SPUD: The Portable Folding Display Taking Kickstarter By Storm

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by Adam PlowdenNovember 8^th, 2016

There are lots of interesting projects that crop up on Kickstarter, some successful, others a complete flop. With 38 days to go, The Spontaneous Pop-Up Display (SPUD) has gained lots of traction, surpassing its crowdfunding goal of $33,000 to over $350,000. But what makes this innovation so popular?

The SPUD is a 24-inch collapsing projector display that can be used pretty much anywhere with pretty much any device. It’s a high resolution display with speakers that, when folded away, is about the size of a book. Imagine extending your 15 inch laptop screen for editing on the go, for presentations with clients or at trade shows with this little device without the need for an actual physical screen.

How Does It Work?

The display is essentially a small projector with a short throw distance. This means that, thanks to its custom-designed optics, the sharp and bright image can be projected and clearly focused onto a screen only a few inches away. This expands laptop displays up for 4 times, and 23 times larger than a smartphone screen.

SPUD collapsible display

Unlike traditional projector screen materials that crease and crumple when folded, the SPUD projection screen is made from a flexible polymer that is also washable. The brightness is adjustable via a dial on the projector unit rated at 350 nits for soft lighting use, or up to 785 nits for use in bright light.

What about compatibility? No problem! The unit has a standard HDMI port to connect to devices such as laptops, tablets as well as wireless TV devices such as Google Chromecast and Amazon FireTV. It also includes a USB port to power the wireless adapters mentioned, or charge other devices.

It has a built-in battery that lasts up to 10 hours at 350 nits and 4 hours at 785 nits, but can also be powered by 12 V DC for longer periods of use. For a device that collapses down to fit in a bag, and weighing 0.9kg, it is truly a portable solution.

Here are the full specifications –

• Native resolution of 1280 x 720 (not FullHD).
• 24 inch diagonal screen size (21 inch width).
• 16:9 aspect ratio.
• Brightness rating from 350 nits in soft lighting to 785 nits in bright light.
• Battery life of up to 10 hours @ 350 nits and 4 hours @ 785 nits.
• Weighs under 2lb (0.9kg)
• Collapses down to 5.64 inch width, 2.17 inch height, 7.52 inch length (17cm width, 5.5cm height, 19cm length).
• HDMI or wireless adapter connection.
• 120Hz refresh rate (good for gaming and video).
• Built-in stereo speakers
• Powered via internal battery or 12 V DC.

The SPUD is certainly exciting for video work, and it could be used for a range of functions such as an external camera display, an autocue or portaprompt, or simply a larger display for editing and video playback. It’s a shame that the display resolution isn’t 1920 x 1080 Full HD, but as mentioned in the video, the creators were looking for portability and ease of use. I guess there is only so much you can fit into a small, low cost projector.

The SPUD campaign on Kickstarter still has 38 days to go, and currently has a flash sale for one SPUD for $384.00, with the standard backing being $399.00. Estimated delivery is June 2017, so there is a bit of a wait, but it’ll be an interesting product to support if you find yourself always needing a bigger display!