Acer C250i Smartphone Projector Has A Great Reason For Its Weird Shape

Back in September 2019 – which feels like ages ago with everything that's happened in 2020 so far – Acer introduced the world to its interesting looking C250i projector. Billed as a portable projector that's primarily for use with a smartphone, the C250i first launched in EMEA in January. After a months-long wait, the C250i is finally arriving in the United States today.

Acer says that the C250i is unique – or at least worth paying attention to – because it isn't limited to just horizontal throws. That twisty, cylindrical design allows it to project on a bunch of different surfaces, whether those are walls or ceilings, because the projector can be laid on its side and then rolled to find the best angle.

It's an interesting little device, and at 1.75lbs, it's at least somewhat portable. Acer says that the C250i outputs at 1080p resolution, and when it's positioned vertically, it'll support horizontal wall throws and kick into auto-portrait mode, which sounds like it was made specifically for video chatting and live streaming vertical video such as the kind you see on Facebook or Instagram.

The C250i is quipped with a 9,000mAh battery that Acer says will last for up to five hours on a full charge. Though the central premise involves wirelessly connecting a phone and projecting content from that (the C250i is compatible with both Android and iOS, by the way), the projector also features an HDMI port for displaying content from a laptop or a desktop. It also comes with USB-C and USB-A ports that support video-out for PCs and phones, and can also be used for projecting content from a USB drive. Finally, the C250i is equipped with a 5W Bluetooth speaker.

Acer is launching the the C250i in the United States today, and those interested in picking one up will be able to find it at "leading retailers." It has a price tag of $499.99, so be prepared to drop a fair amount of cash if you want one.