Unicon System's MBridge: probably not the "key to a computer free life"

If you believe US-based Unicon Systems, then their Linux-based MBridge is more than just another handheld PMP, it's some type of revolutionary device and the "key to a complete computer free life." It features a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 TFT display capable of 262k colors, two USB 2.0 connectors, a USB On-The-Go, a SD slot, and a little 802.11b sprinkled in just for fun. The revolution, apparently, is the oodles of included software which they claim allows you to "chat in all messengers where you have an account," upload pictures to the likes of Shutterfly or MySpace "right off the camera," and use the MBridge as a data transfer device copying, browsing, and editing the files on your PSP, iPod, or digital camera "at any location, at any moment, in under a minute." They also claim to allow users to purchase music and download it direct to your MP3 player from "all major [on-line] music stores" yet fail to list iTunes -- we guess command of more than 70 percent of the US market share doesn't constitute "major" anymore. Look Unicon, we want to believe! But all this marketing hyperbole and the device mock-up makes us just a bit skeptical, mkay? Still, they claim the device will drop this October for $159.99.

[Via I4U News]

[rj @ Jan 31st 2006 11:34AM]

iTunes, schmiTunes, this'd be a pretty excellent device if it did 802.11g.

I don't like iTunes.

[Kamalot @ Jan 31st 2006 11:43AM]

Wow! Does this fall into the too-good-to-be-true category?

[ZD @ Jan 31st 2006 12:03PM]

So, exactly how do you IM without a keyboard?

[Chris @ Jan 31st 2006 12:26PM]

#1-- why would you want G on this?? it's unnecessary! For web browsing and music downloading the bottleneck is not 802.11b unless a ton of people are on your wireless. The bottleneck is almost always the internet connection.

I'm GLAD the Nintendo DS does just B not G, G would use more battery power and would be unnecessary.

[Igor @ Jan 31st 2006 1:15PM]

$160 humm it is a good price!

[Joe @ Jan 31st 2006 2:05PM]

4: Touch screen? USB keyboard? Voice recognition? (Hey, the specs are too good to be true (at that price, anyway), might as well daydream.)

[Kevin Lim @ Jan 31st 2006 2:42PM]

[Sorry, my earlier post had the wrong URL]

I recently did a video interview with the lead engineer behind MBridge (and MCopy). It's one of the last interviews in my 20min documentary called "The Hidden Gems of Macworld". He had a working prototype and explains its inner workings.

[Kevin @ Jan 31st 2006 2:45PM]

Looks like my "a href" wasn't accepted. Here's the link http://theory.isthereason.com/?p=656

[dennis parrott @ Jan 31st 2006 3:18PM]

hmmm... WiFi (g would be better I agree) but add BlueTooth for connections to headsets (& with a mic you could use it to Skype away in that Pakastani internet cafe...) and PDA fold-up keyboards...

I really like the idea that I can hang a USB hard drive off this thing along with a card reader and then use it to copy pictures off the CF/SD cards I have. It does a lot more than the "slap your card in and put the pics on a drive" which is pretty cool. Too bad I can't do all that with my funky PocketPC phone...

[AndrewNeo @ Jan 31st 2006 3:24PM]

iTunes? Since when can -anything- but a a PC or an iPod legally play music downloaded with iTunes?

[sdsdv10 @ Jan 31st 2006 7:18PM]

Just to be clear, this is not a PMP. Check the companies website. While it can play MP3s, it has no video codecs. It can help wireless transfer files to a PMP, but it can not play them back natively.