Asus’ latte distributes movies instead of coffee and milk

Asus today announced its new ZenBeam Latte at CES 2021, and it’s pretty cute. It is a mobile cinema projector that looks like a kind of one-eyed mini-robot covered in fabric. Importantly, it triggers its 720p image using up to 300 lumens of LED light, which makes it brighter than the capsule projectors we’ve seen from Anker, and it has a built-in Harman Kardon speaker system. of 10 W to start.

Oddly enough, Asus insists that its projector looks like a cup of coffee.

Image: Asus

It is not. It’s not the right shape (just watch the video!), And why would an “intimate” (Asus word) coffee mug be gray instead of a glorious brown? Asus also claims that it is the “first projector to feature a fabric exterior,” which is patently false.

Of course, you can’t drink Asus’ latte because it only gives off light and sound. However, it can wirelessly project your phone or HDMI device.

So see this as an opportunity, gadget makers: build the coffee mug that Asus doesn’t have. Just make sure it lasts longer than a movie – Asus quotes three hours with a 6,000mAh battery – and is bright enough to create a decent-sized screen. Asus says this one can produce an image of 40 inches when placed one yard from the wall, 80 inches at two yards and a maximum of 120 inches (presumably at three yards). Don’t expect a 300 lumen projector to be very bright from nine feet away, however.

Asus says it will arrive in the United States in the second quarter of the year, but nothing on pricing.