December 18, 2009
CES 2010 Will Bring New Media Players
The CES 2010 will start in about 3 weeks. Our parent site I4U News is already busy featuring early CES 2010 news in their comprehensive Consumer Electronics Show coverage.
Android on portable devices will be a huge topic at the show and CES 2010 will see yet another wave of new portable media players in all shapes and forms.
Keep up to date with the CES 2010 highlights on the I4U CES 2010 News Coverage.
Posted by i4u at 10:59 AM
September 12, 2007
Crave gives You 5 resons to Not Buy a New iPod
If that $100 iPhone credit at the Apple Store is burning a hole in your pocket and the new iPods are looking appealing to you, Crave has a list of the top 5 reasons to not but one.Things like iTunes 7.4 being required, which is all fine and good so long as the application will run on your computer. No more video output makes the list with Apple forcing you to buy a dock or cable from them to make it work.
Most video accessories won’t work with the new iPod Nano or classic. Waiting for the iPod Touch seems to be a big reason not to buy the Nano or classic. The biggest reason not to buy an iPod according to Crave is the Archos 605 WiFi.
Via Crave
Posted by shane at 8:01 PM
September 6, 2007
Apple Begging to get Sued Over iPod Touch?
With Apple launching the iPod Touch yesterday and HTC owning the trade mark for their phone, but somewhat similar device the HTC Touch, could apple be begging for as law suit?If you recall Apple was taken to court over the iPhone name since iPhone was trademarked by Cisco already. That didn’t stop Apple then, so it won’t stop them now that the Touch name was already in use.
Nonetheless I am sure HTC lawyers are probably drawing up legal papers right now. From what DailyTech has posted, Apple owns no trademarks on the Touch moniker.
Via DailyTech
Posted by shane at 8:14 PM
August 31, 2007
Daewoo Portable DVD Player with iPod Dock
Daewoo has a portable DVD player that might be just the thing for the ADD kiddies needing constant input. The DPC-8099PD-I is a flat screen DVD player that is portable and has a 7” LCD screen.It can play DVD, VCD, and audio CDs and you can dock your trust iPod to watch your videos on a slightly larger screen.
A USB port is built-in that directly accepts USB drives for streaming video or images as well as SD/MMC memory cards. Pricing and availability is currently unknown.
Posted by shane at 8:21 PM
August 27, 2007
Wolverine EPS 250GB PMP & Storage Device
Wolverine isn’t a brand that I am familiar with, but they have a PMP device that has a huge storage capacity of 250GB. Couple that huge storage capacity with a built-in 7-in-1 card reader and you can snap digital pictures all day long, even in RAW format, and store them on the ESP.
Other features on the device include video playback and a FM tuner. The card reader works with CF, SD & SDHC, MMC, MS, MS-Pro, and XD cards. Supported video formats include MPED-1, MPEG-4, and WMV9.
The TFT LCD screen is 3.6” and the device measures in at a small 5.3” x 2.8” x 0.9” and weighs 10.2 ounces. This player has lots of features in such a small unit. Pricing for the devices is $649.99.
Via I4U
Posted by shane at 9:27 PM
August 24, 2007
Apple Legal forces Some Sites to Remove Leaked iPod Nano Photos
A few days ago I posted a story that I found over at Gizmodo with some grainy pictures claiming to be leaked shots of the upcoming iPod Nano. As with all supposedly leaked shots of electronics, the image was met by lots of people saying it was real and lots saying it was total bunk.Apple themselves have confirmed the images accuracy in a way to many by forcing 9to5mac, Gizmodo and Engadget to remove the image that you saw in the post from the 22.
In its place are mock ups that look virtually identical to the leaked shot. The question here is would the Apple legal department bother if it was total bunk? Lots of people say no they wouldn’t, therefore the images must be the real deal. Rumor has it that on September 5 apple is having a special event that will launch the new iPod’s, so in a few weeks we will see how accurate the shot was.
Via Gizmodo
Posted by shane at 8:23 PM
August 23, 2007
Venzero Introduces FREQ PMP with FM Transmitter
One thing that most people who use their PMP in the car a lot want is a FM transmitter, assuming your car has no aux in support. Venzero has introduces a new PMP called the FREQ that is the first PMP with an integrated FM transmitter.The device offers video, audio and image playback via the large 2.4” TFT 262k color screen. In audio mode ID3 tags are supported and music lyrics can be shown as the track plays if you want.
A really cool feature allows you to record portions of any song and included software will tell you the artist and song title so you can buy it later. You can also record your own voice. The player will have 2GB of flash storage and will sell for $99.
Via Venzero (PDF Link)
Posted by shane at 9:14 PM
digitalCube S-Station Netforce 2 PMP
Normally most PMP devices have pretty much the same features. digitalCube has a new PMP with a very interesting feature, HSDPA connectivity. The device is called the s-Station NetForce 2 and has a 4.3” 800 x 480 resolution screen. Storage options are 30 GB or 60GB and the unit has an alchemy 1250 CPU and a 5000mAh battery.I would assume that to mean that the device has internet connectivity. What I am not sure of is how exactly the connectivity is access, if you have to sign up with a participating cellular provider or if the manufacture has some other idea for the data service.
They are calling the device the first ever PMP with HSDPA connectivity, but you can get cellular phones with HSDPA that have PMP functions, which makes them sort of the same in my book.
Via I4U
Posted by shane at 9:06 PM
August 22, 2007
New iPod Nano Coming?
Gizmodo has a story up that originate from 9-5 Mac with what is claimed to be a spy shot of a new iPod Nano. If the spy shot is real, which is unknown at this point, the new Nano seems to be a shorter, fatter version of the current device with a larger screen for playing video.Honestly, the device looks a lot like the Zune to me, especially the brown one. Other than the image you see here, little is known about the device.
Conspiracy theorists may have something to say about this, but the 9-5 Mac site has removed the image you see here with a statement saying Apple requested it be taken down. I have to wonder if the pic wasn’t accurate would Apple have bothered.
Via Gizmodo
Posted by shane at 8:41 PM
August 21, 2007
iLuv i1055 Plays DVDs & Works with iPod
CNN has a review from CNET of the iLuv i1055 which is obviously intended to work with the iPod. The device is a portable DVD player with a 7” widescreen display. On the rear of the device is a dock for your Video iPod and when plugged in your videos playback on the larger 7” screen.The device is made by a company called JWin and it can be had online at about $180. The device measures in at 6” x 10.25” x 2.75” and weighs 3 pounds with your 80Gb video iPod attached.
You can prop the device up on an included stand like you would a picture frame or you can secure it to a car headrest with included Velcro straps. Overall, CNET scored the device 6.7 out of 10, earning it a good ranking.
Via CNN
Posted by shane at 9:06 PM
Venzero Tube Portable Video Player
The Venzero Tube has a 3.5” backlit LCD display with a five-step dimmer. Internal system memory is 32MB and expansion is via SD cards with a 1GB SD card included.The Tube can play TV shows via a built-in tuner and has enough battery life for 3.5 to 5 hours of TV watching. Audio formats supported are MPEG-4 and AAC-LC.
Supported image formats include JPEG, BMP/GIF. Music formats include MP3, AAC and WMA with a 12 hour playback time. An external passive antenna is included as well. The Tube measures in at 128 x 70.8 x 18.8 mm and weighs 170 grams.
Via Venzero
Posted by shane at 8:56 PM
August 17, 2007
TMS V888 PMP Has Game
Thomson (TMS) has a interesting new PMP that has sliding control panel underneath the screen. The device has what looks like the original Nintendo controller from my youth and can actually play some games. The screen is a large 4” TFT with 16 million colors.In addition to playing some games the device plays MP3, WMA, WAV, and FLAC lossless audio formats. It can also show photos in PEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF, and GIF formats. Oddly missing from the specs is JPEG compatibility.
Video formats supported include MPEG, MPEG4, Divx, Xvid, MOV, WMV, AVI, ASF.VOB, and H.263. The device also will display PDF, html, and TXT files. The price is right at $132. It appears you can get white or black colors, the black looks way better to me.
Via PMPToday
Posted by shane at 8:08 PM
August 16, 2007
Brando's MP4 Music and Video Playing Watch
Brando isn’t known for being purveyors of the best looking gear on the market. They have a new MP4 watch that brings special meaning to the work ugly. This thing is huge and has a 1.8” LCD for a watch face.
In addition to being able to play AVI video the watch plays MP3 and WMA music as well. JPEG images can be shown on the screen and a built in speaker allows you to listen without using the included ear buds if you desire.
A FM tuner allows you to listen to radio and a sound recorder is built-in. One additional feature that probably won’t be welcome is the look ladies give you if you wear this thing in public. If you are self confident and have poor taste you can get your own MP4 Watch II for $118 for the 4GB version or $92 for the 2GB watch.
Via Brando
Posted by shane at 10:21 PM
Go Video Boom Box
Anyone around during the 80’s will remember the boom box. I have childhood memories of guys with parachute pants carrying massive radios on their shoulders. These days the PMP is more the rage with iPod’s and other devices as prolific now as boom boxes were back then.
The Go Video boom box adds something to the boom box that makes it somewhat more appealing to today’s music lovers. A seven inch LCD on the front allows you to play DVDs wherever you feel like taking it.
The box can also play CDs and it has a built-in AM/FM tuner. There is no digital music player though, so MP3’s are out of the question. The Go Video boom box is available for $160.
Via Sci Fi Tech
Posted by shane at 9:53 PM
August 14, 2007
SAFA Launches DIA PMP in Korea
SAFA is set to launch a new PMP device in the Korean marketplace. The player is called the DIA and has a diamond shaped touchpad, hence the DIA name. The device has a 2.4” LCS screen with 260k colors.It plays videos and can display eBooks as well as playing four games that are included. Storage space can be expanded via its miniSD slot.
Voice recording is a feature and a FM tuner is built-in as well. One rather odd feature is repetition mode where it says words over and over for you to presumably learn the language. The player will be available in Korea at 139,000 KRW for a 2GB version and 199,000 KRW for a 4GB version.
Via AVING
Posted by shane at 9:48 PM
August 13, 2007
PMP for the Post-Apocalyptic World
If Mad Max had a PMP, this would be it. We don’t need no stinking batteries. The same guy that gave us the hand cranked radio back in the 90’s has updated his tech for the new millennium.Now you can get your hands on the hand cranked PMP device that gets all the power it needs to play your MP3’s and video from the human powered crank. The screen is a 1.8” LCD and there is a LED flashlight on the top as well.
Storage for your video and music is on external SD cards so playback capacity is unlimited in that respect. The crank powered PMP isn’t cheap though, it will set you back $345. However, just think of all the ladies you could pickup if you are the only geek with music at his party after the robots take over and cut off our power.
Via Sci Fi Tech
Posted by shane at 8:51 PM
August 8, 2007
BlingPlayer PMP Looks Right Out of a Rap Video
The BlingPlayer is a PMP device that is inside a big silver necklace replete with lots of crystals to give it the faux diamond look. There are three patters available the skull and crossbones, polished chrome and brushed chrome.All three styles have the same specs with 2GB of flash storage, a weight of 1.33 ounces and measuring in at 2.85 x 1.5 x 0.375 inches in size. The display is a 1.5” 65k color TFT and power comes from a built-in rechargeable battery.
A FM radio tuner is also built-in that features ten presets and an EQ offers seven user chosen settings. Stereo necklace earphones are included as well as the USB 2.0 cable for sync and the AC charger for battery power. Pricing for all three versions is $199. Via MyMediaReady
Posted by shane at 8:10 PM
August 7, 2007
Dell Buys PMP Firm Zing
Dell announced on Tuesday that they had purchased PMP design firm Zing. No details of the acquisition were offered. Many see the move by Dell as a step into making Dell branded PMP devices.In January zing partnered with FON to allow Zing customers to use FON hotspots for free. With this in mind it would be an easy stretch to see Dell bringing a WiFi enabled PMP device to market.
Zing also recently made a deal with Sirius Satellite Radio allowing their programming to be streamed to Zing devices. Dell spokesman declined to comment on potential future devices, my money is on a WiFi enables PMP that can stream Satellite radio. Via PC Mag
Posted by shane at 7:59 PM
August 6, 2007
New PMP from A Team
I’m not trying to work in some 80’s reference to the TV show that made Mr. T famous here, a Taiwanese company choose A Team Computer Co as their name. Their latest product is called the MC-213NF.The device will play both MP3 and MP4 tunes and can play video as well in AVI, MPEG 1 and 2. WMA file are also on the list of compatible formats. A built-in FM tuner allows you to listen to radio on the go.
The display is a 2” TFT-LTPS, sync and charge functions are via USB. ID3 tag display is also supported. No word on pricing or availability at this time. Via PMPToday
Posted by shane at 9:24 PM
Thompson's 3" LCD PMP Makes Bold Claims
Another week, another claim of world’s smallest from a PMP manufacturer. This week Thompson is claiming that they have the world’s smallest PMP with a 3” screen. The device measures in at 82 x 50.9 x 13mm and weighs 87g.The 3” screen is a 16:9 TFT and the device can play AVI (24fps), MP3, WMA and WAV audio. Compatible image formats include JPG and BMP.
Two different amounts of flash based storage will be offered in the PMP, a 4GB version at about $112 and an 8GB version at around $126. That’s not much of a price increase for double the storage. Via Tech Digest
Posted by shane at 9:12 PM
August 3, 2007
Commodore C200 Caught in the Wild
Commodore’s C200 Gravel has been caught in the wild. The PMP has a 1.8” OLED screen and 512MB of onboard storage.The unit is also WiFi capable and can play tunes for up to 18 hours on one charge. Video playback time is two hours and supported media formats are Divx, Xvid, MPEG2, MPEG4, WMV, MP3, MP4, WAV, WMA, JPG, GIF, and BMP.
A 2GB version is currently available for pre-order for about $170. There is no word on if the C200 will make to us here in the states. Via Brokenflicker
Posted by shane at 9:22 PM
August 1, 2007
Chinavision Waterproof PMP
If you are leery of taking your MP3 player or PMP to the beach or pool, you are mot alone. It seems that every kid in town wants to splash you when you have gadgets around. A company called Chinavision has a solution to your need for video and tunes at the pool, beach or lake.The Chinavision Waterproof PMP can play videos only in AMV mode, but conversion software in included. Screen resolution is only 128 x 128 and storage space is a lowly 1GB. Video only plays back at 15fps, but at least you can share your home movies with the fish while swimming.
Supported image format is JPEG only and it will play Wma and MP3 music and audio files. The device measures in at 105mm x 50mm x 22mm. A pair of waterproof earphones is also included. Too bad the device looks like a child’s toy. Via Coolest-gadgets
Posted by shane at 8:50 PM
Archos 405 to Ship September 1, French Review up Already
The Archos 405 is pre-ordering on Amazon right now for $169.99 and shows to be shipping on September 1. A French website has already posted a review of the video player.The 405 will have 2GB of storage space and can record TV with an optional DVR station or DVR travel adapter. In addition to playing video you can also play music and look at images. Storage is expandable with a SD card slot over the 2GB of onboard storage.
In the end the French guys found the 405 to be pretty good considering the price, but knocked it for brittle feeling keys and what seems to be a notation that the keys interfere with the screen somewhat.
Archoslounge.net Via I4U
Posted by shane at 8:36 PM
July 31, 2007
Hacha PC20 PMP Makes Paris Hilton Look Fat
I have personally never heard of Hacha before, but darn if their PC20 PMP isn’t one of the slickest looking PMP’s I have seen. The main claim to fame for this device is the super thin size at just 7.7mm thick.
No official specs have been announced yet, but the device appears to be roughly iPhone size but thinner. The screen is 3” measures diagonally.
Some of the press shots have it sized up next to a coin looking about the size of a quarter. The PMP is less than half as thick as the coin when the coin is standing on end. Looks pretty cool, we can assume since it’s called a PMP that it will play video and music, what else will be wrapped into that attractive exterior is a mystery as is the price and availability. Via Mobile Magazine
Posted by shane at 9:11 PM
July 30, 2007
Shearer V2000 PMP Looks Cool
Shearer has a new PMP called the V2000 that is powered by an ADI BF533 processor. Yeah, I have heard of neither the PMP company nor the processor maker either. The exterior of the device is a slick looking brushed black metal and the screen is a largish 3” model sporting 16 million colors.Video formats supported are RM/RMVB and AVI, updating the firmware also adds DAT and MPEG compatibility. On the music front the device plays MP3, WMA, APE, and FLAC.
Photos formats supported are JPG, BMP, and GIF. A built-in FM turner is included as well as the ability to get LRC lyrics and text to speech. The company is a Chinese brand, so no word on if it will hit the states; if it did the price would be in the area of $1096 for the 2GB model. Via PMP Today
Posted by shane at 9:13 PM
July 27, 2007
iRiver Dicple D5 Pocket Electronic Dictionary & PMP
The new iRiver Dicple D5 is an odd little PMP. Sure it does the stuff you expect a PMP to do like play video, MP3’s and it even has a built-in FM radio and voice recorder.
What you might not expect a PMP to do is come with a dictionary built-in.
The D5 has the content of 39 different dictionaries in it including English, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean versions. The PMP measures in at 95.5 x 70 x 5mm and weighs 130g.
Also included in the features is a CSD viewed that can open MS office documents and PDF files, Power is via a Li-poly battery good for 11 hours of normal use, 16 hours for MPs and four hours of video watching. The device will be available on August 1 at 258,000 KRW for the 2GB version and 298,000 KRW for the 4GB version. Via Coolest-gadgets
Posted by shane at 7:39 PM
July 25, 2007
Sony Bringing Digital TV to New PSP?
Sony announced not too long ago that they would be selling a plug-in digital TV tuner for the second generation PSP in Japan that works with Japan’s OneSeg format for mobile digital TV broadcasts. OneSeg broadcasts are very popular in Japan and available in much of the country making them a popular feature on cell phones. Broadcasts are in a QVGA resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.
With the new thinner PSP having a video out, you could use the PSP with the TV tuner to watch TV programs on your home TV as well. Since Japan is the only country using the OneSeg format, the TV tuner won’t work in other countries. Within Japan it will sell for 6,980 Yen. Via PC World
Posted by shane at 9:42 PM
July 24, 2007
Gigabyte Digital TV GSmart t600 Review
GSmart is the name under which the electronics maker Gigabyte sells their mobile phones here in the states. The guys over at Tweaktown got their hands on the GSmart t600 mobile phone and put it through its paces.The t600 is a Windows mobile powered device that has a built-in digital tuners, yes tuners, there are three digital tuners built into the phone as well as a pair of radio tuners. The tuners pick up DVB-T, DVB-H and T-DMB signals.
Sadly the t600 only ships with software for the DVB-T tuner so there is no current method to watch programs on the other two tuners. The stylus for working with the phone doubles as the TV antenna as well. In the end Tweaktown found that the t600 isn’t that bad, but doesn’t compete well with other windows Mobile devices around.
Posted by shane at 7:35 PM
June 15, 2007
Bluedot BTV-350W portable Digital TV
Japanese Bluedot introduces the slim BTV-350W 1-Seg digital TV.
The device features a 3.5 inch color display with QVGA resolution. Measurements of this portable TV are only 98x73x12mm and the weight is 100g. The battery live is about 3 hours. Charging time is also 3 hours. Now if the BTV-350W would also play videos and music it would be an awesome device.
Via this product page (Japanese).
Posted by i4u at 2:14 PM
May 16, 2007
Consumer Electronics Association sets standards for video players
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has set a list of standards for portable video players. This will make interoperability a little more feasible."This standard marks a milestone in the development of open industry standards. With its publication, this common connector standard will more easily enable device interconnectivity in the homes and cars of consumers," said a Microsoft chairperson in response.
So, everyone out there, if you want to build your own PVP, be sure to get yourself a copy of CEA-2017, Common Interconnection for Portable Media Players.
See more details in the press release
Posted by eric at 5:41 AM
May 11, 2007
iRiver cradle rocks your PVP to a full charge
Device-to-PC cradles have always been extremely boring. My HP iPAQ cradle doesn't even charge my device when it's hooked up to my power-guzzling PC. That's really not the case with this new eye candy from iRiver, though.The Clix Cradle, which fits the Clix 2, not only syncs the device to the PC and charges it in the process, it also acts as an external speaker. It's about time we saw these necessary devices get some multi-tasking features.
Of course, the unfortunate side is it's a model-specific cradle and only fits the Clix 2. Still, though, it's pretty cool, and it's only $30.
Via Mobile Mag
Posted by eric at 8:58 PM
April 29, 2007
PMP market heading for an upswing?
Electronics analysts at iSupplie are predicting a growth for portable video players in the next four years, as one of the few products in the consumer electronics industry with a positive projected future.Even though iSuppli says CE products in general are expected to decline in sales by 3.6% from 2006 to 2011, it says that portable media devices will grow at a rate of 13% over the same period.
Of course, one area that PMPs will need to compete with is mobile phones. However, experts say that cell phone video is not going to make a major impact in the marketplace in most areas of the world in the next few years.
See more details from the report at Circuits Assembly
Posted by eric at 8:01 AM
March 29, 2007
Zune gets firmware upgrade to 1.3
Microsoft has released its third firmware update for the Zune since its launch four months ago. The main addition to the new software is a fix to a problem that caused intermittent song skipping. It also is supposed to enable quicker syncing to a PC.The upgrade comes about a week late, after Microsoft said there were minor problems in getting it out on the previously scheduled date of March 20.
The only other thing in the update is a patch for a relatively obscure battery draining problem.
Via Beta News
Posted by eric at 11:45 PM
iTunes unveils "Compete My Album" service
Apple today initiated a new service for its iTunes digital music platform. Under the new plan, if you buy an individual track and then decide to buy the full album, you can use that 99 cents you already paid towards the album. Previously, if you purchased an album but already owned some of the songs, the existing songs would not even be downloaded.You'll have up to 180 days after you purchase a track to get the album discount.
Yeah, it sounds nice, but isn't the whole point of buying individual tracks the fact that you don't care anything about the other songs on the album? I'm not sure how many people will actually take advantage of this.
Posted by eric at 8:13 PM
March 15, 2007
i.Sound offers new surround sound PMP dock
Want to watch your portable episodes of Monk in surround sound? That's exactly what you can do with the new i.Sound universal docking station, which fits most portable video players like the Zune, iPod, and PSP.The Movie Time Universal runs on either four AA batteries or a corded AC connection. Despite its namesake, it may not be the most ideal way to enjoy portable movies, but it sure looks cool.
It retails for around $77.
Via Mobile Mag
Posted by eric at 8:12 AM
February 28, 2007
MP3 Player Patent Lawsuit
Texas MP3 Technologies has filed a patent suit against Apple, Samsung, and Sandisk in Marshall, Texas; a plaintiff state. The eastern Texas city is fast becoming one of the leading locations of patent infringement lawsuits in the U.S. thanks to speedy trials and juries that more often than not find in favor of the plaintiff," the report said. All three companies are being sued over a patent covering an MPEG portable sound reproducing system, based on the report.The complaint specifically cites US patent 7,065,417, which was awarded in June 2006 to multimedia chip-maker SigmaTel and sold the US rights to the patent a little over a month ago. Apple's media player products have used both SigmaTel and Samsung multimedia decoding processors. But, it seems that Apple’s second-generation iPod shuffle is rumored to be using a Samsung decoding processor for its multimedia functions instead of the SigmaTel chip they were expect to use.
"Because these are such basic patents to digital music, we believe it will be difficult to design around these patents and have a commercially viable player," SigmaTel said in a statement when it announced the sale of the patent.
Via MacNN
Posted by eric at 6:06 AM
February 10, 2007
Hold Nascar In Your Hand
It’s NASCAR season! So, grab a FanView scanner for rental or purchase at Nascar or Nextel. These puppies are going for $470 online or $415 trackside and you’ll still need to put out $10 for a race-weekend activation. Features included on this scanner are live video and audio of the race, real time data and stats, and audio replay.You can also treat yourself to in-car cameras from up to seven drivers. You can rent one of these devices for $50 a day or just $70 per weekend.
Via engadget
Posted by eric at 6:13 AM
January 25, 2007
Karaoke Wherever You Go
Now, there is an interface that will allow you to connect your video MP4 player to any television via standard RCA cables. The doPi. Why name the device doPi?? Kevin Vander, the creator of this interface states, , "Why doPi?" So I did, because the word carried connotations most would not want for their brand new enterprise. The answer is simple, as Kevin replied, "Spell it backwards."Download songs to your player and tote them with you anywhere. You can practice and simply play the karaoke on your portable video MP4 device while wearing your headphones. The lyrics will automatically appear on your screen.
Take your entire oPi music collection on your player anywhere, and once hooked up, play the songs from your video MP4 player; the music and lyrics will be transferred to the television. One Microphone is included with the The doPi converter, along with an AC adapter and the cables needed to hook up your player and television. Your purchase includes three free music downloads from the doPikaraoke site. The price? Your can purchase it directly from http://www.dopikaraoke.com/ for a reasonable price of $59.99.
Via mpogd
Posted by eric at 5:10 AM
January 18, 2007
iOPS X11 PMP, "Mini Mimic"
Compliments to Apple, as it seems to set the standard for the duplicates that’s being created all over the world. Presenting the Asian version called the X11.The nine millimeter iPod duplicate is created from white or graphite aluminum and reflects a very familiar click wheel. This device, which totes 1/2/4 capacities also features a 1.3-inch color LCD, rechargeable Li-ion battery, JPEG / text viewer, FM radio tuner, built-in equalizer, USB 2.0 connectivity, and upgradeable firmware, MP3, WMA, and OGG music files and plays well with AVI, MPEG4, DivX, XviD, and WMV video files. Though a duplicate, it’s a pretty darn good duplicate.
Via engadget
Posted by eric at 5:45 AM
January 8, 2007
URGE Prefers Toshiba Gigabeat
Just like San Disk MP3 players found a home with Rhapsody, Toshiba Gigabeat MP3 players are moving in to MTV Network's URGE. Today at CES in Las Vegas the relationship between Toshiba and URGE was formalized.This relationship unites the power of Toshiba's line of gigabeat portable media players with the wide variety of music content and handcrafted programming available through MTV Networks' URGE service. Working via Windows Media Player 11, which gigabeat players support, URGE has selected the gigabeat as a preferred device.
"For music and video lovers, Toshiba's gigabeat line of players represents the ultimate in easy to use portable media players," said Louis Masses, Director of Business Development. "Our relationship with URGE builds on our strategy of securing connections with premium content providers, giving our customers flexibility and choice in terms of digital content downloads. The gigabeat is about empowering consumers and our relationship with URGE is enabling Toshiba to do just that."
Via PR Newswire
Posted by eric at 5:36 AM
January 4, 2007
Digital Cube's Mini DX
A little make-over never hurts any player. Digital Cube has released the Mini DX. On top of what the original Mini already offers, the Mini DX comes complete with a FM tuner, USB host support and a microSD slot.The Mini DX now flaunts a slight physical facelift, although it inherited the same 2.4 inch LCD; T-DMB; 1, 2 and 4GB (4GB is not available just yet) worth of space.
The 1GB is pushing for around 198,000 KRW or $213 US, and the 2GB device is going for 248,000 KRW or $267 US. Just because we translated the price into US dollars, doesn’t mean it’ll be coming this way anytime soon. Sorry!
Via engadget
Posted by eric at 5:35 AM
December 29, 2006
Introducing The Tuny 9 and 11
Dyne joins Tuny 9 and 11 with Tuny 8, but with more style and a little extra ‘umph’. The 0.55-inch thick Tuny 9 gushes capacities of 512MB, 1GB AND 2GB, along with 2-inch 176 x 220 pixel, 18 hours of battery life, 8 hours of video playback, an abundance of codec support, FM radio and line-in recording, TV out and Bluetooth. The thinner 0.3-inch thick Tuny 11 hosts a 1.7 inch 128 x 160 screen, with no TV out or Bluetooth features. Both handsomely styled devices’ availabilities and prices are unknown. We do know that it won’t be creeping over from Korea anytime in the nearest of futures.
Via engadget
Posted by eric at 3:50 AM
December 21, 2006
Video Downloads For PSP
Sony has stepped in the right direction as they launch a video download service for the Sony PSP in the first half of 2007, reports The Financial Times via The Wallstreet Journal. The PSP presents great movies on an extraordinary screen; and PSP users are more interested in downloading movies. To make it this feasible, Sony needs a new Sony PSP with Hard-drive available.Sony must be able to store downloaded videos in order for it to be a big success. Right now, their memory sticks are too small. But, their beginning to get the concept.
Via I4U
Posted by eric at 4:52 AM
December 8, 2006
Microsoft's Zune Struggles
Well it looks like Microsoft's new media player, the Zune isn't doing as well as they'd hoped. As of yesterday on Amazon.com the Zune was only ranked number 55 in electronics sales, trailing behind multiple players from Apple, SanDisk Corp. and Creative Technology Ltd.
Microsoft is confident however that sales will increase drastically as new models are released and the Zune becomes available internationally.
The company expects to sell one million devices by June 2007, but that may be an overshoot given its less than stellar performance so far.
Via NetMusicCountdown
Posted by eric at 5:49 AM
December 7, 2006
Azureus Proposes HD "YouTube"
Azureus has, popularly known for its file-sharing client, presented their new file sharing distribution platform, which proposes to be ‘a better Youtube’, bragging high definition, DVD-quality video on the internet. Azureus’s display does provide movie theater experience, with video thumbnails displayed in the letterboxed 16:9 aspect ratio against a black backdrop, and videos are played in the iPod-friendly H.264 format or VC-1. Because BitTorrent can quickly stream large video, users can upload, download and discuss videos similarly to other video sharing sites like YouTube, Metacafe and Revver on the Zudeo website.
"Our main target is high-definition video, which is a whole new market online. People will be able to post any kind of quality on our platform, but on top of that, we also make it possible to post videos that exceed DVD quality." Says CEO BianRosa.
Azureus users can access service through the Azureus’ website. Or they can download a web-enabled version of the Azureus BitTorrent client that has the service built in.
Via Wired
Posted by eric at 6:15 AM
November 16, 2006
Archos Unveils Helmet Camcorder
Archos has joined the video recording frenzy with its new Helmet Camcorder. This “ready-to-go” recorder is work with it Archo’s 404, 504, 604, and 604 WiFi devices. This device records straight to MPEG4, has 640 x480 resolution (DVD quality), and built-in microphone and remote. Supposedly, videos can be transferred to your computer using USB 2.0 for editing, can link instantaneously to your Archos PMP. Lastly, the device’s complete power derives from the Archos device it’s plugged into. For $149.99 you can make your own movies, and have fun doing it!
Via engadget
Posted by eric at 9:01 AM
October 15, 2006
The new MobiBlu Cube2 Reviewed
CNET has recently reviewed the MobiBlu's Cube2, the "world's smallest multimedia player" This player features 2GB flash, FM radio/scheduling, OGG/MP3/DRM'd WMA and MPG/WMV support, voice recordingQuote: "The incredibly compact and durable MobiBlu Cube2 takes the cute li'l shape of the original Cube music player and adds in photo and video support; comes with podcast software and packs in a range of features such as an FM radio, FM scheduling, voice recording, and a customizable equalizer; supports OGG and subscription tracks; includes dual UMS and MTP transfer modes."
Read the full Review
Posted by eric at 11:38 AM
October 5, 2006
Adapt Creates an All-In-One GPS/PMP
Well here we go, another GPS/PMP combo that is only for Europe. Adapt has unveiled a new all in one GPS system that has music, photo, and video capabilities. To me this device seems to bulky to be used for more than a in car system. I think the HP iPaq rx5000 and the Mio H610 are much more versatile because they are much thiner and can fit in your pocket just like most PMPs.In addition to the somewhat bulky size and shape the player only has a 64MB internal memory with SD card slot. The player has a clear 3.5" touch screen display and is powered by a 400MHz processor from Samsung. No release date has been set yet and the price will be right around 279 Euro ($354 US).
Via engadget
Posted by eric at 7:59 AM
September 30, 2006
The HP iPAQ rx5000
With the unveiling of HP's new iPAQ rx5000 Travel Companion it seems like every is trying to become a player in the PMP market. The new device is a state of the art GPD navigation system with a built in portable media player.The rx5000 runs Windows Mobile 5.0 and can be connected to your PC via USB or bluetooth to transfer for media files for viewing on the go. The player also gives you the ability to view photos with HP Photosmart.
The iPAX rx5000 only has 64MB of internal memory but has an SD memory card slot compatible with 1 and 4 bit memory standard. The screen is 3.5" and the dimensions of the whole device are 4.74" x 3" x 0.65".
HP
Posted by eric at 7:27 AM
September 26, 2006
Canon M30 and M80
Looks like theres a new face in the PMP world and it's name is Canon. Along with the four digital cameras that Canon released earlier this month they have now decided to release 2 portable media players, the Canon M30 and M80. The M30 features a 30GB HDD, while the M80 has a 80GB.
The players will be able to view photos as well as play videos on a 3.7" screen with 640x480 resolution. The units will also have a SD card memory slot for photo and video tansfers
Via I4U
Posted by eric at 9:10 AM
September 24, 2006
The New Memorex iFlip
Similar to the what inMotion and inHome iH5 did for audio for your iPod the new Memorex iFlip does for video. The Memorex iFlip is the largest screened portable video display accessory yet released for fifth-generation iPods, with a 8.4-inch video display, two speakers, and a rechargeable battery capable of delivering nearly 8 hours of continuous audio and video playback at normal volume and brightness levels.Other features that the iFlip has are dual headphone ports and S-Video output. The iFlip has also placed all of the control buttons on the side of the player rather than on the surface.
Via iLounge
Posted by eric at 8:21 AM
The New Memorex iFlip
Similar to the what inMotion and inHome iH5 did for audio for your iPod the new Memorex iFlip does for video. The Memorex iFlip is the largest screened portable video display accessory yet released for fifth-generation iPods, with a 8.4-inch video display, two speakers, and a rechargeable battery capable of delivering nearly 8 hours of continuous audio and video playback at normal volume and brightness levels.Other features that the iFlip has are dual headphone ports and S-Video output. The iFlip has also placed all of the control buttons on the side of the player rather than on the surface.
Via iLounge
Posted by eric at 8:21 AM
September 22, 2006
The Aigo MP-F986 PVP
Aigo, a Chinese manufacturer, has announced a new PVP that is only 2.6 x 1.85 x 0.6-inches and 1.5-ounces. Despite it's size the Aigo Patriot MP-F986 still manages to pack a 160 x 128 display and 512-1GB of memory. This player is perfect for listening to music or watching videos. It supports MP3, WMA, OGG and AVI files.
The player also pulls out all the bells and whistles with an FM radio and voice recording. For some reason it seems like every media player has these features except for, oh yeah, the iPod.
Via I4U
Posted by eric at 6:01 AM
September 19, 2006
SanDisk Makes Video Transfer Easy
Portable video devices are great, but how easy is it to get the media you want on it? It's somewhat a difficult task, formatting the files correctly having the right compression, right memory card or cable to transfer, etc. Well SanDisk hopes to bring cure to this problem with their new V-MateThe V-Mate allows users to transfer video from just about any source; TV, Cable, Satellite, DVD, DVRs, or VCR. The V-Mate records the video directly onto a flash memory card and then is ready to be plugged into any device you choose for playback.
The device can record uptp 3.5 hours of video per gigabyte and is compatible with a variety of SD, MMC, and Memory Stick models. It records at a resolution of 640x480 pixels which means the video is sized for a small screen.
Official Press Release
Posted by eric at 5:04 AM
Archos PVP with TV Tuner
Archos has introduced a portable video player that can view and record digital TV while out and about. The AV700 TV automatically scans and detects digital channels and using two external antennas delivers a crystal-clear video quality broadcast right to your fingertips.The AV700 TV has a 40GB hard drive capable of holding 35 hours of recorded TV, 160 hours of encoded video, 20,000 songs or 400,000 photos. According to Archos the reception is the best inside buildings and in cars.
Official Press Release
Posted by eric at 5:02 AM
September 17, 2006
Turn Your iPod Into a Video Recorder
A new product that is gaining popularity is the ATO iSee 360i, a revolutionary iPod accessory that turns your iPod into a video recorder. According to the manufacture it's as easy as "slipping" the iPod into the back of the unit and "flipping" the unit over.The interesting thing about this unit is that it supports iPod models that are not video capable on their own. Now all models are supported, however. Instead, you're limited to 20GB fourth-generation and 30GB fifth-gen models, as well as the iPod mini and nano (with optional $20 adapter).
Also one of the iSee's biggest limitations is that it works only with Microsoft Windows–formatted iPods, since the included Windows-only software is required for prepping your iPod for use with the iSee. So if you are a Mac lover then I guess it's bad news for you.
View Official Press Release
Posted by eric at 6:57 PM
Game Park Unveils The New XGP Kids
The Korean company Game Park is hoping to make headway in the market of portable devices. The new device the XGP Kids is their new version of a portable game system as well as a portable player for music and video. The XGP and XGP Mini were released earlier this year, with this version the company hopes to reach a younger market.Game Park knows it will be hard to compete with the likes of the PSP and GBA so to start out this player will only be released in the UK and other parts of Europe. Game Park hopes that the combination of games, video, and music will provide interest for the unit. Unfortunately for Game Park the iPod now has versatile gaming capabilities as well.
The XGP Kids features a 2.2 inch screen uses only a 140MHz processor and uses SD memory cards for video or music storage.
View Official Press Release
Posted by eric at 6:42 PM
September 13, 2006
iTunes Now Offers Full Length Movies
Well it's finally here, the moment all iPod junkies have been waiting for. Wednesday, at Apple's big "Showtime" media extravaganza, the latest version of iTunes, version 7.0, was announced. Along with other features it adds the ability to download and watch movies, which are purchased in a similar fashion to music and TV shows.Over 70 titles are already available for purchase. Apple plans to stay on top of the movie game, with new movies expected in the digital store the day that they're released on DVD. Users will be able to pre-order new release titles for $12.99. During the first week it's available they will cost $14.99. Movies that are more than a week old sell for $9.99.
Apple also showcased the new 30GB and 80GB iPod Video models which are perfect now that iPods will have multiple 2 hour movies rather than a few TV shows.
All of this great stuff, including the new iPod hardware, is available immediately. So go out and celebrate. Because nothing screams "Party!" like watching Pirates of the Caribbean on a 4 inch screen.
Official Press Release
Posted by eric at 5:52 AM
September 11, 2006
A Portable Video Player Belt Buckle
Society is completely immersed with media. Everywhere you turn there’s a billboard, or a bus with an advertisement on it. But what if the next time you were at a club you saw commercials on everyone’s belt buckles?Well it just might be possible with Egocast's creation of the Egocast One. The Egocast One is a media player that can be attached to your belt and play either your own content or a number of looping videos that come with the player. Egocast even offers a subscription service in which you are sent new looping videos on a regular basis.
But what do you do with a belt buckle video player when you aren't walking around in public? Well the Egocast One is also a standalone player that you can view your favorite TV shows or home videos on. The player also comes with video output so you can play the video on your TV.
If you do decide to buy this product be careful. The manufacturer does warn consumers about it's affects. They say that the product "Is not for wallflowers. Some people might be a little uncomfortable with everyone looking at their belt; it's sort of an unusual place for people to be staring at."
Read the full story
Get more info
Posted by eric at 4:38 PM
June 8, 2005
Many New MSI Portable Media Players
MSI shows the new MP-529, 535, 540, MV-566 Pro, 569, 571 portable video players.
Dapreview has a story featuring all new MSI PMPs with photos. The come in all sizes and feature sets. Small flash memory players and big HDD PMPs.
Find a cool Portable Video Player!
Posted by i4u at 10:08 AM
September 8, 2004
World's First Media Portable CD Player - iRiver IMP-1100
iRiver together with Texas Instruments announce the world's first Media Portable CD Player called iRiver IMP-1100.
Clearly an new concept to enhance a portable CD to also play and display photos and video. Is there a market for it?
The IMP-1100 has a 2 inch 260k color TFT screen. The iRiver Media CD Player can play up to six hours of video and approximately 25 hours of music. The iRiver IMP-1100 has a TV-Out, supports, MP3, WMA, ASF, DivX, Jpeg and bmp.
The IMP 1100 is scheduled to be available in the Q3 of 2004 and will have a suggested retail price of $279.99.
Find iRiver Deals Now!.
Texas Instruments makes the digital signal processors used by iRiver in the IMP-1100 but also in the new PMP-100 HDD PVP series.
More details on Texas Instrument Press-Release.
Posted by i4u at 7:28 AM | TrackBack
August 21, 2004
Portable Video Player with HDTV Output
The Portable Video Player from Canadian Distributor Microtronics is a bit of a different animal than the PVPs we reported about. This portable device does not have its own display but provides Video Outputs including HDTV to connect to TVs and Monitors in Cars and elsewhere.
The MG-25 is supprts DivX and MP4 playback and comes with an internal 2.5 HDD (priced extra). Music and Video can be transferred via USB 2.0 to the box. Once connected to a TV, with a button on the remote control the media playback can be started.
The Portable Video Storage/Player measures 80x148x24mm and weighs 150g. The supported output resolutions are: 720x480p 1280x720p, and 1920x1080i (HDTV).
More details on Microtronics product page. The pricing starts at $160 Canadian i think.
Posted by i4u at 7:03 AM | TrackBack
October 11, 2003
The Top 10 Personal Video Player (PVP) 2003
Playing Video on the go is the new frontier after everybody now has an MP3 Player. We put together the Top 10 gadgets for playing Digital Video on the road.From MP4 players to 17" wide-screen Notebooks, there are many ways to watch movies when-ever and where-ever. This year the new thing are definitly the Hard drive based MP4 Players from RCA and Archos. Portable DVD players have been around for a while, they just got better.
If you think we missed a Personal Video Player that has to be on the I4U Top 10 list, please email us.
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Lyra Audio/Video 20 GB Jukebox The RCA Lyra RD2780 is our Top Personal Video Player for 2003! It is more stylish than the Archos AV320 and also less expensive. Based on the orders through I4U so far it is also far ahead of the Archos AV320. The palm-sized 13 ounce 20GB RD2780 RCA LYRA Audio/Video Jukebox (MSRP: $449) contains a built-in MPEG-4 encoder and decoder, enabling users to watch up to 80 hours of pre-recorded television shows, feature films, or home videos directly on the 3.5-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCD screen. Dimensions (WxHxD) Inches: 5.37x3.13x.95 Starts shipping October 30th 2003.
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Archos
AV320 Multimedia Jukebox with Digital Video Recorder Module 500542
The Archos av320 is
also Video Recorder, that makes it pretty powerful. It is bulkier, but if
you want the direct record feature than this is the machine for you.
The av320 record video off of your television, VCR or camcorder directly
into MP4. It also can record MP3 directly from audio sources. It features
a high-resolution 3.8-inch screen.
I4U News Stories:
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ZVUE!
Personal Video Player This is our wildcard pick for the top PVP 2003. It is not out yet, but the company announced it will be available for the holiday season. This PVP will cost below $100! We reported several times about this interesting gadget from Silicon Valley's Handheld Entertainment. The hand-held ZVUE! can play videos, music videos and MP3s and features an ultra-bright, 2.5-inch full-color screen that plays full-motion video and displays digital images. About the size of a deck of playing cards.
I4U News Stories: ZVUE! Video Interview: Exclusive World Premier ZVUE Update: Will Hit Retail Stores in October Exclusive ZVUE! Gadget Girl Photos Exclusive ZVUE! First Look Handheld Video Player For under $100!! Announced
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Panasonic
SV-AV30 e-wear Digital Camcorder
This is not only a personal video player it
is also a digital camcorder. This
Find other small Panasonic Digital Camcorder models.
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Flipster
128 MB Personal Multimedia MP4 Player Flipster! Personal Multimedia is the
World's first dedicated portable multimedia player equipped with
Microsoft Windows Media Player. Its the smallest Personal Video
Player in our top 10 selection.
I4U News Stories: |
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Panasonic
DVD-LX9 Portable DVD Player If digitizing movies is just not your thing, there are large range of portable DVD players out there. The Panasonic DVD-LX9 is one of the high-end ones. The DVD-Video and DVD-Audio player with 9-inch widescreen LCD screen and docking station with portable powered speakers. Progressive-scan video outputs provide for seamless, flicker-free images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs. It plays DVD-R, DVD-RAM, CD, and recordable MP3/WMA CDs. The sound is coming through Multichannel analog and optical digital-audio outputs. The DVD-LX9 has built-in DVD-Audio, DTS, and Dolby Digital surround decoding and VSS virtual surround. Batteries hold 2,5 hours.
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Samsung 10-Inch Portable
DVD/CD
The world's thinnest DVD player features
the widest TFT active matrix LCD screen.
SharperImage also offers another fairly tricked out Portable
DVD player, the Personal Entertainment Center
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Casio SY-4000 4" Handheld
TV This new Casio TV makes it in our list as a valid alternative to watching digital video. Watch TV on the road why not. Works as long you have reception. I don't think it works on the plane though. The Casio SY-400 is waterproof and features a 4" color screen with anti-glare active matrix technology (TFT) and 122,980-pixels screen.
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Apple PowerBook Notebook
17" M9110LL This is the high-end solution for watching movies on the road. A 17" wide-screen Notebook. If you are on business chances are you anyway need a Notebook. The Apple 17" Powerbook is the way to go! The M9110LL Powerbook packs a 1.33GHz PowerPC G4, 512MB and a 1440x900 resolution 17" TFT Display.
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Dell Inspiron 8600 Notebook Computer In case you are locked in Windows, consider the new Dell 8600 series as worthy alternative to the Apple Powerbook. The 15.4" wide-screen actually features a higher resolution than the Apple - 1920 x 1200 pixel. Inspiron 8600 incorporates Intel Centrino Mobile Technology to provide wireless connectivity. Choose the Nvidia's latest graphic imaging with its new 128MB GeForce FX Go5650 4X AGP graphics card option. Also take the DVD writer drive, so you can also make your own DVDs. Supported Processors are the Intel Pentium M Processors at 1.40GHz, 1.60GHz, 1,50GHz and 1.70GHz with Intel Centrino Mobile Technology.
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