Category Archives: Audio

Audio, Media Players, Video

iRiver E100 "Season 2" Pops Up With New Colors

Korean multimedia corporation, iRiver announces the release of the “Season 2” E100 player, which is literaly the same version like the previous model, only with new colors. The new lineup will be available at the end of the year, with the same specs, including a 2.4-inch screen, microSD slot, a built-in stereo speaker, an FM tuner and storage capacity, ranged from 2GB up to 8GB. It will also support MP3, WMA, OGG, ASF, FLAC, MPEG4 SP, WMV9 SP, XVID SP (@ 30fps), JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF and TXT file formats. Price wise, count 70 euros for the 2GB PMP or 90 euros for the 4GB device.

[iRiver]

Applications, Media Players, Phones

iPhone Firmware 2.2 Now Has Pwnage And QuickPwn Tools

As expected, now that firmware update 2.2 has been officially released, you get a chance to jailbreak your iPhone/iPod Touch devices with the new Pwnage and QuickPwn tools that DevTeam has just unveiled. Mind you, if you wish to unlock your 3G handheld, somewhere in the future, the team has ordered to use Pwnage tool ONLY, so pay attention to the instructions during the jailbreaking process.

Audio, Media Players

Creative Goes Kiddy Style With The New Zen Moo

3 Comments

Creative announces the release of the Zen Moo, a new Zen Stone mp3 player evolvement with various amusing cows design, in tribute to Chinease 2009 year of the plastic cow. The Moo version includes a small OLED screen, a microphone, an FM tuner, a tiny speaker, 2GB of memory and battery that can provide up to 20 hours of playback. Mind you, it is exlusive to China, so if you wish to have one of those funny cows, just order a ticket to Beijing and don’t forget to visit the Chinese wall.

[via imp3]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Onda VX626 PMP Packs a TV Tuner Inside

Chinese company Onda, announces the release of the VX626 PMP, to be available in early December with a 2.8-inch screen, Rockchips RK2706 processor and the usual features, including an FM tuner, e-book reader,  and even high-resolution video support. Still, no info concerning the price, but those who buy this one, will enjoy a built-in CMMB receiver, which means, a portable TV inside.

[via mp4nation]

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Samsung To Introduce The New P3 PMP

Nothing is official yet, but looks like Samsung has started paving the way for the new P3 PMP, to be shown off on January, at the CES show in Vegas. Meanwhile, the company has delivered the P2 successor to some lucky bloggers, to tease us with more info and images. From their tidbits, we learn the new multimedia player features a haptic (480 x 272) 3-inch touchscreen, along with an FM tuner, a microphone, a single speaker, and storage capacities, ranged from 4GB up to 32GB. You also get Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity with A2DP support, and new customizable interface. Formats wise, the new device can play MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, MPEG4, WMV, H.264, JPG, PNG, and BMP files, for 30 hours of audio or 5 hours of video. Still, no word on price or availability, but be sure the Koreans will release those details soon.

Update: checkout the video after the break.

[via gmp3]

[dailymotion]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7fuud_preview-samsung-p3-par-gmp3_tech[/dailymotion]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Western Digital Rolls Out WD TV HD Media Player

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I guess this one won’t catch you by surprise, but in case you haven’t heard, Western Digital has launched a new TV HD Media Player, that turns your USB drive into an HD media player, allowing you to watch your favorite HD movies on your TV. This 1.6 x 4.9 x 3.9-inch box supports Full HD 1080p video playbackand can house 2 USB drives simultaneously. Naturally, it has an HDMI output, but also composite video interfaces for easy connection. To get this one you’ll have to shell out merely $129.99.

[via engadget]

General, Media Players, News

iRiver Spinn Gets Price Cut

We’re not sure either it’s just a holidays gift or recession circumstances, but Korean company, iRiver, has decided to cut the Spinn‘s expropriated prices and make them more affordable for the audiophiles. Thus, you get a chance to buy the 4GB player for $189.99 ($10 cut) or the 8GB version for $229.99 ($20 cut). Expect changes to take place starting from today.

Update: it seems these price cuts will include the E100 and the LPlayer.

[via Crave]

Audio, Media Players

Philips GoGear SA2940 MP3 Player Introduced

Philips’ GoGear MP3 player was just another media device, back in its first version. Today, however, we’re glad to find that the company has improved the lineup, by introducing the new GoGear 2940, which literally looks similar to previous models, but includes a stunning 1.5-inch color OLED display, with the ability to present photos and album arts. The rest of the specs feature 4GB flash-based capacity, built-in EQ, a microphone, an FM tuner and MP3/WAV/WMA formats support. Regretfully, no word on price or availability.

[via gmp3]

Audio, Media Players, Video

iRiver Introduces The NV Mini Portable Navigation PMP

Reincomm has announced the release of the iriver NV mini, a new personal navigation device, running Windows CE 5.0 with multimedia capabilites. This 3.5-inch 320 x 240 touchscreen Nav-PMP device packs a SiRF Star III GPS system, together with SDHC slot, to load Atlas maps into the unit. In addition, the NV mini supports wide range of media codecs, including MP3, WMA, OGG, WMV, JPEG, PNG, BMP file formats, and available in a sleeky-metal design, housing 4GB of flash-based capacity.To get this one, you’ll have to shell out around $130.

[iriver via Aving]

Audio, Media Players, Mobile, Phones, Video

Meizu M8 Gets The Unboxing Treatment

With so much disinformation floating around, we can’t be sure either these images are real or just a hoax, but you have to admit they look very reliable, with this nice black or white varnished cover and those colorful boxes, laying down next to the Meizu M8 manual and installation CD. But the most interesting thing is the new specs that jump out of the pile, featuring a strong ARM11 800MHz CPU, 3.4-inch 720 x 480 touchscreen, 4GB/8GB/16GB capacities, 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity. According to the guys at Meizu News, the M8 is scheduled to be released in Asia around December, priced at 240 € / 284 € / 350 € respectively. Hit the link to see more pictures.

Specifications

  • Price: 240€ up to 350€
  • Size: 4GB/8GB/16GB
  • Network type: WCDMA (3G), GSM EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
  • Touch screen: 16,000,000 colors, 3.4 “TFT VGA + (720 x 480)
  • Ringtones: Polyphonic 64 tons
  • Camera: 3.2m Pixels
  • Operating system: Meizu OS (Windows Mobile Base CE6.0 amended by Meizu)
  • Dimensions: 108 x 59 x 11.9mm
  • CPU: ARM11 800MHz (Samsung 6410)
  • Memory: 256 MB DDR-SDRAM
  • Battery: 1200mAh
  • WiFi: 802.11b and g
  • Bluetooth: 2.0
  • Internet: Web browser Opera version customized by Meizu
  • Video playback: (720 x 480 30fps, H263/264 MPEG2 MPEG4 WMV, RM, RMVB)
  • Other features: mp3 player, LINE OR, microphone, loudspeaker

[via Meizu News]

Continue reading Meizu M8 Gets The Unboxing Treatment →

Audio, Media Players, Phones

Philips To Launch GoGear LUXE Mp3 Player With Bluetooth Connectivity

2 Comments

Philiphs’ GoGear LUXE new MP3 player could easily get into those mediocre DAPs category, with only 2GB of flash memory, the usual FM tuner, a one-line LCD screen and a scant 10 hours of continuous music play. But the facts prove different, with the cool diamondback cover, first-rate music quality and the built-in Bluetooth 2.1 headset, that provides 100 hours of standby time and the automatic pause feature, whenever a call comes in. Priced at S$139 ($92), this cool device is about to hit the streets of Singapore next month, and the rest of Asia, later on.

[Via PMPToday]

Audio, Internet, Media Players, Video

Archos 5 3G PMP To Make a Debut On French Carrier SFR

It’s been a while since Archos first introduced the Archos 5,7 Internet Media Tablets to the world, but the one we’ve been all expecting, the Archos 5 3G+model, was just announced by French wireless carrier SFR, and will make its way to the European market with the same stunning 4.8-inch 800 x 600 touchscreen and the strong ARM Cortex processor, but with a black stylish cover and a shrunken 30GB storage drive (compared to the 60GB/120GB/250GB versions in normal). The new subsidized device boasts an integrated 3G HSDPA modem and new customized SFR menu (We prefer the regular one), coming with monthly data subscriptions of €19.90/$25, in case you’re an existing SFR customer or €24 ($30) for newbies, aside the €249 ($320) you have to pay for the unit itself. Still, no word when this piece of technology is going to hit Stateside, but you can take a look at the video (in French) for the meantime.

[via gmp3]

[image via journaldugeek]

Continue reading Archos 5 3G PMP To Make a Debut On French Carrier SFR →

Audio, Media Players, Video

Aigo's Formula One PMP Edition Introduced, Packs 720p Output

Aigo introduces the new Patriot MP5-MK3510 PMP, also known as the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP5 media player, coming up with an unknown price tag, but with a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 display, an FM tuner, an eBook reader, a microSD slot and a battery that can deliver 4 hours of video or 10 hours of audio. In spite of a wide codecs support, including MP3, WMA, FLAC, APE, RM, RMVB, AVI, FLV, DAT, MPG, MPEG, JPG, BMP, GIF, and TXT, the most intriguing part is the 720p output, that provides high-def content to the mediocre screen. Regretfully, no word on availability, in case you’re a racing avid.

[Via PMP Today]

Audio, Media Players, Video

LaCie LaCinema Rugged Multimedia Hard Drive Announced

LaCie has announced the release of a new multimedia drive lineup, also known as LaCinema Rugged. Designed by Neil Poulton, the new media drive, houses capacities, ranged from 250GB up to 500GB, so you can store all your movies, videos, or photos in one small place and play them on any TV, thanks to the composite / 1080i HDMI outputs inside. Once connected, you get a friendly onscreen interface to handle the content that may include varies codecs support, such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (AVI, VOB, IFO, ISO), MPEG-4 (AVI, XviD) video files, or MP3, WMA, AC3, Ogg Vorbis, AAC audio files or JPEG (up to 8 megapixels), GIF, PNG, BMP image files and even subtitle files like SRT, SSA, SUB, SMI. The LaCinema Rugged is compatible with both PAL /NTSC systems and to make things more comfortable, there’s a nice remote control, to let you command the box from your sofa. Regretfully, no word when this thing is going to hit Stateside, but if you’re heading to Europe, you can get the 500GB version for £219 ($357).

[Lacie via engadget]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Newman To Launch MANMAN-A2 music player

It’s been a while, since we’ve last heard from the Chinese corporation Newman, but it seems they’ve been working hard to bring up their latest MP5 MANMAN-A2 player, to be available at the end of October for an undisclosure price. The player features a 3-inch LCD TFT display, an FM tuner, a microphone and either 4GB or 8GB flash-based capacities. You also get a TV output and wide codecs support, including MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, OGG, APE, FLAC, RM, RMVB, FLV, MPG, DAT, AVI, MP4, and WMV formats, squized into a slim 8.9mm body.

[via imp3]

Hardware, Media Players, Mobile

iGPS360 Brings GPS To Your iPod Touch Player

From personal knowledge, I know there’s a great demand for third party GPS system that will be able to upgrade the iPhone and the iPod touch devices with full navigation capabilities. Regretfully, since Cebit 2008, we haven’t seen anything tangible, making its way to the market, until today, as Orange 360 has decided to change the game by announcing a state of the art iGPS360 module, that will be able to hook up to your iPod touch players or your First Gen. iPhone handheld, in order to bring a GPS hardware system and answer the very basic needs of navigating. Despite the fact it’s still in production, the iGPS360 will be available only for the first 1000 buyers, for a reasonable price of $75, so If youcan’t wait anymore, it’s up for pre-order at the company’s website.

[Orange360]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Cowon O2 PMP Gets a First UI Video Impression

The new Cowon O2 will make its way to the market in early November. Meanwhile, we get a chance to look at some of the early images that popup from different directions. First impression unveils an elegant look with a nice 4.3-inch 480 x 272 touchscreen, sans buttons, and a traditional Cowon slot that contains an SD port, a TV output and a mini USB connection. Format wise, the O2 supports almost every available codec on earth, including MP3, WMA, FLAC, OGG, AAC, ASF, WAV, APE, WavPack, True Audio Lossless, MusePack, Monkey’s Audio, AVI, WMV, MPEG-4 SP, MKV, OGM, MPEG-2, DAT and MTV. As for storage, the flash-based PMP offers 8GB/16GB or 32GB capacities to choose from. Hit the jump to catch the video, presenting the UI.

Update: It is now available on JetMall, Amazon, NewEgg and others, priced at $219.99 (8GB), $249.99 (16GB) or $299.99 (32GB).

[via Crave]

Continue reading Cowon O2 PMP Gets a First UI Video Impression →

Audio, Media Players, Music

Sandisk To Introduce Sansa slotMusic Player

Honestly, I have no idea why Sandisk has any desire to release the Sansa slotMusic player, specially when the initiative to distribute music and movies on microSD cards, wasn’t a big hit. So, I understand the new player is a sort of “accessory” that might help the consumers to play their microSD $15 pre-loaded DRM-free music, from diverse artists, but as a matter of fact, the same thing can be done with other players, the kind that HAVE a built-in display, and not just a card sleeve that plays tracks. Anyways, it can be used for different commercial promotions, so i guess you won’t mind getting this $20 device in one of those big fairs. In any case, it is a basic MP3 player, that comes with a microSD slot, houses a 1 single AAA battery that can last 15 hours, and sized at 72.1 x 36.8 x 15.2 mm 48g. In addition, it supports MP3, OGG, FLAC, WMA file formats and is supposedly available now, across North America, while followed by Europe and other destinations in 2009.

[Sandisk]

Audio, Internet, Media Players, Video

Archos 5,7 Devices Get OGG / Flac Support And Better Battery Workout With The New Firmware Update

Archos fans can be very pleased, as the company has just released firmware update 1.0.87 for the Archos 5 and Archos 7 internet media tablets, coming up with OGG / Flac formats support, after so many years. As an Archos avid, I must admit, it wasn’t expected at all and from my personal knowledge, many media junkies haven’t made any contact with the French players because of that specific reason, so I guess these are great news, wherever you are. Additionally, the new firmware version substantially improves the battery life to 22 hours of audio and 7 hours of video, together with some major bug fixes. It is also been reported that the wifi range was increased and the USB transfer rate has been raised. You can download firmware version 1.0.87 from here.

Meanwhile, we hear that the guys at Pocketables.net have compared websites loading time between the Archos 5, iPhone 3G and the Nokia N810, and the results are truly amazing, as the Archos 5 was the clear winner in every aspect, thanks to the strong 600MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor. Checkout the comparing table after the break.

[via Archos]

Continue reading Archos 5,7 Devices Get OGG / Flac Support And Better Battery Workout With The New Firmware Update →

Audio, Internet, Media Players, Video

Archos 5 Gets an Official Guided Tour

Following Apple’s steps, French multimedia manufacturer, Archos, has just released a 13 minutes guided tour video, introducing its latest Internet Media Tablet lineup, together with some of the main key features and the optional plugins/accessories you can get, in order to enhance your experience. It is the first time that Archos releases such a video tour, as part of its new global marketing strategy, to push forward the new Archos 5 and the Archos 7 media tablets. Checkout the video after the break.

[Archos]

Continue reading Archos 5 Gets an Official Guided Tour →

Audio, Media Players, Video

Maxian M1 PMP Is Officially Available

After the new lineup announcement, at IFA 2008 in Berlin, Korean company, Maxian, rolls out the M1PMP, coming up with a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 touchscreen, a strong 500Mhz CPU and Windows CE 5.0 onboard. It packs a T-DMB tuner, an electronic dictionary, 9 EQ, an FM tuner, a microphone, SDHC slot and TV output. In addition, the M1supports MP3, WAV, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, TTA, JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG, AVI, MPEG4, WMV , ASF, VOB, MP4, SMI, TXT, DOC, HTM, XLS, PPT, PDF file formats, and sized at 106.5 × 61×13. 1mm (113g). Still, no word on pricing or international availability, but if you happened to be in Asia, you will be able to choose either 8GB or 16GB internal flash storage, covered with a nice black flavor.

[via moveplayer]

Applications, Audio, Media Players

SanDisk Sansa Fuze Gets Ogg And FLAC Formats Support

Fuze owners can clap hands with joy, as firmware version 1.01.15, that was recently released, has brought FLAC and Ogg codecs to their Sansa players, which means – quality sound, spiced with lossless encoding. In addition, the new update fixes some of the bugs and improves the user interface, and the rumor says the Sansa Clip is next, to get these cool additions.

[Sandisk via DAPreview]

Audio, Media Players

Zune To Get "Gears Of Wars 2" Special Edition Version

Shooting games are very popular among the gamers communities, specially when it comes to futuristic combat zones, which provide next-gen battle field experiences and top-notch weapons to handle. But the excitement, doesn’t necessarily, have to stay in our leaving rooms, in front of the game consoles,  It can also be shifted to our multimedia hanheld, as it was carried out by Microsoft, with the announcement of the “Gears of War 2” Zune 120 special edition PMP, pre-loaded with tons of freebies, including 244 fragments from the game, the soundtrack, behind-the-scenes videos, making the art, and many more, all packed in a blackish version, engraved with a shady skull at the back, now available for pre-orders at Walmart.com and Amazon.com, if you can shell out $280 and wait for the shipping date, somewhere around November.

[via gmp3]

Audio, Media Players, Video

SmartQ Introduces The New TAO PMP

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SmartQ has officially introduced the new TAO media player, coming up with a sleek blackish design and a 3.3-inch 480×320 HVGA display. It has a 500mhz Blackfin processor, a 4GB capacity, an FM tuner , A microphone and SDHC slot, to expand your storage. This 105 × 62×14 mm PMP supports wide bunch of formats, including MP3, OGG, WMA, FLAC, APE, AAC, WAV (PCM, ADPCM), FLV, WMV, ASF, 3GP, MPEG, RMVB, DAT, MP4, Xvid, and even high-def Divx (720 × 480). Battery can provide up to 20 hours of audio or 6 hours of video, which is fairly reasonable for a $100 price tag.

[via gmp3]

Audio, Mobile, Video

BenQ Aries2 S6 MID Goes Live In Italy

The new BenQ S6 Mobile Internet Device makes a debut right on time, via Italian carrier TIM, with a 4.8-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen and a powerful 800MHz Atom MID processor, to handle the 3G 7.2Mbps HSDPA. It features a 2GB SSD drive, 512MB of RAM, a microSD card slot, Bluetooth 2.0 and WiFi connectivity, adorned in a small 159 x 89 x 22mm, 330gm package. To get this amazing Linux Midinux-based device, you’ll have to shell out €429 ($626), which means, giving up your next laptop procurement. Still, it looks like a top-notch portable machine with endless capabilities, the kind we’d like to see in our hands.

[Via UMPC Portal]

Audio, Media Players, Video

MobiBlu Rolls Out The New T20 PMP

Korean company MobiBlu has released their latest T20 media player, coming with a 2.4-inch 320 x 240 display, an FM radio, a voice recorder, and flash storage, ranged from 1GB up to 8GB. It is compatible with MP3, WMA, FLAC, AAC, APE, RM / RMVB, AVI, JPG, BMP, TXT file formats and already available in Asia for around $200 (8GB). I guess there are some other alluring alternatives to spend the money on. Meaning, we need a better price.

[via gmp3]

Audio, Events, Internet, Mobile, News, Operating Systems, Phones

T-Mobile G1: First HTC Dream G1 Android Powered Phone Introduced

2 Comments

The T-Mobile G1 event was definitely a game changer, to how the mobile phone and the Internet have merged to bring us innovative solutions in one device, the kind that can provide Email, Maps, Calendar, instant messaging, Contacts, Search engine and Media player, all together in one strong Open Source platform that will be able to compete those lavish smartphone handsets, with a fair and affordable price. As the clock pointed at 10:30 AM (East time), a group of distinguish representatives from companies like Deutsche Telecom, T-Mobile, HTC and Google were gathered on one small New York stage, to announce the long-awaited HTC Dream, powered with Google’s Android operating system, to be available in T-Mobile stores and dealers on October 27th, for merely $179, subjunctive to a two year contract – $25/month deal, including unlimited internet access plus a certain amount of messaging package, or $35/month deal with unlimited internet access and unlimited messages to send.

The new phone, also known as the G1, is equipped with a quadband GSM HSDPA 1700/2100, a stunning flip-out 3-inch 320 x 480 HVGA touchscreen, a full QWERTY keyboard to make it easier when you type-in a web address or any other online form, a 3.2MP camera with auto focus, a microSD card extension (1GB microSD card included, supports up to 8GB card), GPS navigation system, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. The continuous collaboration with Mountain View brings a smooth multitasking UI, packed with many Google apps, such as Gmail, GTalk IM, Google Maps, digital compass, integrated Traffic view / Street View, Google calender and last but not least, Google’s search engine, assimilated inside the built-in browser. In addition, you get more applications pre-loaded, like Android Market, which is equivalent to Apple’s App Store, Amazon’s MP3 store, allowing to download from 6 million DRM-free tracks (starting at 89 cents), YouTube and many other third-party goodies onboard. The unit comes with a designated Search Button that lets you work across the entire interface and search any application you want. Thus, you can look for your friends in the contact list or search for a special occasion within your calender, etc. Regretfully, it doesn’t support the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, nor A2DP stereo Bluetooth, but you can expect to see them in future versions. Sized at 4.60” x 2.16” x 0.62”, the G1’s battery provides up to 5 hours of speech or 130 hours in standby mode and potential buyers will be able to choose between black, white or brown flavors, when the phone goes live, in early November.

Checkout the videos after the break. For more images you can click in here.

[via Android Community]

Continue reading T-Mobile G1: First HTC Dream G1 Android Powered Phone Introduced →

Audio, Media Players, Video

iRiver P20 Media Player Gets Official Release In Korea

iRiver has officially released the P20 media player, to be available in 80GB or 120GB storage capacities, along with 4.1-inch 480 x 272 AMOLED screen, an FM tuner, a microphone, a speaker, a DMB tuner, and SD-MMC-CF card slot. It packs a TV output and compatible with MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG, APE, FLAC, JPEG, RAW, BMP, GIF, PNG, MPEG4, XviD, WMV9, DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF, HWP, GUL, HTML / HTM / MHTML, TXT, SWF file formats, so there are plenty of audio, video and image codecs you can stock inside. Prices start at $430 for the 80GB version and climb up to $460 for the 120GB model, but these are probably Korean rates only. In any case, the iriver Spinn looks more appealing to me.

Update: the P20 will make a debut in Japan on February 27th, priced at ¥39,800 ($436) for the 80GB version.

[iRiver]

Continue reading iRiver P20 Media Player Gets Official Release In Korea →

Audio, Media Players, Video

Porient H12 UMPC Makes a Debut With 4.8" Touchscreen And Linux Based OS

The new Porient H12 UMPC can easily compete head-to-head with the latest Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet, as it comes with a 4.8-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen and a strong 520MHz Intel XScale PXA270 processor. However, the 300gm device packs only 2GB of flash storage, so i guess there’s an obvious winner between the two, having the Archos 5 housing 60/120/250GB capacities onboard. Notwithstanding, the H12 features an SD/MMC card slot, mini-USB port, 802.11b/g WiFi connectivity, built-in GPS navigation system, DAB/DVB-H/DVB-T tuners and assimilated capabilities, including a web browser, RSS reader, multimedia player, voice recording, email, PDF viewer, office software, etc. Still, no word on price or availability, but it seems you can place your order for a bulk of units.

[via pocketables]

Audio, Media Players, Video

RCA To Introduce A New Lyra Slider PMP

It might look like one of those updated cell phones, but it’s actually RCA’s new Lyra slider PMP, to be available somewhere in the fall, with 4GB / 8GB storage capacities, an FM radio, USB 2.0 connection and battery life, delivering up to 50 hours of audio or 8 hours of video. Count $79.99 for the 4GB version or $99.99 for the 8GB one.

[via engadget]

Media Players

Zune Players To Feature New Colors Collection

Following the new Zunes announcement, Microsoft has decided to variegate the collection with some new refreshing colors, as the Zune 120 will have blue and white flavors, joining the black version, while the 8GB Zune will be offered in red and white hues, together with the stunning blue flavor that we’ve already seen.

[via zuneboards]

Audio, Media Players, Music

Pioneer XM XMp3 PMP Pops Up In The Wild, Can Play Sattelite Radio And Audio Music

This new XM XMP3 Sattelite radio PMP from Pioneer, showed up on Best Buy’s website for couple of seconds and immediately vanished for some reason. Naturally, it has a built-in XM sattelite radio with up to 170 channels that you can access for a flat monthly fee of $12.95. In addition, you can play any MP3 / WMA files, stored on any microSD card with 8GB capacity at most. You can also record 100 hours of XM Radio on five different channels simultaneously, and schedule them as you want. The package contains a home dock, home antenna, a remote control and cables that will be available in about 2 weeks, for $279.99.

Update: checkout the video after the break, featuring the XM’s interface.

[via orbitcast]

Continue reading Pioneer XM XMp3 PMP Pops Up In The Wild, Can Play Sattelite Radio And Audio Music →

General, Internet, Music, News

Best Buy Acquires Online Music Service Napster For $121M

Online digital music market is getting warmed up, as US retail giant, Best Buy, announces it will acquire Napser for an astonishing $121 million price tag. The transaction is set to be accomplished in Q4 of this year and we have no doubt it was carried out in order to try snatching a substantial share from iTunes’ market dominance. Napster allows its 708,000 subscribers to access an unlimited library of music or using the “Napster Mobile” platform, on their mobile phones, for a small monthly fee of $15. Having said that, the company has never turned a profit, during its long years of existence.

Best Buy president Brian Dunn confirms the company’s desire to expand Napster services and to use “Napster’s capabilities and digital subscriber base to reach new customers with an enhanced experience for exploring and selecting music and other digital entertainment products over an increasing array of devices.” Be sure it’s just the beginning and we expect more developments to take place in the near future. We do hope this move will increase the competition and at the end of the day, will be profitable for the consumers.

[via ZDNet]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Quantum To Launch a New Video Touch PMP With Navigation Capabilities

The new Video Touch PMP from Quantum has been officially announced, featuring GPS navigation capabilities, including traffic and weather updates, plus a built-in digital TV with up to 30 channels, using Siano DVB-H receiver inside. In addition, the new PMP supports mp3 audio files – to listen to your favorite music, images  – to collect your entire digital album and video – to watch your movies on the go. The touchscreen is compatible with gesture interface so the UI is expected to work smoothly. Still no word on price or availability.

[via techfresh]

Applications, Media Players

DevTeam Releases New Pwnage And QuickPwn Tools To Jailbreak Your iPod Touch 2.1 Firmware Version

As expected, now that firmware update 2.1 has been officially released, you get a chance to jailbreak your iPod Touch player with the new Pwnage and QuickPwn tools that DevTeam has just unveiled. To do so, you’ll have to follow 13 steps in order to accomplish the assignment. Mind you, iTunes 8 can detect those jailbroken devices and won’t recognize them, so you might rethink, either upgrading to the latest iTunes or staying with the previous version, until a better solution comes up. Still, no iPhone Jailbreak application released, but be sure it will.

[DevTeam]

Audio, Media Players

Kenwood Announces New Media-Keg MG-E DAP Series

Japanese corporation Kenwood has introduced a new mp3-players lineup, to be available at the end of September in black, white or red flavors. The Media Keg MG-E devices feature a 1.5-inch color organic display, 2GB or 4GB Built-in flash memory capacity, 9EQ, a microSD / SDHC slot, and lithium ion battery that can deliver up to 54 hours of music. Also, they are compatible with wide variety of formats, such as MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, JPEG, BMP and there are 7 different menu languages available, including Japanese, English, French, Italian, German, Dutch, or Spanish. You can get the 2GB version for $130 or the 4GB for $145.

[Kenwood]

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

New iPod Classic Announced, Coming With a 120GB Version

Apple cuts Classic’s sizes, announcing new skimmed iPod Classic player with 120GB storage capacity, to match the Microsoft Zune head-to-head. Regretfully, this is going to be the only available Classic model in the market, since Cupertino has decided to bury those fatty 160GB players and reduce the storage by 40GB. However, you still have some limited time to get one to your collection before it leaves us forever.

Audio, Media Players

Apple To Introduce iPod Nano 4th Gen With Tall Skinny Design, Built-In Accelerometer And a New Interface

So there it is, the new iPod Nano 4th generation was officially announced at Apple’s “Let’s Rock” event and it looks exactly as we’ve expected. The new Nano comes with a 2-inch display, integrated accelerometer that will automatically switch from Landscape mode to Cover Flow, a voice recorder(!) inside the new enclosed headphones, a tall skinny design with curvy edges on both sides and a brushed metal body, offering 9 colors to choose from, including silver, gunmetal, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and pink. In addition, the fourth generation player packs storage capacity ranged from 8GB ($149) to 16GB ($199), as the fresh seamlessly interface features the new Genius playlists menu that we’ve seen in iTunes 8, together with a surprising shake to shuffle feature, to choose random tracks while listening to your favorite music. Battery can provide up to 24 hours of audio or 4 hours of video, same as previous generations. To get one, you can start ordering right now from Apple’s online store or wait until it hits the shelves this weekend. Meanwhile, checkout the video after the break.

[Apple]

Continue reading Apple To Introduce iPod Nano 4th Gen With Tall Skinny Design, Built-In Accelerometer And a New Interface →

Applications, Media Players, News, Operating Systems, Phones

iPhone Firmware 2.1 Announced, Will Fight The Bugs And The Crashes

Apple is desperately looking for new solutions to fix those pesky iphone/ipod touch bugs, crashes, call drops and bad reception, announcing new firmware update, to be available on Friday for a free download (regretfully, ipod touch owners will have to pay $10 for it). Also, the coming 2.1 version will apparantly improve battery life and backup synchronization, but won’t tackle with the copy & paste problem – hopefully it will – one day.

Update1: You can download it RIGHT NOW from here.

Update2: iPod Touch owners with firmware version 2.0 are entitled to download the new update for free.

Slashgear

[Image courtesy: Slashgear]

Applications, Audio, Events, Music, News

iTunes 8 Goes Live With HD Shows, Genius Playlists And The Great Magnetosphere Visualizer

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iTunes 8 officially goes live at Apple’s “Let Us Rock” event, introducing HD shows from ABC, NBC and Showtime, to run for $2.99 per episode (the rest priced at $1.99). In addition, the 8 version comes with the new “Genius” sidebar feature, which lets you automatically create playlists from songs in your music library that go great together. Meaning, iTunes has a smart music reccomendation tool that helps users to rediscover favorite songs in their existing music library and suggests related music on the iTunes Store they might want to add to their music collection (sort of Pandora like). Furthermore, you can visualy browse your iTunes’ music / video libraries, using your album or video cover art and enjoy some new stunning Magnetosphere visualizations, once you turn your favorite music on. Tunes 8 is now available for download via Apple’s website.

[Apple]

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Microsoft To Launch a Blue 8GB Flash Zune, Together With Zune 3.0 Firmware Update

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Following last week’s Zune 16GB and Zune 120GB appearance, turns out there’s another kid on the block, joining the forthcoming lineup, a blue 8GB flash Zune, to be released in September with a 320 x 240 LCD display, wireless sync capabilities, Zune to Zune wireless sharing, an FM tuner and other alternative flavors, including black or silver. The new Zune supports wide variety of formats, like WMA, AAC, MP3, MPEG-4, WMV, H.264, or JPEG to play all your videos, music and images.

In addition, Microsoft will launch the Zune 3.0 platform, which includes some new features, such as Buy from FM, which lets you listen to your favorite FM radio stations and click to tag the songs you like for later purchase when you sync your device with your PC1. Zune Pass that lets you download millions of tracks, whole albums or playlists with Zune Pass subscription service. Device to Cloud that allows you to access thousands of wireless hotspots around the country to automatically update your collection, browse Zune Marketplace, refresh Channels, exchange favorites with friends, or buy songs you’ve tagged from your FM radio. Channels are custom programming stations that deliver personalized playlists to your Zune from a variety of sources you select, such as music experts, celebrities, or top radio stations. Games Zune Players now come with a selection of fun free games to choose from. Play and challenge yourself with Hexic, and make sure you play your favorite song from your collection to create your own personal game soundtrack. Video/TV Shows you can choose from a growing selection of TV shows now available on the Zune Marketplace video store. Recorded TV shows or movies from Windows Media Center in Windows Vista can be imported and synced to your Zune.

The 8GB flash-based model will be available for $149.99 and we look forward to play with the new models.

Update1: Redmond has confirmed the new lineup, to be scheduled for September 16th. Prices, as expected, stand at $250 for the 120GB Zune, $199 for the 16GB flash version and $149 for the latest 8GB model. Mind you, the new Zune 3.0 software supports all Zune players, so if you hold in your pockets older devices, you’re covered. Hit the jump to see the video from CNET News, hosting Joe Belfiore from Microsoft.

Update2: As promised, Microsoft has launched Zune 3.0 update, now available to download from here. Mind you it’s one hefty file, sized 165MB(!).

[via Zunerama]

Continue reading Microsoft To Launch a Blue 8GB Flash Zune, Together With Zune 3.0 Firmware Update →

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Presumed New iPod Nano and iPod Touch Dimensions Slings Out

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With Apple, it’s all about enigma, spiced with some mystery and tidbits that show up in the wild from time to time, make you wondering if it’s fake or real, specially when unofficial images emerge to the cybernetic medium, introducing new ipod Nano and ipod Touch players with a refreshing design and mint dimensions.

This time, these are the guys from iLounge who break the news with sketchy pictures of the presumable future devices, that will probably make it official at the Apple event on Thursday the 9th this month. From those pictures, we learn that Apple plans to release a 4th generation iPod nano and a 2nd generation iPod touch, while the new Nano measures at 90.75mm x 38.75mm x 6.08mm (compared to 90mm x 40mm x 6.5mm 2nd Gen nano), and the new iPod touch looks like the iPhone 3G, with a curved back and tapered edges, sized at 111mm x 61.8mm x 8.4mm (against 110mm x 61.8mm x 8mm at the first ipod touch version) with the same headphone jack and dock ports. Mind you, these are unofficial images, so you’d better hold your breath for the real thing next week.

[via iLounge]

Continue reading Presumed New iPod Nano and iPod Touch Dimensions Slings Out →

Audio, Media Players, Video

Meizu M8 Gets Another Interface Preview

It was back at the CeBIT show when we first spotted the Meizu M8 UI, but ever since, there were more speculations than a real product. Today, we finally get a chance to look at what appears to be a tangible video of the new Meizu M8 interface, presented by Mr. Jack Wong himself, introducing a smooth iphone-alike surface, with a flowing touchscreen and some new icons, different from the first imitating ones. Still, no word on when or where this long-time saga is about to end, if at all, but we do keep following. Meanwhile, checkout the new video.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/iDQ-coSHPCQ" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
_____________________________________
[via meizume]

Audio, Media Players, News

Zune 16GB and 120GB Pop Up In The Wild

Assuming those images are real, and we do get a confirmation from B&H they are, then Microsoft is about to launch two fresh Zune models, including a 16GB flash player and a 120GB HDD-based version, already available for pre-order for $249.95. Still, no info when exactly these new players will hit the stores but i guess it’s just a matter of month or so. Stay tuned for more to come.

[via zunited]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Onda Intros The New VX787 Touchscreen PMP

Onda has introduced its latest VX787 PMP, coming up with a 4.3-inch touchscreen (480 x 272), a microphone, a speaker, an FM tuner, 7 EQ, microSD slot, a TV output and storage capacity, ranged from 2GB up to 16GB. This player, which is about to make a debut in September, supports wide variety of formats, including MP3, WMA, ASF, WMV9 SP, MPEG-4 SP, RM / RMVB, AVI, FLV, ASF, MP4, MPG, MOV, WMA, WMV, 3GP, SWF, TXT, JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, and plays 30 hours of audio against 10 hours of video. Count $200 for the 16GB version. There’s a video preview after the break.

[via mp4global]

Continue reading Onda Intros The New VX787 Touchscreen PMP →

Audio, IFA, Media Players, Music, Video

IFA 2008: Sony Officially Introduces S, E And B Walkman Series

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Following Sony’s recent Walkman lineup revelation, the company has decided to go official, introducing “S”, “E”, and “B” Walkman players, to be released in the coming September with prices ranged from $45 up to $180.

The S series

Includes the 4GB NWZ-S736F and 8GB NWZ-S738F Walkmans, coming up with a light 7.5mm thick design, a 2-inch QVGA LCD display, an FM tuner, noise-cancelling technology, drag-and-drop file management and wide formats support, like MP3, WMA, AAC, Linear PCM, JPEG, and MPEG-4. Battery life is very impressive and can deliver up to 40 hours of audio playback or 10 hours of video.

[via cellphonehits]

Continue reading IFA 2008: Sony Officially Introduces S, E And B Walkman Series →

Audio, IFA, Media Players, News, Video

IFA 2008: Samsung To Introduce The New YP-Q1 PMP

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It’s not official yet, but word on the street says that Samsung is about to announce their latest YP-Q1 media player at the IFA 2008 in Berlin. The new YP-Q1 is expected to have a 2.4-inch QVGA screen, together with a microphone, an FM RDS tuner, 4GB/8GB or 16GB capacities to choose from, and USB2.0 connectivity. It will support wide formats range, including MP3, WMA, WAV, Ogg, FLAC, MPEG4 or WMV and suppose to deliver 30 hours of audio or 4 hours of video. No word on price or availability, but Samsung will offer the Q1 black, white, silver or pink flavors. Stay tuned for more to come.

Update: Samsung has officially confirmed the new YP-Q1player, to go live in October, together with the YP-U4 version that is already available. Checkout the video after the break.

[via gmp3]

Continue reading IFA 2008: Samsung To Introduce The New YP-Q1 PMP →

Audio, Media Players

Microsoft Jumps Into Politics, Rolls Out Republicans and Democrats Limited Edition Zune Players For The Conventions

Microsoft joins the US presidential rally, introduces two limited edition Zunes, designed for the Republican and the Democratic National Conventions. Both players are equipped with 4GB of storage, while the Democrats get the green color, which refers to the “Green Delegates Challenge” for environmental responsability, and the Republicans, on the other hand, get the red flavor, marked with their elephant symbol and the environmental responsibility slogen. Not sure where you can get these, probably in the conventions.

[via Gizmodo]

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Audio, Media Players, Video

Maxian To Introduce a New Lineup, Including The L900S, M1 & T2 PMPs

Moments before the beginning of IFA 2008, Korean company Maxian announces the release of a new media players lineup, including the L900S, T2 and the M1, coming up with hefty storage capacities and wide screens.

Maxian L900S

Packs a 4.3-inch WVGA TFT LCD screen (800 x 480), T-DMB tuner, 160GB HDD capacity and wide codex support, including MP3, WAV, WMA, OGG, AC3, AAC, FLAC , EPA, MKA, TTA, AVI, JPG, WMV, ASF, DAT, VOB, MP4, TS, MKV, and JPG.

[via gmp3]

Continue reading Maxian To Introduce a New Lineup, Including The L900S, M1 & T2 PMPs →