Portable Audio/Video

Unless you have a whole family of Scrooges, it’s a safe bet that a few people on your list love music and movies and pictures. So why not indulge their media-centric habits by tying a bow around a brand-new portable media player? A few years ago giving a PMP that wasn’t an iPod would very likely result in rolled eyes or perhaps a grudging mumble of thanks. Thankfully this year’s offerings are just as desirous, maybe even more so. Of course Apple’s PMP is still a favorite of millions. If the media maven on your list isn’t likely to let go, you can always give the gift of a speaker dock.

Click here to browse our entertainment holiday picks

Creative’s ZiiLABS announced their new ZMS-08 processor yesterday, a chip designed to deliver rich, high-definition media experiences to mobile and handheld devices. Soon consumers will be able to videoconference in 720p on tablets, netbooks and other supported systems and also enjoy 1080p video playback on low-power devices.

Though the processor will be paired with Android and Plazma operating systems and development platforms, phones were not among the devices listed in the press release. There was a focus on 3D gaming and Creative’s X-Fi audio technology, so it’s not too much of a leap to expect that handheld PMPs will be the first to benefit from the ZMS-08.

With the promise of low-power consumption, it seems ZiiLABS is looking to challenge NVIDIA’s Tegra chip on every front. The ZMS-08 won’t ship until the beginning of 2010, so we have a while to wait before our first glimpse of what it’s capable of.

Hat Tip: Engadget

If you read our review of the Zune HD you may have noticed that we compared its audio quality to the Sony Walkman X Series ($284.77). I did this after listening to the same song on both players at the suggestion of Jeffery Wilson (who reviewed the Sony). We both agreed that the Walkman had superior audio quality over both the Zune and the new iPod nano, which then led to the question: if other people knew this, or could experience it, would they still choose an iPod? Does sound quality matter to consumers? I decided to put it to the test.

We took the Zune HD, Sony Walkman X, iPod Nano and the Samsung P3 (another player with a high audio quality rating) to two music stores in New York City to ask employees and patrons which they thought sounded better. However, we didn’t let our test subjects see which players they were listening to. The only data they had to go on was how each sounded while listening with a pair of Bose QuietComfort 15 noise canceling headphones.

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On the heels of the HTC Imagio ($249.99), a phone that allows users to watch live TV, FLO TV announced a dedicated handheld television player, appropriately dubbed the Personal Television. The device itself (also made by HTC) costs $249, while the monthly subscription fee is $8.99. Subscribers get access to a small but compelling list of channels, including Comedy Central, MTV, NBC, and Nickelodeon.

The Personal Television is designed for parents who to hand their kids something to watch in the back seat without subjecting their cell phones to all sorts of abuse. We think the price of the gadget needs to come way down if FLO TV wants to charge that high a monthly fee. $149 or $99 sounds about right. But at least the Personal Televsion does more than just TV. It’s also a photo viewer and music player. Read the rest of this entry »

The Zune HD made its official debut today and the fanfare around this new media player is well deserved. The beautiful OLED screen delivers bright colors and deep blacks, rendering crisp images and HD video with ease. The screen also boasts touch capability, allowing for easy and fun navigation through the well-designed user interface.

One of my favorite things about the Zune is the menu navigation. It’s very intuitive, combining common sense structure and design. No matter how deep into the menus you get, there’s an easy way to get back to where you were and, of course, the home screen. Like its predecessor, the Zune comes with wireless and now has an integrated web browser. Unlike some underbaked mobile browsers we’ve come across lately, the one included here makes navigation and URL input easy.

This elegance extends to the outside as well. There are only three buttons — power, home, and volume/playback control. Otherwise this sleek and slim device is smooth and uncluttered. It’s available in platinum, black, red, blue and green in 16GB and 32GB capacities.

The HD offerings extend beyond video — there’s also an HD radio receiver inside that will allow users to save song information for later purchase. And the new Zune Marketplace will carry an array of apps starting with n array of games that will show off the Tegra chip’s 3D capabilities.

We’ll have a full hands-on with the Zune HD and software soon.

Apple is going right after the pocket camcorder market with its latest iPod nano, which integrates a camera and camcorder. It also includes an FM radio (first for nano) and voice recorder app. There’s even a pedometer, so you can sync up to Nike Plus.

The device includes a larger 2.2-inch, 240 x 376 display, microphone and speaker. The body is polished anodized aluminum in multiple colors. It comes in two models. 8GB for $149. 16GB goes for $179.

The nano will record 640 x 480 pixel video at 30 frames per second. You’ll even be able to add real time effects, like Sepia, X-Ray, Film Grain, Cyborg, Kaleido, Motion Blur, Mirror, Stretch and 7 more. Read on for more details and hands-on impressions. Read the rest of this entry »

Apple has just announced an iPod touch for $199, down for $229. That sounds like a small thing, but Apple is betting that this price move could as much as double sales. It will also have all the speed improvements of the latest iPhone 3Gs. Apple showed off cool new games for the iPod touch and iPhone, including Madden 10.

The iPod classic is still kicking, with new 160GB model for $249. Last but not least is a $59 2GB iPod shuffle in multiple colors. There’s also an 4GB version for $79 and a new Aluminum edition for $99 (4GB).

Phil Schiller was first on stage bragging about the iPod’s success. And he has every right. iPod is at 73.8 percent market share, versus 1.1 percent for Microsoft (yikes). And Over 50 percent of customers are new to the iPod. Case in point, my dad just got an iPod touch.

Speaking of the touch, that’s the fastest growing product. To date Apple has sold over 20 million iPod touch devices. Hey, that’s not far behind the 30 million iPhones.

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We’re live from Apple’s Steve Jobs is on stage and is greeted by a standing ovation. We’ve sold 30 million iPhones. And Apple has more than 75,000 apps, and users have downloaded over 1.8 billion apps. (Doesn’t include updates.)

New Genius technology. App Store will show you recommendations based on what you already own Also adding 30,000 ringintones for $1.29 each. But does that include the full track?

iTunes recently surpassed 100 million accounts. Wow. Today introducing iTunes 9, which has a cleaner interface. First major feature is Genius mixes. It’s like a genius DJ that plays endless mixes of songs that go together, similar to radio stations. This reminds me of what Microsoft has done with its Zune software. Read the rest of this entry »

Today we’re bringing you updates from the much-anticipated Apple event. We expect to see new iPods and possibly demos of the “Cocktail” albums. Though many people claim we won’t have any exciting Beatles catalog news, Apple may yet surprise us.

Update: Apple Introduces iPhone 3.1 Software, iTunes 9

Update 2: Apple iPod Touch Now $199 for 8GB, $399 for 64GB. Madden 10 Available Now.

Final Update: Look Out, Flip. New iPod nano Includes Video Camera

Samsung announced the launch of three new portable media players today at IFA in Berlin. The Samsung R1, R0 and M1 each have some eye-catching features and media maven-pleasing DivX compatibility, but the M1 in particular caught our eye as it’s powered by Nvidia’s Tegra chip. The same chip inside the upcoming Zune HD.

The M1, available later this month, has a 3.3-inch AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) display, which is both ultra thin and low power. This device is capable of impressive 3D graphics, which are on display in the M1’s UI. Couple that with 16GB of storage, 720p HD video, Bluetooth, and a scratch-resistant finish. We’re definitely eager to get our hands on this PMP.