[September 02, 2011] Mini marvel is a very bright idea ; GADGETS [Mirror (UK)] Tweet (Mirror (UK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) VIVITEK QUMI Q2 pounds 670 **** As cool as tiny pico projectors are, their lack of brightness usually renders them all but unusable in most situations. But now this dinky device has upped the stakes considerably and, in contrast to your usual ultra-portable projector, it marks something of a breakthrough. As well as boasting 720p HD output, iDevice connectivity and 3D support - albeit limited to PCs with video cards that support the DLP-Link system - there's an impressively powerful and bright 300 lumens of output. This is about six times the brightness of most picos. With this sort of output, it's capable of projecting an image of up to an impressive 90in in a dark room, although it seemed to be at its most punchy at around the 70in enlargement mark. Unlike some full-size projectors, it doesn't struggle that much with motion and delivers some surprisingly decent black levels. There are, of course, limitations, such as the lack of optical zoom, while the built-in speaker is better ignored. If portability is a factor, this mini marvel genuinely delivers a satisfying big screen experience in a very small package. (c) 2011 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]