Optoma Neo-i

Optoma Neo-i

Depending on your point of view, the Optoma Neo-i ($450 street) is a projector with an iPod dock, an iPod dock with a built-in projector, or a new category of product altogether. It's actually all three of these things at once. But don't be mislead into thinking the Neo-i is strictly an iPod or iPhone accessory - It's a capable projector even for people who don't own anything with the Apple name on it. (Yes, there really are some of us.) As the Neo-i includes standard connectors for computers and other video sources besides an iPod, and Optoma is in the business of building projectors, we decided to treat it primarily as a projector. According to Optoma, what you might call the actual projector in the Neo-i - meaning the engine and the lens - is essentially identical to the Editors' Choice Optoma PK301 Pico Pocket Projector ($400 street, 4 stars) that I reviewed last April. It's built around the same 854 by 480 DLP chip and claims the same 50-lumen brightness, as well as matching most other specifications point for point. The basic difference between the two projectors is the case that the engine is mounted in.