD expansion
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Accessories like a tripod are also available
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Accessories like a tripod are also available
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Despite smartphones packing integrated pico projectors being around for a good few years now, it's fair to say that they haven't really set the mobile technology buying public on fire. Hong Kong's Conplex International is hoping that the promise of walking into a meeting and being able to give a presentation on any blank wall, or being able to view photos with friends on a big screen without needing to find a TV that's not already being used, will tempt buyers to its MagicOn Ayane smartphone.

The 125.5 x 65 x 13 mm (4.9 x 2.6 x 0.5 in), dual-SIM Ayane comes in black and gray and sports a 4-inch multi-touch IPS display at 800 x 480 resolution. There's a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor on an MTK 6589 chipset, supported by 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of included storage, with microSD expansion. It runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, has 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and comes with a 2000 mAh battery. Mobile photography and selfie needs are met by 5 megapixel camera to the back with flash, and a 0.3 MP webcam at the front.

Accessories like a tripod are also available
Accessories like a tripod are also available

To the top of the smartphone is a pico projector courtesy of Texas Instruments Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology. The supplied specs state that the manual focus projector puts out 35 lumens, has a resolution of 480 x 640, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, makes use of a 100 percent NTSC color gamut, and is capable of throwing a 42-inch image onto a flat surface nearby.

All in all, the given phone specs don't hold a candle to similarly-priced modern offerings from established players like Samsung, HTC and Apple, but there is that built-in DLP technology to consider.

Intriguingly, at the time of writing, the website of the company's US wing shows a much improved model being available, but Conplex/Saga Etech's Nirat Satsangi told us that it's the specs shown above which are correct.

The MagicOn Ayane runs to US$499. Accessories like a tripod and Bluetooth gaming pad are also available.

The promo video below demonstrates how the technology might be of use to you.

Product page: MagicOn Ayane

Ayane AV 2014

View gallery - 15 images
2 comments
2 comments
Robert Fallin
How is the audio? Without good audio, the presentation is still limited to "stand up routine".
Ralf Biernacki
35 lumens? You've got to be kidding me. That's a single, moderately bright LED. No, not the high-intensity kind that get used in flashlights---these go up to about 1000 lm---just an ordinary indicator LED. Or a little less than three standard candles. And you want to project onto a 42" screen with that? No amount of DLP is going to make this image visible in anything other than total, darkroom-level darkness.