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It’s official! I’ve found my favorite gadget of this season: the Epson MegaPlex MG-850HD All-in-One Projector, Speaker, and Apple-Device Dock Combo that facilitates big screen viewing virtually anywhere. This haute high-tech toy offers crystal-clear portable projection and audio both indoors and out, interfacing with a variety of media sources, including Apple’s trio of insanely in-demand devices – the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. The projector even conveniently charges the device while playing from it!

Epson’s MegaPlex MG-850HD is a far cry from those old-school projectors of yore. Not only is this projector impossibly easy to set up (I had it from packaging to playing in 5 minutes flat), but it also boasts ultra-bright HD image quality with saturated colors, an impressive HD 720p resolution, and 2800 lumens color/white light output. This projector is chock-full of additional features to assure reliable performance and incredibly vibrant color, compliments of its on-board 3LCD, three-chip technology. What this means in layman’s terms is that it can display large images with brilliant clarity – up to 12 times larger than a 40-inch screen. And, the brilliance does not stop there.

With a bright lamp and simple set-up, Epson’s MegaPlex MG-850HD makes it a snap to watch movies, view presentations, share photos or enjoy content saved on your portable devices on the big screen – whether inside amid a home theater-like setting, at the office in a conference room, or even outdoors for a spring and summer cinema under-the-stars experience. Its lightweight portability and compact footprint is enhanced by a carrying handle that makes the projector decidedly easy to transport, making it a perfect entertainment option for vacationers.

Courtesy of Epson America, Inc.

This projector is all about performance, effectively handling bright and dark scenes in theater-dark rooms along with high-quality sound to turn a presentation or movie into a multi-sensory experience. Even down to the smallest text size possible, there is a crispness and readability that sets this projector apart from its competition.

In addition, Epson’s MegaPlex MG-850HD has two built-in 10-watt speakers that enhance the video presentation with audio, and it includes a microphone input to amplify a speaker’s voice. Four different optimized audio modes improve the audio experience based on the audio type, including standard, vocal, and movie or music settings.

Also flexible, this projector comes with HDMI plus other audio/video connections. Not only does it work with television sets, but it also synchs with gaming systems, DVD players, and smartphones. All the ports are nicely tucked beyond a door to protect them and keep them out of view when not in use. With USB plug-and-play instant set-up, it can instantly project audio and video from a Mac or PC, not to mention you can plug in your USB memory device if you want to do a computer-free slideshow.

Designed with the environment in mind, Epson’s MegaPlex MG-850HD has an eco-mode that allows for a long lamp life up to 6,000 hours, depending on the mode used. Then, there are the thoughtful personal touches: a coffee-cup icon allows users to pause the media stream, prompting the projector to automatically turn on a bright light to assist the user’s mobility in a dark room. Press this icon again to resume playback. And, despite having so much technology packed into its sleek, patterned black housing, an intuitive, remote controlled interface provides for extreme ease-of-use.

The MegaPlex MG-850HD retails for $799. Epson also throws in a two-year limited warranty, a 90-day lamp warranty, and toll-free access to their priority technical support team. They also notably offer free, next business day exchange should any problems arise.

It’s certainly no wonder PC Magazine named this genius gadget among its top 10 projector picks for its innovative technology, design, quality and value. Indeed.

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided at no cost and/or arranged to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way as per the disclosure policy on our “Legal” page***