PortableHdRadio
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Insignia intros second portable HD Radio: NS-HD02 with 'live pause' and bookmarks
Believe it or not, HD Radio's still kickin'. It'll never be the runaway hit that MP3 was, but considering what satellite radio has been through over the past couple of years... well, maybe things aren't so gloomy after all. Best Buy's house label has just introduced a followup to last year's NS-HD01 portable HD Radio -- a unit we were able to toy with for a tick -- with the predictably named NS-HD02 boasting a far nicer display and a trio of newfangled features. Best Buy's trumpeting Artist Experience (on-screen program related images, including targeted ads), Live Pause (enables users to pause playback for up to 15 minutes) and Bookmark (self explanatory), but it ought to be focusing on the 2.5- x 3-inch capacitive touchpanel that looks to be leaps and bounds better than the LCD we kvetched about last year. It'll also boast a 3.5mm headphone jack and ship with a pair of sure-to-be-lackluster earbuds, and it'll land in Best Buy stores on October 24th for $69 (a $20 premium over the HD01).%Gallery-104843%
Insignia NS-HD01 portable HD radio hands-on and impressions
HD Radio has been desperately trying for years to become important in a world where most Americans are perfectly fine with tinny, 96kbps MP3s, and by and large, it's been unsuccessful. More vehicles today arrive with compatibility for a single shining portable media player (Apple's iPod, if you had to ask) than HD Radio, and up until this month, there was no way to easily strap an HD Radio player on your arm when heading out to the gym. One could argue that getting the technology into this segment is crucial for being ubiquitous, and while we aren't so sure we're in that camp just yet, we're still willing to give Insignia's NS-HD01 a fighting chance. Head on past the break for our take, and feel free to peruse the gallery for an up close and personal look at the hardware.
Insignia NS-HD01: first-ever portable HD Radio on sale at Best Buy
Remember that first-ever portable HD Radio prototype we peeked back in May? Turns out Best Buy just let loose the real-deal, today announcing immediate availability of the Insignia NS-HD01. Needless to say, the big box retailer and supporters of HD Radio alike are hoping that this subscription-free player will finally put some much-needed wind behind the sails of the format, and while it's pretty simple in nature, the sub-$50 price tag could place it squarely in the "impulse buy" category. The relatively brief specs list includes a color LCD, rechargeable Li-ion battery, a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack, a bundled armband and ten user-selectable preset memory channels. You can catch the full release after the break, and the player itself in your nearest Best Buy.
Portable HD Radio prototype gets pictured, coming this summer for under $50
Details are rather scant on this little gem right now, but here's what we can tell you: you're looking at the world's first HD Radio portable device prototype, and it's slated to do just about exactly what you expect. In other words, it'll slip into your pocket, tune into HD Radio as well as standard analog FM broadcasts and connect with any set of cans that use a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack. Unfortunately, the manufacturer is being kept under wraps, and there's no Bluetooth headset support baked in. That said, you can expect it to land in an undisclosed "big box retailer" this summer for under $50.
