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iriver's 8GB E100 PMP cleared out for $59
The E100 was a little weak for the iriver name, but at $59 for 8GB of PMP deliciousness, it's hard to resist. Walmart is clearing out the black iteration for $40 off the original price, and while we'd hate to presume and be wrong, we're hoping this is just a sign that iriver's gonna go all out at CES '09. Bring the heat, baby.[Via DAPReview]
iriver's 7-inch Framee-L digiframe handles multimedia just fine
It's darn tough to pump out a digiframe that's not immediately forgettable these days, but if anybody can do it, iriver can. The subtly beautiful 7-inch Framee-L features a 720 x 480 resolution display, 1GB of inbuilt memory, an SD / MMC card slot, USB port and an alarm feature for waking you in the mornings (or nights, if you roll like that). Furthermore, you'll find a capable multimedia player that can handle photo slideshows, all sorts of audio files and even MPEG-4 AVC / H.264, AVI and Motion JPEG video formats. It'll hit Japan just before Santa takes flight for ¥17,800 ($196).[Via SlashGear]
iriver e50 appears, charms us with its good looks
It seems like it was ages ago that we heard rumors of an aluminum iriver E100... then at the end of November, the E100 Season 2 appeared and the plastic was still in abundance. The E50 (supposedly pictured above) is, however, another tale entirely. The slim, brushed aluminum encased PMP -- which will come in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB models -- boasts a 1.8-inch color LCD, an FM tuner, and gets a rumored 52-hours of audio life. We don't have full specs yet, but the players will apparently appear in January with the 4GB costing about €69 (or about $90). [Thanks, Greg]
Lackluster line-up of new iriver DAPs leaked
It looks like we might have two new iriver DAPs to get semi-not-really excited about in the very near future, if the leaked photos and specs are to be believed. We know very little about the uber-basic T5 (picture above) beyond the fact that it supports MP3, WMA, and OGG formats and has a built-in USB jack. It's quite small, weighing just 25.9 grams, and will come in 2GB and 4GB sizes. The T6 is a little bigger, but also an apparently quite basic 4GB player with an added FM tuner. The rumor mill also reports that the T5 will run €50 (about $65) while the T6 will be €60 (about $77), but nothing's official and we don't know when they'll hit us with these bad boys.[Via Engadget Spanish]
Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXII: QQ spins iriver SPINN into lookalike K819
Man, these guys and gals are quick. Just weeks after we were finally able to hold an iriver SPINN in our own palms, along comes this marvel from China-based QQ. The K819 unashamedly apes the most telling design characteristics of iriver's latest, though the phony does come in multiple hues while boasting "high-grade texture" and oodles of "elegance and style." To be honest, we're not so sure any of these images are more than mere renders, though QQ does promise a 3.0-inch WQVGA display, MP4 support and guaranteed humiliation from your pals.[Via PMPToday]
iriver WavePhone hits Korea ahead of schedule
Well it looks like folks in Korea may not have to wait until March to get their hands on iriver's first cellphone after all, as the WavePhone (previously known simply as the "wave") is apparently now available (or will soon be available) at ten iriver shops in the country. That limited roll-out is apparently being done ahead of the full-fledged launch including a number of larger stores, which will presumably still happen in March, although there's unfortunately still no word of a release outside of Korea (or word of a price). As you can see above, the folks at AVING also managed to get their hands on the phone and, naturally, they've provided plenty pics of it, which you can check out by hitting up the link below.Read - ReigncomRead - AVING[Via Electronista]
iriver's E100 reaches Season 2 on the Who Cares channel
Really? Was it just the choice of color holding you back from purchasing iriver's respectable, monument to plastic? If so, you're in luck, the E100 just reached "Season 2" which includes a re-run of all the same specs (up to 8GB storage, 2.4-inch display, audio/video playback) dipped in a few new color combinations. Better, yes, but it's still just the E100. We'll wait and see if they blow-out CES again like they did in January 2008 -- that's something worth caring about.[Via Akihabara News]
iriver's wave touchphone hits Korea on March 9th
After teasing us with a touchscreen phone way back at CES this January, iriver has been decidedly mum on the subject ever since, calling what we saw more of a "proof of concept" than a ready-for-market product. Well, that veil has been lifted and we're finally staring at the iriver wave, a touchphone that iriver plans to start shipping in Korea on March 9th of next year with KT, and with other major carriers to follow. Other than a touchscreen, the phone packs WiFi and the traditional kitchen sink approach of Korean PMPs, with multimedia playback, FM radio, e-books and an electronic dictionary. There's miniSD expansion, access to the Bugs Music Service for online music and we're sure a few other perks hidden under layers of Korean spec sheets. Overall the physical design hasn't really changed much from what we saw at the start of the year (looks like that 3-inch, 480 x 272 touchscreen is quite intact), but the software has certainly been refined, and is devoid of many of its original, erm, iPhone-inspired touches. [Via Hallyu Tech]
iriver cuts prices on three PMPs for the holidays
Fans of iriver's PMPs should be happy to hear that it's cutting prices on three of them for the holiday shopping season. The E100 and tiny Lplayer's prices will be $69.99 for 4GB models and $99.99 for the 8GB ones -- a drop of $40. The priciest of the three, the SPINN, will see its tag drop to $189.99 for the 4GB and $229.99 for the 8GB (they normally fetch $249.99 and $279.99 respectively), though that still seems fairly expensive given its storage capacity. The price drops are in effect starting November 1st (AKA today).
iriver SPINN review
We've had iriver's SPINN laying around the Engadget HQ for a little while, and figure we've finally fiddled with the player enough to write down some impressions. If you're looking for the one liner, here it is: we're blown away by the beauty of the hardware, but the barebones player software, lack of an "ecosystem," and hefty price really hurt its chances with the mainstream. Full thoughts after the break. %Gallery-34707%
iriver SPINN hits the streets at last
It's been a long wait since we first saw iriver hint at the SPINN way back at CES in January, but the flash player is finally shipping -- just a few days late. Our full hands-on impressions are on the way, but there's no denying that iriver has caught our eye with this distinctive player. 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen, unique spin controls and that traditional iriver eye for design make this thing potentially worth the hefty $250 (4GB) and $290 (8GB) asking prices -- though we have a few issues with long-term usability we'll need to hash out. It'll be available at iriverinc.com, Amazon.com, J&R and B&H online stores, though iriver's seems to be the only one with it live just yet.
iriver's Mplayer: now in soul-invading "eyes" version
If you've been tickled or otherwise delighted by the sheer cuteness of iriver's little Mplayer in its multi-colored, gold, or pink-bow variations, this one might send you through the roof. The company has introduced a new riff on its Disney-branded music machine, and it's dubbed the "Mplayer eyes." The device comes sporting ten LED "eyes" (naturally), 2GB of storage, and can be picked up for around $50 in light pink and baby blue. Of course, the player -- which was shown off at this year's IFA -- is only available in Korea right now, but with looks like these, we have a feeling you'll be importing. [Warning: read link is in Korean][Via Akihabara News]
iriver's SPINN up for pre-sale, shipping October 3rd
If you've been seriously jonesing for a viable and attractive alternative to Apple's iPod offerings, you may just be in luck. According to iriver, the geek-lust SPINN PMP will be available -- and shipping -- on October 3rd in both 4GB ($249.99) and 8GB ($289.99) varieties. In case you're unclear on the specs, the unique widescreen device sports a 3.3-inch, 480 x 272 AMOLED display, support for MP3, WMA, OGG, APE, FLAC, AVI, and WMV (amongst other) files, FM tuner, and Bluetooth 2.0. Of course, the devices are destined for XP / Vista setups, and don't feature any of that fancy wireless connectivity users are likely getting used to -- but then again, they certainly don't look like other players on the market.[Via Pocketables]
Rockbox 3.0 firmware breathes the life back into your MP3 player
Well it took three years, but Rockbox 3.0 has finally made it on the scene, with a major overhaul in the sound decoding department and support for several new players. This open source firmware replacement is chock full of tasty new features, including codec support for over 15 formats like FLAC and Ogg, 5-band parametric EQ, MPEG video, multilingual interface, Doom and a pile of other games, not to mention freedom from iTunes. Oh yeah, and it can talk to you via a spoken interface -- which comes in handy for not driving off bridges and what not. iPod, iriver, Sansa, iAudio, Gigabeat and Archos models are all supported, though Archos didn't get many of the major 3.0 improvements like expanded codecs. [Via Ostatic; thanks Eric L]
iriver's gramophone speaker, UNIT2-S, and R1 concepts do impress
iriver came to IFA with the usual collection of concept gear we crave. Unlike other manufacturers, iriver usually brings its prototypes to market, eventually, so you'll want to pay attention. First up is a concept horn speaker (pictured top) attached to an iriver SPINN. The device plugs into the existing headphone jack bringing a sense of gramophone nostalgia to this most-modern device. Next up is iriver's latest take on the Unit2, the UNIT2-S, a simpler multimedia communications device for the home. Remember, it's just a concept, but as envisioned, the working prototype functions as a video phone, digital photo frame, web browser, FM radio, flash gaming rig, SMS/MMS receiver, and audio / video player with DMB television tuner. The specs list a 4.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, 30GB hard drive and 2GB of flash (presumably in the base unit and handset, respectively), mic, stereo speaker, and Li-Polymer battery all packed into a 185.4 x 117 x 19.8-mm tower.Last up is the R1 DAB radio concept (pictured bottom). Again, the prototype is fully functional and capable of playing back internet, DAB, and FM radio or audio streaming from PC or local storage through a pair of 2W stereo speakers. They also included an alarm clock to remind you that these concepts are just part of an iriver dream -- for now.%Gallery-30735%
Hands-on iriver's confusing P20 PMP
As good as the SPINN is, we can't rave about iriver's newest PMP, the P20 launching today at IFA. Looks like our early excitement about the product back at CES was misplaced. First off, it's big -- a true brick by today's PMP standards. Also, we're not sold on the implementation of the SPINN interface here. The P20 uses a combination of vertical and horizontally placed thumb wheels, an "ok" button (why not just press in the thumbwheel like on the SPINN?), and touchscreen AMOLED -- a heap of overly-complex overkill based on our admittedly, limited time with the device. The touchscreen was also rendered unusable by menus only accessible by the thumbwheels as well as an incredibly high bezel framing the display thus inhibiting screen touches along the edges. As to the specs, it's everything we heard: 4.1-inch 480 x 272 pixel display, FM tuner, TV-out, voice recording, and integrated DMB TV option, 80GB or 120GB hard disk, and Li-Polymer battery for 12-hours of audio, 9-hours of video, or 8-hours of DMB in a 130 x 97 x 20.5-mm slab. Expected to launch in Korea next month at an undetermined price -- rest of world to be determined. %Gallery-30731%
Video: Hands-on iriver's SPINN, the first true iPod killer
We've seen iriver's SPINN (above between the HTC Touch Dual and iPhone 3G) floating around Korea in pics and video for a few weeks now. But damn if this little 3.3-inch DAP doesn't make a distinct impression in person. Of course, you've heard the term "iPod killer" tossed around for years with obvious effect. But this, this little SPINN with brilliant OLED display and up to 16GB of storage looks to be device-for-device superior to the bigger iPod touch. The SPINN navigation is very well implemented and allows for natural and precise one-handed operation with heavy tactile control -- touchscreen too if that's your preference. Of course, making an iPod killer is about more than just the device -- it's the ecosystem of PC software, third party accessories, and daunting global distribution and retail model which faces any upstart vendor. On sale now in Korea, iriver hopes to address the latter piece of the puzzle as they prepare for a global (US, UK, and Europe) launch in September or October -- assuming they can sort out the necessary distribution / retail channels this week at IFA. Remember, it's already got FCC's nod of approval.%Gallery-30729%
iriver P20 media player and M3 GPS navigator headed to IFA
While traditionally known as a forum for HDTVs, the big IFA show in Berlin is also shaping up as a showcase battle for Korean DAPs. Hot on the arching heels of Cowon's S9 Curve comes this, the (re)announcement of iriver's P20. While we first saw the P20 as a plastic prototype at CES, we're desperately hoping for a fully functional, 80/120GB media player this time around. The device is still spec'd with a 4.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen display capable of pumping 12-, 9-, or 8-hours of music, video, or DMB TV at a clip, respectively. It's also likely sporting a SPINN UI judging by that thumb-wheel. Also on deck is the M3 portable GPS navigator / media player with 3.5-inch touch screen LCD. More details on Friday when trade show floor opens its doors.
iriver Spinn gets the hands-on treatment
We just caught sight of a video of iriver's sleek new Spinn media player the other day, but if you've been hankering for an even closer look at the device, you can now hit up Crave's UK site for a thorough hands-on look at it. That includes, as you can see, a comparison with a slew of other devices (the Spinn is the shining beacon of silver in the middle), as well as some pics that give a better indication of the device's fit and finish (and unfortunately non-standard USB connector). What's more, while they're reserving final judgment for their full review, the folks at Crave certainly seem to be impressed with the unit, saying that AMOLED screen is "unbelievably crisp," and that the player itself is "well worth the excitement." [Thanks, Andew]
iriver's Mplayer ties one on
Eww. Clearly, the jaded, nicotine-stained Engadget editor in his big-boy trousers is not the target for the latest incarnation of the iriver Mplayer. While the 1GB innards remain unchanged, iriver has slathered the ¥14,800 (about $137) MP3 player in a healthy crust of Swarovski and silk to invoke the little girl trapped inside us all. Clap clap, bounce bounce, curtsy... a few more samples after the break. [Via AVING]