Skip to Content

AOL Tech

pmp posts

Archos 9 PMP sneaks into the FCC, gets dissected when caught

Archos has already made it abundantly clear that its Windows 7-based Archos 9 media player is US-bound, but just in case you were worried over legalities, this FCC filing should crank your stress level down a notch. Best of all, this particular entry includes external and internal photographs, meaning that the camera-toting employees within the deep, dark FCC labs are actually credited with handling the (admittedly messy) dissection. Shocking pixels await you in the read link, so make sure you go in fully prepared.

[Via jkkmobile]

Zune HD Marketplace now loaded with free 3D games

That latest update to the Zune HD's brainstem has unlocked an extra dimension to the multifunctional device, which can now boast "3D gaming device" among its many accolades. Aside from fixing a significant issue on the music side, the firmware refresh has given the green light for the following games to enter the Marketplace: PGR: Ferrari Edition, Lucky Lane Bowling, Vans Sk8: Pool Service, Piano, Checkers, and Audiosurf: Tilt. Yep, the music-surfing game that seems almost tailor-made for accelerometer-equipped media players is ready for your ownership and enjoyment. The best part? All the titles are free. So what are you waiting for, pilgrims, get downloadin' and do come back to tell us how well that Tegra chip performs, won't you? Full PR after the break.

Viewsonic officially launches VPD400 MovieBook media player

Viewsonic was showing this one off way back in July alongside a slew of other gear, but it's just now gotten fully official with its VPD400 MovieBook media player, which is apparently available right away for $129.99. That will get you a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 display, 8GB of internal memory, a micro SD card slot for more, an AV out port for some bigger screen viewing (not HDMI, it seems), and a promised 12 hours of battery life for audio and six for video -- not to mention your choice of black, pink or white color options. Not too shabby, just don't go expecting anything fancy like WiFI or a touchscreen.

Creative's ZEN X-Fi2 touchscreen PMP now on sale

Candidly speaking, we can't honestly envision too many of you fine folks running out and purchasing one of Creative's new ZEN X-Fi2 portable media players given the availability of such robust alternatives. That said, we'd be remiss of our duties if we didn't point out that the PMP which shocked us at IFA is now on sale directly from Creative. $129.99 buys you an 8GB model, while $179.99 nets you 16GB and $229.99 provides 32GB. We know -- that 3-inch LCD and integrated FM tuner look good from afar, but remember kids, it's all about the UI.

[Thanks, Tyler]

Super cheap Archos 1 Vision DMP set for release this month

Archos has been on a real PMP tear as of late, releasing the Archos 2 Vision, 3 Vision, and the Clipper all in one pop back in August. The company's now launched yet another Vision model, the entry-level 1 Vision. This tiny little 4GB dude has a 1.5-inch LCD and supposedly gets about 20 hours of battery life per charge. No video support in this puppy, but the €30 (somewhere in the realm of $45) pricetag should temper some of your crushing disappointment over its lack of features. The Archos 1 Vision should be available in Europe by the end of November.

[Via PMP Today]

Sungale's 7-inch Cyberus ID700WTA is neither a PMP nor an ereader, really

Sungale isn't exactly the biggest, most well-known name in consumer electronics, but it's sure trying to make a run with the big boys. A few months after introducing its own WiFi digiframe, the company is hitting back with a hybrid ereader / PMP device that just seems to be caught somewhere in the middle. Boasting a 7-inch color LCD display (800 x 480), the Cyberus ID700WTA can handle most popular multimedia and ebook formats -- from PDF to DivX, it's (pretty much) all covered. It also touts integrated WiFi, support for streaming media from a home network and a built-in clock / calender. There's also the ability to fetch "online news, weather reports, stock prices and charts, maps and traffic routes, YouTube clips, internet radio, Picasa and Gmail," so we're going out on a limb here and suggesting that some sort of web browser or cadre of inbuilt apps are also included. It's available now around the web for $279, and yes, that snazzy leather case is bundled in.

Cowon iAudio 9 and iAudio E2 media players make the scene stateside

Cowon-heads of the world, you are in for a treat today. It looks like not one but two of the company's snack-sized media players are finally hitting the big time. First off, the iAudio 9 PMP is due to hit the states within a week. Available in 8GB and 16GB denominations, for some reason the domestic version will be available only in black. Aside from supporting the usual compliment of media files (MP3, FLAC, Ogg, WAV, APE, WME, XviD, and WMV videos) this guy sports composite video out. Get your hands on the 8GB version for $129, or go wild with 16GB for $169. If video isn't your bag, the enigmatic iAudio E2 (all 2.5-inches of it) is also available. Sporting a bevy of EQ presets, 4GB of storage and a not entirely terrible 11.5 hours of battery life, this is the keychain you've always wanted -- but never wanted to pay $65 for. Additional glamor shots after the break.

[Via Electronista]

Read - Cowon prices iAudio 9 for US
Read - iAudio E2 now available, still confusing

Cowon iAudio 9 ships soon for €180, gets pictured a few times over

We had reason to believe that iAudio 9 would be making itself official sooner rather than later, and while Cowon has still yet to say anything publicly, we'd say this gallery of hands-on shots is more than enough to consider it a done deal. Across the pond, the iAudio 9 has been outed as having a 2-inch LCD display, integrated FM tuner, a microphone, TV output, broad format support (MP3, WAV, OGG, WAV, FLAC, APE, AVI, WMX and XviD, to name a few), 16GB of internal memory and bundled earbuds that you'll probably be happy to discard. We're told that it'll go on sale (at least somewhere in Europe) for around €180 ($265) here in a few weeks, and you can dive into the read link if you're hankering for some images.

SmartQ V5 MID strives to be relevant, may succeed on some level

Not to be confused with the SmartQ 5 (how could you ever, right?), the SmartQ V5 MID is essentially a V7 with a less spacious screen. Within, you'll find a 600MHz ARM11 processor, 256MB of DDR2 memory, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, 2GB of internal storage and an SD expansion slot. There's also USB 2.0 connectivity, an HDMI output good for shooting out material at up to 1080p, a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack and a 4.3-inch touchscreen (800 x 480). You'll also find a format support list longer than your latest cellphone bill, though both a price and release date have remained elusive thus far. Here's hoping it's cheap enough to matter.

[Via PMP Today]

MPIO V7 PMP hits October 26th, 2009, we struggle to contain ourselves


It's been a pretty long while since we heard anything from MPIO -- so this is certainly good news. The V7 -- a 3-inch PMP which will apparently boast a (possibly capacitive) touchscreen LCD, an accelerometer, and an FM radio, at a thickness in the neighborhood of 10.5mm. We also know that it'll come in both 4GB and 8GB varieties -- but specs beyond this are sadly absent. We'll see what else we can dig up for you, but look for it to run ₩129,000 for the 4GB model and ₩159,000 ($109 and $134, respectively) for the 8 when it launches on Korea on October 26th.

[Via PMP Today]

Newsmy A11HD portable media player tries hard to be special

Newsmy (or Newman, as it were) may not be a household name here in the States, but it's good for pumping out new portable media players at a decent clip over in the Far East. Thankfully, there's this amazing invention called the "internet," which essentially enables folks all over the world to trade currency for product. For those interested in the ho hum player shown above -- which features a 4.3-inch display (480 x 272), 720p TV output, an absurd list of supported file formats and 16GB of internal storage -- it can be shipped your way for the intriguing price of $129.86. Oh, and did we mention that this thing can play "64 games?" Look out, iPod touch!

[Via PMP Today]

Gemei's 4.3-inch HD8800 PMP does 1080p out, other cool things for $122

It's been a hot minute since we've seen a compelling new media player from the labs of Gemei, but the HD8800 ain't half bad. Offering up a 4.3-inch display with an 800 x 480 resolution, this touchscreen-based PMP packs 8GB of internal memory, a battery good for five hours of movie playback (or ten hours with audio), USB 2.0 connectivity, 3.5 millimeter headphone jack and support for more formats than you'll ever use. Oh, and then there's that handy video out feature, which can supposedly shoot out content at up to 1080p via HDMI. It's yours right now for a buck-twenty-two, but only heaven knows if that "JESSICA" wallpaper is changeable.

[Via PMP Today]

Archos 5 firmware 1.1.01 rights all wrongs?

Charbax of ArchosFans.com reports that the majority of issues encountered by early adopters of the Android-equipped Archos 5 Internet Tablet (not to be confused with the older Internet Media Tablet, ugh) have been remedied by the caped crusader that is firmware revision 1.1.01. Forum members do seem to corroborate that the previously habitual lockups are no more, but the complex update procedure has already (probably temporarily) bricked one user's device, while another still has random disconnects when transferring files from his PC under the new firmware. Still, if you've been among the unfortunate victims of the sloppy original software, this is a ray of light for you, and the read link -- featuring input from a source within Archos -- should be considered required reading.

MyRacer's Q10 is the PMP with a funky little dial

MyRacer's Liesse Q10 Touch is the PMP with a little dial
Functionally, MyRacer has yet to really knock our socks off. But, its lineup of PMPs has always featured some lovely design cues, and the Q10 is perhaps the nicest yet. It has some subtly '70s styling and that cheeky volume knob with an illuminated red surround that would probably result in you getting an earful whenever sliding it into a back pocket. As you'd expect it has all the major audio and video formats covered (including DivX, Xvid, MP3, AAC, and WMA) and also includes an FM tuner, transmitter, and a voice recorder. There's 8GB of storage behind the 3-inch, 400 x 240 touchscreen and a microSD slot for expansion. No word on price, but we're unlikely to see this one Stateside anyway, so enjoy these fine pictures and see if you can spot the snail.



[Via PMP Today]

Archos 5 has 99 problems and a glitch is one, 160GB version pulled by Amazon

It was only just allowed out to play, but Archos' five-inch, Android-sporting internet tablet has been called back in by its fastidious mother, a role played by Amazon in this case. Only the hard drive-based 160GB model is affected at present, with the 32GB version selling as normal and the half terabyte option out of stock already. Charbax of ArchosFans.com, a man in the know on this subject, has suggested this might have been caused by a firmware update wiping out some pre-installed Android apps, which is now being addressed. His site's forums and Amazon customer reviews, however, paint a different picture: there are consistent complaints about bugs and lock ups -- software issues that could well affect the other models in the line -- with some going so far as to suggest Archos has used its customers as Beta testers. There doesn't appear to be anything structurally wrong with the device, meaning a robust firmware update could remedy all ills, so now it's just a matter of waiting for Archos to do what it should have done before release.

[Via Pocketables]

Read - Amazon product page
Read - Archos Fans forums
Zune HD ExposedHTC Hero: Android Evolved
Follow us on TwitterEngadget Video



AOL News

Joystiq

Download Squad

TUAW

Daily Finance

Asylum

Autoblog

Switched.com

FanHouse

Autoblog Green