SmartQ TAO sports a swanky screen

We're pleased to see some improvements in SmartQ's latest PMP. Screen size and resolution for the TAO weigh in at a formidable 3.3-inches 480x320 HVGA with 262,000 colors. It hosts a decent lineup of multi-codec niceties like MP3, OGG, WMA, FLAC, APE, AAC, WAV (PCM, ADPCM), along with a 500mhz Blackfin processor -- not too shabby for soaking up video. Xvid and Divx AVI res hit 720x480 with RMVB topping that, and FLV, WMV, ASF, 3GP, MPEG, DAT, MP4 formats are also supported. If you're jetting over to China any time soon, you should be able to pick up a 4GB model for around 699RMB ($102.)

[Thanks, Nick]

[Jhongerkong @ Sep 27th 2008 5:42AM]

Oh shit. 4GB and RMVB support for 102 bucks? If that huge screen is also a touch screen, then im double sold.

[KilgoreTrout @ Sep 27th 2008 6:15AM]

Don't forget to add the cost of a ticket to Shenzen and to brush up your mandarin to be able to use the UI

[kuade @ Sep 27th 2008 6:37AM]

@kilgoretrout, yeah because China never imports anything to the United States... I don't see any mandarin in the above photo...

[j.d.ripper @ Sep 27th 2008 8:34AM]

@KilgoreTrout
ebay if your friend and almost all of these things have english menus, at least the PMPs I saw in year ago in China for the Chinese only market did.

[Flashpoint @ Sep 27th 2008 9:57AM]

kuade

First of all, you'd have a hard time FINDING this in China. The majority of Chinese made PMP's that are shipped to America are shipped by import shops that ship whatever new stuff comes out that they feel they can turn a profit on.

Second, if thing even works after a year, I'd be suprised. Chinese firmware/GUI's are terrible. I can't tell you how many of them I've seen suffer unrepairable critical errors.

these things don't even have corporate websites for customer support. Its not as if you can download updates for em.

That's one of the reasons Zune and iPod have done so well worlwide. Alot of Asians refuse to buy Chinese made PMP's. They want SONY, TOSHIBA, or anything they know they can have fixed if something goes wrong.

I wouldn't even worry about the unit's language, Chinese devices from PMP's to digi cams always support Traditional /Simplified and English.

[Rich @ Sep 27th 2008 6:16AM]

It has a 3d screen!

[Jash Sayani @ Sep 27th 2008 6:20AM]

You dont need a PMP if you have a 7" netbook or an iPhone !

[Juxtah @ Sep 27th 2008 7:15AM]

Yeah because a netbook is just so pocketable, and the iphone doesn't cost 10x more at all!

The PMP is here to stay, a decent one will give you 8 hours + of video for $200, try getting that battery life from a netbook or getting an iPhone for that cost.

[jupiterthunder @ Sep 27th 2008 3:59PM]

He said "IF you had" not "when you could have".

Probably true of the iPhone, but not the netbook.

[konshuss @ Sep 27th 2008 7:09PM]

he can say whatever he wants, a dedicated PMP has longer battery life than an iphone and you don't have to sign up for a contract to use it. but of course only an idiot wouldn't see those differences, and therefore are low ranked.

[GL @ Sep 27th 2008 6:51AM]

Anybody else think its a copy of the Sony play screen, as i know mine has album artist genre at the bottom and it looks mighty similar

[GiF @ Sep 27th 2008 11:40AM]

I think it looks like an iPhone except uglier and thicker.

[Nietzche @ Sep 27th 2008 7:02AM]

So many nice new players, so few with a decent amount of storage :/

[LMM @ Sep 27th 2008 7:36AM]

You do realize you can buy 3 of these for the price of one crappy-codec'd iPhone, and 4+ for the price of one over-sized, underpowered 7" monstrosity of a netbook, right?

[Skazer @ Sep 27th 2008 7:41AM]

Are you serious? I have a Sony too. The only thing similar is that they both have the title/artist/album listed in the bottom half of the screen - that's it.

[Skazer @ Sep 27th 2008 7:45AM]

That was in response to GL.

[ACE @ Sep 27th 2008 7:44AM]

" weigh in at a staunchly 3.3-inches 480x320 HVGA with 262,000 colors"

Those aren't incriments of weight.... XP

[Bill @ Sep 27th 2008 8:30AM]

I just saw some other pictures of this PMP. And, it's look like it has a memory card slot of some sort.

[Bill @ Sep 27th 2008 8:30AM]

Here's more info. And, yes, it does accept a memory card.

http://www.playsmartsg.biz/1822/22401.html

[joe23521 @ Sep 27th 2008 10:35AM]

Not sure if it has a touch screen, for there are six hard buttons on the top and bottom of the player. Still a lot of bang for the buck regardless.

[chengdude @ Sep 27th 2008 12:01PM]

SmartQ is known for having far and away the best firmware among Chinese PMPs and it actually does what people who complain about crappy Chinese firmware say crappy Chinese firmware doesn't do, e.g. support album art and proper ID3 tagging/browsing. They also offer firmware upgrades regularly via their website. In addition to the ADI chip, there will likely be a Wolfson 8987 audio codec as they use with their other player and, yes, support for up to 16GB SDHC via card slot. As for any maintenance you might care to do, check out the backplate: 4 screws.

And yes, you can find SmartQ -as well as Meizu, Teclast, Oppo, Onda, RAmos, et al.- at any electronics mall here (China).

Considering a 3rd gen Nano 4GB is about 50 bucks more than this thing, I know what my next player is going to be.

[Taras @ Sep 27th 2008 2:52PM]

Can you point me to their website. I have a previous-gen ipod knockoff from there guys. I'd love to get newer firmware for it.

[Fragpenguin @ Sep 27th 2008 2:29PM]

The price on this thing is unbeatable I mean it has a decent sized screen, it's pretty light, and has that oh so trendy Iphone look to it./ As for the firmware being crap, chances are people will find a way around that and put there own on it in a matter of weeks. If I was in need of a portable media player i would defiantley consider this but seeing as how i have my Ipod and all I'm not.

[randf @ Sep 27th 2008 5:20PM]

but does it phone?

[adam @ Sep 27th 2008 5:40PM]

First of all, "staunchly" is an adverb. You're using it as an adjective. Second, it means "loyally" or "in a committed fashion". Did you mean "hefty"? They sort of sound similar.

Only not really.

[derFilm @ Sep 27th 2008 10:32PM]

SmartQ TAO also sports some not-so-swanky earphones as well!