Stem Player Creator Ditches Ye and Builds a Portable Projector

The oddball Stem Projector plays video and encourages creativity.

Kano Computing is back with another weird puck device with a creative but somewhat hazy premise. The Stem Projector is a spin-off of the Stem Player, the audio remixing gadget launched in 2021 in collaboration with the artist formerly known as Kanye West. With its new product, the company abandons the problematic collaboration with Ye and shifts its focus from music to video.

In practice, the new product is a battery-powered projector for movies or art. The Stem Projector lets you watch regular videos, remix preloaded clips, and create visual landscapes. It looks like (but is slightly larger than) the Stem Player, as that model is also a meaty puck with swirling lights and buttons. It has a mini-HDMI port for connecting other devices and supports AirPlay and Chromecast. However, it only has a reported maximum brightness of 300 lumens or 150 ANSI lumens, making it a tough projector to sell as a standard projector.

Kano Computing

But the Stem Projector also builds on the company's creative focus, encouraging you to play and remix. For example, you can slide your finger along its network of tactile and haptic rings to channel navigation into the machine learning-powered "Galaxy View," a dreamlike collection of preloaded, live content. Additional controls allow you to change the size and shape of images and trigger similar themed content. Additionally, Kano says it allows you to rotoscope characters and apply filters like stitching clips together with related color themes.

If this description still confuses you, this marketing video from Kano's Twitter account may help:

The Wi-Fi enabled projector has 256GB of internal storage, and you can add more by inserting a microSD card. Additionally, the device includes a built-in kickstand, allowing you to prop it up at different angles. (You can project video onto taller walls or a ceiling by placing the device upright in its open carrying case.) The company claims its battery can last four to five hours of continuous use.

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It looks like a gadget that you would need to play around with to fully understand and determine if it is worth its high price tag. However, without access to this, we are left with a somewhat intriguing marketing match that suggests a "what" but has yet to offer a compelling "why".

Kano is now taking pre-orders for the Stem projector. The first 1,000 devices, available in a limited-edition "sediment" color, will cost $1,000 and begin shipping in the spring. After that, the company announces that its price will drop to $600 on an unannounced date.

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