smartech

We’re not used to such big players, the kind that recently announced by Aluratek at the CES show in Vegas, but that’s probably the fun part of discovering new gadgets, isn’t it? Well, maybe, depends who you’re asking and how portable it is. This one, the 8.9-inch Cinepal media player, doesn’t look so handy, especially when it’s hard to determine whether it’s a digiframe, a tablet, a PMP or just an e-reader. The answer probably falls somewhere in between. Anyway, you can get it next month for $179, that will grant you 4GB of internal storage, together with an SD / SDHC expansion slot, a 6 hours of battery time and wide range of codecs compatibility, including DivX DRM, AVI, VOB, DAT, MPEG, H.264, MKV, MP3, WMA and JPEG files support. It would also run your 720p video files wherever you go, but frankly, we can’t imagine ourselves taking it for a journey or a quick short walk. PR stuff after the jump.

[via laptopmag]

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Remember the Mini 5101 that HP released 6 months ago to target high-end customers with business related aspirations? Turns out it’s not alone – as a matter of fact it has a new twin brother that carries the title Mini 5102. The latest, which belongs to the growing Pine Trail family, packs inside an Atom N450 processor along a 10-inch display, offered with a WSVGA or WXGA panels. But as a premium portable device, one can guess it boasts a lot more than usual. What else is new? We’re talking about a Broadcom HD video accelerator, added to the pile, while keyboard is at 95% from the regular one. Besides that you can toss inside any possible operating system available, either it’s FreeDOS, SUSE Linux, Windows XP or Windows 7 Starter/Premium editions. Battery wise, you can choose between 4-cell and 6-cell flavors, but the most attractive alternative, marked as optional, is that super cool capacitive (multitouch) touchscreen which turns that netbook into a tablet (well, not exactly, but you know what I mean). It ain’t going to be cheap, boys and girls, but we still can;t tell how much and when. PR words added after the break.

Update1: Apparently, the Mini 5102 cover is made out of a stunning brushed aluminum plate and the chassis hides an optional handle for ‘A-grades’ students. Checkout the hands-on video the good people at engadget just shared.

Update2: We’ve added another video from the CES show that demos HP’s touchscreen netbook capabilities, this time with a snapdragon and Android platforms running inside. Check it out right after the break.

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It’s not a party without Dell, you know it, we know it and the guys at Dell apparently know it, as well. And that is probably the reason why the company just rolled out an Atom N450-based Inspiron Mini 10 lineup, available on Dell’s online page for $299, joining the growing batch of netbooks to include the Pine Trail platform as part of their specs. True, we’ve already seen it last month when Dell proudly announced the Mini 10 new design and features, but today, it gets official. To recall, for that very competitive price -offered, you receive a 10-inch netbook, tucked with a full fledged keyboard, a 9.5 hour battery, built-in GPS, an integrated HDTV receiver, an optional TV tuner and a powerful Broadcom Crystal HD graphics accelerator. Pick a color and ride into the future.

[Dell]

Think of getting a new media player? The kind that would both play your HD content and give your bank manager a reason to smile? iToos M6HD might be the right solution, as the Chinese PMP breaks into the market moments before 2009 ends, with a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 TFT display and an HDMI output that will pump your 1080i videos on your LCD TV. It houses 4GB of internal storage with an SD card expansion, it has an FM radio tuner, but boasts a wide range of codecs support (including H.264 and MKV). And for the best part, it would cost ya only $58.50 (kind of).

[via Akihabara News]

Intel’s Pine Trail platform is live, kicking and ready to go. The latest introduction of that series comes from Dell and its Inspiron Mini 10 which is now reported to include the Atom N450 processor, which suppose to give a little boost to that Windows 7 Starter the netbook runs. Besides that, for a starting price of $299 you should see basic specs like 10.1-inch 1024×600 display,160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM and 3-cell battery, all packed under that same slick and squarish hood. However, for extra charge you’re being offered – and whether or not you want to accept it’s up to you – to enhance your experience with a 1366 x 768 display, a six-cell battery, producing 9.5 hours work time in one single charge, four shiny colors, Bluetooth, WWAN, GPS, TV tuner and a strong Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator for flawless high-def chime – that would probably cost you few hundreds dollar more, but should be worth a try. PR announcement added after the break.

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Chinese corp RAmos seems to be releasing HD players on a monthly bases – our feeling only – and those of you who’ve been thinking it would slow down a bit, should think again, as the company rolls out yet another one, the T11TE, priced at $177.45 and houses a 5-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen, paired with microSD slot expansion, 16GB of flash storage, dual 3.5mm jacks(?) and of course, a 1080P HDMI output, to pump high-def videos on your tele – although it runs other common formats such as DAT, MPG, MPEG,VOB, MP4, MOV, AVI, DVD Video, ASF, WMV, MKV, TS, RM,and RMVB. Other than that, this half-inch thick PMP will record voices, thanks to its built-in mic or help you share your music around, with those integrated stereo speakers it boasts. No word whether it would make its way Stateside or not, surely it won’t keep that “new player” title for long.

Update: Checkout the video we’ve added after the break.

[via PMP Today]

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MSI is about to enlarge its growing HD PMPs lineup, proudly releasing the MT-V887, which apparently follows the company’s high-def trend, packing a Rockchip RK2728B chipset that can broadcast H.264 and 720p videos, once get pumped on a tele, via composite/component outputs, already built into the chassis. However, those who prefer watching through the integrated 4.3 inch display, will have to settle with merely 480 x 272 screen resolution, which practically downgrades their view quality to usual standards and make it look less sharp, less crisp than they really are. Besides that, for an undetermined price/availability, this Chinese media player will also offer either 4GB or 8GB capacities at your choice, together with a text reader, a multi-language interface, a built-in mic, and slick robust frame, crammed with silver or black colors. Western arrival is doubtful, our desires are mute. Stay tuned for further updates.

[via imp3]

Here we are, standing again with Chinese corp Newman, that recently announced its latest A36HD device, which apparently boasts a regular 3-inch display (no touchscreen), along a microSD card slot, 4GB or 8GB capacities to choose from, the regular audio-video lineup and a nice slick silver frame, covering it all from every possible direction. As probably figured from those “HD” initials, marked in its name, this 8mm thick PMP supports 720p videos when pumping them out on your LCD TV, through the integrated TV-output, already been included. Other than that, it packs a usual built in mono speaker, to let you share your music loud, and a 3.5mm Jack in case you want to have some privacy. No price or availability details to be mentioned yet, but be sure they will probably stay relevant for Eastern residents only.

[via akihabaranews]

Viewsonic officially gets into the portable HD-compatible world, announcing the VPD400 MovieBook, a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 media player, supporting 720p video files along other common media formats, including AVI, RM/RMVB, FLV, MP4, MOV, PMP, MPG, VOD, DAT, H.264, H.263 and MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC, APE, OGG for audio. Other than that, this stylish all-in-one device – sized only 113mm x 74.5mm x 13.8mm – sports 8GB of internal memory, together with a micro SD slot expansion and AV Output for full sized TV entertainment. Battery is set to work 12 hours of audio playback and six if you’re watching a video. that, as a fact, would give you the benefit of watching HD movies, view photos and read any digital book whenever on the go. Too bad it lacks a WiFi connection, but color wise you get to choose out of Black, White or Pink. No price or availability details available at this point.

Update: Checkout the unboxing video, made by the good guys at NetbookNews, and added after the break. BTW, just in case you were wondering, the VPD500 comes with a 5-inch display while the 400 version packs only 4-inch screen.  

[Viewsonic]

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Check this out guys, Microsoft has just rolled out firmware version 4.3 for its fabulous Zune HD players. The update, originally released in order to solve pesky playcount syncing issues, surprisingly adds/upgrades some neat UI features – amongst you can find the long awaited 3d games and applications support, together with a wider touchscreen keyboard and autofill text suggestion bot. Other improvements offer a faster browser and better webpages rendering engine, while apps and loading time have turned slightly snappier than before. The v4.3 release is now available when clicking “Player Update” in your Zune, so hurry up and make it vibrant.

Update: In addition to that new Zune HD firmware update, Microsoft has released a slew of pretty cool (and free) 3D games – already available through the Marketplace slot – amongst you can find titles like PGR: Ferrari Edition, Lucky Lane Bowling, Vans Sk8: Pool Service, Piano, Checkers, and Audiosurf. Full PR was added after the break, along with a gaming experience demo.

[Via MobileTechWorld]

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Still in development, the Zii EGG prototype – which hopefully will go live somewhere next year – is one desirable media device we’d like to see floating around. With a 3.5-inch multi-touch display, WiFi, GPS, and 1080p HD support – it just can’t go wrong. In fact, it seems to be walking the right directions, with its mother company, Creative, choosing the Android 1.6 path, and making it look pretty promising on this new nifty portable bud. Too bad the entire UI is a bit sluggish and the integrated webcam is not exactly functional (not to mention the inaccurate signal marks at the top). Yet, it’d surely improve in the next build, we’re positive, very very positive. But ’till then, hit the jump and watch the video.

[via anythingbutipod]

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It’s only been three weeks, since our wondering eyes first came across Asus’ 120N Nvidia Ion-based netbook machine, hiding out in a much speculated Eee PC road map slide that popped out in the wild. And here we are, not so long after, talking about it as a certain thing, scheduled for release somewhere this Autumn with a $500 price tag range and a high resolution 12-inch panel (1,366 x 768). And if we’d all be speaking Chinese well, the 250GB hard drive that Asus has stuffed inside, sitting along with 2GB of RAM, Intel Atom N270 processor, 1.3MP camera, Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11n WiFi connectivity, probably wouldn’t make us surprised – well, maybe this N270 CPU, which seems to be too slow for such an input. Stay tuned, it should be hitting Western shores, packed with a Windows 7 OS, in a month or so.

Update1: Look, the guys from Eee PC Italia just got their hands on Asus 1201N and 1201HA full specs list and shared them online. Basically, both netbook machines will presumably pack a 12-inch 1366 x 768 displays, while the 1201N, which suppose to be the strongest among the two, will include a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N330 dual core processor, 3GB RAM, NVIDIA ION (GeForce 9400M) graphics chipset and 320GB hard drive, as its entry level sibling, the 1201HA suppose to have a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 CPU, along with Intel US15W / GMA 500 graphics, 2GB RAM and 250GB hard drive. Hit the jump to read the rest, no prices or release dates available at the moment.

Update2: Apparently, Asus Eee PC 1201N is scheduled to be released in Europe somewhere towards the end of the year (AKA: December), with this Atom Dual Core 330 CPU, Nvidia ION graphics chipset and a 12.1 1,366 x 768 display  – all compiled with a Windows 7 OS. Prices are yet to be determined.

Update3: Looks like the 1201N is up in Italy earlier than expected, offered on sale for 500 Euros – huzzah!

Update4: Now it’s official, as Asus has finally released its ION-based Eee PC 1201N machine, with all those nifty specs and cool features we’ve managed to see earlier, which include that 12.1-inch 1366 x 768 LED-backlit display, together with a 1.6GHz dual-core Atom 330 processor, either 2 or 3GB of RAM and storage capacity at 250 or 320GB HDD at your choice. Furthermore, you get a six-cell battery and Windows 7 Premium edition, already loaded aboard and running on your shelves somewhere around December for only $499. Official announcement after the break (image courtesy of PCMag)

Update5: It seems the Eee PC 1201HA’s debut has finally arrived to the US, as Asus’ second 12.1-inch netbook, which sports a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520, together with 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, WiFi, and 6 hours battery, is up on sale on Best Buy, this time for the lower price of $329.99 but with an XP flavor pre-loaded inside. Seven fanboys should be skipping to the 1201N versionto catch up with Redmond’s latest version.

Update6: And, looks like Amazon has the Asus Eee PC 120N listed for pre-order, starting at $499 which will buy you a 12.1-inch display with Intel’s 1.6GHz N330 dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM (up to 8GB), 250GB HDD, WiFi, Bluetooth and last but not least, Microsoft’s Windows 7 Premium edition, already loaded into it. For the UK readers out there, this same version, only with an ION-based chipset will show up on your local Amazon somewhere around January 2010, priced at £399 (about $660). Stay tuned.

[Via NetbookItalia]

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Turns out a staff member named DaHarder, at DAP Review website, was lucky enough to get his hands on one of the few Creative Zii EGG multimedia prototypes available in the market, and kindly shared his recent experience on two short preview videos, that can be found after the break. From his impressions, one can learn the Zii EGG machine (that Creative was just beginning to ship), boasts a 3.5-inch screen display which “compares very favorably” to Sony’s S series OLED, with “shockingly” bright and vibrant colors, while sound quality is described as “the best sounding Creative player” ever heard “and that’s without any EQ/Z-F”. Pretty exciting, isn’t it? Hit the jump to take a look.

Update1: And, in case you were looking for one more evidence that will make you believe Creative’s new prototype machine is rockin’, the good guys at AnythingButiPod have managed to put their hands, as well, on one of those Zii EGG developer editions available at the market, and posted their impressions on a clear and bright video that can be watched after the break, still with Plazma OS only rather than Android.

Update2: It’s not out yet, but Creative has just released a firmware update for the Zii EGG machine, version 92.02, which apparently adds media playback support for SD cards, along with some other cool features, including a neat 3D “clothesline”  add-on for landscape view, and a one of a kind stretching feature for browsing lists, that may influence the way we flip long screens. Hit the break to see the news.

[Via DAP Review]

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With so many rumors and speculations floating around, it’s time to organize the latest details we know about the coming release of the Zune HD. Apparently, according to a Gizmodo tipster, the official debut is now scheduled to September 15th (one week past September 8th). In addition, both Zune HD 16GB and 32GB models are already available for a pre-order in Amazon and Newegg, priced at $219.99 and $289.99, respectively (requires a $25 deposit).  From what we know, the player itself will be equipped with a tiny impressive on-screen keyboard that brings up a nice small arch graphic whenever you tap a letter, to distinguish it from its neighbors (See image after the break). Other than that, the internet browser is claimed to be an Opera one, but we can’t be 100% sure, yet. Meanwhile, until things get more clear (and there’s not much time left), checkout the latest hands-on video from CrunchGear, or the Grand Tour video (courtesy of Tech Flash Videos), featuring Brian Seitz of Microsoft’s Zune team demonstrates the Zune HD. Hit the jump, to read the updates.

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If you can’t hold your breath and patiently wait for Microsoft’s Zune HD to make a debut on September 8th, Chinese company, RAmos has a new device, the T11 RK, that will let you play your 720P HD library in a snap, thanks to the Rockchip RK2806 processor, built inside, together with a 5-inch, 800 x 480 display, 720p TV out, 8GB of internal memory (we’d expect a lot more), and the usual FM radio tuner to set you up on the go. Other than that you should expect a wide range of HD files support, like  H.264 HD, DivX, XviD, MPG, and FLV, as you come to pay 699 Yuan (about $100) on your coming Asian trip.

Update: You can watch the RAmos T11 RK video right here.

[via engadget]

We’re not so sure what Creative is trying to do, and what is the final product we’re about to see in the following months, but one thing for sure, the latest Zii EGG handheld, the company has just introduced as an Android-based device, powered with the new “Plaszma” platform that was created for developers and OEMs, is really rocking our geeky brains with tons of high class features and updated specs that include a 3.5-inch 320×480 multi-touch display (Capacitive 10-point multi-gesture touch display), along with up to 32GB of internal flash memory, paired with SDHC slot (supports up to 32GB of external SDHC Card), 256MB Mobile DDR RAM (similar to the iPhone 3GS), dual cameras for video conferencing, as the front camera supports HD quality, 3-axis accelerometer, a built-in speaker, a mic, and of course, WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR connectivity are also included in Creative’s “StemCell Computing” project, to let you connect with outbound entities. Other than that, this amazing machine (which you have to admit, looks exactly like an iPhone), packs X-Fi audio processing and supports OpenGL ES and HD playback with 1080p video output (via HD cable). Creative says the platform itself is “market-ready” for OEM manufacturers and can be bundled with different outfits for retail price of $400, but until we figure out whether it will be released as an mp3 player, mobile phone or other alternatives, checkout the video demo after the break.

Update1: With so much potential, stuffed into a one small device, it’s just a matter of time until we’re going to see more neat features, demonstrating the Zii EGG phenomenal specs to the world, and as for a start, hit the jump to checkout the other video, introducing the Zii, running a racing game demo, using both its accelerometer and OpenGL ES capabilities.

Update2: You know the drill, first comes the introduction, then it’s the traditional dissection, which in this case is up, courtesy of the FCC report (and not a cracking group), that every company has to pass through, to ge its productst into the US market. Hit the break to see the inside part of the Zii.

Update3: And if web surfing is something you find yourself using quite often while on the go, mind you that Creative has officially chosen Opera as the main browser inside the Zii Egg. Good or bad, it’d be up to you to decide, once the Zii gets available.

[Via DAP Review]

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The guys at Terracode were unpleased with the lack of netbook devices that can actually play 1080P videos without stuttering. That is probably why they’ve bravely decided to take their 8.9-inch Acer Aspire One machine and sacrifice it to the modding gods. The Acer netbook, which comes with the usual 1GB of RAM, paired with a 1024 x 600 screen display and an ordinary Intel GMA 950 graphics chipset, could barely play 720p videos, not to mention the 1080p ones, but with Teracode hack, things looked a bit different. Starting with the major things, a Broadcom’s BCM70012 video accelerator was plugged into the box, while an extra 1GB of RAM added as well, together with a speedy 64GB SSD, instead of the old sluggish hard drive, that came out of the box. The results, apparently, speak for themselves, as the new revamped netbook (that costs around $442) was able to play high-def video files without any problem. True, 1080p videos are just a waste on 1024X600 resolution that most netbooks have, but hey, you can always plug them into your big flat 1920X1080 LCD screen. Check out the project’s videos, featuring “Before” and “After” demonstrations, after the break.

[via Slashgear]

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NEC’s super slim Atom Z540 (1.84GHz) VersaPro VS-7  netbook has already made its Japanese debut somewhere in May, but only now gets a closer look, as Akihabara News has taken it for a first ride, coming back full of superlatives about “flawless” HD video the machine can deliver and “freaking light” design the device weights (725g). Other than that, it boasts 64GB of SSD, a 10.6-inch 1208 x 768 screen display, 1GB of RAM to smoothly handle everything that runs,  three USB slots, Ethernet port and of course, a whopping  price of ¥176,000 ($1,850), which pretty well suits price tags from the “Land of the Rising Sun”. Hit the link to see the video, paired with some new images.

[via Akihabaranews]

Those of you who anxiously look for high-end netbook machine with business exterior flavors, HP might have the right solution, as the company recently announced a new netbook, the Mini 5101, which comes with a slick aluminum and magnesium alloy body, housing Intel’s 1.66GHz N280 Atom processor, together with four-cell or six-cell batteries, 2 MP webcam, Bluetooth 2.0/ WiFi b/g/n connectivity and up to a 320GB HDD or an 80GB SSD. Additionally, you get to choose between a standard 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 WSVGA display or HD-compatible 1366 x 768 LED screen at the same size, paired with optional WWAN module and either Windows XP Home, SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 or FreeDOS systems aboard, offered at a starting price of $449 from July. See how the Mini 5101 netbook really looks, with HP’s official video after the break.

Update1: Looks like the Mini 5101 is finally available to purchase, starting at $399.99 and including a 10.1-inch LED-backlit display, along with a flat chiclet keyboard and all the basic stuff we noted above. However, for extra cash you can get inside the business edition a 128GB SSD drive and 1366 x 768 resolution, but it will cost you a lot more.

[via HP]

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After so many rumors and speculations floating around, Microsoft has finally announced the Zune HD, which suppose to make its first appearance somewhere this fall, competing head-to-head with Apple’s popular iPod Touch player. Regretfully, there’s nothing much to share in terms of specs or features, but from the very few fragments we’ve managed to collect, you briefly can figure out it’ll probably pack a 3.3-inch 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen, together with a built-in HD Radio receiver, 720P HD output (via dock station), integrated WiFi connection and accelerometer sensors for landscape usability. Additionally, you might find a designated Explorer browser for internet surfing purposes and hopefully, a mashup interface with Xbox / Xbox Live gaming consoles. Still, no pricing or capacity details to write about, although one should expect either 16GB or 32GB flavors inside, but this way or another those rumored images earlier published, make no place for mistakes – Zune HD is live and kicking. Full press release after the break.

Update1: The guys at Gizmodo have managed to put their hands on the freakishly new Zune HD while hanging around D7′s conference hall. First images indicate an incredibly thin-and-light design, combined with a stunning 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen, basic Zune UI, adjusted to the touch navigation mode and rounded edges, build with a big “Home” button placed at the bottom lefte.  Hit the jump to watch the video or their link for even more images.

Update2: Zune Insider has officially confirmed that Zune HD will be running NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset inside, which means – full high-def video compatibility in the palm of your hand. Still no word about final release dates, but we’re following.

Update3: Rumors around claim the new Zune HD will be priced somewhere betweem $249 and $280 for the 16GB version, while a 64GB modelis on the prep for a late release. Stay tuned.

Update4: Both BestBuy and Amazon have just listed up the Zune HD on their inventory system , priced at $220 for the 16GB model, and $290 for the 32GB version, coming on September 8th. It’s less than a month to go, so stay tuned.

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