Sony's New Projector Turns Anything into a Touch Screen

Sony first unveiled its prototype for the Xperia Touch Projector back in February at the Mobile World Conference, and even then the concept was groundbreaking. Essentially, the Xperia Touch is a projector that you hook up to your Android phone, but unlike any other projector before, you can actually then use any surface the image is projected on as if it is a touchscreen.

Equipped with Android Nougat, the Xperia Touch can do just about anything an Android tablet can do. Whatever apps, videos or games you'd use on your phone can now be used on virtually any surface within your reach. And while Sony seems to mainly be marketing the device as a "family hub", or a tool for meetings, the implications for what this technology could bring further down the line are vast.

Imagine having your NLE software blown up onto the surface of your choosing, to edit your film by touch. The device displays images anywhere from 23” to 80” at 1336x768 resolution. What's more, you could then project the finished project seamlessly, or even take video calls with collaborators all on the same device. It comes equipped with a 13-megapixel camera with built-in microphone and quality stereo speakers for clear video call conversations and audio, plus 32GB of built-in memory with an expandable memory microSD slot.

The product is available now through Amazon, although it may be a bit early for broke filmmakers to be purchasing the Xperia for $1,699.99. The technology, however, is definitely something to keep an eye on. And let's face it, the thing is just pretty damn cool. 

It seems the Xperia Touch is also destined to be popular. In the time it took me to write this article, the product already sold out on Amazon. You can still grab one at select T-Mobile stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and the Sony Square display room in New York City.