iLuv's $270 i1166 portable multimedia player finally shipping next month

Set in stone for March, eh? Looks like that ship date slipped just a wee bit. iLuv's curious i1166 -- which plays back an array of multimedia from an array of sources on its 9-inch LCD -- is now slated to ship to the US next month. Originally introduced at CES, the $269.99 device can play back content stored on an iPod, DVD, SD / MMC card or USB drive, though the omission of a screen resolution gives us serious pause. Other specs include twin 3.5 millimeter headphone jacks, an "iPod-friendly" user interface and a bundled remote, none of which justify the lofty asking price in our humble eyes. You and your wallet can feel free to disagree in around a fortnight, though.

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iLuv Announces Availability of the i1166 9" Portable Digital Multimedia Player for your iPod and DVD/DivX

– The Perfect Solution For Travel Entertainment

i1166 Features DivX video playback and a Digital Panel with Enhanced Resolution for Media Viewing for iPod & DVD, SD / MMC / USB Slot, Digital Photo Frame Capability

PORT WASHINGTON, NY – (September 28, 2009) - iLuv, the leader in innovative audio solutions, is proud to announce the availability of their best 2009 invention from a new line of enhanced and creative products, the i1166, 9" Portable Multimedia Player for iPod and DVDs. The "CES Best of Innovation 2009" award winner in the Portable Multimedia Accessories product category, the i1166 features an iPod-friendly user interface (UI) and brings hours of widescreen personal multimedia entertainment to travelers starting mid October 2009 at www.i-luv.com for the MSRP of $269.99.

"We are confident that the i1166 will blow away every gadget lover's expectations with what it can do and get tremendous attention from the holiday gift buyers. There's virtually nothing it cannot play! We proved that we listen to our customers' need by upgrading the picture quality, enhancing the playback solutions, and building it user-friendly." says Howard Kim, iLuv Marketing Manager. "I can proudly say we're introducing the most advanced portable multimedia player up to date"

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Features for Your iPod

* Play video content of your iPod on the 9" widescreen digital TFT LCD
* Full control of your iPod with user friendly graphic interface
* Charge your iPod when docked (with AC adapter)
* Compatible with iPod touch 2nd generation, iPod nano 5th generation, iPod nano 4th generation, iPod touch, iPod nano 3rd generation, iPod classic, iPod with video

Features for SD/MMC, USB and DVD Player

* Watch your favorite movie or TV show files on SD/MMC memory card or USB flash drive
* DivX® certified
* Play DVD videos on the widescreen digital TFT LCD
* Enhanced user interface with detailed controls
* Convenient OSD (On-Screen Display)
* Multiple subtitle, angle, and audio functions and fast motion playback
* Supports 3 power sources: AC, DC and Built-in Li-Polymer rechargeable battery
* Playable Media: Audio CD / VCD / SVCD / DVD / CD-R / CD-RW / DVD±R / DVD±RW / DivX / MP3 / WMA / JPEG
* Connectivity includes two 3.5mm stereo headphone jacks
* Dimensions (W x H x D) 11" x 6.1" x 1.9"
* Remote Control included

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For more information on product specifications as well as pricing and availability please visit www.i-luv.com.

About iLuv:
iLuv is a brand of jWIN Electronics Corp. dedicated to developing IT peripheral products, unique audio video products and accessories for portable media players and other personal entertainment devices. The iLuv i1166, iMM9500, iMM183, iSP200 and i303 were recognized as CES Innovations 2009 Design and Engineering Award Honorees including the "Best of Innovations 2009" for i1166 in the Portable Multimedia Accessories Product category. This follows on iLuv previously winning two CES Innovations awards in 2007 and three in 2008. For more information on iLuv, please visit www.i-luv.com.

[DRHouse Posted Sep 28th 2009 6:43PM]

Will it play iphone media? it only says ipod on the article

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 6:47PM]

Pretty sure it'll play both, since an iPod touch 3.1 is basically the same firmware that the iPhone has, except no phone and microphone.

there are even folders in /root for iPhone only files.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 8:08PM]

I dunno...my dad bought a TV that will play stuff from iPod Touch, but specifically states is not compatible with iPhone.

[Fanfoot Posted Sep 29th 2009 2:19AM]

The iPhone and iPod Touch have different requirements for connector out. There are LOTS of devices that hook up to one but not the other thru the dock connector. The reason is Apple licenses the little chips that enable compatibility with each for MONEY. So unless it says "Designed for iPhone" don't assume it will work. It probably won't.

[SrgBacon Posted Sep 28th 2009 6:44PM]

pretty cool..

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 6:45PM]

WOAH....

i dont remember reading this, so just seeing it now, im still in awe.
and since i go on 5 hour drives to Wisconsin every weekend, this is very appealing to me..

270 isnt that bad, but it all depends on res. right now...
plus, it would be much better if it was touch... i know not alot of people like touch on bigger devices,
but i see a lot of promise in something like this with a touch screen, but thats just me.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 6:52PM]

also, i wonder how long the battery is on that.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 6:52PM]

If this thing has a decent res its very appealing to me.
On a side note, whens iTunes going to have an Import DVD feature?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 6:57PM]

They probably won't...all DVD ripping software is kind of illegal now...which is kind of strange. I just saw they passed this law recently

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 7:10PM]

Just use magic DVD ripper if you have Windows.
Good quality, but a bit on the slow side, takes it about 2 hours to rip an average DVD, that is, if you have enough ram.

its free too.

[TheJason Posted Sep 28th 2009 7:16PM]

why does every product have to start with "i"?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 7:44PM]

Iagree Ithink Its Itime they got more Inventive :P

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 9:04PM]

iDontknow...

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 28th 2009 9:47PM]

I don't see any info on this in the press release, but I was wondering if it has video out. If it did, it would pretty much perfectly fit a device category I'm looking for.

[bioadam Posted Sep 28th 2009 11:08PM]

For $270, a netbook offers decent SD video playback, internal storage, and something called the internet.

[Fanfoot Posted Sep 29th 2009 2:24AM]

I won't be buying anything like this ever again.

2-3 years ago I bought something like this, a little portable DVD player that also had a dock for the iPod. Dropped an iPod Classic in there, and NOPE. My first experience with Apple's fabulous licensing schemes which restrict playback compatibility with devices that don't license their little chips. Returned it to Best Buy immediately of course, and now I'll NEVER BUY SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN. Thanks, Apple.

I've even run into Kensington docks that work with the 3GS iPhone but DON'T work with the 4th gen Nano. WTF?

What a wonderful world we live in. I'll just rip my DVDs and play them on my netbook or iPod thanks. I can't be bothered to buy something like this and find out it doesn't work with next years iPod/iPhone and is now a pile of junk. Sorry, no thanks.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 29th 2009 12:33PM]

See, I'm just the opposite. I've never had a problem with one of my iPods not play nice with a dock I've bought. Which is not to say it doesn't happen, and I'm sure I'd be frustrated if it did. However, until it does, I'm perfectly content.