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Cowon A3 US launch details revealed
Cowon's been teasing us with its A3 personal media player for some time now, and it looks like the whole charade is now finally nearing a close, as the company has just announced the long-awaited US launch details for the PMP. According to Crave, the player will start shipping in early December, with it setting you back $349 and $399 for the 30GB and 60GB variations, respectively. If you've got a bit more money to spend, however, you may do well to consider Cowon's just-released Q5W player, which adds some WiFi to the equation, among other things.[Thanks, Justin]
Cowon Q5W goes on sale in US, shows off its premium skills
We knew the Cowon Q5W was coming to our fair shores this week, but now that it's here, we've got some fresh details that make that $549 pricetag seem downright reasonable. You're still looking at a 5-inch 800 x 400 touchscreen and Windows CE, but Cowon has really thrown down the gauntlet with codec support, including DivX, XviD, AVI, ASF, WMV9, MPEG4, OGM, Ogg, FLAC and APE -- and the browser supports Flash. There's also a "pen mode" for the interface and an optional WinCE Office Viewer that might let you actually get some work done. To top it all off, the entire UI appears to be skinnable, and Cowon says a version with GPS will also hit next month. Damn, looks like our love affair with the Archos 605 WiFi is over.PS. Check the Cowon America product page for some of the best machine translation pickup lines we've ever seen.[Thanks, Gibran]
Cowon's US-bound Q5W gets price, release date
Good news for those not-so-patiently awaiting the launch of Cowon's totally hopped up Q5W (formerly known as the Q5) -- the US-bound uber-PMP is set to launch next week for slightly more jack than we heard earlier this year. Specs wise, we're looking at a 5-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, 128MB of DDR2 SDRAM, 64MB of Flash memory, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, WinCE 5.0, a voice recorder, photo / text viewer, USB connectivity and support for more file formats than you can shake a flip-out antenna at. 'Course, such a well-spec'd unit won't come sans a premium, so don't be too shocked when you see that the 40GB version will run you $549.99 while the 60GB iteration demands an extra $50.
Cowon's all singing all dancing A3: November 14th
Rumored forever before its CES debut in January, Cowon is finally releasing their A3 personal media player. So tell us oh gentle reader, was the DaVinci chipset; 4-inch, 16M color, 480x272 800 x 480 (!!) pixel display; USB host; FM radio and recorder; MPEG-4 video recorder; 1280 x 720 HD output; and vast codec support including DivX, FLAC, OGG, and wide variety of lossless audio worth the wait? Available November 14th in 30GB and 60GB flavors for ???349,000 (about $387) and ???419,000 (about $465), respectively. %Gallery-9884%[Via AVING]
Cowon intros upgraded iAUDIO 7, D2 players
We heard rumors of a beefed-up D2 way back in July, but Cowon has just now made that upgrade a reality, and it's giving its iAUDIO 7 player a storage boost for good measure as well. Both upgrades will apparently only be available on the red versions of the players, with the D2 now topping out at 8GB and the iAUDIO 7 pushing things all the way to 16GB. Otherwise, both players appear to be the same as before, with the former boasting a 2.5-inch LCD, an FM radio, and a promised 52 hours of playing time, and the latter packing a 1.3-inch LCD and an even longer 60 hours of purported battery life. According to Cowon, both should be available any day now (if they aren't already), with the new top-end D2 running $250, and the upgraded iAUDIO 7 setting you back $300.
Cowon's 30GB iAudio X5 gets right with God
That purported iAudio X5 picture above comes courtesy of the Chinese language site Reesun. Authentic? Sure, why not. The only real difference we see is a thinning of the overall device along with a uniform flattening of the front panel which allows the joystick to move front-and-center just the way the good lord intended it. You know, like the way the earth is a perfect circle at the center of the known universe, eh Copernicus? But 30GB... you'll be tempting her wrath with that pitiful tithe Cowon. [Thanks, Javi0084]
Cowon A3 in the wild at last
Cowon's been pretty shy about its A2 followup, which was announced at CES this January, so it's nice to finally see someone putting the A3 through its paces. GenerationMP3 got a hold of the unit at IFA, and while it's a bit chunky for a modern player, there's no denying the capabilities -- or the sheer wonder of that 4-inch 800 x 480 screen. Apparently DMB only comes as a €100 option ($137 US), which is a bit of a low blow, given the €449 pricetag for the 30GB player, and €499 for 60GB ($615, $684 US), and there's still no exact word on release date, but we're sure the A3's hefty codec support and extensive features will win over few fans. Video is after the break.[Via dapreview.net]
Cowon unveils iAudio U5 DAP at IFA
Those impressed with the looks of the iAudio 7 are likely to warm up just fine to the newest digital audio player from Cowon. Reportedly unveiled at IFA, the presumably flash-based U5 looks to be aimed at lower-end customers, and touts an ultrathin enclosure, 1.8-inch 160 x 129 resolution LCD, FM tuner / recorder, voice recorder, USB 2.0 connectivity, MP3 / WMA support, up to 20-hours of battery life, and built-in equalizer presets as well. Apparently, the U5 will land in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB flavors, but pricing and availability details have yet to be divulged.[Via PlayerBites, image courtesy of CNET]
First shots of the Cowon iAudio X7?
We'd heard that Cowon was planning to ship a 40- and 80GB iAudio X7 in September, but these supposed product shots that just surfaced at DAPreview are the first tangible evidence we've seen of the device. Based on what we know they look pretty legit, but our expertise on Photoshop fakery can only take us so far.
Cowon iAudio 7 review roundup
The Cowon iAudio 7, a topic of a good deal of gear-lust, has safely found its way into the eager hands of a number of reviewers, thus warranting the patent-pending Engadget review roundup. The 4GB or 8GB PMP seems to have received fairly high marks from most of the critics, though a few take issue with the "swing touch" interface used to control the player, which they say can be too sensitive and confusing, and the device's lack of AAC playback, which might put on a hurting on the iAudio's appeal as an iPod alternative. On the flip side, there's a lot of praise for its FLAC and OGG support, long battery life, and sound quality, which is regarded as excellent -- or as CNET bluntly puts it, "better than the iPod." So, minor potshots notwithstanding, almost all of the critics give it high marks -- but don't take our word for it, hit the links.Read -- CNET (8.3 out of 10, Editors' Choice)Read -- TrustedReviews (8 out of 10)Read -- Gadgetaholic ("If you are looking for an audiophile-quality audio player in a small package, stop looking...")
Cowon iAudio 7 gets unboxed
For those of you who are waiting to experience the raw, passionate opening of a shiny new Cowon iAudio 7, but haven't the money, time, or sheer force of will -- take heart. The player, which rocks 8GB of flash memory, supports FLAC and OGGs, and can play back XviD media on its 1.3-inch color screen has hit the streets and is up for inspection. One lucky purchaser has gone to all the trouble of unboxing the hell out of his recently delivered DAP, and has kindly chosen to share his message of light and hope with the world. Hit the link for a fairly thrilling showcase of gadget-porn.[Thanks, Jin]
Cowon D2 to get capacious upgrades, iAudio X7 / X5 on the horizon?
After patiently wait for what felt like ages to finally have the Cowon D2 on American soil, here's a tidbit sure to make you early adopters a bit disgruntled. According to a blurb at GenerationMP3, Cowon is planning to release an 8GB and 16GB rendition of its diminutive media player, and additionally, it will reportedly sport a built-in SDHC slot for cramming even more media onboard. In other news, the iAudio X7 is slated to land sometime in September, and will be available in both 40GB and 80GB flavors, but the release of the iAudio X5 is a bit shaky considering that production on the device has "been stopped" for the time being. Per usual, we aren't exactly sold on the legitimacy of these reports, but you won't catch us complaining if a roomier D2 finds its way stateside anytime soon.[Via PlayerBites, thanks Gavin]
Cowon's longevous iAudio 7 now shipping
If you're scouting a music player that can keep the jams rolling into the third day of an up-all-night long weekend, you've got a few options outside of the iAudio 7, but we doubt you'll find one this sexy. Cowon's latest flash-based device -- rated for 60 hours of playback sans a recharge -- is finally ready to delight, as the company has just announced that the silver accented 4GB unit and red accented 8GB flavor are both shipping to US customers as we speak. Of course, we're sure the audiophiles are well aware of the potent integrated amplifier, built-in five-band equalizer, and lossless file support, but those just catching up can get their orders in now for $169.99 or $219.99 depending on capacity.[Via PlayerBites]
Cowon's iAudio 7 packs 8GB of FLAC on flash
What's better than the beloved iAudio 6? Why, the iAudio 7 of course... it's 1 better. Meet Cowon's latest DAP with that "simply brilliant" 1.3-inch LCD. Only now, we're looking at 8GB of flash memory instead of that dawdling 0.85-inch disk drive of its predecessor. The iAudio 7 is one of just a few to support FLAC and OGG audio in addition to the usual suspects and XviD video. Hell, it even squeezes up to 60 hours from a Lithium Polymer battery which can be charged via USB. Priced at just ???169,000 (about $182) for the 4GB on up to ???229,000 (about $246) for the full 8GB, what's not to love? %Gallery-3952%[Via AVING]
Cowon's L2: the latest all media player with GPS
Korea sure loves 'em some convergence, and few homegrowns can top Cowon when it comes to packing audio, video, SatNav, and mobile TV into a single sleek device. No suprise then to find Cowon's L2 packing enough acronyms to choke a middle-manager: FM radio, DMB TV, 7-inch TFT LCD with PIP, SiRF Star III GPS, and support for JPG, BMP, PNG, MP3, WAV, ASF, WMA, MPEG-4 media stored in the 2GB of built-in storage or SD card expansion. Unfortunately, it's only capable of a weak sauce 432 × 240 pixel resolution scattered across that big 7-inch display. Hey, what were you expecting, 1080p -- oh, right. Fully configured for ???299,000 or about $322 when these hit K-town on June 5th.[Via Akihabara News]
Cowon Q5 PMP unboxing
Normally our product unboxing posts are reserved for prime American kit from the likes of the biggest manufacturers, but Cowon's Q5 portable media player with its integrated WiFi and HSDPA definitely deserves the same treatment. Just so you get a sense that the feature packed PMP actually exists and is coming to these shores, check out the product unboxing over at the Cowon forums. Get a load of that 5-inch 800x600 LCD display, check out the included remote and cables, and ogle at all that unintelligible (to us) Korean text. Just to remind you, the Q5 should be dropping sometime this quarter for $499 to $549, depending on whether you opt for the 40GB or 60GB capacity.
Cowon Q5 PMP gets priced and dated
Anytime a US-bound PMP sports wireless connectivity we're bound to sit up and take notice, so the fact that Cowon's upcoming Q5 rocks not only Bluetooth and WiFi but HSDPA as well shoots this 40GB or 60GB model right up to the top of our wish list. Besides all that 'net functionality (thanks to Windows CE Internet Explorer), the 5-inch Q5 sounds like a pretty strong performer as a standalone media device, offering an 800 x 480 resolution, DVR capabilities, hefty codec support (including DivX and XviD), built-in speakers, and an FM radio, along with optional TeleAtlas-based GPS. Definitely one that will give Archos a run for its money, and at $499 or $549 depending on capacity, there seem to be enough advantages over the similar Archos 604 WiFi to warrant the extra $50-$100 when this drops sometime by the end of this quarter.
Cowon's D2 PMP hits North America
If you've been digging Cowon's tiny D2 portable media player but weren't quite willing to go to Korea to get one, you can now yourself some airfare (or importing fees), as Cowon America's finally seen fit to release the player over here. While some of the more colorful options have unfortunately been left behind, the player itself is otherwise identical (minus the DMB, of course), with a 2.5-inch touchscreen display, an SD card slot for expansion, TV out, FM radio, and the usual array of PMP functions, including support for less-than-common formats like FLAC, OGG, and APE. Those content with the basic black or white color options can now snag the player in your choice of 2GB or 4GB versions for $190 or $220, respectively.
Cowon iAudio D2 gets delicately dissected
It's a borderline travesty that Cowon's iAudio D2 isn't readily available in North America, as this cute little PMP sports the company's highly-touted sound quality and a display that got rave reviews, but just in case your love affair with foreign DAPs doesn't run deep enough to import one of your own, AnythingButiPod is giving you a taste of ownership anyway. Just like the myriad of devices that have come before, the iAudio D2 is getting dissected for nothing more than pure viewing pleasure, but unlike some attempts we've seen, this one looks to be well-planned and executed with precision. Sure, you might say that you'd never rip open your hard-to-acquire media player once you finally captured it, but that's why someone else has already done the dirty work for you. You know what to do, the read link awaits.
Cowon's iAudio D2 touchscreen PMP reviewed
CNET Asia just tossed up an "excellent" 8.4/10 rating along with their Editor's Choice award to Cowon's new 4GB iAudio D2 multimedia player. As you'd expect, it gets high praise for including a "crispy and sharp" touchscreen on a digital media player making the "gorgeous" new interface even more intuitive to use. While it works just fine with your grimy finger, they also include a quirky triangular stylus (resembling a guitar pick) which is tethered to the device on an elastic cord. A bit annoying, but beneficial when slotted into the back of the D2 allowing it to stand on a tabletop. There's a long list of positives: the usual audio format support in addition to OGG Vorbis, FLAC, APE; the ability to expand from the on-board 4GB to 8GB via the SD/MMC card slot; the battery which lasted an "astonishing" 46 hours and 23 minutes; and a quick 5.33MB per second drag-and-drop transfer speed. Other than some slight lag when viewing pictures and the occassional "scratchy" radio reception... there's just not much to harsh on. Oh, 'cept the fact that you still can't get one off the shelf in North America or Europe. [Via Impress, thanks woopieboy]
