iriver's 3.5-inch K1 PMP gets outed at CES

Amazingly enough, the PMP news here at CES has been essentially nil. We've got e-readers, whiffs of tablets and more 3D than two eyes can comprehend, but we're in desperate need of some fresh portable media players. Thanks to iriver, we won't be going home completely empty handed, with the K1 "Smart HD" being ushered out onto the public scene in Las Vegas. Specs include a 3.5-inch display, a 480 x 320 resolution, support for a slew of file formats, WiFi, some sort of web browser and a DMB TV tuner. It's slated to be released in South Korea for an undisclosed amount later this month, but alas, there's no immediate word on when this will hit the States.

[tatester48 Posted Jan 8th 2010 4:57PM]

hmmmmmmm ;l

[umreally Posted Jan 8th 2010 4:59PM]

It looks pretty, but:

"we're in desperate need of some fresh portable media players. "

Sarcasm? Who even carries around a dedicated PMP these days when their smartphone can do the same job?

[New Reformation Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:04PM]

@umreally

People who need more than 32GB of room for music.

[NYNY Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:06PM]

@New Reformation and audiophiles... :D

[maddawg579 Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:06PM]

@umreally
Not everyone has a smartphone. In fact, most don't.

I'm still lugging around my LG Dare and I use a Zune HD anything non-phone related. I'm waiting to see what Windows Mobile 7 will look like next month to decide if I should hold out for it in Q4, or just go for the Nexus One this spring. We'll see. I'd love to have the Zune service integrated into my phone which is what they promise with Windows Mobile 7.

[Karuto Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:18PM]

@umreally

Uh, people who can't afford $80 a month unlimited plans that are the only ones offered for smartphones? :-/

[sgard Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:30PM]

@umreally and people who need to maximize battery time.

[Solidstate89 Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:36PM]

@umreally
My s9 delivers better sound quality than any smartphone out there is capable of delivering. And I have no need for mobile web browsing on the the go, so you'd be wrong. There are tons of people out there who still find a use for a PMP.

That said, what kind of screen does does this PMP have? LCD? OLED? AMOLED?

[Terrormaster Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:42PM]

@umreally

I do. I have a Droid Eris and an 8g iPod Nano (the fat chubby one, I always get mixed up with gen numbers). I like keeping my music in a dedicated storage space away from my phone and I can't stand having to put music on pause to answer a call (just turn the volume down to not be rude). I for one have been watching CES all week looking for PMP updates because I've grown sick of Apple and their draconian DRM scheme that keeps me from moving music I paid for from device to device. My new years resolution is to be Apple free by end of 2010.

I for one want to hear MORE PMP news and hope to hear some 8-16g unit news for the states soon.

[maddawg579 Posted Jan 8th 2010 7:03PM]

@Terrormaster
I've been Apple free for about a year now. It's tough when things like the iPhone and iPod Touch are expanding so quickly due to the heavy adoption. It's a good thing the Zune HD is a close competitor to the Touch, otherwise I'd go with that. My only issue is the lack of apps.

[pbase Posted Jan 8th 2010 9:36PM]

@Terrormaster
I too, have the Eris. And if you're looking for an Apple-alternative, it's already in your hand. Theoretically, your music can be separate from your phone if all your tunes are stored on the SD card, which you can slip into an adapter and then into any computer. And you don't have to hit pause when a call comes in, the phone does it for you.

[egress63 Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:03PM]

Lemme guess: 2, 4 and 8 Gb only, right?

[NYNY Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:05PM]

It really has been disappointing that there hasn't been more PMP news at this CES. Too much 3D TV and e-reader stuff IMO.

[willowtwf Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:08PM]

i was really hoping for a 64GB zune hd from this years CES. oh well. guess we'll all go back to waiting for the mythical creature to emerge.

[007 Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:21PM]

@willowtwf
and for it to come to europe.....

[maddawg579 Posted Jan 8th 2010 7:04PM]

@willowtwf
And for more apps.

[Andy S Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:11PM]

A Dave Matthews Band Television tuner? Count me out.

[Haus Posted Jan 8th 2010 5:47PM]

From the front it looks like the old HTC Touch Diamond :/

[bob e Posted Jan 8th 2010 7:08PM]

That's mighty Zune-like IMO

[Jeebus Posted Jan 17th 2010 5:46PM]

My requirements
* FLAC playback
* FLAC lyrics support
* FLAC gapless
* AMOLED screen
* SDXC slot
* USB 3 port
* SQ equal to Cowon's PMPs

[adamson Posted Jan 18th 2010 3:24PM]

@Jeebus FLAC is my number one requirement, too. That's why I'll never get an ipod.