LED

Folks in the US looking for a smart projector are pretty much dependent on Google running the show, or have to plug in a streaming stick. Roku has now partnered with Aurzen for a wallet-friendly entertainment hub with Roku TV baked in.

Back in May we covered the China-only release of a lifestyle projector merged with a mood lamp. Now that idea has morphed into the brightest member of Epson's new Lifestudio mini projector family for US release, which also includes a 4K Pop model.

Earlier this year, BenQ announced the European launch of a 4LED Home Cinema projector. Now this W4100i 4LED DLP model is available for sale in the US, featuring 150-inch 4K visuals at up to 3,200 lumens plus a game-friendly 240-Hz mode.

China's Wanbo has officially launched the Vali 1, a portable Full HD smart projector with an integrated gimbal stand that outshines its peers for "best-in-class sound and vision performance."

Canister-shaped lifestyle projectors are great for quick and easy wall-filling viewing in a small space without the room being dominated by a huge TV. Yaber's T1 Pro also serves up mood lighting, and rocks the house with TurboSonic sound.

Laser light sources for projectors have their pros and cons. The same is true for LED. The MP1 Max from Dangbei teams them up for the promise of "stunning color accuracy, and enhanced viewing comfort."

Around this time last year, Yaber launched two portable 1080p projectors designed to provide entertainment on outdoor adventures. They both required a dongle to access Google TV, but the company has now rectified that with the T2 Plus GTV edition.

Acer is showcasing a bunch of new products at Asia's largest tech expo this week, including a new compact smart projector. The PD1520s shines bright with 4,000 LED lumens, can throw up big-screen HD visuals and promises easy setup.

Dangbei has announced the launch of a compact 1080p smart projector that's mounted to a gimbal stand for one-handed image adjustment over 190 degrees. The N2 mini can stream popular apps, can throw visuals at up to 120 inches and rocks Dolby sound.

BenQ has created the Home Cinema Series to meet the "diverse needs of home entertainment enthusiasts ranging from beginners to expert connoisseurs." Joining last year's newbie-friendly 4LED projector is a brighter model plus a pro-level laser thrower.

As we noted for our review of the Freedo recently, warmer evenings up north could mean taking your entertainment outdoors. ViewSonic latest portable projectior is a palm-sized model rocks Harman Kardon audio and is mounted to a 360-degree 3-in-1 stand.

As it starts to get a little warmer in the Northern Hemisphere, you might be looking to the yard for movie nights. Many portable projectors still need to be plugged in, but Dangbei's Freedo caters for cable-free watching for up to 2.5 hours.