PMP Today

For our device or gadget of 2007, we look back at a year distiguished by innovations, some marketable, some not. But there is one innovation in the portable industry that describes 2007 more than any other innovation - touch screen. Yes, tech can be cold at times and Apple has found the most human way to keep us in touch with family, friends, our favorite movies and music, even our favorite sites. You probably know what comes next… to the iPhone and the iPod Touch, we salute the best portable devices to be released this year. To Newman’s MINI ALL VX1000. Congratulations! You have been chosen as our gadget of the year… Read the rest »

There’s is no corroborating evidence that Creative is at work on a touch screen media player, but here’s a photo nonetheless of such a device. Apparently, it supports stylus input. And it boasts a big display as well, at least 5 inches. But there also lies the problem. If you ignore the Creative logo at the bottom of the screen, it looks like the COWON Q5 or something pretty close to it. It’s a good idea for Creative to freshen up their PMP line.

[read]

In another blow to the buttons diehards out there, Ilife Technology has released the I 9, which features a 2.8-inch touchscreen TFT with a 320×24-pixel resolution. Yup, no buttons on this baby. AVI, 3GP and MPEG-4 videos, MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, AMR and MID audio files and JPEG, GIF, BMP and PNG images are supported.

The device incorporates an Anyka chipset and a USB 2.0 port. FM radio, e-book reader and voice recording capability are standard, while a 2MP camera that allows use as a video and web camera is optional. The I 9 also has an interface similar to Windows Mobile (including a Start menu, no less), and is available in black and silver variants. It measures 93×56x11.6mm.

[via alibaba]

I wish had stumbled upon this when I was making my gadget gift guide. These PSP, iPod, and laser pointer fakies are more than just cheap knock-off alternatves for those who can’t afford to give out the real thing. They deliver a nasty little electricity current to an unsuspecting victim. And by “victim”, I mean “friend”. The laser pointer is actually does what it’s supposed to do but the “PSP” and “iPod” obviously doesn’t work as portable consoles and media players. Each costs only $3.95, so I guess you get what you pay for.

Happy New Year, everyone! Party hard but stay safe.

[via technabob]

This unnamed PMP is from Daza International and proud of it, judging by the massive frontal logo. It supports MTV, DMV, ASF, AMV and WMV videos, MP3, WMA, WAV and DRM9-equipped audio files (with LRC lyric display), and JPEG, GIF and BMP images.

The device has a 1.8-inch TFT LCD and a USB port of unspecified type. It comes with e-book reader, FM radio, and voice and audio recording (WAV or ACT format) capability, and seven EQ settings. Measurements are 65×40x11.4mm and weight is 32g.

[via madeinchina]

You won’t catch Gemei knocking off Apple products, unlike many Chinese MP4/PMP manufacturers. The United States X900 boasts a rather large 4.3 inch 480 × 272-pixel TFT screen and plays AVI, MPEG4, MP3, WMA, FLAC. The most meaningful feature, however, is the attachable game pad that looks lusciously ergonomic complete with a couple of joysticks that is operable by thumb. It uses an ADI chip, which should be good enough for enhanced video playing experience as well as NES, SFC, the MD gaming. You can add on GPS and totally use it for directions - that is, if you’re kids are not busy playing games in the backseat. Takes SD cards of up to 4GB. Also features an e-Book reader and FM tuner.

[via imp3]

Seems like there’s a real life Tyler Durden on the lose. (If you don’t know who that is, I suggest you grab a DVD of Fight Club and watch it. Best. Movie. Ever. The book is excellent too.) A young girl opens an iPod box for Christmas only to discover that it’s been replaced with an interesting, almost anarchistic message that reads: “Reclaim your mind from the media’s shackles. Read a book and ressurect yourself. To claim your capitalistic garbage go to your nearest Apple store.” When the girl’s father returned the iPod to the Wal-Mart store where he bought it, the manager told him that another customer came to the store complaining about a similar issue.

I can’t help but applaud whoever did this switch and I hope that there’s more of these sham iPod boxes out there. You see, I have very ambivalent feelings about consumer electronics. I love my 2-year old Nano; walking around with my music makes my life feel all movie-like, especially during those long walks alone at night. And I do have my eye on that 160GB iPod Classic, simply because I’m a big music whore and I’ve got a use for all that memory. But on the other hand, I don’t understand why anyone would want to bring their movies and games wherever they go, tune out on the world, and ultimately miss out on life. Not to mention how people easily succumb to this created need to own the latest and shiniest new thing, just because geek is the new cool these days.

Remember: the things you own end up owning you. I say never be perfect! Never be complete! And don’t be enslaved by your gadgets.

[via fox news]

Good news for Meizu fans. Meizu CEO Jack Wong has revealed that the Meizu M8, also called miniOne will have a patented design (currently in process with the relevant agency), which means the M8 WILL NOT be an iPhone or iPod Touch Clone. The final hardware will include three tactile buttons, which, we hope, will be Meizu’s own iconic template. The picture above includes the official release from Jack Wong, which shows us that the Meizu, at least, will be as rectangular as the iPhone.

[via meizume]

This is what you get when you let artists do whatever they feel like, a campaign for a media player that can be beautiful at times but at other times right out baffling. The TV spot seem to depict two armies locked in brutal combat, then a melon showed up and the air turned into an LSD-inspired vision of the world, which in turn inspired friendship among the fighting warriors.

Animation: PandaPanther
Music: The Black Angels

[via gmp3]

You can now send SMS to multiple recipients from your iPhone with the new firmware 1.1.3 update. Other improvements are just as exciting:

• Google Maps can pinpoint where you are using cell towers
• Hybrid map view can now be displayed on Google Maps
• Drag and drop apps on homescreen
• Home screen pagination
• Website bookmarks on home screen

See what I mean with interesting? Now with 3G and a 5 megapixel camera and another camera for conferencing, the iPhone will yet turn out to be the real dream gadget.

[gearlive via crunchgear]