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iriver NV mini bike edition routes two-wheeled warriors
iriver's NV mini has been out and about for nearly a full year now, so it makes sense to think that some sort of successor was just about ready to pop. Sure enough, a next-gen version (of sorts) has been revealed, with the NV mini bike edition (₩188,000; $156) looking to help those out there who suck it up and bike to work / school / etcetera rather than hailing a cab. The 3.5-inch touchscreen (320 x 240) is unchanged in terms of size, but the UI has been tweaked to provide larger glimpses at what's most important. It's also designed to respond to gloved fingers, and the "exercise" mode keeps track of distance traveled, speed, time traveled and calories burned. Other specs include an SDHC card slot, 3.5 millimeter headphone socket and Windows CE 5.0 underneath, with an on sale date of "right now" in South Korea.[Via Slashgear]
iriver Story e-book reader turns up in Berlin, deems itself too cool for IFA
Well, it may not have been officially on-hand at IFA, but it looks like at least one iriver Story e-book reader did make its way to Berlin, and Heise Online was lucky enough to spend a bit of time with it -- and take a few pics, of course. While it still bears an undeniable similarity to the Kindle 2, the differences become a bit more apparent up close, with the keyboard in particular sporting more traditional, squarer keys, and a complete lack of face buttons otherwise -- apart from what appears to be two built-in page turn buttons on each bottom corner. In addition to the previously revealed specs, Heise Online also confirmed the existence of a built-in Comic Viewer, an integrated microphone for dictation and, unfortunately, a lack of built-in WiFi (let alone 3G), meaning that the only way to get content on the device is via USB or SD cards. Hit up the link below for the rest of the pics and a few more details.
Alleged iRiver Story e-reader pics exemplify imitation as the sincerest form of flattery
We can't fault iRiver for striving to beat Kindle at its game, but to be Kindle is a different story altogether. A Korea-based MobileRead forum member posted a trio of pics that apparently show off the company's up e-book reader, aptly titled the Story. Here's the scoop as "dasony" tells it: the talented Mr. Ripley here sports a 6-inch screen, physical QWERTY keys, up to 32GB expandable memory, 9,000 page turns (per charge, we presume), a comic viewer, and support for PDF, EPUB, and a number of word / document files. Its local affiliation includes book store chain Kyobo and pre-orders will launch September 16th for around 350,000 to 400,000 KRW, or $282 to $322 in US currencies. Apparently iRiver's looking to expand it to other countries and is in talk with US and Russian retailers, although with that price, it's gonna have to pull out some surprise features and dark magick to compete with what Sony and Amazon are dealing. More pics of the book and its not-quite-svelte case in the gallery below. [Via Engadget German]
iriver E30 shows love for the lossless, long-winded
It ain't too much different than the E50 and E150, but considering that iriver felt it necessary to label it a score less than the former, it's new to us. Introduced today over in the Far East, this pocket-friendly PMP touts a 1.8-inch color display (220 x 176), a user-customizable equalizer and support for MP3, WMA, WAV, APE, FLAC and MJPEG files. Oh, and it can purportedly keep the tunes flowing for 52 frickin' hours without needing a recharge, so those with trouble locating AC outlets should certainly take notice. There's no mention of a price or release date, but both of those tidbits should become crystal clear soon. Very soon.[Via The MP3 Players]
iriver officially recognizes E200 PMP, does it proud in glorious press shots
It wasn't like iriver's E200 was really hiding from anyone, but it's still swell to see the parent company take some initiative and create a dedicated place on the web for its newest OLED-infused portable media player. Said device looks better than ever in the company's press shots, but we're still not convinced that it stands a chance in the oversaturated market without a delightfully low MSRP. Feel free to hit the read link if you're into eye candy, but don't mind those user interface shots if you're a fan of revolutionary coding.[Via PMP Today]
iriver reportedly working up Android-based K2 media player
Take it for nothing more than it is (a lovely, delicious and completely unsubstantiated rumor), but word on the Australian streets is that iriver may have an Android-based portable media player on the horizon. According to local distributor C.R. Kennedy's iriver product manager, Danny Bejanoff, the outfit is looking to take on Apple's iPod touch directly, with a 3.5-inch touchscreen, WiFi, built-in web browser, accelerometer, Bluetooth, a digital TV tuner and Google's Android OS running the show. Sadly, it seems as if this pipe dream has yet to receive the proper final approvals, but we're here to beg the brilliant designers at iriver to invest whatever it takes to make this so-called K2 a reality. Oh, and just in case that wasn't enough for you, Mr. Bejanoff also noted that the firm was working up a new e-reader and internet tablet, both of which should be out for testing in short order.
iriver E200 lands in the wild, might not have been worth the wait
Sure, we know that whenever we hear the word "aluminum" we're supposed to go all weak in the knees, but iriver hasn't really astounded us with this materials-tweaked rehash of the E100. Still, the OLED screen on the upcoming E200 has been bumped to 2.8-inches, so that's kind of nice, and while the capacitive touch buttons aren't a big win over the original rocker, at least the chassis seems thinner now. Check out the read link for some purported press shots that manage to be quite a bit more flattering.[Via PMP Today]
iriver P35 WiFi PMP gets bumped up to 32GB
We may still be waiting for iriver's WiFi-packing P35 PMP to make its first official appearance 'round these parts, but it looks like folks in Korea are now already getting upgrades to the player, with iriver recently rolling out a new 32GB model. That'll run you 488,000 South Korean won (or about $389) which, as you might expect, will get you a player that's otherwise identical to the previous model, including the same 4.3-inch WQVGA display, a built-in DMB TV tuner, a microSD card slot for additional storage, and iriver's trademark Spinn controls, to name a few features. No word if this particular model will be making an appearance when the line makes its US debut this fall but, if it does, you can be sure iriver will have already moved on to bigger and better things in Korea.[Via SlashGear]
iriver's M7 NV Classic navigates the road and your media
Mmm mm m, iriver, you sure know a thing or two about industrial design. Meet the M7 or NV Classic if you prefer, an update to the original iRiver NV only without the massive jogwheel wart. As a navigator, this 181 x 120 x 21.5 device features SiRF GRF3i+ GPS, an SDHC slot for maps, a pair of 1.5-watt speakers for turn-by-turn audio, and a biggie 7-inch 800x480 touchscreen TFT LCD to show you the way. As a media device we're looking at DMB digital television, support for MPEG1, MPEG4, WMV9, and XVID video, MP3, WMA, OGG, and WAV audio, JPEG and BMP images, and a bundled 4GB SDHC card for storage. Priced for Korea at KRW329,000 which would be right around $248 if it ever came to the US, which it won't, at least not in this configuration.[Via Slashgear and Generation MP3]
Video: iriver B30 taken for a spin around the box
Time for a break from all the MID, smartbook, and netbook action from the Computex show for a glimpse at the latest from Korea's iriver. The B30, like most iriver devices, starts with elegant hardware. iriver then slips in a UI and physical controls that may or may not be new to its user base. While we appreciate iriver's dedication to innovation, a bit of consistency would be appreciated, especially since none of the UIs have quite reached perfection. So take a look at the B30 after the break -- you feeling those white boxy outlines and rotation delays as the display moves between portrait and landscape? Korea-only huh? Fine by us.
iRiver P35 headed to the US this fall
It certainly doesn't seem to have been in a rush to bring it to these shores, but iriver has now finally announced (in teaser form) that its P35 PMP will indeed be getting an official US release... this fall. That will version will obviously ditch the DMB TV found in its Korean counterpart, but it should be otherwise identical, including up to 16GB of storage (plus an SDHC card slot), a 4.3-inch WQVGA touchscreen, a full-fledged web browser (on the WiFi version, at least), a promised 16 hours of battery life (or seven for video) and, of course, iriver's trademark SPINN controls. No word on pricing just yet, as you might have guessed, but the Korean version started at the local equivalent of $286.
iriver's T-DMB-packin' B30 portable media player emerges
Check it, North Americans -- yet another PMP that'll never arrive here in this form. The T-DMB-equipped B30 just popped up over on iriver's Korean website, complete with an FM tuner, 2.8-inch QVGA display, a microSD expansion slot, 4/8/16GB of inbuilt memory, white / black / silver color options, USB 2.0 connectivity, a user-selectable equalizer and a list of supported file formats too lengthy to cover in this space. Furthermore, we're told that the battery is good for 40 hours on audio and 5.5 hours with video, and while a ship date has yet to be revealed, we're expecting 'em to go for around $155, $183 and TBD from least capacious to most.[Via PMP Today]
iriver P7 ships in South Korea, Americans look longingly across the sea
Sadly, we're still no closer to understanding when iriver will allow its striking P7 to escape the chains of "pre-order status" here in North America, but geeks in South Korea can now feel free to indulge. 4.3-inches of luscious screen real estate slapped onto an 8GB PMP will set you back just under ₩200,000 ($160), and we're guessing the more capacious 16GB variant will cost just a wee bit more. So yeah, we're going out on a limb here and assuming that a homeland launch foreshadows a splashdown on US soil -- don't let us down, iriver.[Via PMP Today]
iriver P7 unboxing and review
We've been getting friendly with iriver's latest touchscreen masterpiece over the past few days, and have a few impressions to share. In many ways, though, the P7 is exactly what the pictures and spec sheet make it out to be: great design, great specs, few surprises, and little in the way of "interesting" functionality. While the Apples and Microsofts of the world keep on merging the world of PMPs with PDAs with phones, iriver seems content here to build a "mere" media player and leave it at that. Read our full impressions after the break.
iriver, Speedo suit up for new Aquabeat underwater MP3 player
Another Spring, another opportunity for iriver Japan and Speedo to sell a few MP3 players designed for underwater use. Yes friends, the Aquabeat you've grown to know, love and disassociate with overly tight swim trunks has a successor, the Speedo LZR Racer. Design wise, you won't notice a lot of differentiation from the first, but this waterproof-to-three-meters device has twice the internal memory (2GB) and a built-in rechargeable battery good for around eight hours of continuous playback. It's said to be shipping now in Japan for ¥12,800 ($128), though we hear it won't be coming to America without first nailing down a Michael Phelps endorsement. Not that said task will be too tough or anything.[Via Impress]
iriver's D50N MID gets its own site, closer to our hearts
iriver came clean with its D50N e-dictionary / MID back at CES, but it's taken until now for the company to host up a proper teaser site with all the details (in Korean, naturally). The beautiful handheld boasts a 4.8-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, 16GB of internal storage space, 802.11b/g WiFi, support for a whole litany of files, a microSD expansion slot, full QWERTY keyboard and a battery good for up to 16 hours of music playback (or 8 hours of video). Reportedly, the price on this one is pegged at around $370, but we're no closer to finding out when it'll ship to the states.[Via PMP Today]
iriver P35 interface caught on video, where it titillates and amuses
Kids of all ages holding tight for an exhaustive look at the new iriver P35 GUI need wait no longer. Caught on video, the interface recalls that of the P7, and seems quite responsive. Widgets are accessed through a scrolling task bar, and -- we're sorry to tell you this -- that Big Bang Theory show seems to be just as unfunny on the 4.3-inch WQVGA touchscreen as it is on our family TV set. That said, we're really looking forward to putting one of these bad boys through its paces. It's still unavailable in the US and Europe, but for lucky folks in Korea they're available in one of three versions: 8GB (DMB digital TV), 16GB (DMB digital TV), or 16GB (both DMB and WiFi). Prices start at $286. But that ain't all -- be sure to check out the video for yourself after the break. Music by our Weather Report cover band, Mr. Gone.[Via SlashGear]
iriver's 'pragmatic' E150 PMP is practically an E100 in new garbs
It's been a little under a year since we first -- and last -- heard rumors about and iriver E100 update, the E150. Now it appears to have reared its head and is out in Korea for the equivalent of $78 for the 4GB and $100 for the 8GB models. Officially dubbed the "all in one pragmatic player," its speaker grill is more aesthetically pleasing and the buttons are no longer separated from the body, but otherwise it's pretty much both seasons of the E100 in syndication, with 2.4-inch QVGA screen, XviD support, etc. It's actually 2mm thicker than its predecessor, if that sort of thing is a make or break deal for you. Still, the price is nothing to scoff and there's three colors to chose from: black, silver, and pink. No word on US release, but it's only a matter of time.[Via DAP Review]
iriver P35 WiFi PMP announced for browser loving P.ple
After a bit of a tease, the folks at reigncom have taken the wraps off their new P35 personal media player. Having mastered good product design long ago, iriver is now intent on bringing its interface and user experience up to snuff. After all, anyone can make a rectangular, touchscreen media box these days. The P35 features the SPINN navigator we've seen before, an accelerometer for automatic portrait and landscape orientation, and ships in a 8GB basic model or a 16GB version with options for DMB television (with mini remote control) and/or 802.11b/g WiFi. The 128.3 x 79.7 x 17.8-mm white slab comes packing a 4.3-inch LCD with 480 x 272 pixel display and rich audio and video codec support that iriver players are synonymous with. It also sports a full browser (WiFi version only), support for UCI widgets (with open API), and even an "FTP server" if we're translating the Korean announcement correctly. And the new batch of seemingly finger-friendly UI shots are just as tantalizing in their simplicity as they were in the tease. Unfortunately, we'll have to reserve judgment on the all important "experience" until we get one of these pups in-hand. On sale now in South Korea.[Thanks, KR]
iriver P7 shows up for US pre-order
We already saw the iriver P7 teased yesterday alongside the P35 and that intriguing countdown clock, and now we've got a pre-order listing for the touchscreen PMP over at J&R. Priced at two Benjamins, mum's currently the word on a release date, but hopefully we'll know more when the countdown strikes zero on Monday.