iriver w10
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iriver W10 revealed on teaser site
We'd probably be more inclined to gripe about iriver stringing us along like this -- five gadgets, five days, hardly any hard facts -- if there wasn't so much sexy to the devices and photographs the DAP manufacturer is tossing up every 24 hours or so. Today's gadget is the iriver W10, a slim little touchscreen number we got to play with at CES, which seems to swipe some of the iPhone's interface ideas for touchscreen VoIP dialing, while still sticking with those WPS (WiFi positioning system) and PDA / e-book / PMP features we heard about before. We wish we had more to tell you, like price or a release date, but two things are certain: iriver seems bent on swiping every gadget dollar we've ever stashed, and is singlehandedly keeping the hand modelling industry in business.%Gallery-4148%
iriver W10 uses Skyhook for WiFi-based positioning
One critical detail we missed about the positioning stuff in iriver's new 4GB and 8GB W10 media player: they're using Skyhook's WiFi-based system to offer GPS-like positioning info in dense urban areas. Obviously not going to be usable as GPS if you're out on the open road -- any WiFi-based positioning system is only as good as its database of WiFi access points -- but GPS is notoriously ineffective both indoors and in big cities. The W10, which they're aiming at "urban explorers", will come preloaded with Navteq maps and points of interest data (banks, ATMs, mass transit, hotels, restaurants, and shoppings), and they have plans to offer Location Based Services. Should be out in April.
