Stateside folks may finally nab their own Xperia Touch projector for a cool $1,700, Sony has confirmed. This projector turns a flat surface — a table, a wall, or anything clear of obstructions — into a touchscreen, complete with a fully functional Android interface.
Unveiled during the Mobile World Congress earlier this February, the projector is also used for watching movies or playing video games or basically any function a traditional projector is used for. However, Sony doesn't make clear if the device can be hooked up to a laptop or similar devices for presentations and such, but it does have both a USB Type-C and HDMI Type-D port.
The Sony Xperia Touch is available now via Amazon, but folks can wait for it to appear in select T-Mobile stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami. New Yorkers can head over to the Sony Square display room and see it in action, as The Verge reports.
Sony Xperia Touch Turns Any Surface Into A Touchscreen Interface
When used as a touch interface, the projector can deploy up to 23 inches of screen real estate, and it's surprisingly able to handle multi-touch as well. For movie viewing and gaming modes, meanwhile, the Xperia Touch can measure up to 80 inches but can only output a resolution of 1,366 x 768, 100 lumens of brightness, and a contrast ratio of 4,000:1.
Ars Technica, who got to try the Xperia Touch during the Mobile World Congress, said it sets up fun and unique experiences thanks to its turn-a-surface-into-a-touchscreen functionality, but the low resolution left something to be desired, especially for its asking price of $1,700.
Sony Xperia Touch Is A Family Hub
More than a novelty item, Sony envisions the Xperia Touch as a family hub. For starters, it can become some sort of memo board, where all members of a household can leave notes or reminders for others to see. It also helps that it has a 13-megapixel camera and Skype functionality, so those who want to leave video messages may do so. Sounds like the future. A very low-res future, though.
Sony Xperia Touch Specs
As mentioned, the projector will run Android, but it's only Nougat for now. Still, this means it pretty much does what a standalone Android tablet can do, such as browsing the web, watching videos, and downloading Play Store apps. It has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, and it has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and NFC all built in. It should last about an hour per charge, Sony says, but users can leave it plugged in if they want.
Thoughts about the Sony Xperia Touch? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
