Using a Pico Pocket Projector

There are so many times I've ended up in a meeting room with a broken projector or no projector. Or wanted to have an impromptu meeting with a prospective client or supplier. 

Pico pocket projectors are ideal for these situations. Many pico projectors come with software to transfer powerpoint presentations into a format that can be stored on the projector or its media cards so you can have everything you need to present on the one small device. 

Other projectors actually have the Windows CE operating system built-in so you can work with presentations on the device itself. 

And most portable projectors will allow you to display the image from a connected laptop provided you have the right cables. 

Most pico projectors require fairly low ambient light, but the newer ones are getting more powerful (see Pico Projector brightness.) Don't expect a substitute for a desktop projector, pocket projectors are best suited to small groups. 

Watching movies is one of the most popular uses for a Pico Projector. The cheapest Pico Projectors are good for watching a movie in a dark room. 

Many people use the same projector for business use during the day and then watch a movie on a hotel ceiling at night. 

You can create a cinema experience at home in the basement. Or just project movies onto a wall if different family members want to watch different things. A pocket projector is a good alternative to having a big screen TV in every room. (Provided you can reduce the light level as required by the projector you choose.)

Moms like to be able to put on a cartoon show for their child in different rooms as they need to be in different parts of the house. This works well in kids rooms where you have a blackout blind. But the more powerful pico projectors will create an image that will be fine for a brightly colored kids show without needing to make it dark. 

Most Pico projectors allow you to store videos on the device or a media card, or connect a phone, tablet, laptop or other media (with the right cables.) 

There are many situations where it's great to be able to take a video or a set of photos and then share them immediately. Pocket projectors are great for family and business uses where playback to a small group is useful or fun. 

Maybe you're a photographer who wants to be able to impress clients with big versions of their photos after a shoot.  

People take videos and photos at a family event and then share them when they get home in the evening. Or take your pico projector on a Ski or other sports vacation and then watch the day's events in the evening. 

As with other media, photos can usually be stored on the projector or a media card or shown from another device such as a phone or digital camera.

Another use for a Pico Projector is to play video games on a really large screen wherever you are. 

You could display a game from your phone or tablet, from a games console like a PlayStation, X-Box or Wii, or from a gaming PC. (Again if you have the right cables!)

There are portable projectors designed specifically for video game applications. They can be less expensive but also larger. Certainly easy to move around, but not necessarily to fit in your pocket.

Gaming projectors are also designed to create large images in small rooms. (Image size is controlled by distance from the screen in mini projectors.)

You should consider a specific gaming projector if gaming will be your main use, and other uses will be occasional. 

There are lots more innovative uses people have come up with for a pico projector including:

• Projecting an image to use as the basis for a drawing or painting. You can project an image onto a blank canvas. 
• Putting into a museum or art installation so small groups can experience a projection at low cost and without taking up much space. 
• Taking camping or in an RV so you have big screen wherever you are without taking up much space. 
• Showing movies in the backyard in the evening. 
• Using a Pico Projector as part of a Halloween costume!
• Projecting relaxing images onto a baby's ceiling instead of buying a baby projector.