http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/ Engadget Comments for Viewsonic officially launches VPD400 MovieBook media player http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 7:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 6:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/
I don't see many buttons.]]>Nov 10th 2009 6:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 6:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 6:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/
Good eye, I missed those buttons...]]>Nov 10th 2009 6:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/
For media players that aren't big, buttons are much more preferable in my opinion. I can control my mp3 player from my pocket, i couldn't do that if it had a touch screen and pocket control is a must purely because most players don't have an inline headphone remote that doesn't force you to buy lousy headphones.

It's a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, as the saying goes. If all you're doing is watching films, the only buttons i want are play/pause, skip chapter and fast forward/rewind (along with stop and menu buttons). A touch screen would be a bit unwieldy and would likely drive up the cost.

People are mentioning WiFi too. Why? Again, there is an obsession with "all in one" devices. I'd rather have three separate gizmos that do certain functions very well than a jack of all trades, master of none combo. By now it should be clear that generally web browsers on these kind of sizes aren't worth using (i say generally!). It would be better to get a full featured internet tablet that can support things like Flash and full AJAX (some browsers do javascript, but not to the extent where you can do things like google maps). As for the screen size, the only thing i'd be using WiFi for is web browsing (don't care about POP, i check on websites and then download all my mail on my desktop/laptop using thunderbird) and it'd need to be a bit larger to make that work for me.

$129 or about 80 quid here sounds like a very good deal for 12 hours of video playback - never mind audio. 4.3 inches is respectable, i would be happy to buy one if the UI is good. Which raises one final point. If they put a touch panel in, and WiFi and hell, why not GPS too while they're at it, i would bet fair amount that the user interface would be rubbish and cumbersome and it'd get slated for trying to do too much.

]]>Nov 10th 2009 7:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 7:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/
So far all I've got from him is that it has to be seen to be believed, which is encouraging.]]>Nov 10th 2009 9:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 6:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 6:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Add Wifi and a touchscreen and I'd buy one right away.]]>Nov 10th 2009 6:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 6:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 7:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Because a lot of anime are wrap in mkv. And the whole point of a video player is to play video. ]]>Nov 10th 2009 7:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 6:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 6:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 7:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/
this pmp looks pretty appealing to me, though a thorough review of display/playback quality is what makes or breaks the deal. i suppose the rockchip is related to exactly that?
]]>Nov 11th 2009 8:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 8:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 8:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 9:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/
In all seriousness, it's not a bad deal for the price. 8GB is a lil' small....but if you directly compare it to some of the other no wifi, 8GB units on the market...not bad at all.]]>Nov 10th 2009 11:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 10th 2009 11:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 14th 2009 12:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.ainol.com/product/2009/0128/content_710.htm]]>Nov 11th 2009 5:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 11th 2009 8:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/
The Ainol V6000HDA costs $78.90. And that's the 16GB version.
http://www.allpmp.com/goods.php?u=4492&id=596

You can get the newer V8000 models with a larger screen, more memory and HDMI output for less than what ViewSonic wants for their device.

]]>Nov 11th 2009 8:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/though, viewsonic will probably add a few bucks to the price, but not as much as you make it look.]]>Nov 11th 2009 9:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/vpd400.htm

No MKV, but FLV support impresses me. I don't see too many PMPs that do that. Also, I think that it meant to say VOB. It says VOD, but I doubt this had Video On Demand capabilities. ;)

]]>Nov 11th 2009 10:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 11th 2009 11:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 11th 2009 12:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/Nov 13th 2009 4:53PM