Go Play AV: Portable Audio, Video, Media and Game Players

And now for something different - the classic Monty Python line. UberGizmo have reported the release of a new Mp3 player that centers around a dictionary and eBook reader.

Reigncom/iRiver has produced a rather queer hybrid gadget by mixing learning together with entertainment. The D20 is not a large die, but an electronic dictionary with built-in MP3 player, FM radio, personal organizer and eBook reader. You can view photos or read eBooks off the 4.3 inch, 260K color TFT LCD screen and perhaps brush up on your vocabulary. The D20 supports MP3, WMA, OGG

This actually sounds like a rather good idea. Now when you’d rather read (or have to) than listen to music, you can and using the same device.

Read complete article: Reigncom/iRiver D20 MP3 Player Dictionary

Technorati Tags: iriver, mp3 player, portable audio, portable entertainment, iriver dictionary

MobileWhack report the upcoming, release around CES in the first week of January, of a new portable video player, the Flyboy Hd from Video Without Boundaries

Video Without Boundaries, Inc. , a leading provider of interactive, media- convergent home entertainment devices, today announced its new Flyboy HD, a breakthrough in video quality for entertainment lovers on the go. Featuring an innovative 960 x 234 pixel backlit LCD display, the Flyboy HD plays home video, recorded TV programs, movies, video podcasts and more with a clarity and brightness that rivals screens many times its size

Read complete article: Flyboy HD Portable Video Player : MobileWhack.com

Technorati Tags: personal video player, portable video, video without boundaries

Looking for a DVD player for the holday drive to keep the kids quiet? The Philips PET1000 (sounds like a computer from the 80s) might just fit the bill

The good: Sleek design; excellent image quality for portable DVD player; large 10-inch screen; car adapter included; component-video out; two headphone inputs; plays MPEG-4, DivX files video files, and MP3 CD-Rs.

The bad: Expensive; hefty; does not display JPEG photos.

The bottom line: While the Philips PET1000 isn’t exactly svelte or inexpensive, it is one of the sleekest and best performing portable DVD players.

Read complete article: Philips PET1000 Reviews. Portable DVD Players Reviews by CNET.

Technorati Tags: philips, Portable DVD player, portable entertainment

MobileMag put us on to a clip-on MP3 player out of Japan, the Evergreen DM-CLMP 128

If you’re like me, you like the idea of the tiny MP3 players that are hitting the market every day, but you know that you would lose it on the first day you had it. The new DM-CLMP 128 player might solve that problem. It’s an MP3 player built as a clip that you can attach to your bag, belt or collar. It’s small and compact, measuring 25.6 x 53.2 x22.6 mm and weighing just 20 grams.

As with any of the small players, the size comes at the cost of memory capacity. This one has just 128MB of memory to store the WMA or MP3 files it will play. It does have a USB 2.0 slot, though, to make data transfer simple. You get five hours of playback from a single charge, which can be done using the AC adapter or the USB 2.0.

Read complete article: Evergreen DM-CLMP 128 - MP3 player with a clip

Technorati Tags: digital audio player, Evergreen, mp3 player, portable audio, portable entertainment

TrustedReviews recently reviewed the Sony Walkman NW-A1000 (Network Walkman) MP3 player:

Despite the software, this Sony player is still an excellent piece of equipment. Sound quality, gorgeous design, superb battery life and ease of use make it the best high-capacity digital music player from the big S yet.

But is this 6GB device better than a 4GB nano? The answer, unfortunately for Sony, is a resounding no, notwithstanding the advantages I’ve just mentioned.

The nano not only looks as good, it also beats the Sony in virtually every other category. It’s smaller and has a colour screen, it has iTunes, it has Apple’s unbeatably easy-to-use click-wheel interface, and though it is 2GB lighter than the NW-A1000 and a tad more expensive, the fact that it is a flash memory device makes it a more attractive option, especially in the gym.

Read complete article: TrustedReviews - The UK’s Premier Source for IT Reviews & News

Technorati Tags: digital audio player, mp3 player, portable audio, portable entertainment, Sony, sony walkman

MusicGremlin recently announced plans for an MP3 player and music store. Obviously they’ve learnt from Apple’s example - you need both a store and player to build long term security. No saying they will, but it’s a lot smarter than thinking a player alone can knock off the iPod.

MusicGremlin has just announced that it will be launching a WiFi enabled MP3 player and an integrated music store at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this coming January.

Using both the MusicGremlin branded player users will be able to download music from a catalog of over two million songs anywhere they have a WiFi connection and share them wirelessly with their friends. Also with permission friends (using the same MusicGremlin player) can wirelessly browse your device and download songs he or she likes.

Read complete article: MusicGremlin WiFi MP3 Player & Music Store at CES 2006 : MobileWhack.com

Technorati Tags: mp3 player, musicgremlin, portable audio, portable entertainment, online music store

PC Magazine have reviewed the Creative Zen Sleek MP3 player - not Creative’s best effort visually:

Bottom line: The Creative Zen Sleek is a solid, no-frills 20GB hard drive player, and worth a look if you find it at a good price.

Pros: Good audio quality. Easy to use. Sturdy shell. Works with online music services.

Cons: Voice recording quality isn’t great. No line-in capability. Occasional lag when performing some actions. Battery life isn’t stellar.

The Creative Zen Sleek ($220 street), an industrial-looking 20GB MP3 player encased in silver-colored brushed aluminum, is roughly the size of a fourth-generation 20GB iPod but has a slightly wider screen. As with the Zen Micro, you control it with a touch strip surrounded by five clearly labeled buttons. Sound quality is very good, the interface is reasonably easy to use, the player is compatible with online subscription and download services, and you get a few handy extras. Assuming you can find the player for a decent price, don’t use a Mac, and aren’t into looking at tiny photos, it’s worth a look

Industrial design isn’t Creative’s strength, and the Sleek lives up to that. Interesting too, that PC magazine, have marked down recording as an issue, as they did with the Cowon A2’s video recording, which seems a bit harsh given these things are players first and foremost.

Read complete article: Creative Zen Sleek Review by PC Magazine

Lookup on Amazon: “Creative Zen Sleek 20 GB MP3 Player” (Creative Labs)

Technorati Tags: creative zen sleek, digital audio player, mp3 player, portable audio, portable entertainment

Another review of the Cowon A2 portable video player, this time by PC Magazine and not so favorable, although they have emphasized different features:

Bottom line: Though you get a lot out of this portable media player/recorder, video recording was somewhat disappointing.

Pros: Clean design. Good audio quality. Built-in widescreen LCD is clear and sharp. Photos look very good. Excellent battery life.

Cons: Recorded VGA video is jumpy. Maximum video recording bit rate isn’t high enough. Non-removable battery. No remote.

The Cowon A2 is a portable media player/recorder with a 30GB hard drive, a widescreen 4-inch LCD, and an integrated FM tuner. Its video and audio playback capabilities are good, the design is attractive, and the interface is fairly easy to use, but we’re a bit disappointed in what we feel is the device’s main feature: video recording. There are also some file-compatibility issues that need to be worked out before we can get really excited about this product.

Read complete article: Cowon A2 Review by PC Magazine

Lookup on Amazon: “Cowon iAudio A2 30GB MP3 Player” (Cowon)

Technorati Tags: cowon A2, portable entertainment, portable media player, portable video

Possibly inspired by the success of Apple and Mozilla, both believed to have been killed off, another former giant of computing is making a comeback. Commodore - yes that Commodore of C64 and Amiga fame - is releasing three new products. Of interest to us is a GPS navigator with built-in portable media player:

Commodore Navigator
From the name you would’ve already guessed that it was a GPS receiver. Well, the Navigator is not just a GPS receiver. This Windows CE-based device offers a 20 gig hard drive and also has software to play audio and video. Getting lost will never be boring again I’m sure.

The Navigator sports a 3.6″ touch screen and offers 2D and 3D views when using the GPS capabilities. It delivers driving instructions in 18 languages and features car and cycling modes as well, allowing you to figure out the easiest route. Audio formats supported include MP3 and WMA, and the player is DRM9-compatible. MPEG and DivX video formats are supported as well.

The other two products are Commodore Multimedia Tower and Commodore MediaBox.

You can read more in the complete article on MobileWhack: Stop Press! Commodore to make comeback at CES 2006 : MobileWhack.com

Technorati Tags: commodore, commodore 64, commodore amiga, commodore mediabox, commodore multimedia tower, commodore navigator, personal video player, portable entertainment, portable media player, portable video, gps

Another review of the Cowon A2 portable video player, this time from iAudiophile.

The A2 is an excellent Portable Video Player. I can really recommend it to people who are on the lookout for a quality player with excellent battery life, great design, superior build quality and a massive bundle of features. The A2’s firmware is still suffering a few “teething problems”, but Cowon has a great reputation of releasing firmware updates and I am confident that they will fix nearly all the problems still at hand.

The Good

• Great build quality
• Superb screen
• Excellent battery life

• Good controls
• Quality TV-Out
• FM radio with 25 presets and auto-scan

• FM radio recordings
• Built in decent quality microphone

• Line-in recordings
• TV-Out
• Doesn’t crash (haven’t had to ever use the reset button)

• Video support (supports great amount of codecs. PAL/NTSC compatible)

• Built in loudspeakers (with Auto-off when headphones plug in)
• Great sound quality with high power output
• Equalizer & BBE settings
• Customizable (Boot Screen and Wallpaper)

• Text Viewer
• The included charger works everywhere in the world.

• Good scan-speed
• “Recent Files” Feature

Read complete article to find out what iAudiophile thought: Cowon A2 review

Lookup on Amazon:

“Cowon iAudio A2 30GB MP3 Player” (Cowon)

Technorati Tags: cowon, cowon A2, portable entertainment, portable media player, portable video