The Optoma TW610Sti after a closer look has turned out to be a pretty good choice. Its manufacturer rated lumens of 3100 and its testing results of 2800 lumens have put this projector in high contention as one of the more formidable projectors on the market in the short throw interactive category. Its interactive capabilities are not as extensive as most projectors on the market, but they clearly are aligned with interactive projectors by Epson and Hitachi.
The picture quality of this WXGA(1280x800) DLP projector turned out to be quite excellent and it was able to handle high resolutions with minimal loss in image quality. Can't say one should buy this projector and use full time as a higher resolution projector than its native resolution, but if you need it occasionally, you can't go wrong.
Its full suite of inputs and outputs along with its ability to be controlled via your network or RS-232 make it ideal for colleges or K-12. As mentioned in the review, the TW610Sti wouldn't be a bad home theater projector either. The video quality was quite good when watching Blu-ray content via HDMI cable.
Ultimately, with advertised prices under $1000 the Optoma TW610Sti gets high marks as a solid, bright, and top performer in the short throw projector category.