Portable projector maker JMGO has abandoned its usual bulky box shape for a tubular projector model called the PicoPlay, which combines Full HD visuals with a Bluetooth music speaker and ambient light show, making it a great little device for impromptu disco parties too.
It comes in a slender form factor, with the JMGO PicoPlay being about the same size as a travel mug, which means it can easily be slipped into a backpack or held in the hand.
The company is offering two versions of the PicoPlay, with a standard model and a Plus version that comes in black instead of white, offering a brighter light source.
The standard version is powered by an LED light source that maxes out at around 400 lumens. Not the best by any means, but plenty enough for night time viewing, and bright enough perhaps to get a decent picture if you can block out the sunshine and project the images into a darkened corner of the room. As for the PicoPlay Plus, this costs an extra $150 and cranks up the brightness to 450 ISO lumens.
According to JMGO, both versions have a brightness uniformity rating of 85% and cover an impressive 124% of the Rec.709 colour spectrum, with a contrast ratio of 400:1 and HDR10 support. The company explains that they can put out an image of a maximum 180-inches diagonally, but smaller images will likely be sharper and brighter, so we recommend you don’t go quite so big.
In terms of setup, the PicoPlay has a rubber base that rotates 88 degrees over a ring, and combines with a flat rubbery strip along the side, allowing it to be placed at various different angles to help direct its laser light beam onto the projection surface. There’s also autofocus, auto keystone correction, adaptive brightness and smart eye protection built in, ensuring that anyone should be able to get a perfect picture with minimal fuss.
Connectivity wise, users have Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 and a HDMI 2.1 port that supports enhanced audio return, which means it can be integrated with external speakers. There’s also a USB 2.0 port on board. The PicoPlay runs the Google TV operating system, which means Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and various other streaming apps are baked in. Through Google Play, you’ll be able to download more than 100,000 apps, the company declares.
There is one slight issue with the JMGO PicoPlay, though. While the company likes to stress the portable nature of its latest projector, it doesn’t actually come with a battery. So it needs to be hooked up to a power source via its USB-C power port, which means either a power plug, or at least a battery pack. For that reason, the company sells a powerbank stand as an accessory, which provides up to 4.5 hours of use when in eco-mode.
We also like the array of touch control on the PicoPlay, which allows it to be used without the remote control that’s supplied. As mentioned, the device also serves as a Bluetooth speaker, and in concert with this feature, it sports an app-controlled ambient light mode, where it basically projects calming live wallpapers to accompany the music. There’s even a funky plastic lens that can be fitted onto it just for this purpose, dispersing the light show in novel ways.
Because it’s a bluetooth speaker, it also comes with a punchy sound system that delivers 8-watts of noise output via an up-firing driver that delivers immersive 360-degree sound effects.
The JMGO PicoPlay is available now in white colour at a price of $299, and apparently that’s discounted from its usual price of $499 for a limited time. As for the black PicoPlay Plus, that currently costs $449, discounted from the regular price of $549. If you want to add the powerbank stand, that’ll cost you an extra $50, whichever model you select.
