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Haier's Ibiza Rhapsody Sport plays audio and video, fails to impress
The ibiza Rhapsody was one of those curious devices that spent so long in development that by the time it saw the light of day, the rest of the world had moved on to bigger and better things. Sure, we liked the device in theory (WiFi, Bluetooth, and support for Rhapsody and AOL Video are all good things), but its Gameboy-esque looks and mere 30GB storage pretty much guaranteed that it would never be a hit. Unfortunately, a quick look at Haier's new, "sportier" PMP doesn't give us much reason to reconsider the device. Aside from a rugged and weather-resistant new look (is "uglified" a word?), all it seems to offer us is diminished storage capacity. But wait -- all you ever wanted was a plastic orange MP3 player? Then it looks like you're in luck -- the 4GB model sells for $179, while the 8GB size will set you back a cool $199.
Haier's 47-inch HL47K LCD HDTV gets reviewed, doesn't fare so well
When you think of top-tier HDTV brands, there's a phenomenally good chance that "Haier" isn't in the top five ten. Thus, it ought to be no surprise to learn that the outfit's latest LCD HDTV didn't receive the highest marks in CNET's recent review. The budget-minded set had a fairly decent design and an equally delicious price (just $1,599 MSRP), and the three HDMI inputs (plus one PC input) were certainly adequate. However, the unit displayed "significant uniformity issues including uneven backlight and discoloration across the screen," and when coupled with the light blacks, less-than-accurate color temperature and the inability to change aspect ratio with HD sources, critics were left with no choice but to call the kettle black. Looks like it's back to choosing which Vizio you really like, huh?
PSP phone mod is really exactly what we were waiting for
Call it off Sony, no need to throw any precious man hours into making your perennially #2 handheld into some sort of amazing featurephone hybrid, some hacker has already done it for you. Through the amazing wonders of modern thinphone technology, soldering irons and probably a bit of glue, some hacker has managed the slap a Haier touchscreen phone onto the back of his PSP -- killing the UMD drive in the process, but we'd say it was well worth it.
Chinese manufacturers show off DIVA connector, request only green M&Ms
Move over HDMI, DVI and DisplayPort, here comes DIVA (Digital Interface for Audio and Video). Cooked up by the above group of Chinese manufacturers, they say this standard can improve on HDMI by enabling bi-directional data connections above and beyond HDMI-CEC protocols, creating easy DLNA connections between devices with a single cable. Forward channel video speeds of 13.6 Gbps provide plenty of room for 1080p and higher resolutions with Deep Color, plus the two-way connection at up to 2.25Gbps that can simultaneously handle multichannel audio, control or other data. With a working demo shown over a single 8 wire CAT6 cable, it's got specs that interest us, and with a growing AV market in China maybe these companies have enough pull to get wider support. Still, until someone produces a platinum cable measuring 3-feet long that costs $200 we won't be sure of its success.
Something old, something new: Spyker brings two models to CeBIT
We don't know what it is with boutique brands picking up year-old Haiers and passing them off as new wares, but it's a trend that appears to be picking up some steam. Spyker, the Dutch auto manufacturer, got into the phone branding game last year and is set to roll out a pair of new midrange models at CeBIT this week. The first model, LaTurby, has a name that's extremely fun to say (seriously, give it a try) -- but that's about all that's notable about it seeing how it's the Haier Sterling we saw last year with 1GB of internal storage, Bluetooth, and a 2 megapixel cam. The metal MonteCarlo slider looks a bit more interesting -- and more importantly, fresh -- and should have specs roughly in line with its more amusingly-named sib. No word on pricing or availability for these yet, but needless to say, we're thinking they'll be both cheaper and easier to obtain than a Spyker automobile.
Some company tries to tease us with a year-old phone
So some British outfit is releasing a phone it calls the "Liscio" next month and they're making a pretty big PR stink about it. That's all well and good; we like a good teaser as much as anyone else. There's only one problem, though: from the two extraordinarily artistic shots we've been provided so far, it's pretty plainly obvious that the Liscio is nothing more than the Haier Elegance from, like, 14 months ago. Don't get us wrong, the Elegance is a fine phone and we're happy to see it get rebranded and resold -- but the gig is totally up, guys. Don't bother spending another dime on teaser photography, k?
Haier's Ibiza Rhapsody in the wild
Every once in a while we'll come across a mystical product that gets scooped really early in its development cycle, goes years without release, and makes a CES cameo or two before becoming available to the now-underwhelmed throngs. Such is the case with Haier's Ibiza Rhapsody, a decidedly metallic PMP that features WiFi, Bluetooth, and support for both Rhapsody and AOL Video. Granted, those are still somewhat impressive specs even by 2008 standards, but the capacities top out at 30GB (weak sauce) and the physical appearance of the device is definitely an acquired taste. Anyway, we happened to catch the Ibiza Rhapsody in final retail packaging in our travels and stopped for a few brief sentence to snap a shot or two; do enjoy them, won't you?%Gallery-12759%
Haier's Ibiza Rhapsody PMP gets reviewed
It's been nearly a full year since we first heard about the Ibiza Rhapsody, Haier's Linux-based, WiFi-enabled PMP, and it looks like all that bake time paid off -- Crave got their hands on the $330 30GB model and found it to be well-implemented and quite versatile. The 2.5-inch PMP supports MPEG4, WMV, M4V, AVI, and H.264, and offers wireless access to Rhapsody's streaming Channels anywhere there's WiFi -- and allows users to save songs to the players' drive with one click. A2DP support, a wireless podcast directory, and support for AOL Wireless video complete the package and make for much more effective and interesting uses of integrated WiFi and Bluetooth than in some other media devices we've seen. Too bad that squarish touchpad controller still brings the ugly with a vengeance. No word on when Haier will be shipping these out in bulk, but interested parties can hit up Amazon for pre-orders.[Thanks, KC Kim]
Haier and AOL's PMP makes its debut as the ibiza Rhapsody
We haven't heard much of anything about Haier and AOL's WiFi-enabled PMP since CES way back at the beginning of the year, but it looks like the device has now finally made its way out the door, with it now dubbed the ibiza Rhapsody. From the looks of it, there's three different versions of the player, including a 4GB, an 8GB, and a 30GB model (each also available in a range of colors). Apart from that, however, the players all appear to be identical, with each boasting a 2.5-inch display, an FM radio, built-in WiFi, Bluetooth and, of course, integrated support for Rhapsody-To-Go and AOL's video service. Nice enough specs to be sure, although the player isn't exactly on the cheap side, with Amazon currently listing the 4, 8, and 30GB players for $230, $250, and $330, respectively.[Via PMP Today]
Haier's crazy / crazy expensive laptop
Apparently, in other parts of the world, Haier (a minor brand here in the States) is busy manufacturing highly expensive and totally bizarre laptop computers. The cats over at Engadget Chinese have gotten their hands on info concerning this totally outrageous laptop / tablet PC, apparently an offshoot of the Flybook line, which rocks a Core Duo U2500 processor (coupled with an Intel 945GM chipset), 2GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, 802.11a/b/g, an 8.6-inch widescreen tablet display, plus a fingerprint scanner, Bluetooth, and an option to go all 3G wireless (should you so desire). Apparently, the system folds down into a tablet, replete with handwriting recognition and all, and can be yours for the fantastically low price of 35,999 Yuan (or about $4,790). We wish you nothing but good luck on finding one, and even better luck on footing the bill.
Haier's detergentless WasH20 washing machine
Washing machines that somehow remove the odors and spots from your garments sans the use of water have been around the block a time or two, and while we've heard a mad scientist claim that he discovered soap-free cleaning, it's Haier who's making him look brilliant. The detergentless WasH20 reportedly works by breaking down water molecules into OH- and H+ ions, and while we hardly recall the last chemistry course we took, we suppose we'll believe the claims for now. Apparently, the stains on the linens are "attracted and retained by ions of OH-, while the clothes are sterilized by the H+ ions." Word on the street has this one landing in France soon for around €699 ($957), but don't be surprised if your threads come out of the wash mutated, vaporized, or worst of all, smelling exactly like they did when they went in.[Thanks, Philippe T.]
Hands-on with the Haier "Sterling"
While devices like the iPhone, the N95, and the RAZR 2 get the lion's share of the spotlight, a variety of less well-known manufacturers plod along in the background, quietly creating a plethora of decent handsets capable of servicing just about every segment of the market. One of those darkhorses is Haier, a company with a pretty sizable device lineup outside the US that, by all appearances, is now gingerly trying its hand at scoring some points with the fickle American consumer base. Its first serious effort was the Elegance -- alias "Black Pearl" -- a tiny, mirrored candybar that left us fairly impressed in our brief time with it earlier this year. Now we're getting a peek at the "Sterling," and while the name has changed, the concept has not.%Gallery-5329%
Haier V60 12.1-inch laptop, with screen-on-a-stick technology
It's hard to tell if these extendable-arm laptops will ever cross over into the real mainstream, but our choices certainly aren't dwindling. Haier's latest is a 12.1-inch ultraportable, the V60, which packs in a 1280 x 800 display, ULV Core 2 Duo processor, 945GMS chipset, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB HDD. At 1-inch thick, there's still room for a slim super-multi optical drive and ExpressCard slot, and the 1.3 megapixel webcam is always a nice touch. No word on price or availability, but at least we've got some confirmed Transformers functionality -- that G70 is just a poser.
Haier's shiny Sterling handset gets official
Way back in January we were able to get our comparatively large palms around Haier's minuscule Elegance, and now the company's latest mirrored handset has gotten official with a pre-order price and release date. The oh-so-shiny Sterling brings back the bling factor in a serious way, and while it may look like there's no external display on this bad boy, we promise it's just an illusion. Underneath the facade resides a 1.8-inch color LCD, 1.3-megapixel camera, a pair of "music puzzle games," support for MP3, WMA, MP4, and AAC files, USB 2.0 connectivity, Bluetooth, 128MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot, and a battery capable of staying alive through three solid hours of yapping. Interestingly, you can plunk down a "non-refundable" deposit of $199 now in order to secure a position in line when it launches worldwide in July, but considering that there's no word on how much extra you will be billed upon shipment, we'd be mighty hesitant to pull the trigger just yet.[Via I4U, thanks Luigi]
Haier L47A18 1080p LCD unveiled
Chinese manufacturer Haier has released the L47A18-AK 47-inch 1080p LCD, with detachable bottom-mounted speakers and a pair of HDMI ins. The set also includes two integrated USB ports, card readers that can play back, among other formats, MP3, JPG, and DiVX, and a printer jack -- for making take-home copies of yesterday's photos with Mom, of course. No word on a release date, but the price is set at 18,999 yuan, or $2,472 US.
Haier intros Korean-exclusive T31G, W18 laptops
The always-prolific Haier has a pair of new laptops in store for the Korean market, with its new T31G and W18 models boasting similar specs in slightly different packages. Opting for the T31G will net you a 1.73GHz T2250 Core Duo processor, along with a 13.3-inch WXGA display, an 80GB SATA hard drive, NVIDIA Geforce Go 7400 graphics, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam, all packed a "hairline aluminum" design. The W18, on the other hand, packs the same processor but takes things down to a 12.1-inch display, although Haier did see fit to up the hard drive to 120GB and add a DVD combo drive. Those in Korea (or those planning on passing through) can pick up the T31G for 900,000 won or the W18 for an even 1,000,000 won (about $968 and $1,075, respectively).
Haier's speedy X6 UMPC touts 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo processor
Nah, Haier's X6 UMPC won't turn any heads in the design department, but we must say we're glad it gave a bit more attention to the internals and left the enclosure to the OEMs. Beneath the perfectly average exterior lies a full QWERTY keyboard, Intel's 945GU chipset (you know, from the Ultra Mobile Platform), a 6.5-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 30GB 5,400RPM hard drive, webcam, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, and a GPS receiver to top things off. The standout feature, however, is the choice of processors available on this rig, as power users should adore the 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo L2500 or 1.66GHz L2400. Notably, El Reg suggests that the 720-gram unit sports a battery that provides "four to five hours" of continuous juice, but we imagine taxing that speedy CPU could slice into those number fairly quickly. Still, the Vista-equipped machine packs quite a punch for being so nimble, and while a release date wasn't disclosed, it should start around £580 ($1,165) whenever it lands.[Via Electronista]
Intel's Ultra Mobile strategy gets official
We already knew of Intel's 2007 "McCaslin" ultra mobile platform strategy after peeping their pre-show slides: professional UMPCs paired with consumer-oriented, Linux-based MIDs. Still, it's always good to get the official word even if it means that Intel must travel all the way to their IDF in Beijing to make it so. As the strategy goes, before 2007 is up we'll see product from Aigo, Asus, Fujitsu, Haier, HTC, and Samsung all based on the Intel A100 and A110 processors -- essentially underclocked Pentium M cores operating at 3W and certainly besting the UMPC underpinnings we saw in 2006. In the first half of 2008 then, Intel tells us to expect their "Menlow" platform of ultra mobile devices. Pumping Intel's 45-nm dual-core "Silverthorn" processor and "Poulsbo" chipset for longer battery life in smaller handheld devices. But if you're chomping at the bit for Intel's vision of the ultra mobile future, well, you'll be waiting around until well after 2008, boy. Intel doesn't expect to break into magical sub-0.5W territory until the naughts are up. Until then, you'll have to deal with mysterious slabs like the new Fujitsu pictured above. Update: UMPC Portal just pointed out something very interesting: Intel says that HTC's Shift UMPC is based on their A100/A110 processors. However, the engineering sample we pawed was running a 1.2GHz VIA proc. Looks like Intel scored themselves a major coup over HTC's Taiwanese neighbors.[Via Impress]
Hands-on with AOL and Haier's PMP
When we first got word of AOL (disclosure: AOL is our parent company's parent) and Haier's Linux-based WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled PMP yesterday, we were a little confused. On the one hand, the shot that PC Magazine snapped was of a device that looked pretty beat up; on the other, the feature set appeared to be impressive. Today we got a hands-on with the device, which managed to exceed our initial low expectations regarding the design of the player. The problem here is that the brushed stainless steel casing looks awful when photographed with a flash. In person it could actually be called attractive, although fingerprints on both the screen and the casing are still easily noticeable. For menu control there's a square, clickable trackpad which does a great job of menu navigation due to the fact that you don't have to move your thumb off the trackpad to select an option. The Linux based operating system has a nice and simple (albeit iPod inspired) design, which compliments the trackpad control system. In terms of specific features it has a QVGA LCD screen (which didn't appear particularly bright), built-in WiFi (with which you can buy music from online stores, stream internet radio, do background downloads, and search for similar songs), built-in Bluetooth for using wireless A2DP headphones, and USB 2.0 connectivity. The range of files that it'll play is also impressive, with PlaysForSure WMA files, AACPlus, AACPlus Enhanced, WAV, and MP3 all playable. On top of that you can play MPEG-4, WMV 7/8/9, H.264, and AVI video, as well as display JPG and PNG images. An AOL representative told us that they're expecting to ship the player for $249 sometime around the second quarter of this year, so hopefully we'll be able to give you an idea of other more specific features -- such as battery life -- as it nears a commercial release. Hands on with AOL and Haier's PMP
Hands-on with the Haier "Elegance"
Last time we saw Haier's glossy, submicronic capsule, we'd been tossing around the name "Black Pearl" and lamenting the lack of GSM 850. Well, times change, and so does this phone. Turns out it's officially called the "Elegance" -- which makes more sense, considering the threat of a RIM lawsuit constantly looming over Haier's head otherwise -- but better yet, there's a new variant of the handset that trades tri-band GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 for dual-band 850 / 1900. Granted, you give up a band in the process, but the tweaked model should offer better performance Stateside in return. We were pleasantly surprised both with the Elegance's performance and appearance; sound quality was great for both voice calls and FM radio / MP3 playback, and the OLED display looked fabulous when it appeared from beneath its mirrored confines. Follow the break for more eye candy!
