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Ainol's V9000HDX 'Megatron' PMP looks lovely, does 1080p, freezes its enemies in blocks of ice
Ainol's V6000 series had great specs, but sadly rocked a GPS-worthy aesthetic. The V8000 players went for something a little more stylish, but also a lot more vanilla. Now we're up to the V9000 series and we finally have a look that's sophisticated and distinctive -- and a little creepy with that "please help I'm frozen over here" wallpaper. It's displayed on a 4.8-inch, 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen, though the device is capable of rendering 1080p video out its HDMI port for display onto something a little bigger. The UI seems a little busy but very functional, and with 16GB of storage, an FM tuner, and a 2450mAh battery it should keep you entertained even on the longest of commutes. Price and availability here in the States was not mentioned, but you weren't really expecting it would be, were ya? Update: We got a comment from voodoo indicating that this is now believed to be a fake. While we're not entirely sure who to believe at this point with conflicting information on a variety of forums, given that Ainol has still not posted any confirmation of this device on its site it's not looking particularly good. If it is a fake we're hoping the company pulls out all the stops to identify the perpetrators -- and then hires them.
Hardware battle looms for theoretical successors to Nintendo DS and Sony PSP
It's a sorry state of affairs when a media player like the Zune HD has more polygon-pushing power than the latest handheld videogame consoles on the market. If rumors are to be believed, Nintendo and Sony will set things straight with their next-generation portables -- at least for a little while. We've already heard that the successor to Nintendo's DS will have Tegra power, but the current speculation is that it'll be a Tegra 2 chip, promising twice the power of the current iteration. On the Sony side the PSP2 is apparently shaping up to use an offspring of the IMG PowerVR graphics found on the iPhone, said to be theoretically superior to what the DS2 will be able to achieve but costing more, being more difficult to develop for, and not shipping until sometime in 2011 -- potentially a year later than the DS2. In other words it's standard operating procedure if these rumors are to be believed, but even if there aren't any surprises in this showdown we'll be there in the front row with popcorn to watch the bloodshed.
RAmos W7 spotted blazing through Android
As much fun as it is seeing the RAmos W7 in the wild, all legit and everything, what's more exciting is seeing that Android-specific 600MHz Rockchip CPU in action again. This time it appears to be handling some pretty snappy web browsing to some fairly hefty pages, and then diving into what looks to be Flash video in an externalized, overlain player of some kind. The Android Archos 5 does a similar thing for media playback, but it's not plugged into the browser like this, and we really haven't seen many devices attain these sorts of browser speeds at this resolution. Sure, there's still plenty more OS to see, but it's good to see both of these products making a bit of good on their promises. Check out the video after the break.
Hallods F43 MP4 player packs a 4.3-inch 720p screen, outed in Japan
Looks like the wait for a real HD PMP is finally over: Hallods of Japan has just released their F43 MP4 player featuring a 4.3-inch 1280x720 screen, easily beating other sub-5-inch, 480p screens found on big names like the Archos 5 and Viewsonic's VPD400. Under that sharp screen is 8GB of internal storage and a hot-swappable microSD slot, along with a battery life of about four hours and ten hours for video and music, respectively. Like many PMPs out there the F43 supports videos encoded in MPEG4, FLV, RMVB and DivX-WVGA. Sure, there's the ironic lack of HDMI output, but for ¥16,800 ($188) this is still a pretty good deal. Let's just hope Hallods will send them over to the US soon.
YouTube begins streaming 1080p insecurities next week (update: 1080p video!)
Ready to have your imperfect complexions scrutinized by every anonymous coward on the Internet? You'd better 'cause YouTube has announced the move from 720p to 1080p video streaming to make use of those cheap, Full HD camcorders flooding the market. Now puff up that keyboard courage -- the ruthless bashing of your peers is set to begin next week. Update: 1080p sample video posted after the break.
Japanese company Greenhouse launches camcorder for women
Hmm... we'll pass.
Eneloop Stick Booster supplies emergency power to your portable devices
Any time a company both enables our gadget addiction and discourages wanton battery consumption we have to consider it a good thing -- and, indeed, Sanyo's wicked-rechargeable Eneloop batteries already have quite a few fans here at Engadget HQ. But what's a busy gadget hound to do on the go, you ask? Try this one on for size: the Eneloop Stick Booster ships with two AAs and can be used to charge them, via any USB source. From that point the device can be used to power your PMP for roughly 90 minutes. How great is that? To be released in Japan on December 1 for an unspecified price, and worldwide whenever the company sees fit. PR after the break.
Zune HD 3D games video hands-on
It took us a tick to get our Zune HD loaded up with those new 3D games that were released this morning, but we thought you might want to check out a quick hands-on. That Tegra chip is no joke -- the graphics in PGR: Ferrari Edition are easily on par with the PSP and quite possibly better, with intricate textures, high-quality reflections, and smooth framerates. The other games aren't nearly as intense, but they're just as smooth. Best of all? They're free -- although you will have to look at a Zune ad while they load. Not the worst tradeoff in the world, but we'd love to see what paid app developers could do if Microsoft would open this beast up. Check the video after the break.
Blockbuster kiosks to offer movies on SD cards, you some candy as you checkout
Blockbuster's been trying all sorts of, um, innovative things to get more foot traffic in its stores, but thanks to a dastardly invention known only as "Netflix," that very task has proven exceptionally difficult. Now, it seems the flagging movie rental company is giving one more far-flung idea a whirl: movies on SD cards. Around six Blockbuster and Hollywood Video stores will soon begin offering titles on SD cards, though the included DRM only allows customers 30 days from the purchase date to view it, and once it's fired up, you've just 48 hours before it vanishes completely. Each rental will cost $1.99, and while we definitely see the benefit of renting something that you don't have to return, we're still skeptical that folks will be more willing to make even one trek for a card when Netflix brings it all to one's mailbox (and PC, etc.) for just $8.99 per month.
Viewsonic officially launches VPD400 MovieBook media player
Viewsonic was showing this one off way back in July alongside a slew of other gear, but it's just now gotten fully official with its VPD400 MovieBook media player, which is apparently available right away for $129.99. That will get you a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 display, 8GB of internal memory, a micro SD card slot for more, an AV out port for some bigger screen viewing (not HDMI, it seems), and a promised 12 hours of battery life for audio and six for video -- not to mention your choice of black, pink or white color options. Not too shabby, just don't go expecting anything fancy like WiFI or a touchscreen.
Creative's ZEN X-Fi2 touchscreen PMP now on sale
Candidly speaking, we can't honestly envision too many of you fine folks running out and purchasing one of Creative's new ZEN X-Fi2 portable media players given the availability of such robust alternatives. That said, we'd be remiss of our duties if we didn't point out that the PMP which shocked us at IFA is now on sale directly from Creative. $129.99 buys you an 8GB model, while $179.99 nets you 16GB and $229.99 provides 32GB. We know -- that 3-inch LCD and integrated FM tuner look good from afar, but remember kids, it's all about the UI. [Thanks, Tyler]
Zune HD v4.3 firmware out now: fixes playcount bug, adds lots of great things (video)
Who says Microsoft ain't lookin' out for those who selected its Zune HD over something Designed In Cupertino? Just days after countless owners went berserk over a playcount syncing issue, Microsoft has released a new firmware update that not only solves that very quandary but also adds a gaggle of fantastic new and / or improved features. The v4.3 update is available now by selecting "Player Update" from within the device itself, and with it will come "support for upcoming 3d games and applications, as well as an auto-suggest feature for better text input, and other minor improvements." We're hearing that those "minor improvements" include a snappier browser, so it's pretty safe to say you're only harming yourself if you don't get this download going right now. (Psst... there's a vid of the new software running after the break.) [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
MOTO releases AMP MID, the OLED Android 2.0 handheld you didn't even know existed
Remember those BASF commercials, the: "We make a lot of the products you buy better" ones? That's kind of the story at MOTO Development Group. We've seen the company working on e-ink internals, also having a hand in the creation of the Zune 2.0 and the Livescribe Pulse. MOTO's going it alone for its latest product, though, a MID reference design called the Android Media Platform (AMP) that runs Android 2.0 and is available now to developers. Yes, the DROID isn't the only 2.0 player releasing today. AMP will ultimately be available in three sizes: 10-, 5-, and 3.5-inches; the mid-sized model is the one shipping now. That touchscreen can be OLED or LCD, oomph is provided by a Texas Instruments OMAP3430 CPU, accelerometers and GPS are integrated as is 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, and optional 3G wireless, all powered by a 3,000mAh battery. There's no word on price, but we're guessing that's somewhat negotiable depending on your intended application and, naturally, the volume, volume, volume of your order.
DIY sewable iPod remote takes just ten minutes, will absolutely warm your heart
Okay, so we fully anticipate that creating the downright adorable object you see above will take far longer than ten minutes if you a) don't have a stash of circuits and fabrics laying around and / or b) you've never done anything like this before, but for seasoned DIYers, this is about as easy as it gets. The "10-minute sewable iPod remote" can actually be any character or design you feel like making, as the crux of this project relies on the circuit chip that is actually fitted inside the dock connector. From there, you just connect a few strands of conductive fabric, attach your kitty cat (or dragon, as the case may be) and begin to enjoy your homegrown iPod remote. Hit the read link for the full how-to, but only if you're immune to cuteoverloaditus.
ST-Ericsson's U8500 platform gives your next smartphone wicked 3D powers
It's one thing for ARM to develop a potent GPU meant to add impressive 3D capabilities to devices that were previously forced to run the likes of "Snake," but it's another thing entirely to see a platform and semiconductor company come forward and take it one step closer to the mainstream. ST-Ericsson has done just that with its U8500 platform, which is the first to integrate ARM's Mali-400 graphics processing unit into a solution that can be easily fitted into future phones. Think your iPhone 3GS GPU is mighty enough? Hop on past the break and mash play -- it'll make those fancy water reflections you're currently drooling over look downright ugly. [Thanks Chris]
Cowon iAudio 9 and iAudio E2 media players make the scene stateside
Cowon-heads of the world, you are in for a treat today. It looks like not one but two of the company's snack-sized media players are finally hitting the big time. First off, the iAudio 9 PMP is due to hit the states within a week. Available in 8GB and 16GB denominations, for some reason the domestic version will be available only in black. Aside from supporting the usual compliment of media files (MP3, FLAC, Ogg, WAV, APE, WME, XviD, and WMV videos) this guy sports composite video out. Get your hands on the 8GB version for $129, or go wild with 16GB for $169. If video isn't your bag, the enigmatic iAudio E2 (all 2.5-inches of it) is also available. Sporting a bevy of EQ presets, 4GB of storage and a not entirely terrible 11.5 hours of battery life, this is the keychain you've always wanted -- but never wanted to pay $65 for. Additional glamor shots after the break.
RAmos gives its T10 PMP the RK treatment, supports video formats galore
Good 'ol RAmos, producers of a series of lovely PMPs and MIDs that captivates the eye and, like a chaste romance, will never submit to your touch -- unless you live in Asia or happen to know a guy. The latest is the T10RK, a slight upgrade to the earlier T10, sharing the same simple form and seemingly lovely 4.3-inch, 800 x 480 screen as the earlier model, but now sporting the RK2806 chipset found in the T11RK, allowing for decoding of more video codecs than you'll know what to do with. No mention of price or availability yet, but such questions matter not in love.
South Korean taxi drivers win right to watch TV in cabs, for now
You know, we've made plenty of jokes about the DMB mobile TV functionality found in seemingly every GPS unit released in South Korea, but it looks like taxi drivers in the country take their distractions seriously -- serious enough to go to court. That issue apparently came to a head recently when one cab driver challenged a $500 fine he received for watching TV while on the job, which had apparently become a relatively common means to beat boredom during traffic jams but was banned last year by a local regulation in the city of Seoul. While the court obviously didn't go so far as to condone the practice (watching TV while driving was apparently a factor in upwards of 200 accidents in the country last year), it did rule that the regulation in Seoul was illegal because it was based on a 1961 law that's been superseded. Cabbies shouldn't get too comfortable with their in-car rigs just yet, however, as we have a sneaking suspicion this won't be the final word on the matter. [Thanks, Badison]
AT&T CruiseCast satellite service halts activations, will refund customers
It wasn't too hard to see this one coming after reports of "financial difficulties" and a potential early demise starting cropping up last month, but it looks like AT&T's CruiseCast in-car satellite service is now officially done for. According to RaySat COO Mike Grannan (AT&T's partner in the service), all new activations have now ceased, and existing customers will soon apparently be able to get a refund for the cost of installation, de-installation, equipment and service. For those keeping track, the service just launched in June of this year and, while no installed base numbers seem to be available, it doesn't appear to have caused much more than a blip on the radar, with it hindered in part by a hefty $1,300 up-front cost.
Sony's PSPgo sells 28,000 units on first day in Japan, physical media points and laughs
Remember the "platform sales boost" that Sony was tauting after the PSPgo's release in the US? The question on everyone's minds was of course how much of that boost was buoyed by the new kid on the block, and while Sony still hasn't given us any domestic figures (nor will it ever, probably), we now know that the thing sold 28,000 units on its first day of availability on its home turf in Japan. That's certainly better than the measly 1,000 units moved in Australia over the same period, but hardly encouraging when you look at its predecessors. According to Media Create the original PSP sold 171,963 units in a day in Japan. The PSP-2000? 130,000. UMD may be hated by everyone, but it seems to still have legs.
