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Onkyo MP-1000J portable multimedia player
If you're a proud portable media player owner, or you've got some fancy schmancy streaming media setup in your living room, the Onkyo MP-1000J might not do a whole lot for you, but if you're searching for a simple way to get content from PC to TV, you may want to listen up. The MP-1000J is a sweet new middleman, designed to store your fav shows, clips, etc. on its 2.5-inch hard drive (which you're responsible for providing), and then play them back (presumably hassle-free) on your living room set, in-car LCD, or dusty hotel television. The trick here is the self-contained GUI that shows up on your monitor, allowing you to select the file you want to see; it's akin to having a (very) "light" version of Windows Media Center Edition running the show within the relatively small device. With native support for DivX, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, AVI, VOB, XviD, MP3, WMA, OGG, and a few more, this thing will play back just about any file you toss at it. The unit gets a plethora of extras, including a USB cable, AC adapter, 12v car adapter, a trio of display connectors (including support for 1080i over component and Dolby / DTS passthrough), and a svelte remote control to manage the action from afar. While we can't adumbrate just how much this little hard drive / screenless PMP hybrid will cost, the MP-1000J will add yet another alternative to getting PC content to the TV (sans any confusion) when it drops on September 1st.[Via Impress]
NHC's Magic-Talker Color Personal Multi-lingual Assistant
Chances are good that if you're reading this publication you already have a pretty decent grasp of English (probably better than ours, in fact), but for the native Japanese speaker looking to brush up on his/her foreign language skills, we can't think of a device better suited for the task than NHC's rather awkwardly-named Magic-Talker Color Personal Multi-lingual Assistant. Like previous offerings we've seen from Sharp, iRiver, and Franklin, the USB 2.0-compatible Magic-Talker contains numerous dictionaries along with incorporating MP3 and WMA music playback functionality, but those goodies are just the tip of the iceberg. You're also getting tons of conversation tutorials -- complete with animated representations on the full color QVGA display -- and several practice tests for acing the TOEIC exam and impressing business colleagues with your copious English skillz. But that's not all, as this 256MB device (upgradable by 2GB with an SD card) also supports DivX and MPEG-4 video playback (with a TV out for vids up to 640 x 480 at 30fps) and sports an FM tuner (with direct recording, of course), line-in recording, and the ubiquitous voice recorder for practicing your pronunciation. Games, a calculator, and an E-Book reader are also standard, making the ¥44,800 ($386) LM-500J (as it's officially known) seem like a veritable steal compared to similarly-priced devices without nearly as many features. Throw in some WiFi, Bluetooth, and WLAN radios, and we'd even buy one, though we couldn't for the life of us tell you the difference between kanji, katakana, and hiragana.[Via Impress]
RAmos RM150 plays XviD on the cheap
While the myriad of Chinese PMPs tend to share a few similarities, namely being cheap (in more ways than one), the RAmos RM150 does a decent job of making a name for itself by touting native XviD support and sporting a swank PDA-like design. RAmos offers both 512MB and 1GB flavors, and the pocket-size device rocks a 2.2-inch TFT screen which displays your ever-growing collection of XviD and AVI files with ease. While you won't fit too many of those clips on such skimpy amounts of storage, you can carry quite a few MP3s and WMA files along, and there's always the FM tuner should you need some fresh material on the go. While there's no word on battery life, we wouldn't expect too much more from the RM150 -- after all, this unit is already a big step forward from the company's gaudy gold offering of last year. If you don't mind the limited storage capacity (and the complete lack of expansion options), the 512MB version can be had for 399 CNY ($50), while 1GB will run you just 499 CNY ($63).
Archos officially announces all five Generation 4 devices
Not too many surprises here -- after all, we've already seen a full review of one of these new models -- but now PMP pioneer Archos has officially taken the wraps off of all the so-called Generation 4 devices we initially spotted over two months ago. First out of the gate will be the 3.5-inch 404 and 4.3-inch 604 media players whose specs and performance have gradually been revealed over the last few weeks, and all we really had wrong about the two thirty giggers was their prices: the former will go for $300 while the latter will set you back $350 when they ship next month (though pre-orders are already being taken). Coming later in the year will be a version of the 404 with an integrated camcorder as well as a touchscreen, wireless-enabled iteration of the 604 (for downloading internet content), and like all the Gen4 models, these will require a separate DVR docking station in order to record content from and playback content to external sources and monitors. Last but certainly not least is the surprisingly capacious 160GB 504 (we originally thought it would sport only a 40GB HDD), although at this point Archos is keeping mum on such deets as screen size, pricing, and availability. All-in-all a very exciting new crop of PMPs, and like previous products from the company, these will likely continue to be the media players against which all other competitors are judged.
NHC's new "Muvia" ADY-30512 PMP plays it safe
With a 2.5-inch QVGA screen, 512MB of memory and SD card expansion, there really isn't anything going on with this new ADY-30512 "Muvia" PMP from NHC that we haven't seen a million times before. Still, the device manages to be reasonably svelte at 0.75-inches thick, and the MPEG, MOV, AVI, ASF, DivX and WMV codec support is fairly expansive. The device also manages a mic input and AV line-in, and the 6 hour battery life (12 hours with music) ain't too shabby. Sadly, the device interfaces with USB 1.1, and its 29,800 Yen pricetag ($257 US) doesn't really stand out from the crowd. All the same, we should be seeing this one in Japan on the 24th of August.[Via Impress]
Archos 604 30GB portable media player reviewed
It appears that Archos has got this portable media player gig down pat, as the 30GB 604, unveiled as an affordable replacement for the well-received AV500, has done quite a commendable job building itself a bit of buzz. Rather than altering too much of a good thing, Archos decided to just tweak the 604, adding several meaningful extras while removing a few advanced features in order to get that price tag down to near-bargain basement levels. The folks over at CNET were able to get some face time with the new PMP, and in similar fashion to its predecessor, received an excellent rating. Although the 604 isn't the most pocket-friendly unit reviewers had seen, they felt that increasing the screen size from 4.0 to 4.3-inches (and improving its durability / performance) was well worth it. The brushed metal look must have really struck a chord as well, as this sexy sidekick was touted as being "pretty hot" in regards to its design. One feature that definitely made the review crew sweat was the nifty kickstand, something sorely absent on the AV500 (and its "main competitor," the Cowon A2). The controls and well-developed GUI left a very positive impression, and its ability to play back all types of media ranging from AVI, MPEG-4, PlaysForSure WMA and WMV, MP3, and WAV garnered even more praise. But, as expected, not everything was entirely peachy, as those looking to record video / audio right out of the box won't find the tools they need. Archos apparently made a purposeful omission and left the DVR gear as an optional accessory, just in case some folks didn't want to pony up the extra $100 for the at-home convenience. It was noted that the unit performed well when paired up with the Archos DVR Station, and the staff was more than satisfied with the 14+ hours of audio / 4 hours of video use reportedly on tap via the removable battery. If you haven't caught the drift at this point, here's the skinny: the Archos 604 is a worthy update to the respectable AV500, and if you're looking to snap up a PMP (and maybe add recording capabilities down the road), it's not a bad way at all to spend $350.
DK EMD's 2GB XPIN MX-430 GPS/DMB/PMP unit for Korea
There's a definite GPS slant here, but the XPIN MX-430 from DK EMD doesn't neglect too terribly those other staples of Korean gadget existence: DMB and PMP functionality. The device features a 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen, running at 480 x 272, and there's a 2GB SD card included. The Windows CE 5.0 device can also act as a USB host, connect with external AV devices and play back DivX files. GPS functionality looks good with a SIRF-III chip and that touchscreen, and there's of course a T-DMB tuner to round out the features set. The XPIN should be out in Korea on August 28th for around 548,000 won, roughly $568 US.
Solvo S330, yet another Korean DMB/GPS/PMP
You know how we love to tease you with daily forays into the world of well-screened Korean devices featuring DMB tuners, PMP function, and GPS navigation (if we're lucky). Today's device is the Solvo S330, which includes all of the above, along with 20 or 30GB of storage, a built-in dictionary, and support for Flash games. Sadly, we can't find the specs on the screen, but according to the image above it looks like there's some hefty codec support, including H.264 at 352 x 288 (which we're guessing is the native screen res), WMV9, MPEG-4, DivX and XviD. No word on price or availability, but what's it to you anyways?
Korea's Curon busts out CE-based QCOX DMB/PMP
Just because everybody and their mom builds DMB/PMP devices in Korea doesn't mean they have to be boring about it, and this new QCOX device from Curon manages a nice bit of sexy even if the feature set is rather tried by now. The Windows CE 5.0-based device sports a 4.3-inch screen, 30GB HDD, DMB tuner and TV out, with only a medium-chunky form factor to show for it. It's all powered by an AMD Alchemy chipset, and has a snazzy Flash-based UI to keep up appearances. The interesting mode-switching wheel to the side of the device looks pretty dang cool, though we wonder about it's actual functionality in action. But it's not like we'll be seeing a lot of this thing in the States, and we're not even sure when it drops in Korea or for how much, so we suppose we have no room to complain.[Via I4U]
The new Archos 604 gets a hands-on look
Archos is looking like a winner with their new 604 PMP. T3 got some hands-on time with the new player, and they have nothing but praise for the unit. For starters, they much prefer the new rocker key control setup to the confusing layout of Archos' AV500, and find the 4.3-inch screen to be much sharper and glossier than that device as well. There's also a kickstand for propping the 604 up on a desk, and little enhancements like interface tweaks and USB charging. With the weight loss and other refinements, T3 finds the 604 to be "infinitely more portable than its ancestors," but that approximate $510 launch price might keep this thing from mass market aspirations all the same.[Thanks, Ash]
Digital Foci's Picture Porter Elite photo viewer / PMP
Hot on the heels of MediaGear's HD2GO is yet another photo viewer / PMP, but with 40GB or 80GB hard drive options, the Picture Porter Elite is more akin to Epson's P-4000 line of capcious convergence devices. Manufactured by Digital Foci, the USB 2.0-enabled PPE-360 features a 3.6-inch screen (only QVGA, though -- Epson gives you VGA on its models), line-in recording, PictBridge printing support, and video out for displaying your pics and vids on a regular TV. Supported memory card formats include Compact Flash I / II, MicroDrive, SD / MMC, and Memory Stick (xD, miniSD, and MS Duo cards work with an adapter), while the compatible file types include JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and RAW (image), MP3, WMA, AAC, and WAV (audio), and MPEG-1/4, AVI, MOV, and WMV9 (video). The Picture Porter Elite will begin shipping on the 7th, starting at $450.[Via Digital Media Thoughts]
MediaGear HD2GO photo viewer / personal media player
Looks like Epson might have a competitor in their niche market of devices that are photo viewers first and personal media players second. MediaGear's HD2GO is strikingly similar to Epson's Photo Fine devices with its large, 3.6-inch screen, 20GB hard drive, CF slot, and MP3 playback. This market might be for you if you fit the description of a hardcore mobile digital camera user that needs a spot to dump all of your pics and view 'em on a larger screen but also need the occasional video playback option. Just make sure you keep to your photography work as video playback sucks down the battery life to a minuscule 4.5 hours on the HD2GO. The real difference here, however, is that the Epson P-4500 might have a larger 80GB hard drive and a cleaner look, but it retails for $640, quite a bit more than the $295 that the HD2GO will go for when it hits the streets in September.[Via PhotographyBLOG]
Netac's P210 multifunctional GPS receiver
It's been a few days since we brought you a GPS/PMP device that will never be available for purchase in the States, so here to fill that void is the Netac P210, straight out of China. You probably don't really need a spec run-down on a product so similar to countless others that you've seen before, but that's what they pay us for, so here goes: preloaded with a complete Chinese map (well, maybe not complete- it seems that Taiwan is MIA), the P210 offers a 16.67 million-color, 3.5-inch touchscreen display, an FM transmitter for streaming MP3 tracks to your head unit, support for "millions" of so-called Zuiku games, and eBook functionality in case you'd rather read than rot your brain with movies and music. Pricing has not yet been announced, but as usual with these cookie-cutter units, that's basically a moot point.[Via Engadget Chinese]
Pavion's KCN 9000 portable navigation system
Pavion's KCN 9000 handheld looks more like a PMP than a GPS unit, which is no doubt exactly what Pavion wants you to think, touting the device's audio and video capabilities as much as it's navigation functions. Alongside a SiRF Star III GPS module, the Windows CE-based device packs a 300 MHz Atlas 2 processor, 64MB of RAM, and 32MB of ROM behind a 3.5-inch QVGA screen, with storage coming in the form of an SD card slot (an SD card appears to be included but Pavion doesn't say what size). Interestingly, Pavion also lists the device as having an AV in port, which can presumably be used for recording, although the company don't explicitly say as much. It's also not spilling any deets on a price or release date.[Via Mobile Magazine]
Minox intros DMP-3 media player
Camera maker Minox is pushing beyond its usual boundaries once again with its new Volkswagen-designed DMP-3 media player, a follow-up to the DMP-2 and DMP-1 before it. As with its previous players, Minox is talking up the device's digital photo album and video playback capabilities as much as its MP3 functionality, although the smallish 2.5-inch LCD makes for less than ideal viewing conditions. On the storage tip, Minox has again opted for a paltry 128MB of internal memory, making the SD slot essential if you plan on using the device to capture VGA or QVGA video in MPEG-4. No word yet on pricing or availability, although if the previous model is any indication, it should come in somewhere around the $200 mark.
Allard's iPod killer to use Live Anywhere?
Earlier this week, Microsoft finally revealed the not-so-secret project that kept J Allard and Robbie Bach away from E3: A wi-fi enabled portable music player (see horribly blurred image above) designed to take a chunk out of Apple's iMonopoly in the PMP business. While not the portable 360 of our dreams, the device, due this Christmas, will presumably feature some sort of limited gaming capability -- and it's own version of Xbox Live. From Engadget:Microsoft's new portable audio and video player will have a screen that's "bigger than that of the iPod video" (which isn't really saying much) and built-in WiFi so you can not only download content directly to the player (sort of like with the MusicGremlin), but actually participate in an Xbox Live-like social network that will help you connect with other people with similar taste and interests. Whether that's going to be the Live Anywhere service they introduced at E3 we don't yet know. But we do know the tag line they're pitching for the device combined with this new network is "Connected Entertainment."Since this is an Xbox 360 blog, naturally we're most concerned with how this new product relates to our favorite console. If the device is indeed apart of Allard's Live Anywhere concept, will it offer some special benefit for 360 owners? Will it allow you to communicate with your XBL friends list? Will Marketplace media content be available for download? Since we don't know much, the climate is ripe for rampant speculation. What kind of Xbox Live integration would you like to see in a Microsoft PMP, and would such features convince you to toss your iPod?
Thomson announces three DAPs and a PMP for Europe
RCA-parent Thomson announced three new MP3 players for the European market today, along with a 30GB PMP called the X3030E, which should look quite familiar because it's just a re-badge of the Lyra X3030 that we covered a few months back. First up is the 6GB EH306, also known as the Black Diamond, which is a nano-like device sporting a 1.5-inch color OLED display, MP3, WMA, WMV, and MPEG-4 file support, fifteen hours of battery life, and that old standby, the FM tuner -- all for around $320 when it hits stores in October. Next we have the Lyra EM2600 (pictured), a 512MB or 1GB flash-based model which is basically a color version of the RD2312 we spotted at CES 2005, and which will cost $100 or $126 depending on capacity. Bringing up the rear is arguably the hottest model of all, a little waif of a DAP known as the EM2802. With this one you're getting the same color screen and codecs as the EH306, but in a much smaller package and in capacities of either 1GB or 2GB -- which will go for $165 and $216, respectively, upon their November launch. You've already seen the EM2600; now keep reading to check out all the other upcoming devices...
Archos roadmap reveals WiFi-, DTV-, and 3.5G-enabled PMPs
In a refreshing change of pace from the frustrating veil of secrecy under which most consumer electronics companies keep their future plans, Archos has done us all a big favor and posted a roadmap highlighting some of the technologies we can expect to see in its upcoming devices. Most prominently featured in this so-called investor kit is one of the models we spotted in a Swiss catalog last month, which is now starting to look very much like the ultimate PMP: besides a 30GB hard drive and 4.3-inch screen, it seems the 504 will also sport the always-popular docking cradle, along with WiFi, GPS, and even a 3.5G cellular modem for pulling in Internet TV broadcasts and direct downloading of purchased content. We also saw what looks like a revised version of the AV 700 called the AV 700 TV (pictured), which appears to have no less than four antennas sticking out of the top for tuning into Freeview and presumably other OTA digital TV formats. Keep your eyes peeled, video fans, because it sounds like Archos is really planning to shake things up this year by packing in more connectivity options than anyone else on the market -- and that's just fine with us.[Thanks, Bray]
Digital Cube says "me too" with Bluedot BMP-1430 PMP
Nothing like another indistinct PMP offering to get us started in the morning. Korea's Digital Cube is making this BMP-1430 PMP for Japan's Bluedot, and they've packed in the usual goodies: 480 x 272 4.3-inch LCD, 30GB HDD, crazy-silly-fresh codec support (MPEG, XviD, WMV, WMA, MP3 and OGG), and an FM tuner. Everything fits nicely into a 1-inch thick case, but since it's outside Korea, Digital Cube left out the usual DMB tuner. We're not sure why Digital Cube can't do us the same favor -- but it's not like we're bitter or anything.
Mustek announces DV536 super gadget
How much would you pay for a music- and video-playing gadget that could also take 10 megapixel still photos with a 10x zoom, capture 30fps VGA movies, record your whimsical musings, function as a digital card reader, and even encode footage directly from your TV or DVD player? $1000? How about $750? Surely you'd shell out at least $500 for such an amazing product. Well you'll be shocked to learn that Mustek is practically giving away all this and more for under $200 with its new DV536 Digital Camcorder-PVR. Too good to be true, you say? Well, yes and no; you really do get all of those functions in this new super gadget, but the list of caveats is rather long: the 2.4-inch screen isn't the best for watching flicks, that 10 megapixel resolution is really achieved through interpolation from a 5 megapixel CMOS sensor, and the 10x zoom we mentioned is of the digital variety, as no optical zoom is included. Plus, there's no way to schedule recordings and you're only getting 32MB of internal memory, meaning that you'll need a pretty big SD card if you want to store all those movies, photos, video clips, and songs you'll be loading this up with. Still, $200 isn't too bad for all the features you're getting here, even if none of them hold a candle to dedicated devices performing the same tasks. [Warning: PDF link]
