Samsung's Galaxy Beam Released in the UK

Samsung has officially released its latest version of the Galaxy Beam smartphone, which comes with a built-in projector. The device is currently available in the UK only and is capable of casting up to 50 inches of high definition content onto a wall or other flat surface. The current model was first debuted back in February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

According to Vice President of Samsung UK and Ireland Simon Stanford, "It's the kind of device you won't find anywhere else - a high-definition projector within a standard-sized smartphone - and is great for people who want to watch movies, show photos to friends or need to give a presentation while they're out and about."

The very first iteration of the Galaxy Beam was unveiled back in 2010. The update brought a larger screen that measured 4' as opposed to 3.7', though the device still carries a very outdated operating system in Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The smartphone also runs on a dual-core 1GHz processor and features a 5-megapixel camera along with 8GB of internal memory.

No official UK pricing was announced by Samsung for the Galaxy Beam, though carriers have been announced and include T-Mobile and Orange through Carphone Warehouse. Orange has the cheapest offer which involves a free device and a £31 monthly contract. Various independent online retailers are also offering the device for around £400.

Source: ZD Net - Samsung's Galaxy Beam projector-phone goes on sale in UK

Pixelworks Debuts New SoC for Next-Generation Projectors

Pixelworks has just announced that it has started shipping a new SoC that is targeted at next-generation, mainstream LCD and DLP projectors for use in the education, business and home theater segments. The new device is known as the Topaz SoC and, according to Pixelworks, supports 1080p and WUXGA 1,920 x 1,080 resolutions along with standard and non-standard 3D content. This includes 3D format decoding with a universal 3D glasses interface.

In addition to that, the SoC comes with a video decoder that supports 8/10 bit analog inputs or HDMI/DVI digital inputs (including HDMI 1.3, 1.4 3D), a USB 2.0 host controller, Ethernet MAC, on-screen display menu controller and an ARM9 processor, which allows you to enable projector vendors to use custom applications.

According to Senior Vice President of Pixelworks Graham Loveridge, "Current projector technology is undergoing a significant transition as more diverse and sophisticated applications become available, creating expanded opportunities for our newest family of products. The evolution in illumination engines and light source technology is migrating from traditional lamp-based light sources to LED and laser technologies, which will enable a lower cost of ownership as well as more compact and portable designs."

Pixelworks has yet to unveil any specific products that will feature the company's new SoC, though Pixelworks did say that the new SoC is targeted at mainstream LCD and DLP projectors for the education and business markets, as well as for use in the home theater market, which means that there could be a large assortment of projectors that will be utilizing Pixelworks' new SoC.

Source: Tom's Hardware - Pixelworks Launches SoC for Next-Gen LED, 3D Projectors

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Canon Updates LV Range with 10 New Projectors

The European branch of Canon has just launched a major update to its successful LV range of portable projectors by adding 10 new models to its lineup. Canon's LV projector line has proven to be very popular in the corporate setting as well as the education industry. In addition to adding the new projectors, the line has also been divided into three different classes. The LV range now comes in Standard, Middle and Advanced models, each of which is tailored to specific needs.

The four projectors of the ten that are categorized as Advanced provide a brightness of between 2,200 and 3,000 lumens and also feature network connectivity and built-in 10W speakers. The Middle category projectors come with 1W speakers and HDMI inputs and offer brightness between 2,220 and 2,600 lumens in XGA and WXGA formats. The three models in the Standard category provide long-life lamps and filters while also offering brightness of between 2,200 lumens and 3,000 lumens in XGA format.

According to Julian Rutland, Canon's Visual Communication Products and Solutions Director, "The projectors will be valuable additions to Canon's stable of consumer products." In addition to that, Rutland added, "The expansion of our LV range and the recent addition of two new models in our XEED installation range means that Canon now has a projector for a home office right through to a powerful installed projector in an exhibition hall."

Source: Projector Point - Canon adds 10 new projectors to its LV range