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Low-Tech Remedy for a Small Screen: A Magnifying Glass?

By Rain Noe - January 3, 2013

in Materials | Object Culture

Had to LOL when I saw this Mini Cinema for iPhone. We've seen non-powered sound amplifiers for iDevices before, that essentially use seashell properties to magnify the acoustics. But here someone's come up with a rectangular magnifying glass that makes your iPhone look (in theory, anyway) like an iPad.

The manufacturer claims the $68 device "is of exquisite craftwork" and enhances the experience of both watching movies and playing games, though it's not clear how you'd play a touchscreen game with the screen magnifier in place. You can rotate the device to watch movies in landscape view, which we'd imagine would be the preferred method, but of course you'd have to keep your head in a fixed position to enjoy the magnification.

The potential usability flaws aside, this thing did get me wondering: Do you reckon it's possible to work out the viewing angle issues, and create large-screen TVs with smaller sources magnified by a big-ass lens? Or would the manufacturing hassles preclude any cost savings?

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Zach

11 years ago

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This is a copycat product. See the HiveDock by Screendoor Studio. Released last year.

http://www.hivedock.com/

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Joe

11 years ago

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Someone's been watching Wall-E
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wr

11 years ago

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Well, in fact early TVs actually came with all sorts of magnifying glasses due to minuscule screen size. Often they were just cheap water-filled magnifying tanks, not fancy and expensive Fresnel lenses like the ones used in Brazil. And of course all TV lenses were plagued to some extent by three problems already mentioned above: really tight viewing angles, noticeable image distortions and lack of lux drive. Once again, you can see it all in Brazil.

Now, here we clearly see a plastic Fresnel lens, so we know what to expect. I'd say it's a good trade-off for someone who wears reading glasses, but people with good vision will probably prefer original, non-magnified picture.
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c3

11 years ago

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see "1984" via Apple HAS Arrived. We really need a image taken with JOBS face enlarged on the magnifying screen..

Satire becomes really again. I wonder if Bel Geddes thought he was Jon Stewart.?
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powers

11 years ago

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Haha! I thought I was going to make a really original comment about how the computers in "Brazil" were like this! Oh well, instead I'll make a - likely not very original - comment about how there was a really crappy GameBoy attachment like this, sans megaphone of course.
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Kwandell Peterson

11 years ago

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Apart from the speculative fresnel design in Brazil, the real-world consumer equivalent has existed since at least the Gameboy aftermarket magnifiers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx3t29HWr_Y

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argo

11 years ago

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design costs? which costs? a similir product costs just about 10 dollars

http://www.ebay.it/itm/DI-GIGANTE-MANI-LIBERE-LENTE-DINGRANDIMENTO-CON-LED-PER-CUCITO-LETTURA-/290731704975?pt=Hobby_creativi&hash=item43b0f5c28f

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M4RK

11 years ago

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Hipstomp, please. Rear projection technology is superior to what you propose about magnifying small tv's...
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arnie

11 years ago

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no front view .. this is a sign of terrible magnifying effect
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Kendrick

11 years ago

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It was very effectively in the movie Brazil.
Image link:
http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/images/brazil13.jpg
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Thomas

11 years ago

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Magnifying a small screen for a TV wouldn't help- The smaller silicone/glass wouldn't produce the lux to drive a larger area.
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JP

11 years ago

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Isn't this a bit reminiscent of "Brazil"? http://i.imgur.com/qCO26.jpg
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