When we approached the just-introduced
Viliv P3, we were cautiously optimistic that we were looking at a phone. Needless to say, our hopes would go on to be mercilessly dashed, but in the wake of the carnage, we were still left with an intriguing PMP with a big AMOLED display and an 800MHz Cortex A8 processor. You could argue that the most compelling feature, though, is that it clocks in at just 9.8mm thick -- a full 1.7mm thinner than the Nexus One while still managing 800 x 480 resolution. It felt a little creaky, but we were assured that the unit on hand was an early prototype -- and honestly, we'd even be willing to take a little creakiness on a production model if you get this kind of thickness (or lack thereof) in return. It's also got 720p TV-out, storage up to 32GB, optional T-DMB and DAB tuners, an exposed microSD slot on the bottom, and -- check this out -- Windows CE dual-boot capability, although the unit here only had Android installed. Stuff an HSPA radio in there and call it good, guys. Follow the break for a quick video of the P3 in action.
posted January 8th 2010 9:37PM
I curse you...thinner!
@theinternetstom
wow, someone else actually saw that movie
What happened to the Stem cell processor?
@Candywrappa
outlawed by the Bush admin.
Quick question, Every review of an Android phone seems to suggest the the media player is average at best. So why would an android PMP be good idea?
@Edobe
Haha, Very true. I have to say I agree with you, but I guess after itouch, PMP has sort of evolved into more of a PEP, Portable entertainment device, and since it cant run apples os, Why not android?
@Edobe
Most of them probably have custom music applications. Well, the Archos 5 does, and its supposed to be decent enough. Not great, but better than the stock one.
On the other hand, I'm running Android on my phone right now, and I can't see the problem with the music player. :shrug:
@BigJayDogg3 My only two problems are 1) where the shuffle feature sucks at shuffling. I have 14GB worth of songs on my sd card but still have multiple song repeats 2) creating a playlist on the device is horrendous.
"...there isn't any stutter there..."
uhm, yes there is.
If it is not a phone then why it needs 800MHz Cortex A8 processor?
@filjosh It most likely needs it to decode the 720p video output, to play 3D games, and multitask.
@filjosh
You say it like the phone component is the computationally expensive part of modern day phones...
@ilh this may be came from "I'm happy with ZuneHD, and do not have more money to spend on just to have android PMP". But I agree if someone is looking for not so good media player PMP, search ends here.
Wow. It's sorta like how the iPod touch is to the iPhone. But with Android. But, no word on music quality or pricing means that it might not blow over as well.
And, I'm wondering about the lack of a camera. it's not necessary and really, there's no reason to add it, but, why not?
@HardToBelieve One word, price.
@Shiori
It'll probably be over-priced anyway, so again: Why not?
The ninth picture mention a CorEtex processor, that one must have Electronic acceleration for email, just like the good old Intel Pentium 3.
:-D
I love the fact that right out at the demo the "Low space" indicator is already on. Makes you wonder what the memory footprint is going to be for the installable applications.
WANT
@Ha
Already? We haven't even heard anything about battery life, price, music playback quality, whether or not there'll be a music system better than the standard Android one, etc...
@HardToBelieve
that is the curse that comes with being a gadget nerd
@glenskey
Wanting the device or more knowledge of it?
where's that rockchip android tablet?
Jesus. No comparisons to the iphone? Engadget is pathetic.
@Canizorro
You want them to compare?
@HardToBelieve To compare it to a nexus made no sense. This is not a phone. It would be like comparing the thickness of the iphone to the itouch. Amazingly the itouch is much thinner than the iphone while maintaining the same same resolution. Just isn't necessary to make that comparison.
@Canizorro i touch? what do you touch?
@Canizorro
Well, it makes a bit more sense, because they're both Android, but, whatever.
Wish they showed some video playback or at least if it had a custom UI for media.
Toss in a camera w/LED flash and a little more custom UI and I'd go for it, could easily be an iPod Touch competitor.
@got80s Exactly what I was thinking. A non-phone competitor.
Awesome specs but its useless if its not a phone.
Make this a phone and the specs rival most phones out there.
I can't really see the vid because I'm on iPod touch right now but if this has a camera and it's not a phone, then I will be over the zii egg with this device.