Web Talk

Creative has just unveild its the new Portable Media Players X-Fi and ZEN X-Fi with Wireless LAN. Both these PMP are fully compatible with MP3, WMA, WMV, AVI, MJPEG, MPEG4-SP, DivX 4 and 5, XviD, and unprotected iTunes music. The WLAN, Zen X-Fi will also be able to stream and download music directly from home PC. Here is the press release directly from Creative: “We’re very excited to achieve this breakthrough of adding our X-Fi audio technology to a ZEN player, setting the highest standard in audio quality for portable music players. Some of the top recording artists in the music industry are very outspoken about the poor quality of digital music. We addressed the issue of the poor quality of digital music by inventing X-Fi technology, which restores the quality of music that is lost during the digital ripping process, and now for the first time ever we’ve been able to implement this technology in a ZEN,” said Craig McHugh, President and COO of Creative. “We also give you the freedom and flexibility of being able to listen to music, watch videos and view photos on your Creative ZEN X-Fi with Wireless LAN that are stored on your PC. You can also wirelessly add your favourite music, videos and photos to your player from your PC, so you’ll always have them with you wherever you go.” Here instead is a brief list of their most important features:

• 2.5-inch TFT display with 16.7 million colours
• Integrated FM Radio with 32 presets.
• Microphone for voice recording.
• Built-in speaker so you can listen to your songs without any earplugs.
• Exclusively on Creative ZEN X-Fi with wireless LAN so that you will be able to chat with Yahoo Messanger and  Windows Live! Messenger.
• Sync with Microsoft Outlook - contact, calendar, “To Do” list.

The ZEN X-Fi comes in two different memory sizes namely 16GB and 32GB for S$329 and S$399, respectively. The Creative ZEN X-Fi 8 GB is going to hit the market by end of this month for S$229.00. Both of these models are just available for the Singapore market so far.

If you have been looking for a nice e-dictionary to use abroad with some spicy in it, namely a lot of features stuffed among its circuits, well, you quest is over. In fact, Iriver has just unleashed its D5 multimedia e-dictionary to the world. But what is it exactly? First of all, let me tell you that if you think this little device has to do with ultraportable devices then you are dead wrong. As its name suggests, it is mainly an electronic dictionary with a lot of features which turn it into something really close to a PMP than anything else (portable media player). Here is a list of its features:

• Available in black and white.
• It comes in two versions: GB ($299.99) and 4GB ($349.99).
• Included in the box: pouch, earphones, USB 2.0 cable, installation CD, and guide.
• 3-inch 480 x 272 TFT display.
• QWERTY keyboard (52 keys).
• Dictionary available: Dictionaries: Korean-English, English-English, Korean-Japanese, Korean-Chinese.
• It can read the following audio-formats: WMA, ASF, OGG, MP3.
• It can read the following video-formats: AVI (MPEG-4 SP).
• It can read the following picture-formats: JPG (3600 x 2400), GIFT (1024 x 768), BMP (1024 x 768)
• Text viewer.
• FM radio.

If you want to buy one of this lovely e-dictionary, click here.

If you think that VX767 is the new Onda motorbike, well, you are wrong. As a matter of fact this is the name of the new PMP (portable media player) unveiled by Onda which is going to hit the market soon (no word about its price or its release date). Despite the fact that it looks like the iPod, it has so many features that, in my opinion, is far much better than the Apple’s baby. Its main features include:

• 4,3″ screen ( 480 x 272 pixel).
• 400 MHz processor.
• It manages to read the following formats: M, RVB, FLV, AVI, MOV, ASF, MP4, WMV, 3GP, MPG, MP3, WMA, APE e FLAC.
• Radio FM.
• Voice recorder.
• TV-out
• The battery can last as much as 40 hours.
• Support for SD.
• Games , support for pictures, Flash, LRC lyrics etc

I wrote “etc” because the features are really a lot! I think Apple should shake itself a little bit. With these kind of devices how long is the iPod going to last ? I think Apple is still surviving thanks to its fame. The iPod offers really little, and for many bucks. Folk, Wake up! There are better gadgets than it! Just look around.

I love when smart companies start thinking wisely and begin making innovative and really new devices! That’s what I thought then I found out that Sagem released a new incredible radio called MYDu@l Radio700, promising you to entertain with a lot of music and above all with many incredible features! But let’s see into detail what I am talking about. Firstly, this radio has got a nice, new look and feel. Secondly, I like the idea of using it with the help of a nice remote. Thirdly, I love its wi-fi feature which lets you connect to more than 7000 radio channel through the Web without any need to use the computer. Wi-fi is, or should be, a natural step to take when releasing a new radio in the wild, right? Despite this I don’t see many of them. So, thank you Sangem! Really, thank you a lot for being so smart and daring. I know how hard it can be when it comes to release something new.Guts! Nowadays that’s what companies don’t have. How many iPhone-like devices have we seen lately? Many, too many of them. That’s why I greet Sagem’s device with such an enthusiasm. Other MYDu@l features include:

• Radio Format MP3-WMA.
• FM Radio-RDS.
• Access to music file stored on a computer.
• Supported Audio formats MP3-WVMA-WAV
• Compatible with Microsoft Media Player 11
• Alarm

I know what you are thinking about. You want to buy one of it, right? Here is the link!

How many MP3 players have you seen during these last years? Many, right? How many MP3 players have you seen that look like the iPod? Many, right? Well, the new Sandisk Sansa Fuze makes no exception. Its look, so familiar, brings you the so-used-iPod-style into your house to entertain you with its lots of features. Here is a list of its specs:

• Bright 1.9-inch color screen display.
• It reads MP3, WMA, WMA, WAV, Audible, and Overdrive, photos (JPEG) and audio books.
• FM radio tuner.
• Voice recorder.
• microSD™/microSDHC™ slot for additional content.
• Music subscription download from Rhapsody To Go, Napster, eMusic etc.

The new Music Sandisk Sansa Fuze will be available in different flavours namely 2GB, 4GB and 8GB and it is expected to hit the market by the beginning of April for a price of about $80, $100 and $130, respectively. I expected more from such a company to tell you the truth. Its lack of fantasy let me think how such companies are becoming standardized to the Apple style more and more. It looks like nobody is willing to risk on something new anymore in the name of secure profits. What a shame Sandisk, You missed your chance to create something original!

As you know, or you should, I like fancy although simple devices. No, I am not stuck into design and fashion, I only think that the eye wants its share so, why not have a nice, trendy device that catches your eyes for its colors and its simple, wonderful design? Just to give you an idea what I am talking about, I want to introduce you one of the few devices I really like apart from Nokia n810. It is called M25 and it is by Teclast. This nice portable media player manage to read MP3, WMA, OGG, APE, FLAC, AAC, WAV, AVI, RM and RMVB files. If all this is not enough for you M25 it is also provided with a FM tuner, a 2.4-inch QVGA (320 x 240) display, 2GB / 4GB / 8GB of capacity, a recorder and a text viewer. It is thin, classic and at the same time modern, smooth and with a nice graphic interface. I like it and I think that all devices should look like it. Kudos for Teclast! By the way, No word on price or availability yet.

It has been a long time since I last wrote about a PMP (Portable Media Player). Of course, in the meantime other devices were sent out in the wild but none of them (in my opinion) were worth being reviewed till now. In fact, MPIO has just introduced its new nice and well designed V10 player promising you to entertain with hours of fun. This little baby sports a 3-inch WQVGA touch screen display, 8 GB of memory, SD card slot, FM tuner, TV output, Support for every audio and video format and Windows CE 5.0 powered. No word about its price or release day. By the way, I like its design, not that original but at least smooth and simple!

This is the new Sharp pmp promising to give you hours of fun. Here is a list of its features:

• 4.3″ touch screen display
• 30Gb hard disk
• SD/MMC memory card slot
• Support for: MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG, AAC, DIVX, MPEG1/2/4, WMV7/8/9, H.264BP, ASF
• Electronic Dictionary
• Windows CE 5.0

The new Sharp Sp 600 will cost around $444. No word on its availability.