TrekStor vibez DAP gets US pricing / release info

Despite the fact that most of the "high-resolution photographs" of its vibez MP3 player still look like concept renderings, German manufacturer TrekStor claims that the 1-inch hard drive-based DAPs will nonetheless be in US stores by the end of the year. You probably recall from our previous write-up that the curvaceous vibez comes in either 8GB, 12GB, or 15GB capacities, and features a 1.5-inch TFT display, replaceable 20-hour battery, and a rubber scroll wheel for sorting through your tunes even during a heavy downpour. Although MP3, WAV, WMA, OGG, and FLAC files are supported out of the box, you'll need to buy separate modules if you want to endow these units with an FM tuner or video playback (add-on cards featuring either the former or both the former and the latter will be available next year). Expect the 8GB and 12GB versions to come out sometime next month, while the 15 gigger is slated for a January release -- and at $220, $250, and $280, respectively, they're a heck of a lot cheaper than some of the other TrekStor gear that's floating around.

[Tony C @ Nov 6th 2006 3:29PM]

Could easily double as a mobile phone or a remote control, given the right software and changes to the physical interface.

Looks nice and organic, but there's gonna be hell to pay when those high points on the screen, scrollpad and back get all scraped up.

Hasn't anyone learned from the iPod that that much chrome on a handheld gadget is form over function?

[Nick @ Nov 6th 2006 3:43PM]

I actually don't think it's chrome. It looks like the clear-plastic-over-opaque-plastic that some of Apple's products and the DS Lite use.

[Tony C @ Nov 6th 2006 3:34PM]

After taking a closer look at the super-sized photos -- rather than a rendering, it looks much more like a non-function prototype or mockup with the TrekStor logo and screen photochopped in.

[morcheeba @ Nov 6th 2006 3:43PM]

Wow, cool design! Nice to see something that isn't a box & would fit easier in to a pocket.

The pictures are nice, but having something to compare it to would be nice ... here are the specs:

vibez 8-15GB: 4" x 2 x .7, 2.3 oz
ipod nano 4-8GB: 3.5 x 1.6 x .26, 1.4 oz
ipod 5G 40GB: 4.1 x 2.4 x .43", 4.8 oz

I wonder how they measured the thickness on the vibez - is it from hump-to-hump, or did the lay it on a table (slightly angled) and see what the lowest limbo pole it would fit under.

[Whynot @ Nov 6th 2006 3:46PM]

What!? There's no built-in FM radio? Well the Zune has one, even if it's a little bigger! Take that, Vibez fanboys!

:P

[Regula Oblique @ Nov 6th 2006 4:10PM]

That Mp3 player looks pregnant. :)

[SuperQ @ Nov 6th 2006 5:49PM]

This player is based on the Rio Karma firmware (now sigmatel firmware). There were pictures of the functional internals floating around somewhere.

[kevin @ Nov 6th 2006 7:22PM]

You know, for something that's supposed to be the successor to the Rio Karma, this is like 5 steps back...

[Galley @ Nov 6th 2006 8:26PM]

Very sexy, but no AAC support = no sale!

[enzo @ Nov 6th 2006 9:05PM]

I miss Rio... :(

[john collucci @ Nov 7th 2006 2:13AM]

That's a small screen yo's.

[Squee @ Nov 10th 2006 10:40AM]

I was hoping it would be flash. That would be sooooo much better.

Why couldnt they put flash into it and include the tuner card? I would have thought that FM was standard in mp3 players these days.