Indiegogo staffers are putting crowdfunded products to the test in our new series of honest reviews. In this edition, our very own APAC campaign strategist Zoe Zu tried out FORMOVIE: The World’s First True Lumen GoogleTV Projector, the new smart projector that our crowdfunding community is talking about. Does it live up to the hype? Read on as we put it to the test!

I’ve always yearned for a projector to host memorable movie nights. With the holiday season just around the corner, having a projector becomes imperative if I plan on throwing a party for friends and family. I’ve harbored a long-standing skepticism towards projectors; would they be cumbersome to navigate or a headache to set up? After all, they often resemble large, ominous black boxes that clash with the aesthetics of my indoor design.

However, my curiosity was piqued when I stumbled upon the FORMOVIE campaign, primarily due to its elegant dark green hue and sleek design. What truly stood out was its bold claim of being the world’s first projector pre-installed with Google TV. Given that all the TVs in my household are already seamlessly integrated with the Google TV system, setting it up should be a breeze, right?

Unboxing & Setup

The FORMOVIE arrived on a Friday night. Perfect timing! The sleek black box exudes a cool and sturdy vibe. 

Upon unboxing, we were greeted by the elegant dark green projector with its smooth contours and rounded edges. It’s an aesthetically pleasing sight.

There were just two cords to connect, a remote, and the user manual. That’s all there was to it!

The setup process was a breeze. Upon powering up, the auto-correction feature kicked in, guiding us through the steps. With the Google TV system pre-installed, the interface was intuitive. Thanks to its impressive 2GB RAM + 16GB EMMC, it took a mere five minutes at most to have everything up and running.  

The features I appreciated: 

• The Google TV system was pre-installed. I would say the feature I appreciated most is that it’s pre-installed with Google TV. You get multiple advantages from this setting. One, it is intuitive to navigate the system (altough mostly because all TVs in my house are Google TV), so you only need to sign in to your Google account for it to work. The UI and Google TV system is something I like, so that’s my personal experience. Two, you get to enjoy the benefits of the system itself: it will get updated as the Google TV updates, and the Google assistant can also be used on the projector. 

• Auto-correction: I am impressed with how sensitive the auto-correction can be. If you move the projector while it’s working, it will automatically start the correction process. Also, it’s “omni-directional,” so the projector will try to avoid the weird position and auto-correct itself. 

• Clarity & Brightness: The clarity and brightness are exceptional, even when there are lights on in the adjacent room. Since I don’t have a screen, I’ve opted to project it onto a plain wall. The level of brightness is truly remarkable; even while watching “Our Planet 2,” the images are incredibly vivid and sharp. You can even see the hairs of the lion!

• Great sound quality but the machine stays quiet: The audio quality is outstanding, thanks to its Dolby Audio technology and Boston Acoustic power. Despite this, the machine operates remarkably quietly.

Things that could have been improved: 

• On their campaign page, it said it can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker, which actually was a feature that I looked forward to. However, it seems like there are no instructions in the manual for that feature. I kind of had to figure out myself – once the projector is turned on, your phone and laptop’s Bluetooth connection should be finding a “Xming Google TV Projector,. Then, as always, the pairing is seamless. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, considering the current special perk price of $299 on Indiegogo, this gadget presents itself as an ideal holiday season purchase. Moreover, it serves as an excellent gifting option for friends and family, particularly those living in apartments who may not be looking to make a hefty investment in a TV. Its versatility extends beyond just movie-watching; it can be used for solo music enjoyment and can even be connected to your Switch for added entertainment possibilities. With its multiple functionalities and attractive pricing, this device offers a compelling addition to any tech-savvy household.

To learn more, check out the campaign for FORMOVIE!