Collapsible 24-inch monitor unfurls like an umbrella

It’s no secret that daisy-chained monitors enhance productivity by increasing visible workspace, but when you’re on the road, and your primary workstation consists of a laptop, lugging around bulky monitors is unrealistic. Portable projectors are one option, but so is the SPUD—Spontaneous Pop-up Display—a collapsible screen-and-projector combo that pops open like an umbrella.

From a user experience standpoint, traditional projectors are an absolute nightmare to operate, requiring constant fumbling and tweaking with every use. SPUD doesn’t hail itself as the savior of the archaic technology. Instead, it employs one subtle design decision that completely changes its functionality to point where owning a portable projector might be worthwhile: SPUD is pre-calibrated to project at a fixed distance onto a flexible polymer sheet.

Unlike traditional projectors, SPUD doesn’t require dim lighting, a long projection distance, or even a wall for that matter. Users unfurl it like an umbrella and connect it to their smartphone, tablet, or laptop with either an HDMI cable or a wireless adapter. The result is a portable 24-inch display with 720p resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio.

Users don’t have the option of tweaking the focus and image resolution but may alternate between 350 or 785 nits of brightness. Battery life lasts either three or six hours depending on the brightness setting. Regarding portability, SPUD measures 5.64 in width, 7.52 inches in length, and 2.17 inches in height, and weighs less than two pounds, making it compact enough to fit into a purse or other form of work bag. I guess that means you can bring SPUD along on business trips for an impromptu productivity upgrade, or to coffee shops, camping, and various parts of your home, should you feel the need to watch YouTube videos on a larger display within your kitchen or bedroom.

Early adopters can pick up a SPUD around June 2017 by pledging $374, about $125 cheaper than the retail value. Check it out here . I think I want one.