Toshiba's Gigabeat V60 launched

Toshiba just doubled the capacity of their Gigabeat V30 earning their Microsoft Portable Media Center player a swank new V60E moniker. That's 60GB of disk tucked into the chassis for up to 255-hours of hot, hot animal network action recorded off the OneSeg ISDB-T mobile TV tuner. We're still talking a 3.5-inch QVGA display here but bumps can be found in the enhanced EPG now allowing for up to 16 shows to be scheduled for recording up to 1-week in advance. They've also managed to squeeze a bit more juice out of the battery which now boasts 27-hours of music playback (MP3/WMA/WAV/WMA 9 Lossless/DRM'd WMA), 9-hours of WMV vids, or 7-hours of OneSeg TV which should be spot-on based on reviews of the V30 sib. Expect the V60E to pop for Japan starting 8 December for ¥59,800 (about $507) with the a 30GB, V30E hitting a bit sooner on 22 November for ¥49,800 (about $423). If history serves, then we can expect a tuner-free version of the V60 to arrive in the US a few months later.

[Via Impress]

[GadgetGav @ Nov 9th 2006 9:21AM]

Nice... Good of them to keep that Windows logo on there too when Microsoft just pulled the rug out from under them by closing the Plays For Sure DRM'd WMV store...

[Jamar @ Nov 9th 2006 9:58AM]

Why can't they include a tuner that suits the American market then?

[Marco @ Nov 9th 2006 9:59AM]

Does that poor dog only have three legs?

[YaddaYadda @ Nov 9th 2006 10:10AM]

That dog looks like he's taking a dump.

[Scott @ Nov 9th 2006 10:19AM]

Why no FLAC Love Samsung?

[tekdroid @ Nov 9th 2006 1:46PM]

Toshiba love MS, that's why :) Bland closed codecs are the order of the day.

[YaddaYadda @ Nov 9th 2006 10:48AM]

That dog looks like he's taking a dump.

[The Jeremy @ Nov 9th 2006 2:02PM]

Toshiba is the next Sega. They've been seduced by the Dark Side, aka Microsoft.

Lest we forget, the Sega Dreamcast. Microsoft funded the development of the system in exchange for Sega agreeing to use Windows CE as the game system's OS. Then, after NEC kicked up a fuss with Microsoft, Microsoft instructed Sega to dump 3dfx - a company that Sega had an equity stake in - as the system's graphics chip source in favor of using NEC's PowerVR chips. This involved a breach of contract which led to a major lawsuit between 3dfx and Sega.

What did Microsoft get out of all of it? Experience in making a Windows based game system and taking out one of the largest videogame companies which Microsoft would have competed with naturally when the company entered the console gaming industry.

Toshiba will be Microsoft's next partnering victim (or maybe its Novell). Microsoft is using Toshiba as a proxy to try to severely weaken Sony. Microsoft is counting on Toshiba hurting Blu-Ray by selling their HD DVD players for a loss in order to get marketshare and hopefully win the format war so Sony is crippled. In exchange for Microsoft's support, HD DVD uses Microsoft's iHD software and the premiere codec of choice is Microsoft's VC-1. At the same time, Microsoft is muscling into the MP3 player market which will shove the Gigabeat out of the way but as a consolation, Microsoft contracted with Toshiba to build the Zune for them...for now. Wait a couple of years and some other company will get the contract (a la the "Stinger" debacle) and Toshiba will be left high-and-dry.

[carl @ Nov 9th 2006 3:25PM]

WRM stores still exist, and probably will for a while. How could you think MS is screwing Toshiba? Toshiba makes the Zune after all, and the zune marketplace has zero market penetration at this juncture.

[carl @ Nov 9th 2006 3:27PM]

That'd be WMA DRM (PlaysForSure).

[sdsdv10 @ Nov 9th 2006 3:46PM]

@ Scott, what's with the "Samsung" deal?

Since when does Toshiba Gigabeat = Samsung?

Oh, I see, reading comprehension problems...

If you really need your "FlAC love", just check out Samsung's cross town rival Cowon. They will hook you up!

[Liam @ Nov 10th 2006 7:38AM]

I hope we get a DAB-IP version for BT's Movio service in the UK!