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Philips GoGear Connect gets Gingerbread and some new threads, we go hands-on
It's been a while since we last saw Philip's GoGear Connect PMP, and in the meantime it's acquired a new look and a new flavor of Android. The new GoGear has gone from white to black, lost its trackball in favor of a capacitive touchscreen display, and exchanged the lowly Android 2.1 for Gingerbread. Like its competition from Samsung, the device also has access to the Android Market and all those apps that lesser PMPs lack. After getting some quality time with a prototype of the new device, we found the copper-colored buttons and speaker grill running along its right side to form an intriguing design, but the overall fit and finish -- not to mention the lack of a backlight for the screen -- demonstrated that it wasn't quite ready for primetime. Luckily, there's plenty of time to work out the kinks, as Philips has pegged a September debut for the 8GB and 16GB versions (at $179 and to-be-determined price points, respectively), and promised a 32GB iteration will come later. PR after the break. %Gallery-121655%
Philips crams ATSC M/H tuner into PD725 portable DVD player, intros PB9013 mobile Blu-ray player
In recent years, Philips has strayed somewhat from introducing products catering to the North American marketplace. We're thrilled to say that this year's spate of CES announcements signifies a stark turn from that approach. The most interesting release from the company during this year's blowout is probably the PS725 (shown above), a 7-inch portable DVD player that doubles as a mobile TV viewer. Before you bust out the yawn collector, you should know that Philips managed to stuff both an ATSC and an ATSC M/H tuner within, the latter of which just announced a major push into 20 major metropolitan markets back in November. The unit has an 800 x 480 resolution display, three hours of nonstop playback via a rechargeable Li-Polymer battery pack, a screen that swivels 180 degrees and a $299 price point. It'll ship in March, just as your FLO TV service keels over. In related news, the outfit is also outing a PB9013 portable Blu-ray player, which touts a 9-inch display, a battery good for three hours of enjoyment, a bundled mounting kit and an HDMI output. You'll also see this one ship in March, but with a $399 retail sticker. Outside of those two, we're told that the GeGear Muse MP4 player is now on track to ship in March, with the 8GB model going for $149, the 16GB edition for $179 and the high-end 32GB model for $229. For those out of the loop, it'll deliver a 3.2-inch HVGA touchpanel, an FM radio tuner, 720p movie support and compatibility with FLAC and APE lossless files. Closing things up, we've got the Fidelio DS8550 and DS9010 speaker docks. The former handles your iPod, iPhone and / or iPad, streams tunes over Bluetooth and touts a built-in, rechargeable battery; this guy's on sale now for $299. As for the latter? That one's expected to ship at the tail-end of March for $599, with the price premium netting you an aircraft quality aluminum enclosure, improved audio drivers and a proximity sensor to activate a backlit control panel. Bullet points after the break, per usual. %Gallery-112183%
The Canon DSLR / MP3 player / speaker is both more and less than it seems (but mostly less)
A DSLR / MP3 player / speaker for a mere $83? Well, two out of three ain't bad.
Cowon X7 debuts in home market of Korea with 4.3-inch screen, American ambitions
What was merely an indistinct outline in August is today a bona fide retail product. Cowon has made its X7 PMP official over in South Korea, letting us take a gander at the spec sheet if not necessarily buy one just yet. A 4.3-inch touchscreen takes center stage, backed by up to 160GB of hard drive storage and a battery rated to last for 103 hours of music or 10 hours of video playback. An FM radio tuner, built-in speaker, and Bluetooth chip fill out the "retro modern" body, while the software front reveals DivX-encoded video compatibility and a smattering of your usual note-taking and utility apps. The standard 160GB model is going on sale for 339,000 KRW ($304), or if you're a globetrotter and need a set of preinstalled dictionaries, it'll set you back 379,000 KRW ($340). There's no word on US availability just yet, but this thing didn't go through the chore of getting certified with the FCC for nothing.
SanDisk Sansa Fuze+ review
SanDisk's original Sansa Fuze may have had a solid run -- it's been a particular favorite among those looking for a good, inexpensive player that doesn't skimp on features or audio quality -- but there's no question that it was long overdue for an update, and SanDisk recently came through on that front with the completely revised Sansa Fuze+. Boasting a considerably sleeker design, the Fuze+ replaces the Fuze's venerable tactile click wheel with a capacitive touch panel (but not a touchscreen), and it hangs onto many of the features that made the original Fuze stand out, including a microSD card slot, FM radio, and support for a wide range of formats (including FLAC and AAC). Are all the changes for the better? Read on for our full review. %Gallery-103839%
Archos 32 Internet Tablet review
With there now being five (oh yes, five!) Archos Android Internet Tablets on the market, it's understandably hard to keep 'em all straight, but in our minds the 32 is easy to separate from the rest – it, along with the 28, is more of an Android PMP than anything else. With 3.2 inches of resistive touchscreen, the 32 packs the specs of a typical media player: 8GB of storage, media player software with support for loads of audio and video formats, and a VGA camera. But unlike most, it runs Android 2.1 (2.2 will be a firmware update, we're told), which adds quite a bit more functionality in terms of applications and web browsing. And it's also got an accelerometer for playing games. At $150, it seems like a pretty good deal, especially when you consider that it's cheaper than an iPod Touch or even a Zune HD (depending on where you're shopping), but there are a few issues that may hold you back from forking over the cash. You'll want to check out our full review after the break to find out just what those are. %Gallery-103173%
Lifeline Energy distributes solar powered radio / media players to the villages of Africa
Everybody know that the big money's in pain rays and various other wargadgets, so we really like it when someone at least tries to do a little good in the world. Lifeline Energy is a UK-based NGO that works to bring folks in emerging markets (mostly sub-Saharan Africa) items like solar-powered radios and lights, and it has just announced the launch of the Lifeplayer self-powered MP3 player and AM/FM/SW radio. This device features 64GB storage, microSD card slot, 3G connectivity, audio recording capabilities, and the ability to act as a sort of PA system -- according to the organization, groups of sixty can hear the thing clearly. It's powered either by a hand-crank or through its solar panel, and contains a USB port for charging devices such as cell phones. At present, Lifeline Energy is distributing over a thousand of these bad boys in Haiti and it's accepting donations to distribute them in Pakistan as well. Hit the source link to see how you can help. PR after the break. Update: Turns out that blue radio we originally pictured isn't actually the Lifeplayer -- that was the Lifeline radio, which predated it by roughly seven years. The green device above is the real deal, and you'll find a high-res product image of it right after the break.
iPod nano (2010) splayed open in the name of miniature science
What, you didn't think iFixit would stop at just disassembling the new iPod touch, did you? The all-new nano has also been sat atop the workbench, handed a bottle of hard liquor, and told to close its eyes and count to 120 million. The 6th-gen device weighs in at 67 percent of the volume of its precursor, with a slightly thicker body and that integrated clip on its back. Its 240- x 240-pixel display offers a 220ppi density, which, within Apple's ranks, is bettered only by the Retina Display on the fourth generation iPhone and iPod touch devices. Regrettably, just as with those two machines, the 2010 nano has its front glass, LCD and touchscreen assembly fused together. One handy bit of news here is the battery size, which at 105mAh is what you might call paltry, but still doubles up the 2010 shuffle's 51mAh. All in all, the conclusion from this dissection is that the new device feels more like a shuffle with a screen than a miniaturized nano, which, when you look at the form factor, makes all sorts of sense. More at the source.
iPod nano review (2010)
Apple's sixth generation of the iPod nano is essentially the first complete rethinking the product has had since its debut in 2005. The previous form factor -- slim and light with a decently sized display and clickwheel -- has been all but abandoned. The new design is a complete departure; a full touchscreen device that brings to mind something more like a large, living postage stamp than a portable music player. Along with the radical hardware redesign, Apple has infused the media player with a brand new operating system as well -- an interface that looks and plays more like iOS than iPod. We've spent the past week or so knocking the nano around to see if it's worth your hard-earned dollars, and we've got the answers inside -- so read on for our full review. %Gallery-101628%
Zune HD taking to the skies with United Airlines in-flight entertainment trial
Microsoft and United hooked up back in June for a hardware-less Zune partnership, which seems to have turned out pretty sweetly for both parties. Dave McLauchlan, chief Zune HD evangelist, has dished the news that the two companies are stepping up their relationship with a set of 500 Zunes being provided for long-haul flights to Hong Kong and Australia. Before you cry foul and say you never get on a flying tin can without your own media, Microsoft's angle here will be to preload those OLED-sporting babies with exclusive content, including flicks that haven't yet made it to a DVD release. Dave himself has been running around movie studios and closing deals, while the Zune HDs in question have now been encased in rubber, had their screens protected, and batteries charged. See them in a group shot after the break.
Unannounced Sony Walkman NWZ-S754 unearthed at IFA
The Walkman section of Sony's booth at IFA this week has an automatic information system that pops up specs on a central display for each model as you pull it away from its base, but there was one unknown model chilling out that popped up nothing more than a "coming soon" message when you yanked it out. What gives, Sony? Why the mystery and suspense? Why are you doing this to us? Well, a little digging through the menu system reveals that it's the NWZ-S754, presumably the follow-on to last year's S745. Given the lack of specs we weren't able to glean much, but both the black and silver units on display were 8GB models; naturally, we'd assume larger capacities are also in the cards when it launches. The display was contrasty enough so that we're thinking it could be OLED, which would make sense -- they do OLED on a number of other Walkmen models already -- and the "Mickey Mouse effect" of the button layout has been diminished a bit. That's good or bad, we suppose, depending on just how hardcore of a Disney fan you are. More details when we have 'em. %Gallery-101363%
Zune HD could have all-new model in the works
The Zune HD continues to rank among our all-time favorites in terms of industrial design, so it's good to hear that Microsoft isn't entirely abandoning the PMP sector for its new Windows Phone 7 hotness. Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet has consulted her tea leaves (and in-the-know tipsters) and emerged with the strong feeling that some new Zune hardware is brewing up in Redmond. Little specificity is available, beyond the obvious postulation that a new ZHD would probably be driven by an ARM CPU and take some software pointers from WP7, but we're told to look toward the early 2011 horizon and see if we can't spot any sexy new media players emerging. A mirage is as likely as the real deal right now, but it's always fun to look to that horizon, no?
iPod shuffle (2010) first hands-on!
Not much to say here, it's got a click wheel in as few molecules as possible. Pics below! %Gallery-100977%
iPod nano redesigned: smaller, lighter, better and costing $149 for 8GB or $179 for 16GB
Apple has just revealed its 6th generation iPod nano, which has been outfitted with just about the boldest redesign the portable media player has experienced yet. Gone is the clickwheel, to be replaced with a touchscreen interface and a shuffle-esque square form factor. It's now 46 percent smaller and 42 percent lighter. Hard volume buttons on the side and a clip on the back provide the minimal hardware accouterments to that multitouch touchscreen, while the inside provides enough juice for 24 hours of audio playback. Seven total color variants will be up for grabs, including a Product RED option, with prices set at $149 for 8GB of storage or $179 for 16GB and pre-orders being taken today. P.S. -- If you were looking for that awesome camera the nano used to have, stop. It ain't there anymore. We've also noted that there's no video playback to be found anymore, either. %Gallery-100937%%Gallery-100966%
Samsung is still down with PMP, announces YP-Q3 and YP-U6 players (video)
Lots of companies are moving their focus to more capable devices, but Samsung is still here to fulfill your simple media playback needs with a few new PMPs. First is the YP-Q3, shown above, a compact and stylish player with support for plenty of formats (H.264, WMV, Xvid, MP3, OGG, etc.) and also packing an FM receiver and voice recorder. No word on pricing or capacity, but it will be offered in a variety of colors and has a highly-customizable UI, shown in the oontzy video after the break. Then there's the rather more compact YP-U6 MP3 stick, pictured after the break with its wee display that can show either the currently playing track or, apparently, how many calories you've burned -- presumably through some accelerometer trickery. No price on this one either, but we expect to be getting some quality time with both at IFA in very short order.
SanDisk debuts newly designed Sansa Fuze+ PMPs
SanDisk's finally updated its Fuze PMP with the Sansa Fuze+. The newly designed device boasts a 2.4-inch LCD, with three capacities -- 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB -- to choose from. It also comes in red, white, purple, blue and black in the latter two models, while the 16GB only comes in black. Other than that, it's pretty low on features: the Fuze+ (you'll be happy to know) features full compatibility with slotRadio (and all microSDHC cards), supports all the major file formats, and a new barebones user interface. The Fuze+ lineup is available today, and the 4GB will cost you $79, the 8GB model will run $89, while the 16GB is priced at $119. Full press release follows below.
Cowon X7 materializes from the ether into a real life FCC applicant
Alright, so this isn't quite like seeing Duke Nukem Forever popping up on Walmart shelves, but the Cowon X7 has been a long time in the making. Rumored since 2007, the Korean company's portable media player has now finally sauntered up to America's Communications Commission to dot some Is and cross some Ts. We're let into the knowledge that it'll come with a Bluetooth radio and a HDD of some kind, which GenerationMP3 speculates will be a 1.8-inch unit. Really now, a spinny thing in our PMP feels better suited to good old '07, but then if Cowon can combine some capacious storage with a large screen, it could still have a winner on its hands. Particularly if the rumblings of Android as the OS turn out to be true.
Sansa Fuze+ leaks out with slotRadio support, 24 hours of battery life
And here we thought SanDisk had up and buried its once-thriving Sansa PMP line. After all -- it was this company's CEO that said "you can't out-iPod the iPod." For whatever reason, it looks as if the memory mainstay is about to try its hand once more in the saturated media player market, with a Sansa Fuze+ rumored for release in the near term. As you can clearly see above, there won't be anything too special about the Fuze+, though the 2.4-inch QVGA display, capacitive touch controls and inbuilt FM tuner are certainly appreciated. It'll ship in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB flavors, supporting the usual file formats (AAC, MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, Audible, MPEG4, H.264, WMV, etc.) and offering a rechargeable battery good for 24 hours on the audio side and 5 hours on the video side. USB 2.0 support is thrown in, as is the absolutely riveting confirmation that it'll be "ready for slotRadio and slotMusic memory cards." Knowing that, we aren't so sure if our minds can take the wait till September 12th, but we'll do our best.
Philips' Android-powered GoGear Connect PMP seemingly on sale overseas
We suppose it could always be a glitch of some sort, but Argos isn't typically the kind of retailer to add products to its library with no intention of hawking them. First spotted back in February (with a pleasing dose of steroids, might we add), Philips' newest GoGear Connect is ditching the proprietary OS in favor of Google's alternative, following Samsung's Yepp-YP-MB2 into the mysterious world of Android-based PMPs. The product listing shows the 3.2-inch media player as boasting Android 2.1, 16GB of internal storage space, a battery good for 5 hours of video playback (and 25 hours of audio), FM radio tuner, a touchpanel and a microSD expansion slot. Curiously enough, GPS is also thrown in, as are a set of presumably lackluster headphones. It's listed for a scarily inflated €264.99 ($340), but mum's the word on an international release -- 'course, it's not like Philips hasn't ignored North America before, so we'd recommend not holding your breath. [Thanks, Michael]
Ask Engadget: best FM transmitter out there?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Wes, who is actually brave enough to even consider an FM transmitter. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm in the market for a new car, and that has me thinking towards multimedia connectivity. I don't want to rule out direct iPhone integration, but since the car is almost certainly going to be used, I'd like to think more along the lines of AUX-in and FM transmitter capability. I've also read that many of the new products can enable hands-free cellphone use, so this would be great to include. Any recommendations for a good in-car charging unit with these features?" We'll go ahead and be straight with you -- if you're in the city or the suburbs, be prepared for long, frustrating fights to find a clear channel. We've never had much luck with 'em outside of the middle of nowhere, but maybe our dear readership will chime in with a few pointers below. Godspeed.
