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Monitor Audio Airstream 10 WiFi radio gets the hands on treatment
While Monitor Audio's new Airstream 10 WiFi / DAB radio unfortunately isn't a radio inspired by a vintage Airstream trailer, it is nonetheless pretty eye catching in its own right, and fairly full featured as far as WiFi radios go. Apparently, the radio can either be stood upright or placed on its side, and it'll let you listen to some standard FM or DAB radio, or hop onto a network via WiFi or Ethernet to either stream some tunes off your Mac or PC or tune into some internet radio stations. What's more, while Stuff.tv is apparently reserving final judgment for its full review, it does say that the sound quality doesn't disappoint, and it packs the usual 3.5mm jack to round out its options. Still no word on a DAB-less version for these parts, sadly, but those in the UK should be able to pick this one up starting in June.[Via SlashGear]
One Shots: Orcy woofness
We have to admit it - we've got some RP fanatics on staff here at Massively (surprise) so when we get in-character information on screenshots for One Shots, we're pretty thrilled. We've been lucky to get a few regular contributors who RP a bit, like today's Warhammer Online contribution from regular, Dab! He writes in of this great image: Dabliss, the cunning and sneaky Goblin Shaman, rides proudly through the conquered countryside of Barak Varr on his new mount, DaWoof. Crafty as ever, he managed to persuade some of the Orcs in his all-Greenskin guild, Soylent Greenskins, to clear the road ahead of him. With an evil cackle, he proclaims, "Oi you git faces! Make dem stoopid Stunties pay for wot dey done to us! Now I know you kan answer me dis: Who iz da greenest Greenies out der?!? We iz, of kourse! WAAAGH!!!"If we've got any more RPers who want to send in some in-character screenshots, we'd gladly post them. Sure, you don't have to, but we definitely have a soft spot for those who remember the RPG in MMORPG. Just email them to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, server, and whatever story you want to tell us - we'll post them and give you the shout out. %Gallery-9798%
Nokia will gladly include DAB support on handsets... after it's popular
This folks, is a classic case of "chicken before the egg." Reportedly, Nokia's director of product and technology marketing Sari Stahlberg was quoted as saying that "when the technology reaches mass adoption we would consider putting DAB radios into our phones," but rather than supporting it now and assisting the technology in becoming adopted en masse, it's fine to just wait things out. He continued with: ""The more the technology is adopted across Europe and other territories, the more chance it's got of being included." Translation? "We'll gladly pull the trigger once it's safe, but don't count on us to increase DAB visibility in the mobile space."
E-TEN's V900 gets handled, unloved
Bad camera, poor battery life, a dodgy d-pad, ugly color -- is there anything good to say about the most well-spec'd glofiish in E-TEN's range? Well, yes: with support for not one, not two, but four mobile TV standards under its belt, you'll have a hard time finding a WinMo set out there that's friendlier to telly on the go. Plus, the V900 rocks a flush VGA display and tri-band HSDPA, which are "good things" last time we checked; you're just going to have to put up with flimsy build quality and a host of software and hardware niggles to get 'em. At $700, it's hard to swallow the thought of buying a device this heavily panned in a review, but if you absolutely must be able to switch between DAB and DVB-T with aplomb... well, your crappy phone has arrived.
Cambridge Audio reveals iPod-lovin' Sonata / Fusion audio systems
Not content with sneaking a dedicated Blu-ray player into CEDIA, Cambridge Audio has just taken the plastic off of two new HiFi systems in Milan. The Sonata, aimed squarely at audio junkies, consists of a 2.1-channel DAB receiver (£299; $547), which offers 40-watts of amplification per channel and your choice of an upscaling 1080p DVD player or a Wolfson-DAC-loaded CD unit for another £179 ($327). The all-in-one Fusion (£300; $549) includes 30-watts per channel, an integrated CD player, DAB / FM tuner, USB port, an SD slot and a customized iPod dock (which is also bundled with the aforementioned Sonata). Both units are slated to hit the UK in silver and black, though the November-bound Fusion will get a jump on the Sonata, which hits in February 2009.
One Shots: Thunder River moonscape
The moon crosses a dark sky, but many adventurers do not fear the night. The coldly-illuminated landscape of today's Age of Conan One Shot reveals just such a brave soul; Dabruut. In this screenshot, we see Dab standing quietly, surveying the landscape of Thunder River in Hyboria for foes. We certainly hope that if he found any, they were quickly vanquished.Have you been adventuring in the lands of Hyborea? Perhaps you're one of the folks who is still enjoying a life in Rubi-ka -- or another world altogether! If you're playing an MMOG, we want to see your screenshots. Just send those screens in with a quick description of the action, and your name, to oneshots AT massively DOT com. After all, One Shots is about community, so join our contributors and send yours in!%Gallery-9798%
Cowon's S9 rocking retail next month
We tried and we tried but we just couldn't get COWON to show us its new S9 Curve at IFA -- they weren't meeting with the press, only business partners. At least we have a ship date and full specs in consolation. Germany at least will get its hands on the 3.3-inch, 480 x 272-pixel, 16 million color, capacitive touchscreen, AMOLED player at the end of October. The 57.08 x 105.75 x 12.7-mm player (a bit shorter and narrower than the 8-mm thick iPod touch with 4.3-inch display) will initially ship with 8GB / 16GB of storage before getting bumped to 32GB sometime down the road. A 3.5-hour charge off the mains (5.5-hours off USB) will deliver up to 8-hours of video (MPEG-4 SP, WMV9 SP, H.264 BP codecs) or 40 hours of audio (MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, WAV formats). Integrated Bluetooth is of the more power hungry 2.0 (not 2.1) variety with support for A2DP stereo and AVRCP remote control profiles. The S9 for Europe supports FM recording and dictation buts lacks the integrated DMB television tuner of its Korean cousin. Line-in recording and DAB radio is also in the works.[Thanks, Vesal]
iriver's gramophone speaker, UNIT2-S, and R1 concepts do impress
iriver came to IFA with the usual collection of concept gear we crave. Unlike other manufacturers, iriver usually brings its prototypes to market, eventually, so you'll want to pay attention. First up is a concept horn speaker (pictured top) attached to an iriver SPINN. The device plugs into the existing headphone jack bringing a sense of gramophone nostalgia to this most-modern device. Next up is iriver's latest take on the Unit2, the UNIT2-S, a simpler multimedia communications device for the home. Remember, it's just a concept, but as envisioned, the working prototype functions as a video phone, digital photo frame, web browser, FM radio, flash gaming rig, SMS/MMS receiver, and audio / video player with DMB television tuner. The specs list a 4.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, 30GB hard drive and 2GB of flash (presumably in the base unit and handset, respectively), mic, stereo speaker, and Li-Polymer battery all packed into a 185.4 x 117 x 19.8-mm tower.Last up is the R1 DAB radio concept (pictured bottom). Again, the prototype is fully functional and capable of playing back internet, DAB, and FM radio or audio streaming from PC or local storage through a pair of 2W stereo speakers. They also included an alarm clock to remind you that these concepts are just part of an iriver dream -- for now.%Gallery-30735%
Pure gets with the internet radio game, debuts EVOKE Flow
Man, talk about quick reflexes. Not even a fortnight after Radiopaq announced its WiFi radio-enabled Rp5, along comes Pure Digital to keep things competitive. The stylish-in-its-own-way EVOKE Flow not only taps into the intarwebz for streaming music, but it also includes FM / DAB tuners and support for DAB+. Expect it to hit British tables next month for £150 ($279).[Thanks, Joe]
Revo's new PICO hybrid radio pairs DAB and WiFi with great success
DAB... DAB... that's that digital radio thing, right? But it's not from a satellite, huh? Well, whatever. Revo's new PICO hybrid radio packs some internet radio over WiFi, so you don't have to move to some crummy country like the UK just to listen to predictably-programmed 80's music and cloying chatter. Revo's little unit is portable, gets 12 hours to a charge, and works with DAB, DAB+, FM and WiFi. It'll be available in September for £169.95 (about $3,180,000 USD).
Radiopaq Rp5 does DAB, FM and internet radio
Look out, Pure Digital -- you've got a new rival in town. Radiopaq, best known for bringing thousands of internet radio stations and podcasts to listeners via the web, has decided to hop into the hardware game. The Rp5 tabletop radio features a five-way speaker system, digital / analog processors, a headphone jack, remote control and a rather stylish design. There's also an integrated WiFi module for tuning into the outfit's website and even sucking down news, weather and traffic information. Of course, the more traditional FM / DAB tuners are there as well, making this one quite the multifaceted box. Word on the British streets has this one pegged for a September launch at £250 ($468).[Via Pocket-lint]
One Shots: Full moon over Thunder River
We considered a Six Flags or Grand Canyon joke, but thought it was a bit too provincial. Instead we're just bringing you a fantastic screenshot taken by Dab, who is enjoying playing Age of Conan these days. He says: [This picture] is of my Guardian, Dabruut, surveying the landscape in Thunder River, with the moonlight behind him. Considering how many screenshots we seem to keep getting from Age of Conan there are definitely still those in the house who are enjoying playing through the game, and really like the look that Funcom has achieved in this one.Do you have screenshots of your favorite game that you haven't sent in to us yet? If so, why are you holding back? You should gather those up and send them to us here at oneshots AT massively.com. We can always use more screenshots to show off!%Gallery-9798%
Pure debuts ONE Elite DAB / FM radio
There are few more prolific DAB proponents out there than the folks at Pure, and it looks like the company isn't showing any signs of letting up, with it now introducing the ONE Elite radio to fill in its lower-end offerings. True to that status, this one keeps its features as basic as its appearance, with just DAB and FM radio and none of that fancy internet radio on offer, but you will get a line-in jack to accommodate the audio device of your choice, and even a USB port, although that's apparently only used to provide updates to the radio itself. Like its other recent radios, this one is also manufactured to Pure's own EcoPlus standards, and it's available in your choice of black or white, each of which will set you back £70 (or $140).[Via Tech Digest]
iriver's Spinn hits the FCC, means nothing
Sure, it doesn't look like much thanks to the FCC's staunch aversion to photo glam, but that's iriver's Spinn PMP, a product which had us at a full, rigid swoon back at CES. While this would generally be good news, the model approved features a DAB radio and DMB television tuner -- in other words, it's not intended for US consumption. The user manual also confirms a FM radio, Mini SD slot, Bluetooth, D-Click System interface, 27 hours of audio and 5 hours of video, and support for SWF (Flash), TXT, MP3, WMA, OGG, JPG, AVI, MWV file formats. With FCC approval out of the way, the rumored UK August release date is presumably in the bag.
Roberts releases solarDAB: world's first solar-powered DAB radio
Roberts may get ridiculed for its design cues, but one thing's for sure: it sticks to its guns. The latest patently ugly (but sort of cute) DAB radio to emerge from its lair is the solarDAB, which predictably gets energized by the sun. The unit packs a top-mounted solar panel along with a "level indicator on the display screen that shows the strength of the solar level being absorbed." Once the rechargeable batteries are fully juiced, said radio will blast out tunes for a whopping 27 hours. You should be able to secure one in a variety of colors here soon for £79.99 ($158).[Via TechDigest]
UK group wants FM turned off in favor of DAB by 2012
We've seen some pretty hot DAB radios make the scene, but consumers just haven't greeted the tech with any kind of enthusiasm -- which is why the UK's Digital Radio Working Group recently suggested that FM services be shut off starting in 2012, with complete shut-off to occur by 2020. According to the group's report, only 17.8 percent of radio listening is digital, and the chances of finding a DAB radio in a car (where 20 percent of all UK radio listening is done) is less than 1 in 200. The DRWG says that the switchover to DAB will take three steps: first, a commitment to the tech by the government and industry, with radios being made multiplatform and able to receive all the flavors of DAB; second, a massive promotional campaign; and third, switchoff of FM, which is optimistically scheduled to begin in 2012. That's certainly one way to get people to buy new radios -- but unlike the switch to digital TV, we don't see anyone being too put out by having to listen to their MP3 players in the car instead of FM radio.
Vita Audio adds a splash of luxury to R4 iPod / DAB radio
Nothing says sexy like a sleek wood trim, wouldn't you wholeheartedly agree? Vita Audio obviously does, as it's £499.99 ($980) R4 integrated music system just screams lavish. The all-in-one unit packs an iPod dock, slot-loading CD / MP3 / WMA-music disc player, USB port, DAB and FM tuner with RDS, front and rear auxiliary ports, built-in display, alarm clock function and the firm's detachable RotoDial remote. For those not feeling the rich walnut veneer, there's also a high-gloss white (surprised?) version available for £50 ($97) more. Sadly, the "coming soon" tidbit leaves us clueless as to how long you actually have left to save up for either of the pricey systems.[Via ShinyShiny]
Samsung set to release YP-PB2 PMP in Korea
Samsung's done pretty well for itself with its YP-P2 PMP, and it now looks to be set to bust out yet another upgrade to the player, although you likely won't be seeing this one outside of Korea. Helping to keep it close to Samsung's home base is the addition of not only a DAB radio tuner but, apparently, a DVB-T mobile TV tuner as well. Other than those two notable additions, however, the device appears to be unchanged from its previous incarnation, with it boasting the same 3-inch WQVGA display, built-in Bluetooth, black or white color options, and 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB capacity as before (no word on a 16GB model). There's also no word on a price or release date, but you can pretty safely expect to pay a tidy premium over the tuner-less models.
nanoDAB: portable DAB meets Bluetooth
This bugger might have been announced a little far in advance, but come this September new nanoDAB users will get a one-two punch of A2DP Bluetooth headset and portable DAB receiver smushed together into one diminutive package. There's also some integration with visual digital radio services and like mobile apps, but being that the nearest to us DAB signal is a few thousand miles away we'll let our foreign readers handle the carrier lobbying.
Tangent's Cinque radio does DAB and more on your tabletop
Looking for something with a hint of style to take up that empty expanse that is your bedside table? Peer no further than Tangent's Cinque, which offers up DAB, FM and AM radio tuning within a compact (and fairly attractive) package. Besides pulling tunes from thin air, this unit also plays nice with CDs and any ole DAP you've got stuffed in your underused gadgets drawer courtesy of the built-in 3.5-millimeter auxiliary jack. Furthermore, you can set the alarm to wake you with music, and just in case you're not really feeling the hue shown above, it's also available in walnut, black and red for £239.99 ($478).[Via Tech Digest]
