The Freestyle: A Lightweight Projector, Smart Speaker And Lamp
January 7, 2022Samsung introduced a new projector at CES 2022, and it can be considered a Swiss army knife of mobile entertainment deuces. Called The Freestyle and breaks with convention. The cylindrical frame appears to have more in common with a vase than a traditional projector. Its purpose is to allow us the ability to setup a mobile movie theatre, wherever and whenever.
Geared towards Gen Z and millennials, The Freestyle plays three different roles: projector, smart speaker and ambient lighting lamp. It fills all these roles despite only weighing 830 grams. The cradle allows for rotation of up to 180 degrees, so you can mount it on tables, floors, walls or ceilings, and best of all, it doesn’t require a separate screen to display content.
“Without the limitation in space and form factor, The Freestyle is a fun and versatile device that can be used in any way consumers prefer,” said Simon Sung, Executive Vice President and Head of the Sales & Marketing Team of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.
There are full auto keystone and auto leveling features that allow this projector to adjust its screen to any surface and at any angle. Auto focus allows The Freestyle to display content on any surface and angle up to 100 inches without hindering image quality. The built-in dual passive speakers are supposed to allow for 360-degree sound quality.
The Freestyle can be powered by USB-PD and 50W/20V output or above, so you can set it up just about anywhere without having to worry about power outlets. The device also happens to be the first of its kind to work with an E26 light socket, negating the ended for additional wiring.
It can provide lighting affects at parties with its ambient mode and translucent lens cap. When used as a smart speaker, it analyzes the music being played and projects the appropriate lighting all around you for a more entertaining effect.
The Freestyle offers the same smart TV features as Samsung’s regular Smart TVs. It supports various streaming services, mirroring and casting features for compatible Android and iOS devices. There’s also far-field voice control to allow you to use your favorite voice assistant with it.
Pre-orders for The Freestyle for the US market started on January 4th, but the availability will expand to global markets in the coming months.
