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Memorex ReNew line cashes in on green
Memorex is hitting all the right buzz words with its new line of "ReNew" products, unfortunately the company forgot to spend much time thinking about the products themselves. Sure, it's all packaged in recycled cardboard and egg carton recycled paper, built with recycled plastics, meets RoHS standards and all that jazz -- Memorex will even plant 75k trees through the Arbor Day Foundation with a portion of the sales -- but unfortunately the products themselves scream "cheap crap." However, if you're really bent on saving the planet the Memorex way, you can pick up the ReNew Alarm Clock, ReNew Digital Music Player (with 1GB memory and a pitiful monochrome display), ReNew Boombox and ReNew iPod Speaker in November.
Memorex's M-Flyer Pilot USB drive gets its wings
Granted, we're not exactly grasping the full connection between aircrafts and Memorex's TravelDrive M-Flyer Pilot, but the sleek, "aerodynamic" design and cutesy wing logo probably make this the USB flash drive of choice for the average commercial pilot. Regardless, this minuscule device touts a retractable, capless design, ReadyBoost compatibility, and comes with Portable Vault USB security software from Migo Software. Available in 2GB and 4GB sizes, the latest M-Flyer should be available in the US and Canada next month for $49.99 and $79.99, respectively.
Memorex adds scent to prevent kids from huffing its Air Dusters
No joke, man, Memorex -- yeah, that Memorex -- recognized that teenage huffers are so into snorting their compressed-gas dusting products they went ahead and added a deterrent ("bitterant", a "bitter safety additive") to keep impressionable youth from getting all whacked up on the stuff. So far as we can tell, their new, smellier Air Dusters won't be branded any differently, so the next time you go "bagging" or "dusting" (we love the fact their press release quotes euphemisms for getting high), don't be too surprised at the awful and/or vomit-inducing scent emitted. Remember kids: no huffin.
Memorex finally goes color with MMP8640 4GB DAP
Apple, Creative, Microsoft, SanDisk, and Sony would like to officially welcome Memorex into the 21st Century, as the jack-of-all trades manufacturer has finally discovered that monochrome displays are totally played, introducing its first digital audio player to feature a color screen. The MMP8640, as it's known, joins the 2GB MMP8575, 1GB MMP8565, and 512MB MMP3774, but trumps all of these models with its 4GB capacity and 1.8-inch QCIF+ screen capable of displaying JPEGs and playing back MPEG-4 content in either landscape or portrait mode. Also on board are LED lighting to give the device six different themes, one-touch recording for dictation or capturing content from the FM tuner, and 100 pre-loaded songs that you'll have to delete. The claimed 20-hours of battery life for tunes sounds pretty decent, but you'd better plug in for watching movies, because that number plunges to a mere two hours when playing video content. Although Memorex states that these are stocked at Target, we couldn't find it on the retail monster's site, and no other pricing or release information has been given. [Via Chip Chick]
Memorex Poker Chip USB flash drive knows when to fold 'em
While the poker sharks in the crowd are probably elated about the recent WSOP in HD news, we're going double or nothing with Memorex's Poker Chip Flash Drive. This 1GB device sports a design that any chip stacker would appreciate, and aside from giving you something to flip between your nervous fingers when pondering a fold, it also includes "software to play Texas Hold 'Em right from your PC." Additionally, a blue LED lights things up when data is being accessed, and while we're not exactly sure how much you'll have to wager in order to claim one as your own, they'll be situated in Target stores by the end of the month.
CES Zune speaker / dock roundup
While the Zune didn't make a huge presence at CES, DAP accessory makers were out in full force nonetheless, and ClicZune did a commendable job in scouring the floors for Zune-capable speakers and docking stations. Although Apple's gem definitely has a commanding lead in the iPod speaker system market, devices designed for the Zune are slowly catching up, and CES unveiled a trio of speaker apparatuses for those who prefer Microsoft's PMP. Hitting the low-end is eForCity's INSTEN, which rocks a black or white color scheme (sorry, brown fans), dual two-watt drivers, USB connectivity, and can be powered via four AA cells. Although MSRP on this little guy is closer to $40, smart shoppers can snag it for around $10, so don't expect any audiophile-approved tones to be emitted from this. Next up is the Memorex MzW101, which is a wireless docking base station that beams out the Zune's audio to a variety of WiFi-enabled speakers, including the waterproof MzW210 speaker as well as the forthcoming MzW220 indoor and MzW240 outdoor wireless satellites. Closing it out is JBL's dome-shaped system (pictured after the break), which features a slide-out Zune dock, video out port, USB connectivity, and the ability to get juiced by four AA batteries. Unfortunately, details are scant when it comes to pricing and future release dates, but fret not, as this is likely just the beginning of the onslaught to come.[Thanks, Mike]Read - eForCity's INSTENRead - Memorex lineupRead - JBL's dome-shaped system
AKAI / Memorex to ship 1080p rear-projection LCoS HDTVs this summer
Considering how well RPTVs (well, HDTVs in general, actually) have been selling lately, it's no surprise to see two more low-end manufacturers looking to grab their own piece of the pie. MicroDisplay Corporation announced at CES that bottom-end stalwarts AKAI and Memorex will both start shipping 1080p-capable rear-projection sets this summer. The TVs will be based on MicroDisplay's "proprietary single-chip 1080p LCoS digital projection imaging technology," dubbed Liquid Fidelity, which supposedly maintains a crisp, "home theater-like" picture while eliminating two of the three chips "required by other LCoS technologies." No hard details were shared about any of the units, but it was noted that we'll see sizes ranging from 52- to 62-inches, and each set will be "customized with a variety of options." So if you'll still be hunting for a 1080p set this summer, and don't mind the low-end quality for the rock bottom price, these AKAI / Memorex units should fit the bill quite nicely.
Memorex launches new TravelCards and TravelDrives
Step aside TravelDrive, Memorex just busted out a new line of TravelCard memory cards to round-out their line-up of USB drives. The new line-up announced today by Imation's sub-brand features a dual-interface card (like we've seen before) supporting both SD and USB connectivity. They say it's patented technology... only they don't say who holds said patent. The cards will be offered in 1GB and 2GB capacities and eliminate the need for an SD card reader when moving images from say, your camera to your laptop. The dual-interface cards should ship before Q2 2007. The rest of the family is available today in SD, "high speed" SD, SDHC, MiniSD, MicroSD and MMC Micro formats. Also announced is the Ultra TravelDrive (pictured) line-up of USB hard disk drives. These 2.5-inch, USB 2.0 drives deliver up to 160GB of storage capacity and ship this quarter for up to $200.Update: We dredged a picture of theTravelCard from the show floor. For whatever reason, we couldn't convince the staff to extract it from the impermeable plastic packaging to check that patented sliding action. Whatevs, click-on for a peep.read -- Ultra TravelDriveread -- TravelCard
Where do Blu-ray and HD DVD discs come from?
Surprisingly enough, blue laser media isn't the result of a licensing deal with Gargamel and the subsequent disappearance of the Smurf population. Imation and Memorex have produced a short (14 minute, 68MB) video podcast about their facility in Minnesota producing Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. Sure there's quite a bit of marketing fluff, but by fast forwarding to the last few minutes, there's some interesting information about manufacturing blue laser discs. From the original master recording, to the plants ability to produce either format depending on the coating applied to the disc. Maybe once supporters of both sides see both formats come from the same place, they'll see we all aren't really that different. Can't Blu-ray and HD DVD just get along?
Memorex ships HD DVD-R media
There isn't many devices that can utilize this media, but for those chaps that happen to have a Toshiba RD-A1 or NEC HR-1100A PC drive, this is great news. These Memorex discs are only the 15GB, single-layer flavor but that fits nicely with the recorders. We understand that some folks want to make their own HD DVD's but we don't understand cost-benefit of using these $20 discs for data back up when they cost just a few dollars less then a whole hard drive. These discs can mean pushing the high-def envelope even farther for indie filmmakers though, as they can hold up to 75 minutes of HD.
Memorex reveals iFlip portable video player for iPod
We can add another iNotch on the iBedpole to the list as Memorex has annouced its forthcoming portable video (and audio) player for Apple's iPod. The iFlip claims to only support the 5th generation variety (what about 6th gen?), and sports an 8.4-inch LCD with 480 x 234 native resolution, built-in speakers, tilting dock, and an integrated battery to provide "up to" 5 hours of excitement, which we assume drops substantially when using the device to play back video rather than just audio. While the fold-up unit has S-video out, line out, dual headphone jacks, and an on-screen menu to adjust color / brightness-related aspects, there appears to be no way to mirror your iPod's display on the iFlip (i.e. for showing album art while a playlist spins). But if the small screen on your iPod has you bumming, you can grab an iFlip in September for $200 and make life on the road -- at least for a few hours -- a bit more enjoyable.
Swap data on the go with Memorex TravelLink and TravelSync
If you haven't sprung for a USB OTG device yet, or would like to do a bit of direct data slinging from device to device, the new TravelLink and TravelSync devices from Memorex should get the job done without breaking the bank. The $75 TravelLink has dual USB ports and an 8-in-1 flash card reader, and can swap data between any combination of its supported interfaces. There's a decent LCD to scroll through files, along with options to "copy all," "transfer all," and "delete all." The device can also function as a card reader for you PC using its included USB cable. The TravelSync device mirrors the functionality and LCD of its big brother, but does away with the card reader and costs $56. Both devices run on three AAA batteries, and should be available soon.
Memorex iMove elbows into the iPod boombox market
In a market already crowded with iBooms, iJams, and Hi-Fis, do we really need yet another iPod boombox to choose from? Memorex thinks so, as evidenced by their recent introduction of a 12-watt 'box -- called, unsurprisingly, the iMove -- which accepts fourth and fifth generation 'Pods along with nanos, the iPod photo, and even the good old Mini, plus anything else you can plug into its auxiliary port. Also sporting a remote, AM/FM tuner, and SRS WOW sound enhancement, the iMove can be powered from your car or boat's cigarette lighter, eight D batteries, or a regular wall outlet -- and by using the latter option, you can simultaneously charge whatever iPod you have docked as well. No word yet on a release date, but as long as its cheaper than the Hi-Fi (it is, at around $100) and more polished than models like the Toolbox Player or iBoom (which it seems to be), it should probably be able to eke out some decent sales when it finally hits Wal-mart shelves.[Via fosfor gadgets, thanks Mikael S.]
Memorex unleashes three new no-frills DAPs
We can always trust Memorex to liven up the party, and here they come now with three new music players that pin down the low-end of the market fairly well. The players are headed by the MMP8565, which features 1-2GB of flash memory, a monochrome LCD, and busts out the MP3, WAV, WMA and WMA-DRM tunes. It's a fairly small unit, at 0.6-inches thick, and manages a respectable 12 hours of battery life. Rounding out the trio are the MMP8550 and MMP3774 players. The simple-as-it-gets disc shaped 8550 has a mere 256MB of storage and not much else. The gum stick shaped 3774 has a bit of a "me too" form factor, but spices up things a bit with a SD card slot to augment the 512MB of included storage. It also has an FM tuner. There's no word on prices or availability for these things, but they're supposed to show up at Target.
Memorex iPod wraps
Memorex has entered the fast paced world of iPod coverings. Announced at CES (where Engadget is spending many caffeine fueled hours trying to cover every single new product released), the 'Printable Wraps for iPod,' wins my CES iPod accessory award for lamest/most straightforward name of a product. These things are just like the HP iPod tattoos in that they are stickers that you can print out designs on and slap onto your iPods (iPods with video, shuffles, 4G iPods, nanos, and minis versions are all available).A pack of 10 will set you back $14 bucks, but it also comes with Memorex's exPressit label maker application that allows you to choose from 1500 preloaded backgrounds, or any background picture you might have.[via Mobilemag]
