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Samsung S-Pebble MP3 player / accessory hands-on
We're here on the floor at Samsung's "next galaxy" event taking a look at the company's new S-Pebble MP3 player / accessory. Curious about how it works? Head on past the break for our initial impressions.
Cowon Plenue Z2: US pricing, availability and hands-on impressions
Just mention the company's name, and a pair of things come to mind: world-beating sound quality, and above-average prices. Such is life when you're Cowon, which has informed us that its Plenue Z2 portable media player will be shipping to the US of A in May. Based on details shared to us from a Cowon spokesperson, "early May" is the targeted release window, which makes sense given the unit's FCC debut back in December of 2011. We've learned that it'll ship in 16GB (white only) and 32GB (black only) sizes, with prices set for $279.99 and $319.99 in order of mention. As for specs? Glad you asked. Rather than relying on one of Cowon's proprietary operating systems, the Z2 will ship with Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread), while measuring 62.8- x 116.5- x 11.8-millimeters, weighing 116 grams and boasting a 3.7-inch (800 x 480) capacitive touchpanel. On the audio side, you'll get a typical 20Hz to 20,000Hz frequency range, 29mW + 29mW maximum outlet and a 95dB signal-to-noise ratio. There's also an HDMI output, a microSD expansion slot, built-in FM radio tuner, 802.11b/g/n WiFi module, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and an internal microphone. The outfit claims that this guy can last some 22 hours when playing back music alone, while video junkies will see 8.5 hours of their favorite Family Guy clips before needing a rejuvenation session. Not surprisingly, the Z2 also supports a smorgasbord of file formats, including AVI, WMV, ASF, MP4, MKV, MPG, DAT, 3GP -- tired yet? -- DivX, XviD, H.264, WMA, OGG, PMC and FLAC. We managed to grab hold of a unit prior to its launch here in the States; head on past the break to hear our take.
eSport Clip is an unbelievably cheap 4GB PMP with a 5MP camera
$22 -- seriously -- that's all Walmart wants for this 4GB PMP that sports a 1.8-inch color screen and a 5-megapixel camera. If the eSport Clip's relatively paltry internal memory doesn't get you excited, you can always add more thanks to the empty microSD slot. That shooter can do video as well as stills, and there is an included suite of effects. Those features alone would make for a more expensive device, if the brand on here was something more recognizable than Ematic. Amazingly, we're not quite done listing off the specs just yet. The supremely cheap player also has an FM radio on board and an eBook reader, though, we're not sure who would want to consume any text on a sub two-inch screen. Check out the gallery below for a few more pics.
Sony reminds Japan that Walkmans still exist, new E series packs built-in noise cancellation
The latest addition Walkman series continues the petite styling we've seen over the years, and Sony's cheerleading that it's both thinner (9.1mm) and lighter (37g) than its predecessor. The E-series includes a 1.4-inch colour LCD display, while we're promised at around 30 hours of music playback per charge. Alongside the standard NW-E060 model (9,000 yen, $116) the NW-E060K (11,000 yen, $142) throws in a plug-in speaker. Both models offer noise-cancelling features and promise to cut surrounding noise by around 98 percent, with train, flight and indoor modes hopefully able to absorb most audio irritations. The new music players are joined by a pair of new docks. The RDP-NWG400B (13,000 yen, $181) can connect to devices through Bluetooth, while the RDP-NWM7 (8,000 yen, $140) wants to take your music outside, bigging up the built-in handle for that very reason. Both are available now in white and black. No news on whether the player refreshes and docks will travel beyond the Land of the Rising Sun, but we'd imagine it's pretty likely. Check out the docks after the break and get the whole (Google-translated) picture at the source below.
Sony unveils Walkman B170 Series, promises to boost your bass
Sony has unveiled a slate of new Walkman MP3 players today, with the launch of its B170 Series. Available in both 2GB and 4GB varieties, these new devices weigh in at just 28 grams, but apparently pack plenty of punch, providing up to 18 hours of listening on a full charge. If you're pressed for time, though, you can just plug it in for three minutes, which, in turn, will give you a full 90 minutes of listening time. There's also an onboard equalizer, voice recorder and USB port, as well as a dedicated "Bass Boost" that, as you may have guessed, will boost your bass. No word yet on pricing, but Sony says its new Walkmans will be available sometime this month. Full PR after the break.
Finally: Sony's Walkman Z is coming to the US
We've been waiting for this device to arrive since August last year and finally, Sony's Walkman Z range of Android-running PMPs is arriving on these shores. Gingerbread runs the show on these devices that pack 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth radio and will throw your media to Sony's DNLA connected range of TVs and home audio equipment. The 8GB model retails for $250, 16GB for $280 and the 32GB for $330. Head past the break for the press-release.
Cowon Plenue Z2 PMP scurries into the FCC's database, hides its face from the authorities
See that? That's the backside of a new portable media player from a company know best for its legendary sound quality. Unfortunately, there's no extra information to be gleaned from Cowon's Plenue Z2 FCC filing, but it certainly appears as if this will be one of the company's larger players. We're still waiting on pins and needles to hear if Android or its own OS will be running the show, but now that it's hopped this hurdle, we doubt it'll be too many more weeks before the whole thing is revealed all proper like. Head on past the break for a close-up of the label.
Yifan Lu jailbreaks Kindle Touch, uses a special MP3 file to do so (video)
We've seen a fair share of Kindle Jailbreaks over the past few years, but Yifan Lu's (evidently the first) for the Kindle Touch is certainly novel in its approach. As The Digital Reader points out, a sizeable chunk of the Touch's software is essentially a string of pseudo HTML5 and JavaScript webpages -- differentiating it from Kindles prior -- which led Lu to notice an exploit rooted in its browser. It's there where he found a function titled nativeBridge.dbgCmd(), which'll run any ol' shell command as root. Armed with that knowledge, Lu crafted the jailbreak by cramming his payload of HTML and JavaScript into the ID3 tags of an easily downloadable MP3 file. There isn't much to be gained from "playing" that MP3 just yet, but Lu's looking forward to developers using the tools needed to write programs for the device. Full details about the jailbreak can be found at source link below, but before you head off, you can catch the video proof after the break.
DoubleTwist releases new version for Android faithful, shows off premium EQ
If you've been getting bored with that stale version of DoubleTwist you're sporting, get ready for a breath of fresh air. The company has announced the next major version of its music player now awaits Android faithul in the Marketplace -- and will hit the Amazon Appstore later in the week. New features include a new grid view for album art, premium EQ (if you're running Android 2.3 or higher), an AirSync storage location option and a new playback screen which enables sliding to see previous / upcoming tracks. If you're still not impressed, DoubleTwist promises another update in December that will be similar in stature. Take a look after the break for a few more screen shots, should you need more convincing and get ready to show off all of those Ben Folds album covers.
IRL: Nikon D3S, iPod 4G and Klipsch's Image One headphones
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. We almost don't want to talk about our tablets and phones this week, just because one or two show-stoppers here and there have made pretty much everything we own seem wholly inadequate. So we'll tell you about the stuff we won't be trading in anytime soon. For James, that means a good pair of over-ear headphones, for Darren it's a $6,000 camera and for Daniel it's a 40GB iPod with "Dan Cooper is awesome" engraved on the back (19 year-olds, right?). No complaints this time: just a trio of Engadget editors sounding off on what's been worth it.
Creative Zen X-Fi3 gets covered in FCC fingerprints
Remember the Zen X-Fi3, that little, bitty portable media player that we spent a bit of hands-on time with, back in September? Well, the FCC has had its crack at the thing, and the agency wasn't quite as kind, ripping pint-sized music player apart and displaying its innards for all the world to see, which might be for the best, really. While the outsides of the device aren't particularly exciting, the player's got some stuff going on under the hood, like built-in Bluetooth, which the company claims can stream high-quality audio courtesy of the apt-X codec. See the X-Fi3 exposed to the world in the gallery below.%Gallery-138461%
Cowon shipping iAudio 10 PMP tomorrow: $160 and up
Remember that stunner of a PMP that Cowon teased us with back in September? Better brush up, 'cause she's shipping out in the US of A starting tomorrow. The iAudio 10 is -- for all intents and purposes -- a refreshed and re-imagined S9, boasting a curved 400 x 240 (3-inch) display, microphone input, TV output, FM radio and a document viewer. Unlike the D3 before it, the company looks to be eschewing Android on this one for its own homegrown operating system, and in typical Cowon fashion, it'll support practically every file format under the sun. The I10-16WH (16GB) will ship in white for $159.99, while the ebony I10-32BL (32GB) edition will go for $199.99. We're told that the Buy It Now link will be live tomorrow, and we'll update this post just as soon as it arrives in our hands. %Gallery-138129%
Motorola MOTOACTV hands-on (update: video with Dean Karnazes!)
So when Motorola teased its "faster, thinner, smarter, stronger" event we were pretty sure that was a not-so-subtle reference to the 7mm-thick Droid RAZR. As it turns out, the company was also being quite literal. Instead of a Xoom 2, the outfit rounded out its New York City presser with MOTOACTV, an iPod Nano-like touchscreen device that plays music and keeps track of your various fitness vitals. While we couldn't take it more than a few feet away from the pedestal where it was on display, we did get to poke around its UI for a few minutes and put that 600MHz processor to the test. You know the drill: hands-on photos below, along with impressions and a short vid after the break.%Gallery-136870%Joseph Volpe and Zach Honig contributed to this report.
Motorola announces MOTOACTV, 'the ultimate fitness device'
It's official, Motorola's just officially unveiled MOTOACTV (not to be confused with these guys), its very own music and fitness device. The little running mate sports a 600MHz processor, runs Android and weighs a healthy 35 grams. It'll apparently track your heart rate, and log running, walking and cycling statistics, and packs GPS to track your exercise routes. The Nike+ competitor is unsurprisingly sweat and waterproof and can hold up to 4,000 songs. It also offers FM radio and audio "coaching," which updates on pace and distance, for those who need a little inspiration in their routine. Moto's also outing a pair of accompanying Bluetooth headsets, the SF700 ($149) and SF500 ($99), which will be sold separately. The MOTOACTV will set beat-bumping runners back $249 or $299 for 8GB and 16GB, respectively. Full PR is after the break, and official photos are on the way.%Gallery-136857% Be sure to check out our Motorola liveblog right here!
Cowon's iAudio 10 does "Color Therapy," won't charge you per hour
After a bit of teasing, Cowon's finally ready to show the world the iAudio 10. The skinny new portable media player offers up a three-inch 240 x 400 display, mic-in, TV out, an FM radio, support for a number of different file types, a document viewer and capacities running 4GB to 32GB. That's all well and good, but what's really got the company excited is the Color Therapy UI, which lets you switch between a number of background and text colors. At the very least, it's sure to be a lot cheaper than paying for a shrink.
IRL: Nexus One, Sansa Clip Zip, DeLorme PN-60 and the HP TouchPad
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Welcome back to IRL, a new column where we dissect, defend and gripe about the gadgets we're using in real life. This week, Dante gets a firesale TouchPad, Dana ditches her Shuffle for a Sansa Clip Zip, Tim's on a boat with the DeLorme PN-60 and Darren explains why, exactly, he's still clinging to his Nexus One.
Philips GoGear 3 Android PMP hands-on (video)
One of the fun things about attending a show that's open to the public like IFA is that you tend to get the same pitch from companies as folks walking in off the street. And the pitch with the latest Philips GoGear is quite simple: this is the company's shot at the iPod touch. We swung by the Philips booth to give the thing another spin. The 3.2-inch portable media player has a touchscreen and runs Android 2.3 -- really, it's got most of the basic functionality of a handset, save for the whole calling people thing. The build on the device is a bit plasticy and certainly can't compare with the touch on that front, though it is quite light and should slip into your pocket easily for a trip to the gym, if you're so inclined. The player also doesn't make the most of potential screen real estate, due to the three large buttons and Philips logo taking up roughly a quarter of the its face -- an odd choice, given the GoGear's touchscreen. The PMP also has three large brass buttons in its side. The GoGear 3 runs Android apps with ease, flipping through the selection of Google programs without a problem. It's also got Android Market built-in, accessible through its built-in WiFi. That functionality also comes in handy with the company's SimplyShare software, which lets you stream music and video content to other devices. No word yet on final pricing or availability, though the Philips rep we spoke with said it will likely run around €150 for the 8GB version and €180 for the 16GB.%Gallery-132461%
Creative keeps stabbing at the MP3 market, reveals bantam ZEN X-Fi3
Another IFA, another minuscule ZEN X-Fi media player. And somehow, they manage to get less and less impressive with each passing year. This go 'round, we're looking at the ZEN X-Fi3, equipped with a 2-inch LCD, 8/16GB of internal storage, Bluetooth 2.1, a built-in microphone / FM radio / speaker and a battery that should last up to 20 hours when playing back audio alone. As with prior ZEN units, this one also supports a multitude of file formats (FLAC, AAC, MP3, WMA, Audible, etc.), and for those kosher with watching Alf reruns on a thumb-sized panel, MPEG-4 / WMV9 / DivX video files are also capable of being played back. This guy's slated to ship at the end of October across Europe, but with $99.99 (8GB) / $139.99 (16GB) price tags, we're guessing most are bound to just collect dust. For shame.
Sony's new A, E, and S series Walkmans to get Music Unlimited freebie
For those that haven't yet gone down the iFaithful portable media player route, there's always the Walkman. Sony officially unveiled updates to its A, S and E series line of players just last month, and now plans to dole out a free trial of Music Unlimited to owners of the NWZ-A860, S760BT and E460 when they go on sale this September. The streaming service, formerly known as Qriocity, brings with it a catalog of over 10 million songs and will be available gratis for 180 days, after which it'll run you $3.99/mo for basic service and $9.99/mo for the premium offering. It might be too late in the game for the company to wrestle back the portable audio crown but, hey, you can't fault it for trying to sweeten the MP3-playing pot. Official PR awaits you after the break.
Samsung launches YP-R2, YP-Z3, MP3 HD compatible PMPs
Samsung has had its sights set on a PMP with MP3 HD support for some time now -- first announcing (and later killing) the IceTouch in 2010, and now launching the YP-R2 and YP-Z3 in markets including Russia and Korea. Claiming that the lossy/lossless HD MP3 sound is five times better than the standard variety, the company will put it to the test with access to Melon, Korea's largest 2.2 million song music store. So far, Samsung has only confirmed the R2 has a 3-inch WQVGA full touch display, is .3-inches thick and weighs around 52 grams, while the Z3, on the other hand has a 1.8-inch display and measures in at 36 grams. The music players also support photo and text viewing, FM radio and 5.1-channel surround sound. The R2 comes in black and silver and costs 149,000 KRW ($140) for 4GB, and 169,000 KRW ($160) for 8GB. The Z3 comes in white, pink and blue and costs 89,000 KRW ($83) for 4GB, and 119,000 KRW for 8GB ($110). There's no word yet if these devices will ever see US release, but check out the source for more pictures.
