smartech

Following the popular E100 and its “Season 2” sequel, iRiver has just introduced the E150, which is pretty much the same PMP from inside and a little different from the outside. So what do you get for a $78 4GB bit or alternatively, a double storage $100 device? Well…Pretty much the same 2.4-inch QVGA screen, microSD slot, a full range of formats support and either black, silver, and pink colors to choose from. Only different, if you’re asking, is the extra 2mm width, housing integrated buttons and attractive speaker grills, which give a lucrative look to the new player. Regretfully, there’s no word about a US release at the near future, but you can start counting down until it comes – because it will.

[iRiver via DAP Review]

If you had any thoughts on getting Samsung’s latest ultra-strong-battery netbook , which will be available in models like the N110 or the NC310, bear in mind the Koreans has just announced the N120, that will join this exact “longevity” family, thanks to a 6-cell battery that can easily get up to 10.5 hours of continuous use. Battery aside, the N120 will also include a full fledged keyboard, together with a 10.1-inch display, 3-in-1 card reader, three USB ports, 1.3MP camera, 802.11b/g WiFi/Bluetooth connectivities and the usual Atom processor along with the XP OS inside. Still no word on pricing, but you should expect seeing this one hitting Europe somewhere around April.

Update1: Samsung’s N120 is now up for pre-order across the net, priced in between the $450 – $475 range and offered either in Black or White flavors. Other than that, it seems you’ll be getting improved  2.1 channels stereo speakers, which are placed in both sides of the bezel.

Update2: It is now up for sale at Amazon.com, priced at $465.99

Update3: The new N120 is getting official with Samsun’s announcement in here.

[via netbooknews.de]

If 8 hours battery (which Samsung claimed to integrate inside the N110) isn’t enough, checkout the new NC310 netbook, that was recently surfaced across the Asian part of the world, offering a basic version with usual specs like 10.1-inch display, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, 802.11b/g WiFi, 1.3MP camera and 5 hours battery, but also some interesting features inside the enhance model, which boasts HSDPA data, WiBRO connection (Korean WiMAX), and the jewel in the crown – 11 hours battery, that can easily  beat every single netbook in the pond, if true. Although we’re lack of processor details (hopefully a new one) and any pricing numbers, you might be pleased with the NC310′s colorful casing, which definately looks different in those shiny Black, Orange, Purple or Turquoise flavors, all engraved with huge SAMSUNG letters on top.

Update1: While we have no details about a US release, turns out the NC310 will make a debut in the UK somewhere around May, priced at £399 ($577). According to various sources, the first shipment will only include the basic package in black exterior, while other colors will be launched later on. Until then, checkout the complete specs after the break.

Update2: Checkout the hands-on video from Blogeee.net, after the break.

Update3: Looks like Samsung’s N310 is now available to order in the US, as Best Buy has just launched the netbook  in its website, priced at $479.99 and expected to be delivered within a week or two.

Update4: The N310 has finally landed Stateside and will be priced at $449, although it seems US version is lacking the anti-bacterial keyboard element, which made Samsung so popular within the netbooks pond.

[via akihabaranews]

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Those who missed iRiver, should be interested knowing that reigncom has just announced a new PMP device with 802.11b/g Wifi connection and full browsing capabilities. The new P35, which is already on sale in South Korea, sports a nice sleeky design, packing a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 display, SPINN navigator and a built-in accelerometer, for landscape viewing. In addition, it comes with a microSD slot, DMB-TV (bundled with a remote control), wide range of codecs support and either 8GB or 16GB capacities to choose from. Further more, you get the ability to use the “FTP Server” from the player itself, while playing with the UCI widgets that iRiver included inside. Regretfully, there are no details about Stateside shipping, but word on the street says you’ll be able to get the 16 gigs for only $286.

Update1: Hit the break, to checkout the video, presenting iRiver’s P35 interface.

Update2: There’s another video preview after the break, focusing on iRiver’s design.

Update3: Apparently, iRiver has officially confirmed a US release for the P35 PMP in Fall. Still no pricing details.

Update4: While still waiting for an official Stateside appearance, looks like iRiver has already pushed a new 32GB P35 model in Korea, which is presumably identical to the previous version, only with that double sized storage capacity onboard.  No word about a scheduled western release but getting this one in Asia, will cost you 488,000 won or about $390 USD.

[iRiver]

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Without any extra cheers, Samsung has announced a new netbook, to replace the legendary NC10 (but not the NC20). According to Laptop Magazine, the new N110 will evidently pack the same specs as its predecessor, including 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive and the amazing anti-bacterial keyboard, only this one boasts a different design, featuring a black glossy exterior (instead of the whitish one) with rounded edges around the palm rests and red line across the chassis. Additionally, the N110 is claimed to have a bigger battery that suppose to deliver up to 8 hours of continuous usage, which brings Samsung to stand one line with netbooks like Asus 1000HE, although the Koreans will ask for $469, while the Taiwanese will settle with $374. Still no word about availability, but you can read the full review in the following link.

Update1: The N110 goes live, as Samsung officially uploaded the netbook to its website , available for purchasing via CompSource , priced at $450. alternatively, you can get it through Buy.com for $441.99- Kudos !

Update2: It gets even more official with samsung’s announcement, along with the full specs and images.

[via LaptopMag]

Although it may have some P3 qualities, the new YP-CP3 PMP from Samsung looks a little bigger, but still well designed. Other than that, it is expected to house a 3-inch 400 x 240 display, together with an FM tuner, a mic, microSD expansion slot and a joystick control, to navigate your way through the menus. We can’t be sure whether this device will include a WiFi connection, but formats wise, it does support a wide range of files, like MPEG4, WMV, SVI, RMVB, WMA, Ogg, WAV, FLAC, RM,  and TXT. Naturally, at this point there are no price or availability details to share, so stay tuned for more to come.

[Via PMPToday]

Battery longevity is one of the hottest issues when we make decisions buying a new netbook or multimedia devices. That is why we were happy to learn Samsung has a new PMP, featuring 50  hours of audio playback for every charge you take. The new Q2, which is about to make a debut somewhere this year for a nondisclosure price, boasts a 2.4-inch QVGA display, along with an FM tuner, a built-in microphone and either 8GB or 16GB of internal storage, at your choice. Regretfully, there are no Wifi / Bluetooth connections inside, but you get a wide range of formats support, including MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, WMV and MPEG-4. Stay tuned for more details to come.

Update: Samsung has officially released the YP-Q2 PMP to US customers, in black or white flavors, priced at $99.99 for the 8GB device and $129.99 for the16GB version

[Via Pocketables]

Now that Cowon’s S9 PMP is already out to the market with its stylish curvy design and sharp 3.3-inch OLED display, the Koreans have decided to release a limited version for those who want to distinguish themselves from others. The few lucky ones will get a 16GB model, adorned with Chrome-Black hues, which give the player a prestigious look from bottom to top.  Other than that, it’s the same S9, sporting the same specs, including FM tuner, T-DMB TV, A2DP Bluetooth 2.0 connection, TV output, G-Sensor accelerometer, strong battery, delivering  up to 55hrs of audio playback or 11hrs of video, and wide range of codecs support. Regretfully, no other details to share at this point, but as far as we know, whenever you catch a “Limited Edition” release, you always pay more.

[via Akihabaranews]

Korean company Cenix, has just introduced its latest S-300 PMP, to be available with a 3-inch 800 X 480 touchscreen, an FM tuner, a built-in mic, e-book reader, 7EQ, microSD slot expansion and some playable games, in case you find yourself bored while heading to work. Supporting most of the common formats, you get to choose between black / white flavors, in either 4GB or 8GB storage capacities, priced at 148,000KRW ($96) and 176,000KRW ($114) respectively. Sadly, you’ll have to make all the way to Korea to get one of those cheap players for yourself.

[via Aving]

There’s a lot of buzz around the new S5 MID from Viliv, which boasts impressive specs in a small package. To be more specific, you get tons of top-notch features, including a 1.33GHz Atom Z520 processor, 1GB of RAM, 60GB hard-drive, WiFi connection, integrated GPS navigation system and 1080p HD video support, adorned by a sleeky black 4.8-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen. Regretfully, we don’t have it in our hands yet, but the lucky guys at UMPC Fever have managed to take a close look at this great device and prepared an unboxing video to let us drool all over the place while watching it. Anyway, check it out after the break.

Update: The guys at JkkMobile, got their hands on the Viliv S5 UMPC and you get to see a detailed video right after the break.

[via UMPC Fever]

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Cowon fanboys have been waiting to hear this one for quiet a while, as the Asian company gets official with the D2+ PMP, which is the newer version of the legendary D2 player. Although the latest version is set to be released in Korea only, we might expect global announcements in the future. Meanwhile, you should know the D2+ packs a 2.5-inch 320 × 240 touchscreen, along with an FM tuner, a microphone, SD / SDHC / MMC slot expansion, built-in DMB TV, USB 2.0 connectivity, a TV output and 4/8/16GB storage capacities to be compatible with MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, FLAC, APE, MPEG4 or WMV files. Still no pricing details but the battery keeps providing great longevity, offering 10 hours of video and 52 hours of audio playback. Hit the link below to decide either choosing the Black, White, Blue, Pink or Gray flavors, at your choice.

Update1: The Cowon D2+ is now available to order in the US, priced exactly as the D2 model, which means, $139.99 for the 8GB version and $179.99 for the 16GB.

Update2: D2 owners might be interested knowing that the D2+ firmware can be forced onto the D2players, thanks to the TCCTool, which was created by Rockbox and originally designed to to load firmware on bricked Telechip based devices. To learn more about tweaking your old devices into the new interface log in here. Mind you, there is a risk involved so think twice, before acting.

[Cowon]

Most of our reports deal with advanced multideia players, the kind that have impressive touchscreens and top-notch features that combine wifi, GPS and huge storage capacities, but the low-end market is still there, producing new colorful devices, specially made for those who seek for pure music instead of complicated interfaces. Samsung’s DoReMi U5 is one of them, housing 4 lines OLED screen, along with 2/4/8GB of internal memory, FM tuner, built-in mic and battery that delivers up to 18 hours of audio playback. No hidden catch, no strings attached, just a simple USB thumb machine to hook and listen.

Update1: The U5 is now officially available for US residents, priced at $39.99.

Update2: May 6 2009 - Apparently, the U5 will have a new version in the coming weeks, that includes an integrated fitness program, to keep your calories on the safe side while listening to the band you like. Unfortunately, we have no other details, but we’re following the news to bring them for you ASAP.

[Via DAPReview]

We keep saying that media players future should hold GPS navigation systems, and apparantely Cowon thinks the same, as the Korean company officially announces the L3 PMP/PND release, without any pricing or availability details. Nevertheless, we do know the new L3 features 480MHz dual-core processor, a 7-inch 800 x 480 WVGA touchscreen, an FM tuner, 4GB of storage, 128MB of SDRAM and SD card slot. Naturally, this PMP-Navigation device includes a GPS system with Eco Drive module that indicates your fuel consumption on the go. Regretfully there’s no wifi inside, but you can still enjoy wide codecs support like MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV, OGG, AVI, ASF, and WMV files – all packed in 318g of solid sleek design.

[via akihabaranews]

It’s been a month since we last talked about the new iStation T3 PMP from Digital Cube, and moments before a world wide release, we get a chance to look at some teasing images that make us drool all over the place. Although we’ve already expressed our reservations, this 4.3-inch 480 x 272 device has a pretty impressive design and Battery that provides up to 18 hours of audio playback or 10 hours of video. Formats wise, the T3 supports codecs like MP3, WMA, Ogg, FLAC, APE, AC3, WAV, MPEG-4, AVI, Divx, Xvid, or WMV and can accommodate up to 32GB of storage – all for very competitive price tags. To see more, just hit the link below.

Update: Checkout the “walkthrough” video after the break.

[via AVING]

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We’ve already expressed our huge disappointment from the iRiver Spinn and conveyed our hopes when the new firmware update showed up, but recent cheering rumors, coming from Korean forums, imply for a new black Spinn edition to be released during this year in addition to the already exist silver version. Naturally, no other details are available at this stage, so we can’t tell if new specs are coming up, but be sure we will share the info as soon as it arrives.

[iRiver via MovePlayer]

Following recent T50 PMP announcement, mobiBLU introduces the UFO A10 player, which looks exactly like a mini UFO spacecraft without any aliens inside. Instead, you get 2GB, 4GB or 8GB capacities to choose from, together with a built-in speaker, integrated Bluetooth connection and basic audio formats support, including MP#, WMA, ASF, and OGG. Battery wise, this 130g player provides 6 hours of speaker output playback or 15 hours, if you choose to listen through your earbuds. Although we have no info regarding price or availability, we must admit we do like this new Sci-Fi concept.

[via mobiBLU]

Korean company mobiBLU is about to launch a new media-players lineup and the first in the series is the T50 PMP, which packs a 2.6-inch 400 x 240 touchscreen, an FM tuner, a microphone and 4GB of internal memory storage. Although the new T50 is still unofficial, we couldn’t ignore the UI, which literally resembles another popular player – You’ve guessed it right – the iPod Touch. However, while Apple’s player sports a super fast multi-touch screen technology, the mobiBLU version comes with a haptic display, that makes it a bit sluggish, if you insist to compare between the two. Still no word on price or availability, but we do know the T50 will generously support MP3, WMA, Flac, AAC, APE audio formats.

[via dapreview]

We know many users who wish to have a simple mp3 player, the kind you take in your bag wherever you go and simply connect whenever you want, without any tricks or complexity, just pure music. For this target specifically, Korean manufacturer MyRacer has launched its latest Lisse S10 player which packs a four lines 128 x 64 OLED display, together with an FM tuner, a microphone, 2GB/4GB internal storage and a four-way pad to navigate the menu. Although we have no details concerning price or availability, this small 46x40x10mm DAP is promised to be released in a wide batch of colors to choose from, so stay tuned.

[via gmp3]

Samsung’s NC10 is one of the best netbooks out there, boasting a fantastic anti-bacterial keyboard and a great 10.2-inch display, together with the usual stuff, including 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, a 1.3M webcam, a 3-in-1 card reader, Bluetooth/WiFi connectivity and a 6-cell battery that provides long working hours. However, while regular versions offering white, blue or brown casing flavors to choose from, Samsung has decided to add a pinky model for Valentine gifting, priced at £316 ($434) and scheduled to land on UK shelves on February 9. Therefor, in case you haven’t indulged your lady with an up-to-date tech present, this new NC10 might be a good excuse.

[via overclockers]

iRiver Spinn was suppose to be one of the biggest promises of 2008, with its amazing 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen and the revolutionary 360° spinning hinge. But reality proved different, as the Spinn failed to deliver the goods, while the UI turned to be slugish and hard to work with. Now, the Koreans are trying to improve the experience with the latest 2.0 firmware update, which brings some neat features to the player, including a memo taking feature, big album art capabilities, auto image rotating, auto DMB television recording, and also DAB or FM radio recording. Additionaly, you will find a better control over video playback, and new games to download from the iAMOLED website (available only in Korea). To get this firmware and update your device, just log in here and download it.

[via dapreview]