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Hands-on with Venzero's entire vapor-less lineup
We like to give Venzero a hard time about appearing completely sketch and vaporware-ish in most of its product announcements and subsequent delayed releases, but it turns out the company very much exists and very much is building and releasing the DAPs of which we speak. So very many DAPs. In fact, Venzero just released that WiFi-capable LINQ player we were talking about a week or so back, which is the company's main offering that really has much to unique or ergonomic to offer -- the SLICKR and the mini are a bit of a pain to use in the button department. Unfortunately, the LINQ doesn't support player-to-player sharing just yet, but the internet radio features and home media streaming are pretty extensive, and further functionality is planned for down the road -- along with some other nifty releases we can't mention just yet. Oh, and before you jump into that gallery, Venzero would like us to remind you that the player interfaces are soon going to be getting a significant upgrade in the sub-menu department, so hopefully the players won't look like shady also-rans for too much longer.%Gallery-6775%
Venzero's LINQ player packs WiFi, PC streaming
Venzero was never one to shy away from diversity, and is about to add its 8th model to an ever-expanding lineup that we can never keep track of. Luckily, 8th time's the charm for Venzero, 'cause the new LINQ player sports some welcome features that just might set it apart from the pack. The 4GB flash player includes a microSD slot and a 2.4-inch screen, but the real magic is in the WiFi, which not only manages internet radio, but can stream music straight from your PC, via Windows Media Player 11, as well. No word on track sharing from LINQ to LINQ, but we'll keep our fingers crossed. The player supports MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG and WAV audio, AVI and MPEG-4 video, and even does up some FM tuning and voice recording for kicks. Venzero will be busting this guy out at IFA next week, and should be shipping it in September for a lovable $199.
Venzero announces FM transmitter-equipped FREQ PMP
Venzero has already amassed a fairly sizable stable of portable media players, but it's apparently not ready to rest on its laurels just yet, with the company now announcing its new FREQ PMP. The big selling point here is the player's integrated FM transmitter, which leaves you with one less dongle to tote around (and lose). Unfortunately, doesn't appear to be much word on other specs, although Venzero has announced that it'll sport a 2.4-inch display and, like other Venzero players, it'll come equipped with the MusicMarker music recognition system. With a $99 list price, however, we're guessing that it won't come with a great deal of storage. We should know for sure soon enough though, as it's apparently set to be released at the end of September.
Live shots of Venzero's mini and SLICKR DAPs
GenerationMP3 has a hands-on with Venzero's new DAPs, the mini and SLICKR. From the pics that the GMP3 guys took, you can see that the mini really is mini -- until you see its chunky side profile, that is. The SLICKR is a little more equally proportioned, being of similar dimensions to iRiver's clix 2. In fact, the two models are probably best described as being the slightly smaller and bigger brothers of the aforementioned iRiver DAP. In other news, GMP3 found that they're constructed out of good quality plastic, although they're a bit of a let down in the graphical user interface stakes. For now the Venzeros are Germany exclusive, although there are hints of an expansion into other areas of Europe.
Venzero improves upon its mini with the SLICKR
Because no one except for the biggest spendthrift wants a 2GB flash video player with a sub-two-inch screen, Venzero has revealed a pocketable new PMP called the SLICKR that basically takes its recently-announced mini and tacks on a miniSD slot along with a full inch to the now-2.8-inch screen. Other than that, this clix-like device with the MOTO naming convention offers the usual menagerie of extras -- FM tuner, voice recorder, pre-installed games -- with one important exception being the included MusicMarker functionality, which lets you handily record audio snippets from the radio for identification upon the next sync. File compatibility is slim but acceptable -- like the mini, MP3, WMA, WAV, and AVI are the only supported codecs -- and also like the mini, we've got no inkling on a price or release date here, so you'll have to stay tuned for further details. [Via DAPreview]
Venzero mini DAP rips the name, does its own thing
Venzero apparently appreciates the slimmer, more useful things in life, as it's following up the miniONE with an even more diminutive digital audio player, simply dubbed mini. Evidently the firm didn't spend much time on crafting a more unique moniker, but the feature set on this 1.53- x 2.09- x 0.51-inch device is fairly respectable. Besides packing 1GB or 2GB of internal storage capacity, handling MP3, AVI, JPEG and WMA files, and offering up seven preset equalizer modes as well as the ability to tweak your own, this little ditty also packs a 1.8-inch display, an FM tuner, built-in Tetris (now that's a perk), and a voice recorder. Notably, the mini also includes the MusicMarker application, which allows you to record a snippet of a mysterious song on the fly in order to let the software recognize the tune later on when synced up to a PC or Mac. Unfortunately, there's no word on pricing or availability just yet, and yes, that hastily created image is all you've got to imagine it with.[Via TheGadgetSite]
Venzero getting Lifesaver, miniONE, lil'ONE and ONE out the door
Those crazy kids over at Venzero have been so busy padding their product line, it seems like they keep forgetting to actually ship their growing group of media players and on-the-go storage devices. Well, they've finally gotten around to prepping these things for reals, and are now taking pre-orders for their initial shipments on October 2nd for the miniONE and lil'ONE players, along with the Lifesaver storage unit. Of course, they couldn't help themselves with one more spec announcement: they're bumping the Venzero ONE to 12GB of storage, and will be shipping it on October 17th. As for prices, the Lifesaver comes in 8 and 12GB flavors, starting at $149, the miniONE does 1 or 2GB, starting at $119, the lil'ONE starts at $199 with 6 and 8GB options, and the 12GB ONE tops 'em all out at $289. Venzero also has a "mystery" product on their page, that looks to have the rough dimensions of a closed DS lite, which seems to imply they're prepping a widescreen video player of sorts for their next project -- but we'll be happy enough if they actually manage to ship this first batch next week.
Venzero ONE media player spotted, snapped
The last time we saw a Venzero ONE, it was at a café in New York and was in severely pre-production condition; a little rickety, a little shaky, but still showed some real potential. Now, from here it's a little difficult to tell of these new shots of the ONE in the wild indicate that it's much closer to completion than it was a few months ago, but we hope they move fast and get this thing out because in a couple months the Zune and the MusicGremlin (and maybe even the wireless iPod) could make this device's big selling point, the Shareport USB file swapping system, a little shall we say, démodé.[Via DAPreview]
Venzero's "LifeSaver" USB drive
Venzero's trio of digital audio players still aren't even shipping yet but the company's already expanding its product line-up, now also taking pre-orders for its boldly-named LifeSaver USB drive. While not candy-colored, the 8GB Microdrive promises to live up to its name by including backup software and a "mobile desktop" on the drive, which'll let you access your files and run programs like Skype or Firefox on any Windows PC without having to install anything (ala U3). Unlike its other devices, Venzero's only providing the Euro price for the LifeSaver: €149, or about $190. Guess we'll just have to wait and see if it gets a price drop similar to Venzero's LilOne when it hits stateside next month.
Venzero's LilOne HDD-based 6GB MP3 player
While everyone else has been busy watching the World Cup, it appears Venzero has been in the labs, creating a new middle child for their ever-expanding One line of DAPs. At 6GB, the LilOne fits snugly between the original, full-featured 8GB model and the minimalistic, flash-based Mini version that was announced last month. Like it's siblings, the LilOne will play MP3s and WMAs (with and without DRM), with a 1.5-inch screen providing access to short videos and photos. Other features include a 20-hour battery life, a €200 pricetag and the kitschy MusicMarker feature that helps you identify songs you hear on the radio. We're assuming it was size restraints that kept this player from getting the handy retractable USB connector of the original One, but that shouldn't prevent it from giving players like iRiver's E10 and Sandisk's Sansa e260 a little gentlemanly competition.[Via DAPReview]Update: Even though we've seen this around for €200, Venzero is insisting that it'll only cost $200 when it drops in the US. Score!
Venzero announces Venzero Mini One MP3 player
Since no self-respecting MP3 player manufacturer can have put out a player without also dropping a mini version of it, Venzero's announced the Venzero Mini One to compliment the previously announced Venzero One. Like its bigger sibling, one of the big selling points of the Mini One is the included MusicMarker music recognition service, which'll let you identify music at the push of a button. Apart from that, the Mini One looks to be a pretty solid player, available in 1GB and 2GB varieties, with a 1.3-inch OLED screen and support for MP3s, WMA (including DRM10), and WAVs, as well as "player-specific video" (software for video conversion is included). As you can tell from the matchstick, the player is also rather minuscule, measuring 2.9 x 1.7 x 0.35-inches, and weighing a mere 0.98 ounces. With the small size, however, comes trade-offs, and the Mini One lacks the built-in USB On-The-Go port and retractable USB connector that made its larger sibling notable. Look for the player towards the end of July, although if you've gotta have it first, Venzero's now accepting pre-orders: $119 US for the 1GB and $169 for the 2GB.[Via Venzero Elite]
