Review: Sapphire Mini Projector 101

Pico projectors are the next big thing - tiny little pocketable devices that can be whipped out and made to display an image up to 50 or 60 inches in size. This one from Sapphire is one of the few available in SA, and comes with a few nice extras.

The old “travelling salesman” clich'e works well to give an example of why you'd want one of these. You're out on the road and need to do a presentation. Your client's boardroom has just been commandeered by the CEO, and you're asked if the upstairs office “will do”. It might, but your 13-inch laptop ain't gonna make an impression. A 40-inch display, on the other hand...

That's one use. Another hackneyed example sees you trying to show your friends a video on your phone. Crowding around a two-inch display isn't very glamorous, so why not hook your mobile up to something that'll wow the crowd?

Thankfully, Sapphire's unimaginatively named Mini Projector 101 comes with cables for Nokia phones that have video capabilities, as well as a little connector for Apple's iPod, iPhone or iPad. Hooking up using either cable is simple, and the little projector instantly picks up the video source before displaying it on the nearest wall. Also in the box is a VGA connector, for use with a laptop or computer, and a composite video cable - the kind used by DVD players or similar.

This pint-sized projector does what it says on the box - projects images. It uses Texas Instruments' DLP tech, and in this micro application this tends to produce a noticeable and distracting colour strobe effect, especially with fast-moving video where your eyes are following on-screen action.

It's also not particularly bright. At 20 000 hours, the LED lamp will last longer than this toy will ever remain fashionable for and, long before it dies, we will see similar projectors with lamps that are at least five or six times brighter. Thirteen lumens doesn't cut it in anything but a room with the curtains drawn and lights switched off. Its VGA resolution is also very limiting. It's fine when you're viewing a video saved on your phone, but designing your Powerpoint presentations for that resolution will prove a bit of a challenge.

Setting it up is dead easy. Along with all the connector cables, there's also a flexible tripod for positioning it on almost any surface. Placement is key, too, because there are no digital adjustments to compensate for keystone angle or similar. Power comes from a rechargeable battery pack, which is good for around two hours, but keep the charger plugged in and your impromptu cinema will last for as long as Eskom has coal.

Sound is best handled using whatever your source device is. In my case, a Bluetooth speaker paired with an iPhone proved to give great sound for the 40-inch picture. Using the projector's built-in speaker is like trying to hear mice jump on a bed.

There is super-gadget appeal in having something like this. You can flash it around and make people think it's a cellphone, then slide open the lens cover and hook it up to your actual phone for movie fun time. It's pricey, though. Similarly-specced models can be had for a bit cheaper, and when functionality is this basic there's very little other than price to influence a purchasing decision. If you must have one, this will do. Just don't expect it to be anything other than a temporary solution to a problem you've yet to encounter.