LG

LG has filed a patent called “Mobile terminal with image projection”. It's a system that allows a gesture/touch user interface on a projected image. The idea is a system that identifies a pointer (finger), the shadow of the finger on the projected image and the distance between those two. When you touch something on the image, the distance is shorter - and thus you have a 'touch event'. Gesture interface is done similarly.

The NY Times has posted a funny video about the LG eXpo projector phone and the AAXA L1 laser projector:

Funny, but true. Most people do not realize that the pico-projectors are really not meant to replace a TV or a normal projector...

Here's a nice video from the Mobile World Congress show - TI demoing their DLP pico-projector chipsets and gadgets that use it (the Samsung Beam and W9600, LG Expo and NTT DoCoMo dock F-04B).

A reviewer from New Zealand is the first one to get an LG eXpo phone with the pico-projector accessory. This might mean that AT&T will soon start selling the projector unit (for $179).

The phone itself is available for $99. 

Via Slashgear

Amazon.com now lists the LG eXpo projector phone for $99, and you get $50 back (via an Amazon gift certificate).

Interestingly, the eXpo is currently #10 in Amazon's best-selling smartphone list - even before the projector accessory is actually available, the eXpo is selling quite well. It's got a lot of attention and hype over the past few weeks. We hope that other phone makers will follow suit soon with projector phones of their own.

Here's the link to Amazon.com $49 LG eXpo page, again.

update: Amazon.com now lists the LG eXpo projector phone for $49.

AT&T has started to sell the LG eXpo projector phone, for $199.99 after rebate (and with a contract). But the DLP projector accessory isn't available yet - and it will cost $170 extra.

Va Engadget

According to Engadget, LG is set to release a new windows mobile 7 phone, that is currently known as 'Monaco', and also as 'Pico'. According to AT&T, it will have a pico-projector 'accessory'.

LG Monaco (pico) phone

The Monaco is a QWERTY slider that has 3.6Mbps HSDPA, 3.2" WVGA touchscreen display (non-OLED, unfortunately...), 5Mp camera, microSD slot. There's no release date yet...