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I've been flying co-pilot with Anker's new R2-D2 projector, but this isn't quite the droid I'm looking for
A bad motivator is one thing, but low brightness is harder to fix
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Today is Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), and companies everywhere are getting in on the fun. Google's got some good stuff, including a free game for Stadia Pro users, but one of the coolest-looking new Star Wars gadgets this year made its debut just a little over a week ago: the Anker Nebula Capsule II Star Wars R2-D2 Limited Edition.A couple years back we checked out the company's uber-portable Nebula Capsule II projector with Android TV baked right in. Now that stalwart A/V solution is back with a fresh new look, dressing up like everyone's favorite astromech droid. Other than the new R2-D2 livery, this Capsule II is largely the same projector we reviewed back in 2019. And while its 720p resolution and 200 ANSI lumen output both feel a little on the low side now, there are still some good reasons to check out this extremely portable offering.
Watch your favorite shows anywhere you want with Anker's Nebula Capsule Max portable projector for $376 ($94 off)
It comes with Android and has a four-hour battery life
The COVID-19 pandemic is leading many of us to watch more content, and sometimes in different places than at home. Because of this, it's not always easy to have several TV sets, let alone smart ones. Thankfully, portable projectors can solve this issue, as they can be easily carried anywhere. In addition to being compact, Anker's Nebula Capsule Max runs on Android, making it seamless to access content on the go. It traditionally sells for $470, but it's now down to just $376.
A few weeks ago, I reviewed the XGIMI MoGo, a device that belongs to a rare breed of portable projectors with Android TV. A more expensive version, the MoGo Pro, is now available. It keeps most of the same specs and features, but ups the resolution to 1080p instead of 540p, and raises the brightness from 210 to 300 ANSI Lumens. The result is a sharper, slightly brighter image that makes this the best Android TV projector currently available. Whether it's worth the price hike, though, is a different story.
Anker's Nebula line of portable projectors continues to grow with the recently released Apollo. This latest pico projector has forgone the soda-can-esque form factor common among Anker's previous products in favor of a new, rectangular design. Anker has also improved projector brightness, doubling that found on the original Capsule. Best of all, the Nebula Apollo has received its first substantial discount since its September release and is currently available from Amazon for $329.Like the Capsule line before it, the Nebula Apollo is a small but capable projector. Anker has carried over most of the specs from the original Capsule, including a rechargeable battery with an estimated life of 4 hours, the limited Android 7.1 OS, and standard definition resolution with a max image size of 100 inches. While our review found the brightness on the Nebula Capsule to be lacking, this shouldn't be a problem with the Apollo, as maximum brightness has doubled to 200 ANSI lumens.
Mobile accessory maker Anker made a name for itself by producing products that are both affordable and reliable. Our review found that this held for the original Nebula Capsule, but it needed improvements in a few areas such as image resolution and brightness. Anker has since introduced the Capsule Max, which addresses these issues with improved brightness and clarity, and you can already get one at a new low price of $400 ($70 off.)The Capsule Max produces a 200-lumen 720p image up to 100 inches in size and features automatic focus and keystone correction. Its built-in rechargeable battery should be able to handle a nighttime outdoor movie viewing with an estimated four hours of playtime (three hours with Wi-Fi enabled). HDMI and USB ports ensure compatibility with a wide range of media devices.One thing to note: this projector runs a version of Android 8.1, not the full-fledged Android TV found on the Capsule II. This choice of OS limits the selection of available apps and makes accessing Netflix content a somewhat convoluted experience.The Anker Nebula Capsule Max is currently available at a discounted price of $400 directly from Anker or Amazon. According to Anker's dedicated Nebula site, this deal runs through November 1.Buy: Amazon, Anker
Until recently, most portable projectors either ran no software at all, relying on HDMI and USB for input, or offered a regular version of Android that wasn't suited for TVs or navigation with a remote. Then Anker's Nebula Capsule II launched with Android TV and the game changed drastically. It was the first projector to provide a seamless experience thanks to an optimized interface made specifically for TVs and official access to the Play Store.XGIMI, a projector maker, is now dipping its toes in the same market with the new MoGo. With Android TV, Google Assistant, Harman Kardon audio, 210 ANSI Lumens, and an appealing price tag, the MoGo has everything going for it, but you should keep an eye open for a few quirks.
Anker has been producing portable projectors since 2017, when it released the first Nebula Mars. Since then, it has made a sequel to the Mars, and a smaller Nebula Capsule the size of a soda can. While the hardware and build quality were excellent on all of them, the heavily-modified Android software always left a lot to be desired.Anker's newest model, the Nebula Capsule II, is significant because it's the first portable projector to run full-blown Android TV. No more struggling with a remote to navigate Android apps intended for phones — you get a real TV interface with real TV apps. For that reason alone, the Capsule II is the new portable projector to beat, but it has a few more nice features — as well as a few drawbacks.
Anker has released a few Android-powered projectors over the past year — the Nebula Mars, Nebula Mars II, and Nebula Capsule. Even though the Capsule is only about six months old, Anker already has plans for a replacement. The Nebula Capsule II is brighter, has a higher-resolution projector, and runs the full Android TV operating system.
When Android Police reviewed the Anker Nebula Capsule in April 2018, we said it was "almost certainly the best portable projector you can buy, but it commands a high price." That price just got a lot more reasonable, though, with a sale that brings the soda can-sized smart projector to 5 on Amazon — $85 off its original $350 price. The Nebula Capsule runs Android 7.1.2, so there are plenty of apps available, and it lasts around four hours on a single charge, or 30 hours in Bluetooth speaker mode. Plus, the super portable little gadget's build quality really impressed our own Corbin Davenport. To nab it at the reduced price, enter CAPSULEV at checkout, and make sure to do so before the sale ends on October 30th.Anker's got a few other notable deals on right now, too. See them listed in point form below.Roav VIVA Alexa-enabled 2-port USB Car Charger — $33.99 (down from $59.99). Coupon: ROAVFF44. Ends November 6th.Roav by Anker, Bluetooth Receiver with Bluetooth 4.1 — $10.99 (down from $15.99). Coupon: B2EVERDL. Ends October 24th.Anker Qi-certified Powerport Wireless 5 Pad — $10.99 (down from $17.99). Coupon: GETWIRELESS. Ends October 20th.Anker SoundBuds Slim+ Wireless Stereo Bluetooth Sports Headphones — $21.99 (down from $29.99). No code. Ends October 28th.Anker USB-C with Power Delivery 60W Wall Charger — $31.99 (down from $39.99). Coupon: ANKERPD6. Ends October 25th.The discounts for Anker's Roav auto devices, headphones, and chargers bring many of the accessories to record low prices, according to tracking tool Keepa. Looks like it's the perfect time to nab any that are on your wish list.
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Screens on phones have been getting larger and larger, but they're not really big enough to watch a movie with some friends. On the other hand, a widescreen TV or a home theater projector can get you a pretty great cinema experience, but you can say goodbye to any vestige of portability. A good compromise is something like a pico projector, which can typically project an image larger than all but the largest of TVs while still being small enough to throw in your bag.Anker's Nebula Capsule pico projector is an impressively small projector (it's roughly the size of a soda can) that manages to project an image up to 100 inches across, and it's currently on sale on Amazon for $279 with coupon ACAPSULE [Update: The new coupon code is 4CAPSULE, which brings the price down to $277.99.] — a $70 saving off its MSRP of $349. The Capsule had already gone on sale last week for $296, but this is the lowest price we've seen so far since its initial Indiegogo campaign.The Nebula Capsule can project an image up to 100 inches across with 100 ANSI lumens of brightness, and though its rather low resolution of 854 by 480 pixels is nothing to write home about, it's in line with other projectors of its size. Anker says its 5200 mAh battery is capable of up to 4 hours of continuous video playback, and can even be recharged using a portable battery pack via micro-USB. The projector can also double up as 360-degree Bluetooth speaker, lasting for up to 30 hours of playtime.Anker also sells a larger portable projector called the Nebula Mars, which is in many ways a sort of older brother to the Capsule. While the Mars easily beats the Capsule in terms of brightness and resolution, it's also heavier, larger, older, and more expensive, and it runs Android 4.4 instead of Android 7.1 like the Capsule. Corbin reviewed the Mars back in August, and while he did like the hardware, he felt its software left something to be desired.
Last year, mobile accessory company Anker released its first portable projector, the Nebula Mars. It was roughly the size of a lunch box, with powerful JBL speakers, great video quality, and Android built-in. The hardware was great, but the ancient version of Android (4.4.4, to be precise), lack of Play Store support, and high price made the product hard to recommend.Not long after, Anker announced a smaller version, called the Nebula Capsule. It's roughly the size of a soda can, and works as both a projector and a Bluetooth speaker. It's almost certainly the best portable projector you can buy, but it commands a high price.
Anker released its first portable projector, the Nebula Mars, last year. It was a decent product, and the company launched a smaller version on Indiegogo last year, named the Nebula Capsule. Now you can grab the Capsule for $296, a savings of $53 from the original retail price.The projector is only slightly bigger than a soda can, but can project an image of up to 100 inches across with 100 ANSI Lumens of brightness. It has a rather low resolution of 854x480, but that's the norm at projectors this size. It runs a customized build of Android 7.1 (without Google Play), with Netflix, YouTube, and other apps included.Like the larger Mars projector, sound quality is a major selling point of the Capsule. It has a 360-degree omnidrectional speaker, and can even function as a standalone Bluetooth speaker (with the projector part off). It can last up to 2.5 hours of continuous video playback, or 40 hours while in Bluetooth speaker mode.The $296 sale price isn't quite as low as the initial $199 Indiegogo price, but it's much better than the crazy-high $349 retail MSRP. You can buy it from Amazon at the source link below.Source: Amazon
There have been more than a few attempts at making portable projectors tiny enough to fit in your pocket, with the InstaShare Moto Mod being one of the latest. Sony apparently wants to give it a shot, as it announced the MP-CD1 mobile projector earlier today.
Anker released its first portable projector last year, under its new 'Nebula' brand. The Nebula Mars was a solid projector, but the outdated version of Android held it back. Anker released its smaller Nebula Capsule projector on Indiegogo a few months ago, where it quickly surpassed the funding goal of $50,000.If you missed the Indiegogo campaign, you can now buy the Nebula Capsule on Amazon. It's priced at $349, which is quite a bit more than the $199 Early Bird price. It runs a modified version of Android 7.1, presumably without the Play Store. Anker says that Netflix, YouTube, and more services are supported.
You might recall that I reviewed Anker's first portable projector back in August. While it was sold under the company's 'Nebula' sub-brand, the Nebula Mars retained Anker's top-notch build quality and premium design. It certainly had a few problems, like the lack of a Google Play Store, but overall it was a good product.A few weeks ago, AAXA Technologies contacted me, asking if I wanted to try out their P2-A portable projector. Like the Nebula Mars, it runs Android (a newer version, at that), but it's even smaller and less than half the price. I agreed, and not long after, the P2-A arrived at my front door.While I can't say I was expecting much at this price point, as $200 is pretty cheap for a projector, the P2-A has too many shortcomings to make it a worthwhile purchase.
Anker's projector brand, Nebula, released the Nebula Mars earlier this year. If you read our review, you'll know it was a pretty solid portable projector, but the software experience left a bit to be desired. Today, Anker launched the Nebula Capsule on Indiegogo, a smaller projector with (what seems to be) much improved software.
There are a lot of weird convergence devices that have come and gone (and often gone nowhere) on fundraising platforms, but the Beam is probably unique. It's a combination Android-based computer and pico projector that fits in and is powered by a standard light bulb socket, allowing users to set up a small projector and/or media machine in some unconventional places. The campaign has reached and surpassed its $200,000 funding goal on Kickstarter with more than three weeks left before the end of the campaign, meaning it will (hopefully) go into production and be ready for backers in October of this year.