Recently I was looking for a solution to a challenge I have when I am in a meeting and want to share information quickly via computer with someone sitting at the other end of the table. I decided the Mimo 730 from Nanovision might be the solution I am looking for as it is a USB-powered 7-inch monitor with an embedded video card allowing for rapid plug and play connectivity with a laptop.
My concern was at 800×480 resolution it may be a bit small to show people a rich website or a full PowerPoint presentation. Still, it was worth exploring as I considered it a killer solution to a problem I wanted solved. Ads for the product tout it as a great solution for allowing you to monitor an IM client but I was hoping to push the envelope and do even more.
The pint-sized monitor does work as advertised and I should mention that it doesn’t work with 64-bit Vista but does support video and VoIP – with an included microphone and video camera.
Is it worth it? Yes – as a cute IM/IP communications hub which can be used as a second monitor requiring no external power cord or video card. It weighs just over a pound and I consider it to be relatively portable but you need to have the stand with you as well. The whole setup assembles in less than a minute.
The cost is $170 on Amazon but it if you need this functionality the product could be worth your while.
For example if you have a netbook or tiny laptop you like to use in-flight – you can attach the Mimo when you land and are in your hotel room. Use it to monitor a video feed of your child’s crib, play internet radio or watch movies while you work.
The room for improvement is that the product line from the company is confusing. The literature which comes with the UM-730 says the UM-740 supports touchscreen input but internet searches show it doesn’t seem to be available. As I write this, I learned a UM-750 exists which does allow touch-screen functionality — but it does not seem to be available anywhere either.
The UM-750 (below) looks a lot like the UM-730 but adds touchscreen support and more
Also – I suggest a carrying case of some kind be included and in a perfect world there would be an 8-inch version of the product which supports higher resolution.
Other than that the product is solid and could do relatively well in niche markets where portability or small size is a big issue. Because let’s face it; for traditional work which doesn’t require mobility, you may be better off with a larger $170 monitor.
