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Matsunichi's MarquisPad MP977 tablet tempts us with $249, dual-core Android 4.0
You might remember Le Pan's tablets from CES this year, of which only one was truly ready at the time. The company is now ready to hit the US in earnest, but you'll have to forget the company name along with the earlier designs: it's now Matsunichi, and it's planning to kick off its US-ready makeover through the MarquisPad MP977. The tablet shares the 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display of the Le Pan II, but it's now running a slightly speedier dual-core, 1.2GHz TI chip (likely the same OMAP 4430 as in the Droid Xyboard), ships with Android 4.0 out of the gate and comes in a sleeker -- not to mention browner -- shell. Storage is being cut in half over the Le Pan II to just 4GB between the internal memory and a bundled microSD card, though, and the battery is good for a very modest five hours. Nonetheless, the $249 sticker and a May release will put the MP977 in the running with the slower but more capacious Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. Matsunichi also teased us with a roadmap for a pair of future tablets in the process. The 10.1-inch MP1010 will keep the resolution, but it'll run on a quicker 1.5GHz TI processor and carry a total of 10GB of space when it appears sometime between June and August. If those 0.4 inches of extra glass are just too much to bear, an MP979 will bring all the extra storage and speed of the MP1010 to a 9.7-inch screen sometime between August and September.
A keychain for pictures that drives with you ...
If your wallet is bulging with dozens of pictures of your pets (or kids, whatever you want to call 'em), leaving an impression in your back pocket and an unnatural curve in your spine, you should probably consider Matsunichi's Photoblitz PV110 digital photo keychain. Capable of storing 56 images for display on its 1.1" OLED screen, the unit connects and charges through USB2. Our best idea? Store a picture of your car to help would-be thieves steal your wheels.
Matsunichi's MF228 Football MP3 Player
Ah yes, that most convenient, ergonomic, and yet elusive of all MP3 player shapes: the soccer ball. Preceded by the Shiro AS, Matsunichi's new MF228 Football MP3 Player has managed to land a bit nearer the World Cup, but still we're not quite sure we're going to put up with the pocket bulge for six whole weeks. That said, the player features a 80 x 48 pixel display, supports MP3, WMA and WAV files, has FM and voice recording, 10 hours of battery life off of a built-in rechargeable battery, and an epic 256MB or 512MB memory capacity. The player also outsizes the 37.4mm diameter Shiro AS at 45.2mm. Reportedly, the MF228 is due "worldwide" on May 1st, and if that means us soccer-phobic Americans then more power to it.[Via The MP3 Players]
