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iRiver Clix to reach 4GB and come in "special Black" ?
Now normally when some random Joe tosses up idle rumors or speculation about high-profile products, we would just as soon hit the delete key without a second thought. But when Sean Alexander, a group product manager at Microsoft, blogs a rumor about the iRiver Clix, we may not necessarily sit up and take notice per se -- but we'll at least glance in his general direction, given that those two companies are, like, totally BFF. Alexander writes that iRiver America is "close to announcing a special Black, 4GB version" of its portable media player. Of course, Alexander may be totally pwning us with this line, but because the Clix is already black (no idea what "special Black" means), and that a 4GB version seems within the realm of possibility, we'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Acer MP-400 spotted, a possible update to MP-500?
Acer's been quite busy as of late, demoing everything from GPS units to its new sleek laptops, not to mention its new personal media player, the MP-340. Just when we were getting into that upcoming newer, cheaper Acer device, our friends in Taiwan go out and show off what may be an update to the previous MP-500. This new slick little box, more technically known as the MP-400, has many of the same specs as the MP-500, including a 3.5-inch screen, MP3, WMA, DivX, and MPEG-2/4 support, an SD card slot and AV in/out -- and as Anything But iPod points out, it looks a slight bit like the iRiver Clix, what with the clean face and all. Unfortunately we haven't been able to find out how much of your vids and snaps the MP-400 will hold, nor what it will retail for or when this little black bundle might be be our own (assuming it ever actually comes to the US).[Via Anything but iPod]
FineDrive M300 GPS, DMB, and PMP all-in-one
If 7-inches is just too big, then check this 3.5-inch personal GPS device with integrated T-DMB receiver and PMP capabilities. The 130-gram, FineDrive M300 brings 3GB of internal memory, a touch-screen display, and apparently the ability to playback MP3 audio, movies, and view pictures judging by the on-screen icons. Presumably the M300 also includes SD expansion like it's bigger bro. Still, unless you're livin' large in Korea, what more do you need to know?
Disney intros Mix Max PMP, Mix Micro DAP, updated Mix Sticks
Mickey Mouse, you're certainly no Hello Kitty, but anytime you find a product worthy enough of your rare endorsement and seal of approval, we're sure gonna sit up and take notice. Following the success of such Disney-branded consumer electronics as cameras, MP3 players, videogame consoles, cellphones, flash drives, portable DVD players (those turned out to be especially hot), and even computers, the Magic Kingdom has decided that children and Peter Pan-ish adults are now ready for their very own PMPs, entering the category with a stylin' little player called the Mix Max (not to be confused with the Pix Max or Mix Sticks, of course). Available in several different "eye-catching" designs -- including Tinker Bell (pictured above and after the break), Forever Princess, and a Cheetah Girls model nauseatingly described as having a "funky, 'Tween Bling style" -- the Mix Max sports a 2.2-inch screen, 512MB of internal memory, and an SD card slot for storage expansion or playback of Disney's new Max Clip movies (High School Musical, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Lizzie McGuire, etc., etc.). Also announced were an updated version of the Mix Sticks DAPs (now with 512MB of storage and a rather confusing playlist creator dubbed "MixIt!"), along with a new portable audio player called -- you guessed it -- the Mix Micro (128MB, SD/MMC, WMA/MP3 support). The new Mix Sticks (still just $50!) and $20 Mix Micro seem to be available immediately, while you'll have to put up with your kids begging and pleading for the $100 Mix Max until sometime next month.
Odna's VX737 NES-emulating media player
It won't give you as many retro-gaming options as the GP2X, but if you're satisfied with a little classic NES action as a break from your daily grind, Odna's upcoming VX737 PMP looks like it should suit you just fine. Of course in addition to emulating that massive library of 8-bit goodness, the PMP will also handle MP3, OGG, FLAC, and WAV audio, as well as AVI, MPEG-4 SP, XviD, and DivX video, which you can view on the player's 2.5-inch QVGA screen. What's more, it appears that Odna's "inspiration" knows no bounds, with the VX737 sporting a curiously familiar menu system so you'll feel right at home (check after the break). On the storage tip, you'll get 512MB built-in, though there's no mention of an SD slot or other means of expansion; there's also no word on pricing or availability, but as with oh so many of these foreign products, it seems safe to assume that we won't be seeing this reaching our shores anytime soon, lest they get their asses sued by a tag team of Sony and Nintendo.[Via Anything But iPod]
Hyundai launches Roadbank RNB 70 DMB/PMP/GPS device
We've had a dearth of Korean DMB/PMP/GPS action lately, but Hyundai Telematics has come to fill the void with that sweet, sweet Korean exclusivity we so desire. Their new Roadbank RNB 70 DMB navigation system is all prepped for dashboard action, and the 7-inch screen should help you squeeze a good amount of movie into your peripheral vision while tearing through the streets of Seoul. A SiRF Star III chip brings the GPS love, and there's an SD card slot for DivX action, along with AV in/out for integration with a DVD player or external display. This one should be dropping for somewhere between 300,000 and 400,000 KRW ($313 to $417 US).
Prestigio PMR-701, comes with TV tuner
Presigio may be setting a new trend in portable media players with its new "portable multimedia recorder," the PMR-701. This device purports to record video or single frames from an external source like a TV, DVD player or camcorder. There's also an integrated TV tuner (doesn't say what kind) to pick up free broadcast channels, and while the press release claims you can also watch cable, but there's no apparent dock or coax jack. That said, its built-in 20 or 30GB storage turns it into a portable DVR, which is sorta sweet. The PMR-701 has a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 color display and it supports MPEG-4, AVI (DivX and XviD), WMV9 and MP4 and MP3, WMA9, AC3, AAC, and OGG files. Funny though, the press release fails to list a price, and says it will be available "immediately at Prestigio partners' stores across the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa." What, no love for the Americas, Western Europe or Asia / Oceania?
Meizu working on a WinCE-powered MiniPlayer followup?
Chinese DAP manufacturer Meizu has seen quite a lot of interest in its M6 MiniPlayer -- so much so that it recently became available Stateside -- and now word on the street (and by street, we mean overseas internet forums) has the company poised to release an updated version. At this point details are still very sketchy -- all the more so because of the nature of machine translation -- but from what we can tell, the upcoming M8 will sport a 533MHz Samsung ARM processor, 2.6-inch VGA screen (compared to the M6's 2.4-inch QVGA display), and the latest Windows CE OS, but not, unfortunately, memory card support nor a user-replaceable battery. There's also no word yet on what capacities this model will come in, though we've heard rumors that Meizu is trying to break through the 4GB ceiling of the original MiniPlayer. That's all we've got for now, and please bear in mind, the pic you see above is simply one fan's fantasy and probably won't bear much of a resemblance to the final product.[Via Engadget Chinese]
Nintendo's MP3 player
What started as a late rumor out of Leipzig has now been confirmed -- for Europe, at least. That's right, the long-discussed, much-rumored Nintendo MP3 player add-on is about to become a reality. There is a lot, however, that's still up in the air, like whether or not the new device will be able to handle video files as well. The DS add-on is apparently similar to the Play Yan, released only in Japan, which currently performs the same function as the as yet unreleased Nintendo player -- it serves as a bridge between the handheld and an SD card, which is used to store media. The Play Yan handles video, but will Nintendo's player? We hope to have that information soon, as well as a concrete release date. And maybe word of a North American release. And perhaps confirmation of the price, which is rumored at about 30 euros ($40). And a pony. We've always thought a pony would be a great addition to the DS Fanboy offices. The adapter will work for both the DS and the DS Lite, as well as GBA SP and GB Micro. That's something we do know. Hurray! How well will it work? We can't speculate on Nintendo's player, but dedicated reader Franky Digital sent us a link to his blog, where he helpfully broke down the process of upgrading his DS to do the same thing.
Teclast TL-T29 media player is slender, stylish
Damn, those kids in Asia get all the cool gear first. Our friends in China just got a new Teclast portable video player, those lucky dogs. This time it's the TL-T29 -- this superslim player measures 2.8 x 1.6 x 0.3 inches, sports a flash drive (1, 2 or 4GB) with a 220 x 176 display and has a whopping 24 hours of audio playback time. No word on price or if you can get it anywhere outside the Zhongguancun district in Beijing, where CNET Asia found it. Maybe if these things were to cross the Pacific, then we'd have some real competition in this sector, hrm?[Via CNET Asia]
Korea's latest DMB receiver: the Hampex T300CR
As if South Koreans didn't have enough DMB / PMP devices to keep themselves occupied, Hampex has thrown down the rather uninspiring looking HDMB-T300CR, a DMB receiver with a 3.5-inch display that can view and record digital media broadcasts. The company decided to go down the DIY-route with this player, opting for an empty SD slot over an internal hard drive or built-in flash memory. Once you've plugged in up to 2GB of SD memory, you'll be able to start recording your favorite Korean TV and digital radio shows thanks to the hardwired H.264 decoder and PAL/NTSC video encoder chipsets. The receiver is currently selling in Korea at around 180,000 won, but as always, we're not optimistic that this'll ever hit American soil, let alone at the sub-$200 price you get after conversion.[Via Akihabara News]
Toshiba drops a bomb: Gigabeat V in the US
Well, well, well -- it seems that Toshiba's been up to more in the portable media space lately than just helping Microsoft out with the Zune manufacturing. In fact, ole Tosh has been working on a DTV-less version of its Japanese OneSeg-capable 30GB V30T; shake off the TV tuner, and you've got America's own MEV30K. This model borrows many of its features from the popular S series -- including Microsoft's Portable Media Center software, WMV9, WMV10, and PlaysForSure video playback, plus support for MP3, WMA, WMA lossless, WAV, and Windows DRM 9 / 10 audio files -- but, like the V30T, tosses what will probably be some well-received spec bumps into the mix. Besides the addition of a built-in speaker, the main changes here involve screen size and battery life: the V30K sports a 3.5-inch TFT LCD (compared to the 2.5-incher on the S, though both share the same QVGA resolution) and promises up to 8 hours of video or 25 hours of audio playback on a full charge (as opposed to the meager 2.5 and 12 hour lifespans for video and audio, respectively, on the S). We're sure that there are more than few people interested in this stamina-filled $400 Gigabeat, so the good news is that pre-ordering begins today through Crutchfield and Amazon, though a nationwide rollout is not expected until sometime in October. Let the iPod comparisons commence!
Samsung busts out the R7, their first 10-inch mobile TV
Those pranksters at Samsung are always mixing up the display sizes on us, and now they've thrown down a 16:9 widescreen 10-incher for your DMB viewing pleasure. The R7 features MP3 and photo playback, and can even handle an external drive for viewing video, but it seems mostly suited to lounging around the home with some up-close and personal DMB broadcasts. Samsung wants to move the TV from a "fixed, family-oriented device to a more mobile, personal gadget." We're not so sure that ethic would go over so hot if verbalized in the States, but it's not like they'll be shipping it over here anyways, so the point is moot.[Thanks, Dan]
Commodore announces Gravel In Pocket device
Tomorrow at IFA in Berlin, Commodore will show off its new personal media player, called the Gravel In Pocket (yeah, great name). The new personal media player sports a 2.8-inch screen, WiFi support, and plays DivX, Xvid, WMV, MP3, WAV files. It's got 1GB (or optionally 2GB) of internal flash storage, but also has an SD card slot. Commodore also announced its new site, CommodoreWorld, to provide content for the little Gravel, which will be available no later than November. We may have to erm, grovel, to get our hands on a Gravel sooner than that. [Warning: PDF link!]
Maxtek's MNT-4300DMB has T-DMB and GPS but skimps on PMP
We're a bit miffed that Maxtek chose to go soft on one of the three pillars of Korean gadgetry: PMP playback, but their new MNT-4300DMB device has plenty to love all the same. First off, there's a 4.3-inch touchscreen, which can handle picture-in-picture just in case the GPS isn't enough of a reason to keep your eyes off the road. Navigation is powered by a SiRF III GPS module, and TV is of the T-DMB variety. The device can also handle MP3s and photos with its unmentioned amount of storage, but there doesn't seem to be any PMP functionality in sight. Not too terrible for 349,000 won ($363 US), but if PMP is your thing there will always be plenty of other choices.
Maxian launching 30GB, TV-recording M800 PMP
Korean manufacturer Maxian looks to be set to drop a new PMP on parts of the world other than this one with its newly-unveiled M800, though an exact launch date has yet to be announced. Like Maxian's T600, this one boasts direct video recording from a TV or other source, with a 30GB hard drive for you to fill up and a 4.3-inch WQVGA screen for you to watch it all on. If you prefer your media pre-recorded, it also supports AVI, MPEG, ASF, WMV, DAT, and VOB formats -- a much more thorough selection than some recent PMPs we've seen. While it looks like we're out of luck on this one here in North America, it seems you'll be able to snag one in Korea, Europe, China, and Hong Kong in your choice of black or white for the equivalent of $415 US.[Via DAPreview]
Archos 404 PMP reviewed
After putting the Archos 604 through its paces, the folks at CNET have now thankfully seen fit to give the PMP's smaller, squarer sibling, the 404, a once-over as well. As with the the 604, they were especially impressed with the 404's video capabilities, offering support for MPEG-4 ASP up to 720x480 @ 30fps, WMV9, WM DRM and -- despite no stated support from Archos -- DivX, which they say works "flawlessly." Of course, you'll have to settle for watching all that on a 3.5-inch 4:3 screen as opposed to the 4.3-inch widescreen display on the 604. A fair trade-off for portability, although CNET says that the smaller screen is lacking in more than size, with a more pixelated image and less vibrant colors than the 604's. They also lamented the absence of the all important kickstand as well as the lack of a removable battery, both of which the 604 has. So unless you really need that extra bit of pocketability, it seems you may want to spring the extra fifty bucks and snag yourself the widscreen model.[Thanks, Old Surinam]
Yoto T-21 offers portable media playback for $50
In the states, fifty dollars won't get you much in the way of a portable media player, so try not to feel too envious when you see the 1GB, 399 Chinese Yuan (approx. $50) Yoto T-21, a Chinese PMP that has a similar feature set to the iRiver Clix, but at a quarter of the price. Featuring a 2-inch QVGA screen, the T-21 is even capable of AVI playback at up to 30fps, which bests both the Clix and its real fake counterpart. It'll also let you play your MP3s, Flash movies, browse photos and text, and has a built-in FM tuner. As usual, there's no word on whether the device will be available outside of Asia, but we'd advise that you don't get your hopes up: these kind of unbelievably great value players have a habit of sitting just across the Pacific, perpetually taunting us with their low price tags.
Acer's upcoming 20GB PMP, the MP-340
So Acer's upcoming MP-340 PMP doesn't really hold a candle to the last media player we saw from the company -- it's pretty sparse in the video codec department and has a smaller, lower-resolution screen -- but on the plus side, it's infinitely more pocketable and probably a whole lot cheaper. Unlike the MP-500 which preceded it, this model's got just a 1.8-inch, 160 x 128 TFT display (a little too small for extended viewing sessions, in our opinion) and only supports H.264-formatted video; however, you're still getting a 20GB hard drive, MP3, WMA, and WMA DRM compatibility, along with voice recording and the obligatory JPEG photo playback. Also on board are an SD slot for a little expansion action, two headphone jacks for sharing that tiny screen with a friend, a 10-hour rechargeable battery (with the screen off, of course) and a number of preloaded games, including everyone's new favorite, Sudoku. Since this model is officially debuting at IFA in Germany next month, pricing and availability are still a closely guarded secret, but if you happen to be in Berlin from the 1st through the 6th, try to stop by the Acer booth and smooth talk that info out of the booth babes company reps for us.[Via MobileWhack]
HiPAD II: Korea's 10.4-inch answer to the cPC
After practicing incessantly on 4.3-inch and 7-inch form factors, a 10.4-incher is a piece of cake for those Koreans, and they're really just showing off with the new dual-OS HiPAD II. The 1-inch thick tablet weighs in at 2.9 pounds, but manages to run Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows CE 5.0, WiFi, DMB, HSDPA and a navigation app that's possibly GPS based. There's an AMD Geode LX-800 processor under the hood, along with a minimal 256MB of RAM and a 20GB HDD -- pretty weak for regular PC tasks, but plenty of juice for a bit of browsing and the PMP-esque feature set. To round things out there's a webcam mounted at the top of the screen, and you can expand the storage or functionality with the CF and PCMCIA slots. The Win CE mode seems mainly aimed at quick access to media and navigation functions, unlike the cPC's full-fledged Windows Mobile OS, and seems similar to that of most Korean PMP/DMB/GPS units, but XP is always waiting in the wings if you need to do something silly like be productive. No word on price or availability, but we're hoping for the best.[Via Akihabara]
