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Viliv's S10 Blade starts shipping out, gets its first customer unboxing
Aw, Suki Suki now! Nearly a fortnight after heard that Viliv's S10 Blade had been delayed by the factory, in flies this. Tipster Anthony seems to be on Lady Luck's good side, as his unit not only shipped, but fell into his lap today. He ordered up the 1.6GHz version with a 64GB SSD and integrated 3G, and just to prove that he wasn't yanking our chain, he offered up a gallery's worth of unboxing shots. We can't say for sure that the backlog has cleared, but it's pretty evident that the earliest of pre-orderers are seeing their units trickle out. With that said, we'd encourage you to refresh that inbox once more and make sure a package isn't headed your way -- and when it does, let us know how you like it in comments below. [Thanks, Anthony] %Gallery-92001%
Onda's Vi10 Android PMP sports Rockchip internals, 3G wireless
We haven't seen much of Rockchip's 600MHz, RK2808 processor for mobile devices outside of China and, while we're not entirely confident that this particular implementation will ever grace our retail shelves, it is nice to see that this semi-working prototype exists... somewhere. It's the Vi10 from Onda and it sits somewhere between a PMP and a tablet, sporting the same body as the company's earlier VX575, giving it a five-inch screen, but inside has that Rockchip processor powering an Android install. Connectivity is said to come courtesy of WiFi or 3G and, well, that's about all we know at this point -- perhaps, all we're likely to ever know. [Thanks, Shenoy]
Cowon's award-winning J3 PMP spotted in the wilds of France, available there next month
The gang at Le Journal du Geek have got their hands (or someone's hands) on that Red Dot design award-winning Cowon J3 PMP, and we must say that the 3.3-inch AMOLED wonder looks pretty, pretty good. And with its TV output, Bluetooth audio support, and support for any number of standards (from the typical MP3, WMA, and WAV to the less-than-typical, but much-appreciated OGG, FLAC, APE, Div-X and Xvid) we're sure that the iAudio 9 is mighty proud of his big brother. Journal reports that this will see the light of day in France next month, look to spend about €249 (about $335) for the 16GB version.
Zune HD hacked, OpenZDK now available to developers
Well, it looks like the first 64GB Zune HDs landing in customers' hands may not be the biggest Zune news today after all. As proudly announced the ZuneBoards website, the Zune HD -- and all earlier Zunes, although the potential there is a tad more limited -- "have been hacked." While obviously not the first hack of any sort for the devices, this is described as the "first true hack," and it has made the concurrently-released OpenZDK possible. That effectively gives developers "access to everything XNA withheld before," which more or less opens to doors to any type of application that can run on the Zune hardware -- games, emulators, app stores, you name it. Of course, there's not a ton for average Zune users to play with at the moment, but developers can find all they need to get cracking at the source link below. [Thanks, jhoeforth & Dilpickle1]
Microsoft's Zune HD 64 starts sliding out, unboxing proves the bump in capacity
Microsoft's extra capacious Zune HD just went on sale last week, and already orders are hitting the doorsteps of eager music lovers. A tipster with a commendable level of kindness dropped us a gallery's worth of unboxing photos, and as you'd expect, nary a thing has changed on the outside. On the inside, however, things are downright zany. Zany, we say! Have a look below if you're curious, and be sure to let us know in comments if / when your own Zune HD 64 arrives. [Thanks, Jp3009] %Gallery-90988%
Viliv S10 delayed until May, eyes well up everywhere
Remember when Best Buy decided to start hawking Viliv wares back in March? Notice how the S10 Blade wasn't one of them? Guess we know why. According to an email sent from Dynamism to a tipster who ordered an S10, the device has actually been "delayed by the factory." It was slated to ship out on April 22nd, but now, the crew of S10 variants will be shipping between late April and mid-May. We know, you're broken hearted, but look on the bright side -- Opera Mini is taking over the world! Cheer-up video just past the break. [Thanks, fernandez]
Onda VX560 looks like a slate, acts like a PMP, outputs 1080p
The kids at Onda have had a sideline in nondescript PMPs for years now, but that doesn't mean they lack dreams and aspirations, no sir! The VX560 shows 'em taking a cautious step up the evolutionary ladder with a 7-inch touchscreen slate that rocks 1080p video output via HDMI, support for a plethora of video formats (including H.264, AVI, MOV, MPG, and FLV), a 800 x 480 display, an array of ebook formats (including PDF, PDB, and CHM), and text-to-speech -- although exactly what language it will be reading in is anybody's guess. You know what else is "anybody's guess?" When it will be released, and for what price.
Zune HD 64 goes on sale early
Well, it's not April 12th, but it looks like you can now order a Zune HD 64 nonetheless -- straight from the Zune Originals website, at least. As expected, the device runs $349.99, and the 16GB and 32GB models have now also been knocked down to $200 and $270, respectively -- all of which are naturally available in the usual range of different colors, and with custom designs for an extra $15. You'll also, of course, get the latest v4.5 firmware pre-loaded on the device, which packs new features like SmartDJ that Microsoft was recently kind enough to demonstrate for us. [Thanks, Henry and Jonathan] Update: Turns out the Zune HD 64 won't come pre-loaded with the v4.5 firmware -- you'll be prompted to download it when you connect the device.
Mystery buyer orders $8.5 million in Microvision PicoP Laser Display Engines, planning world's greatest rave?
Remember Microvision's little announcement last week that it would be selling its PicoP Laser Display Engine to OEMs, hoping they'd find ways to stuff the thing into little gadgets of all sorts? The company has apparently been doing just that with aplomb, already scoring an $8.5 million order from one top secret client that will "embed the PicoP engine inside a high-end mobile media player for release in late 2010." Unfortunately, this fancy-pants media player isn't set to be announced until just before release, meaning we have many months of delicious speculation ahead of us. Projector Zune? Screenless iPod? Yet another pico projector you have no interest in buying? The possibilities are endless.
Ask Engadget: best rugged PMP 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 Caleb, who is asking not what his PMP can do for him, but what he can do for his PMP. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "My brother is about to leave for the Marines, and I (the geeky brother) want to send something with him to keep him busy. What is a very rugged PMP or similar, with WiFi and a nice UI? A camera is definitely a plus." So, dear readers -- what would fit the bill here? And remember, we're not looking for a PMP with a tough coat of plastic. We're looking for something to last on the battlefield. Oorah! (And Godspeed.)
Pimp My Profile: Dyskograf, Mutilate rogue
Welcome to Pimp My Profile, the column in which the WoW.com staff turns zeroes into heroes. Don't think you're performing where you should be? Not sure how your class/spec is supposed to be gearing up? E-mail us with your Armory link, and you might be next to receive our help! I am using the only viable (at the moment) Mutilate-Envenom spamming build. I throw HfB every time it goes off, pooling my energy a little, just to make sure I'll get two Mutilates in one Envenom buff. And yes, SnD is there all fight long. The problem is, the highest one i've ever got from it was 4k DPS only. As I find these numbers very poor - I make a place for your tweakin advices! - Dyskograf Dyskograf, it's your lucky day, because WoW.com is going to Pimp Your Profile! While I won't be able to put a mount on your mount so you can ride while you ride, I will be able to give you some character planning tips that will have you moving towards the top of the DPS charts in no time flat!
Cowon's all-metal J3 PMP gets official
We'd already gotten a early look at Cowon's new all-metal J3 PMP earlier this month courtesy of the red dot design awards, but the company has just now gotten fully official with it, and detailed its complete specs. As expected, this one packs a 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen, along with 4GB, 8GB or 16GB of storage, a microSD card slot for further expansion, a built-in DMB TV tuner and FM radio, Bluetooth support, a built-in speaker and, of course, that brushed metal case -- not to mention a few familiar UI elements. Unfortunately, there's still no indication of a price, nor is there any word of a release over here. Update: At least one website has listed prices of between 189,000 and 359,000 South Korean won, or roughly $166 to $316. [Thanks, David K]
Coby introduces streamlined, puzzling MP570 MP3 player
Coby may not always produce the sleekest of devices, but the company has certainly come through on that count with its new MP570 MP3 player, which is bound to turn a few heads. Questionably functional design aside, however, this one is about as basic as can be, with it packing just 2GB of flash storage and no memory card slot, support for only MP3 and WMA formats, and a built-in rechargeable battery that promises just five hours of audio playback -- but, hey, it sure is shiny. No word on pricing or availability just yet, nor is there any indication of how you're actually supposed to use it.
Cowon J3 PMP looks cool in its brushed metal case
Hot on the heels of giving our opinion on Cowon's (relatively) big-screened V5 media player we have some news on the next player in line from the company. It's called the J3 and, while Cowon has officially acknowledged its existence, its specifications have only been unveiled thanks to what looks to be an internationally coordinated effort on behalf of gadget lovers everywhere. The J3 is said to have a 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 480 x 272, pulling content from 4, 8, or 16GB of internal storage -- content that can also be routed to a TV. There'll be Bluetooth to pump tunes wirelessly and a new metal case that's said to improve the quality feel of the player. That, of course, we won't know about until we can feel one of the things, and according to the company some folks will be able to do just that before the month is through.
Samsung announces US availability, pricing for R1, R0 PMPs
Samsung first announced its R0 PMP way back and July of last year, and we saw its R1 model hit the FCC a month later in August, but the company has just now finally gotten official with US availability for both of them. Set to be available sometime next month, the touchscreen-equipped R1 will come in 8GB and 16GB varieties (in black or silver) for $149.99 and $179.99, while the non-touchscreen, and slightly larger R0 (pictured above), will run just $99 and $129 for the same capacities in your choice of black, silver or pink. Both will also give you Samsung's own Digital Natural Sound Engine 3.0 "sound enhancement" technology and DivX support, along with a microSD card slot on the R0, and Bluetooth support on the R1, among other standard fare.
Archos's budget Vision A43VB PMP caught on camera making kittens sad (video)
It's been a few months since we last heard of Archos's supposed new player lineup, as all the talk lately has been tablet-this and tablet-that, but we finally have some video of a new Vision device, the A43VB. Somewhat tragically, though, it apparently is not a real Archos device at all, rather a re-branded discount media player given the Archos silkscreen and a UI refresh. The good news is this means a low cost -- just €99 (or $135) -- for this 8GB model with a 4.3-inch screen and microSD expansion, but the bad news is that the result is slightly janky. The plastic looks rough and the UI far from intuitive, leaving our friendly video guide below to decry "I cannot exit the cats." That said, this is not a final device we're looking at here, so with any luck things will be a bit cleaned up inside and out before retail. Just don't go hoping for a surprise infusion of Android before then.
Archos announces new line of internet tablets for summer 2010
You thought that the Archos gang were goin' wild with the svelte 7 Home Tablet (and its self-conscious digiframe-esque sibling), but believe us -- the Android funfest is far from over. According to the company, this summer will see the range expand significantly, with new models featuring ARM Cortex processors (up to 1GHz) and "a richer set of features with screen sizes from 3- to 10-inches." One thing that we probably won't be seeing "any time soon," at least according to the kind man we cornered at the Archos booth at CeBIT? An Archos phone. But that's OK -- we don't even know how we'd find time to talk on the phone with all those tomatoes we have to slice. [Thanks, Michael]
Archos Home Slate set to grace CeBIT with its family-friendly presence
Watch out now, Archos is about to bestow a whole new category of electronic device upon us. It'll still be a tablet to the knowledgeable among us, but the rest of the world will know the Home Slate as an FDA -- a family digital assistant. Listed on CeBIT's exhibitor guide, this new multimedia player cum home organizer will offer WiFi connectivity and a web browser along with the usual suite of photo, video and music playback options. We'd heard earlier that Archos was planning new tablets aimed specifically at in-home use, and the A70HB model number here would suggest that this might be the rumored Archos 7 Android tablet pictured above. Whether it be 7 inches or 17, you can rest assured we'll be digging this up at CeBIT shortly to figure out if those family-assisting features are worthy of the highfalutin marketing that accompanies them. [Thanks, David V.]
Mio stuns at CeBIT with ultra-sleek Moov V780 MID
Uh, folks -- we've an identity crisis on our hands. Is this a MID with a penchant for navigating? Is this a PMP with pre-loaded maps? Is it an ultra-sleek navigator that just so happens to play music? There's a fair chance the world will never know, but we'll soon be stopping by Mio's booth at CeBIT in order to get a view of things ourselves. At any rate, the Moov V780 is undoubtedly one of the most appealing things to come from the outfit in quite some time, offering up 720p multimedia playback, an HDMI output, digital TV support, a 7-inch (800 x 480 resolution) display, 600MHz CPU, 512MB of memory, 4GB of onboard flash and a pretty tremendous list of supported file formats. Sadly, it's humming along on Windows CE (rather than, say, Android), but at least it ships with WiFi and optional WiMAX. There's no mention of a price or release date, but we'll be on the hunt for those tidbits as soon as the show floor opens up.
Ask Engadget: Best no-frills portable media player?
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 Cam, who don't need no stinkin' app store for his next digital audio player. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm getting quite sick of my Sansa Clip, with it deciding when and when it doesn't want to work. I'm looking for a new PMP. The only requirement is that it has at least 4GB of storage, and supports FLAC files. Expandable memory would be cool too." We appreciate the brevity, Cam. In your spirit, we'll skip the usual coaxing and just demand that those with lovable gym-certified PMPs drop some knowledge in comments below. And... go!
