Taking a more economical approch to portable speakers, the Creative i-Trigue L3800 delivers excellent performance for a decent ($176) price. The L3800 has a NeoTitanium micro driver and Lateral Firing Transducers (mid-range, side-firing drivers) that deliver 48W RMS of power. It also features bi-amplification for maximum performance and a wireless IR remote. Source: [Pocket-Lint]
With an expected release date of February 1st, Cowon has slashed the retail price on its 2GB iAUDIO U2 MP3 player from $340 to a more affordable $256. The U2 boasts a 4-line LCD display, FM tuner/recorder, and BBE/MP sound enhancement. Powered by a lithium polymer electric battery, the player is good for up to 20 hours of continuous use. It measures 25×18×73.8mm and weighs just 34g.
Sony’s GIGA Panel isn’t your typical in-car sound system. Instead, it’s a 1GB flash based headunit that adds “MP3 functionality into the car stereo”. Just remove the panel (faceplate), connect it to your PC via USB, transfer music files, reattach to headunit, and that’s all there is to it. It also doubles as an in-car CD player with a 24-bit DAC converter and EQ3 stage2 equalizer.
“People are used to the simplicity of drag and drop for their MP3 players, so why do they have to waste time burning their music collection onto CD for the car? The Sony GIGA Panel brings MP3 functionality into the car stereo.”
Source: [BIOS]
Like the i-Bob, this $65 “PocketMedia” MP3 player from Switzerland is yet another iPod clone. It bears a striking resemblance to the iPod Shuffle. Source: [TheRawFeed]
Priced at just $144, the TPod Neo plans to give Apple’s iPod Nano a run for its money. This thin (90×40×8mm), light (50g) player features a 1.5″ LCD display and MTV/AMX (384kbps) support (wer’e guessing its some type of video format). Its also compatible with AVI/MPEG/WMV video files, MP3 (8 – 320kbps)/WMA (5 – 384kbps) audio formats, and JPEG images. All the standard features are there like a voice recorder and USB 2.0 connection. Thanko Japan will release the TPod Neo on January 27th. Source: [Thanko]
Put simply, the X-Nine XN-F3 is the smallest flash based digital player we’ve seen. At just 41 x 40 x 12.8mm and 20g, it still manages to pack a 65k color 1.2″ OLED display, FM tuner, microphone, ebook reader, USB 2.0 support, and microphone. The XN-F3 supports MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV, and WMV formats. No word yet on pricing or availability but we do know that it will be released in 256MB/512MB/1GB capacities. Source: [GenerationMP3]
Limited to just 100 units, Sony’s NW-A1000/RM “D NAND” (Franz Ferdinand) is a robust player with album cover art etched into the front and rear. The HDD also comes loaded with a special pre-recorded message from the band. Feature wise, its not much different from the NW-A1000, boasting a 6GB HDD, 1.5″ OLED display, and superb battery life (17 hours for MP3s). It measures 55×11.5 – 18.7×88.1mm and weighs 109g. It’s a bit pricey at $286 USD given its lack of a color display, but fans of the band probably won’t even notice. Sony will release this limited edition player on January 26th. Source: [Sony Press Release]
Available in 1GB ($140) or 2GB ($170) capacities, IOPS’s Z1 digital media player is small enough to fit in your pocket and features a razor sharp 65k color OLED display that’s great for watching video clips. This flash memory player also features SRS WOW 2.0 sound enhancement and 3 user selectable EQ modes. Its powered by a lithium polymer battery and supports MP3/WMA/MPEG4 formats. Source: [AVing]
Simple but stylish, the Ferrari branded Oregon Scientific FMP160 MP3 player is designed for the trendsetter. It features smooth rounded rubber edges, 1GB internal memory, SRS WOW sound enhancement, and a voice recorder. The FMP160 supports USB 2.0 for file transfers or a quick recharge. Plus, a special edition case, lanyard, and earphones are also included. This player measures 56 x 42 x 20mm and will be priced at $230 USD. Source: [EverythingUSB]
In addition to the physical seal that blocks out most exterior noise (up to 37dB), Shure’s new E500 earbuds feature PTH (Push-to-Hear) functionality – allowing you to hear external sounds without removing the earbuds – and triple high-definition drivers. The E500 will be released in May at the price of $499. You can also purchase a PTH Control Switch separately for $59 that is compatible with all E series models. Source: [Gizmodo]