Entertainment technology brand Aurzen has launched an interesting take on the pico projector. Rather than having to carry a tripod in your bag, the Zip sports a tri-fold form factor that pulls out to a Z shape for positioning ease.
The designers say that the Zip was inspired by a "challenging camping experience, where poor network signals, unstable brackets, and complex setups highlighted the need for improvement." We've seen a few much larger projectors come with an included stand of course, but pocket-friendly flavors tend to require mounting to a tripod. The Aurzen creation goes for an all-in-one, standalone approach.
The projector's upper slate is reported to boast the world's thinnest HD optical engine featuring the smallest DLP chip. This is hinged to a mid-section that's home to "ultra-thin stereo speakers" rated at 1 watt each. Another aluminum hinge connects to an anti-slip base component containing the unit's battery.
The business end hosts time-of-flight "zero-lag" autofocus chops and auto keystone correction for stress-free setup. As you might expect for such a small unit – it measures 3.31 x 3.07 x 1.02 (84 x 78 x 26 mm) when folded, and weighs in at 9.88 oz (280 g) – the brightness output is only 100 ANSI lumens, while the native resolution is 720p not Full HD.
Usefully, there's a built-in gyro that allows for effortless vertical display orientation for showing TikTok and Insta Reels content without suffering from a landscape letterbox effect. And the Zip also operates without needing its own Wi-Fi technology, instead offering AirLink wireless screen mirroring that's compatible with iOS, Android, MacOS and Windows source devices.
A 5,000-mAh battery is reckoned good for up to 1.5 hours of audiovisual entertainment per charge, and 24-W fast charging over USB-C is supported.
Aurzen has simultaneously launched the Zip at CES 2025 in Las Vegas and started a funding push on Kickstarter to bring the pocket tri-fold into production. Early bird specials currently list perks as starting from US$249 – which represents a saving of 38% on the expected retail price. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan with the already funded campaign, shipping is estimated to start from March.
Optional add-ons include a CastPlay wireless dongle for connecting to a HDMI port on such things as TV boxes and gaming devices, a magnetic charging stand and a dual-sided magnetic mount. The video below has more.
Source: Aurzen