Chinavision's solar-powered MP4 player and Nintendo emulator, for the eco-friendly software pirate

By

Gary Cutlack

on January 23, 2008 Comments (2)

Don't go killing the planet while playing pirated old Nintendo games!

The Mobile Power Station is being sold as a nice little media player, only, thanks to the Chinese and their total lack of respect for international copyright agreements, it comes with NES, Game Boy and Game Boy Colour emulators pre-installed by the kindly factory workers.

Hardly the most cutting edge of gaming hardware without even Game Boy Advance support, but with a 3.5" screen, e-book playback powers and 2GB of memory space, it's a more than acceptable media player in its own right.

Plus the solar panels can be used to charge your other gadgets via a USB output socket. Which would win it today's Genius Gadget of the Day award, were such an award to exist.

(Via OhGizmo!)

Neuros OSD - digitise your movie collection

By

Dave Walker

on January 15, 2008 Comments (0)

If you fancy a new year clearout of old videos and DVDs, the Neuros OSD might be able to help out.

It's a one-touch way of digitising your movie collection. Just connect it to your DVD or video player, press the 'record' button and your film will be transferred in real time to the Neuros, stored on the attached storage device (external hard drive, USB etc). You can watch it back anytime on your big screen or transfer to a potable device for viewing on the move.

If you want one, the Neuros OSD retails for £149.95.

iWorld

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CES 2008 LEFTOVERS: iRiver SPINN - complete with novelty knob

By

Gary Cutlack

on January 11, 2008 Comments (2)

None of our CES field reporters have done anything on this yet. Odd, seeing how staggering cool it looks. It's iRiver's silver SPINN media player, which handles MP3 tunes, MP4 movies, has an FM tuner, a 3.2" LCD, does Bluetooth 2.0 with ease, has a microphone and up to 16GB of flash memory and so on - all the sort of stuff you'd expect from a modern electric thing that fits inside the pocket of even your tightest trousers.

BUT! iRiver's newest media matchbox has a clever little gimmick. An analogue knob. That twiddly bit on the right there. This makes it easier for people to find and play stuff, apparently, with iRiver touting this as its "Extremely Intuitive User Interface."

It's the iPod's wheel, only vertical and in 3D, pretty much, or a little twist on the Blackberry's awesome little menu-scroller. The SPINN will come in 4, 8 and 16GB versions, and I'll go out on a limb here and say it's the best-looking PMP to come out of CES so far.

I can actually imagine being bothered to buy one, then boring everyone by insisting they look at it and all its features while making appreciative noises.

(Via iRiver)

Pinnacle Video Transfer - pocked-sized device transfers analogue video to digital media player

By

Dave Walker

on January 4, 2008 Comments (1)

Forget the PC, the Pinnacle Video Transfer can record analogue video onto any USB 2.0 storage device without using one.

At the touch of a button, you can immediately begin recording from a TV, DVD player, PVR, camcorder or set-top box directly to a suitable iPod, Sony PSP or USB storage device. No technical skills required, just the ability to press buttons and change a few preferences to adjust recording quality. And if you have the skills, you can always edit on a PC later on.

The device supports multiple inputs including S-Video, Composite video and stereo audio analogue. By purchasing additional cables, Pinnacle Video Transfer can also be used to recharge an iPod or PSP battery during video transfer. Expect it soon, retailing for £99.99.

Motorola launches DH01 - digital TV in the palm of your hand

By

Dave Walker

on January 4, 2008 Comments (0)

Motorola is temporarily moving away from mobile handsets and into mobile television, launching the DH01, which offers TV in the palm of your hand.

The DH01 has a 4.3-inch screen, video display at 25fps, recording and playback via SD storage card and a long-life battery (four hours of viewing at a time). It can even pause live TV. And with it using the European DVBH standard, you can pick up all the digital channels in your area, with listings just like your home TV.

No news on price as yet - expect to see people on trains using it later this year.

Motorola

CES 2008: Archos TV+ - media player and streamer

By

Dave Walker

on January 3, 2008 Comments (0)

Archos will be launching the Archos TV+ at CES, a 250GB recorder that doubles as a Wi-Fi receiver for streaming media, as well as a web browser.

The Wi-Fi means you can download content to the TV+, via the Archos content portal. Web browsing uses an integrated Opera browser. And if you have an older Archos model, you can hook it up via USB. But the most interesting feature is a separate QWERTY remote control, which allows you to search a programme guide for shows to record.

No news of a shelf date, but price will be around £180.

Archos (via Uber Gizmo)

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Harry Potter themed Archos 605 is just magic

By

Stuart Dredge

on December 17, 2007 Comments (0)

Archos has announced a special edition of its 605 WiFi PMP, preloaded with the first four Harry Potter movies. It's due on sale in January from selected Blockbuster shops here in the UK, costing £189.99.

If you need a reminder, the 605 WiFi has a 4.3-inch touchscreen offering 800x480 resolution, as well as 20GB of storage, Wi-Fi web browsing and an optional DVR accessory to record TV shows directly onto the device.

Archos says the fifth Potter film will be downloadable from the Archos Content Portal when its DVD edition comes out (they don't mention if that means 'free to 605 owners', or 'as a paid download' though). Anyway, Potter fans will love it. I'm holding out for a Police Academy edition.

Archos website

Cowon Q5 Wi-Fi media player now available in the UK

By

Dave Walker

on December 17, 2007 Comments (0)

Back in August and indeed back at IFA 07, we featured the rather impressive Cowon Q5 media player. Well, four months down the later, this portable all-rounder is available in the UK

Available with either a 40GB or 60GB drive, the Q5 is more mobile PC than traditional MP3 player with its WinCE 5.0 Professional operating system (with all the familiar office programs). But it doesn't forget it is an entertainment system with 5-inch wide-view touch -screen LCD with 'wing' control, wide format support for audio, video and images, sound enhancement, built-in speaker, Wi-Fi, USB, Bluetooth, TV out and an impressive battery life - up to 13 hours of audio and seven hours of video.

If all that gets your pulse racing, you can get the 40GB model for £399 and the 60GB model for £439.

Advanced MP3 Players

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HANNSG launches HP076VD 7-inch portable DVD player

By

Dave Walker

on December 10, 2007 Comments (0)

Ok, you can take your video with you far more easily with a pocket media player, but if you want a bigger screen and compatibility with your silver discs, something like the HANNSG HP076VD 7-inch portable DVD player is probably better suited.

The HP076VD features a 7-inch widescreen Active Matrix TFT LCD, designed in ‘flip-up’ format so the screen is more protected from scratching, knocks and bangs when not in use. When in use, the HP076VD has anti-shock protection - ideal for bumpy car journeys. Other features include USB and media card connectivity, MP3 playback via the stereo speakers, JPEG viewing and a rechargeable NiMH battery which offers just over 2 hours battery life.

There's also a power adapter,12V car adapter and carry bag, all for a £69.99 price tag.

Misco

Shiny Video Review: Archos 105 media player

By

Katherine Hannaford

on December 5, 2007 Comments (0)

Zara, queen of the Archos PMPs, checks out one of their latest models, the 105. Can its super-slim aesthetics win over some of the die-hard iPod fans? Take a look at the video above.

Archos

Archos 605 special edition Charlie Chaplin PMP to come pre-loaded with 10 films

By

Katherine Hannaford

on November 20, 2007 Comments (0)

Plenty of Archos-shaped news seeping out of the pus-ridden internet sore, and if that analogy doesn't sit well with the French PMP company, then perhaps the gushing accolades the Charlie Chaplin edition model is receiving on the interwebs will compensate.

The 605 model, which was released back in September this year, has had a recent make-over, and now comes engraved with a cute silhouette of Charlie Chaplin on the back, as further proof of the Portable Media Player's film prowess.

Available in 20GB, 30GB, 80GB and 120GB versions, each comes loaded with 10 Charlie Chaplin films, and can take other formats including MPEG-4, WMV, MP3, WMA, WAV, JPEG, BMP and PNG, and is internet-ready with WiFi connectivity. The only price available so far is for the lowest-capacity model, at 299.99€.

(via PMP Today)

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Delectable rumour of the day: Archos to launch 3G PMP in 2008?

By

Katherine Hannaford

on November 19, 2007 Comments (0)

We love Archos PMPs here at Tech Digest, with other PMP manufacturers not quite *getting* portable multimedia devices quite like the French company.

Exciting news has reached us via PMP Today, that a 3G model will be released come 2008, allowing for high-speed web browsing and downloads. Obviously through incorporating mobile network connectivity into the devices, they'll need to partner with a network provider, and who have they chosen? Orange. Still, at least it's not the iPhone-hoarding O2.

(via PMP Today)

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RealNetworks offers final version of new RealPlayer - with video transfer directly to iPod

By

Dave Walker

on November 19, 2007 Comments (0)

After a five-month beta trial, RealNetworks is finally offering the full version of its new RealPlayer for download in the UK, with new features including direct transfer of video to your iPod.

You need to upgrade to RealPlayer Plus to transfer content to your Apple player - which costs £19.99 - and let's be honest, there is cheaper software out there to do a similar job. Add to that the lack of iPhone and iTouch support (it follows in 2008) and it doesn't seem like a great deal right now. But the software is easy to use and has been more reliable (for me) than other video download programs.

Other features include downloading multiple videos simultaneously, support for video in most popular formats, including Flash, Windows Media, QuickTime, and Real and the option to burn to CD or DVD (plus only)

RealNetworks

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Mercedes-Benz-themed PMP heads out of China

By

Dave Walker

on November 6, 2007 Comments (0)

Something tells me that this Mercedes-Benz-themed PMP isn't licensed. But that's unlikely to stop fans of the German manufacturer from attempting to get hold of one.

And as a media player, it's not bad, with AVI and MPEG-4 video playback and MP3/WMA audio compatibility, a 2-inch TFT screen, FM radio, digital recording, image viewer, e-book reader and a rechargeable Lithium battery.

But it's the styling that will turn heads, with that metallic look and Mercedes-Benz branding as part of the keypad. No price as yet, but you can inquire about wholesale if you want to risk a lengthy court case.

Global Sources (via PMP Today)

4GB MP4 Watch with FM Transmitter - stream audio from your wrist

By

Dave Walker

on November 2, 2007 Comments (0)

/>More wrist-based technology, this time the 4GB MP4 Watch with FM Transmitter, which packs a lot of useful technology into a very small timepiece.

The transmitter on board could mean listening to the sound of your favourite video clip through your car stereo, but more practically, it's good for streaming your watch-based tunes (MP3 or WMA). Along with the MP4 player, the watch also offers a 1.8-inch screen for viewing, photo viewing, recording, e-book viewing and of course, the time.

There's a built-in Li-on battery for power and a price tag of $126 (around £63).

Gadget-usb.com (via Red Ferret Journal)

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MyDean FX-7 offers GPS navigation and TV on the move

By

Dave Walker

on October 24, 2007 Comments (0)

In a move that's unlikely to be sanctioned in the UK, MyDean is offering satellite navigation and digital TV on one screen with the FX-7.

The device has a 7-inch touchscreen for directions, but also packs in a DMB receiver so you can watch TV. But here's the dangerous bit - the device is capable of picture in picture, so you can watch TV on the same screen that is providing you with directions. And if TV isn't your thing, you can even hook up an external DVD player.

Korea only so far - and more than likely to stay that way.

MyDean (Via Navigadget)

SanDisk launches Sansa Take TV - download shows to your PC then watch on your TV

By

Dave Walker

on October 22, 2007 Comments (1)

SanDisk has launched the Sansa Take TV in the US, offering downloads and storage via USB, with the added bonus of being able to view on your TV.

Using a newly-developed video platform called Fanfare, the Sansa TakeTV is available in 4GB and 8GB sizes, with support for DivX (including Home Theater profile), XVID, and MPEG-4 at up to 720 x 576 resolution. Download the shows via your PC, then move it to your TV to view there - or play Fanfare clips on your Sansa portable device.

It launches immediately (in beta) with content from CBS, Jaman, Showtime, Smithsonian Networks, The Weather Channel and TV Guide Broadband - some content free, other content paid for and protected by DRM. And if you want one, you can pick up a 4GB device for $100 or an 8GB drive for $150.

SanDisk

Via Engadget

Philips intros SA9345 portable media player

By

Andy Merrett

on October 8, 2007

Philips has released its compact SA9345 flash MP4 player, capable of playing MP3 and WMA audio, 320x240 resolution WMV9 video at up to 30fps, and other video formats using the supplied converter software.

It's 9cm long, weighs 48g, and has 4GB of memory able to hold 1,000 MP3 tracks, 2,000 WMA tracks, 1,120 photos, or 7 hours of video. It has a 1.8-inch colour LCD screen, which is touch sensitive, allowing for control of media via taps, drags, or swipes of the finger.

Music can be arranged in various ways, including by cover art, and the unit supports Microsoft's PlaysForSure initiative, which ensures maximum compatibility with a large variety of legal download services, plus giving access to a catalogue of over two million tracks available via compatible subscription services.

It synchronises seamlessly with Windows Media Player on Windows XP via USB. Its rechargeable battery offers up to 10 hours of continuous music playback, or two hours of video.

It costs £129, available now, and a 2GB version (SA9325) is available for £99.

Philips

Shiny Video Review: Archos 405 PMP

By

Katherine Hannaford

on October 5, 2007

Zara spends some quality time with the mid-range Archos 405, a smaller capacity and slimline PMP. Good enough to forgo the iPod nano? Watch and decide.

Archos 405

Postdata's G100 WiMAX gaming portable

By

Gary Cutlack

on October 1, 2007

It's basically a marginally redesigned version of the iRiver G10. But with a very lovely 4" touchsceen LCD display and WiMAX for Americans, the G100 could well find itself bulking out a good number of coat pockets this winter.

That screen's resolution is an impressive 800 x 480, it has the oomph to play MPEG4, H.264 and WMV9 movie files, plus it's very pleased to support everyone's favourite piracy format DivX. It comes with a generous 6GB of built-in memory, uses USB 2.0 for dumping illegal things on it, has MiniSD support for dumping yet more illegal things on it and has a normal 3.5mm headphone socket so you're not stuck using something proprietary.

It is actually quite exciting! Although god knows what sort of awful mobile games you might end up playing on the thing.