Name: TAXAN KG-PL105S
Category: projector
Price: About JPY140,000
Release date in Japan: Mid-October, 2008

"Mobile projectors" are generally defined as those under 2 kg in weight. Tokyo-based Kaga Components, holder of the TAXAN brand of projectors, goes well under that bar with the palmtop-sized 780-gram KG-PL105S. The projector's LED lamp, a first for a TAXAN, not only saves weight but is energy eficient and long-lasting: Kaga says its "ecology projector" runs at an economical 100W, and the light will last 20,000 hours. (Anyone who's bought one of the hyper-expensive, mercury-containing bulbs used by conventional projectors will appreciate that.)

The KG-PL105S's short-focus lens projects a 40-inch image (800x600 pixels, 16 million colors, 140 lumens) from only 1.1 meters away - a closer (and thus brighter) distance than the 1.5 meters Kaga's previous mobile projectors require to achieve an image that size.

The projector has a mini D-sub RGB connector for use with a PC or DVD player, but you don't need to have external hardware handy: the KG-PL105S can play a slideshow from images (such as photos or slideshows converted to JPEG images) or play DivX video from a thumbdrive in its USB port.

Early buyers get a freebie: a 20-inch folding portable screen. Kaga will later release accessories including a 22-inch screen and portable batteries.

This is not the smallest projector you could buy; the pocket-sized Kairen YK Pro920 is only 190 grams (though at a wan 10 lumens, is a bit of a toy as well). And 140-lumen brightness isn't all that bright, as the full-size projectors made for big conference rooms typically run 2000 lumens and higher. But the KG-PL105S sounds handy for small meeting rooms, temporary retail displays, trade show presentations, and meetings on-the-go.

More info (Japanese):
http://www.taxan-projector.jp/releases/080925.php
Kairen YK Pro920 (English):
http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/07/pro920_projector