tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332334952024-03-05T02:29:43.792-05:00Some (Useful) Digital Audio Player ReviewsDAP MP3 ReviewsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-31382731783723718832010-10-10T20:21:00.000-05:002010-10-10T20:24:29.299-05:00iPhone Review (via cnet)Pros: Retina Display, Better camera, LED Flash, Front-Camera, Spectacular yet sophisticated design, build quality way better than previous generation, very snappy, 3G speeds are really fast and iOS balances everything, and almost unscratchable<br /><br />Cons: Cell reception is really spotty, Facetime (for now) works only through WiFi and somewhat a gimmmick, antenna issues do exist though not a big impact it will affects 3G speeds, and batterry still ends up dying by the end of the day through normal use.<br /><br />Summary: Well I got my iPhone 4 (the black one and the 32GB version) like a week ago. Let me just say that overall, it's spectacular, amazing, and a stellar device. You cannot go wrong with purchasing the device.<br /><br />First off, the biggest difference of all is really the retina display, some might say the new redesign is but after looking at the display it's really the biggest difference. If the iPhone 4 used the same display as its previous generation (the iPhone 3GS) the only real difference would be design and overall that's not something I would upgrade for. It really makes your photos burst to life, text are really sharp, and it can playback 720p videos it looks amazing. This is the main feature that makes your old iPhone look obsolete, there is no other feature that does that than this.<br /><br />Anyways, going on with the other parts of the phone, the home button feels a lot more clickier (to me at least), and the rear camera is great, if not amazing. It's one of the best cameras (on a phone) I've used to date, and the interface is nice, simple, and clean. It lets you choose where to auto-focus on and pictures are taken super quickly (in like half a second it's taken). It also has LED Flash which is nice, it helps sometimes but sometimes it might be too bright and there's no options to adjust how bright the flash is but it's alright. The front camera is great, for it's class (a 1.3 Megapixel camera) and best for taking portrait pictures of your self or for FaceTime calls.<br /><br />The speakers are well mediocore but amazing for only one speaker. Plays a lot louder than my iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G. Still I recommend using headphones or a speaker. It also comes with two microphones, one on top near the headphone jack and another on the bottom left next to the dock (it's been switched from right to left from the iPhone 3GS). The two microphones have the noise-cancelling feature to give clearer calls and it does work as it should. Amazing but AT&T's service is the only problem sometimes I would get dropped calls (I've had one drop call so far), I transferred from T-Mobile and was surprised how spotty their coverage was (especially in Orlando, FL). <br /><br />The second best thing about the device is it's new design. It's really beautiful and sophisticated. The build quality is excellent, it's really hard to think about dropping the device while you're holding it. It feels like a luxury device (which it is but just saying you'll have that "I can't believe I'm holding it!!!" feeling). The antenna is used as the foundation of both glass panels which happens to be the silver wraparound on the phone (which explains the three lines). Another thing is the material they use to build this is almost unscratchable, I have yet to scratch the device after a week's use with no case which I could never do with my iPhone 3GS. The circular volume buttons also add a luxurious feeling to the device and in my opinion better to use than the volume rocker on the previous generations. The ringer switch looks a lot nicer too.<br /><br />Other features like the Apple A4 processor are nice, makes the phone super-snappy, never slowsdown but it's not much faster than my iPhone 3GS especially since they're based on the same processor (both CPU and GPU). The only difference is the A4 has better clock cycles and power management plus the 4 sports 512MB of RAM which is a nice boost especially for graphics-intensive apps though somewhat overkill.<br /><br />Like I said, AT&T has really spotty coverage on almost every state, you can't go wrong with buying the iPhone 4 but you can with getting AT&T service. It will depend on your location but for me (in Orlando, FL) I use to be on T-Mobile with my iPhone 3GS (Unlocked and only works through EDGE), it worked pretty well especially considering it was on EDGE. With T-Mobile I had 4-5 bars everywhere, never had any dead spots except for like 1 little spot I encountered throughout the whole year I was with them. I transferred from them to AT&T to try out the new iPhone 4 and at first AT&T coverage was great, but later on going throughout all of Orlando (Kisimmee, Downtown, Avalon Park, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, etc) I always had a variety of 0-1 bars to 3-4 bars but I could never keep a complete 5 bar status. Still despite the bars being low, I could make calls they were very clear, the 3G speeds were extremely fast ranging from 600Kbps to 2Mbps and it was a big difference from EDGE (200Kbps average). <br /><br />Another thing is FaceTime only works through WiFi making it more of a gimmick than a real feature. I tried it once and it was nice, works great but like I said I might never use it again.<br /><br />iOS 4 is great, multi-tasking is done pretty well, not true multi-tasking but otherwise it's just what I need. Things work really fast and snappy, but folders are kinda weird (only 12 apps???). <br /><br />Overall the phone is amazing, get a case to get better reception (and either way you should to protect your investment), and iOS is just fluid, fast, and great.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-30807987379438437852008-12-30T22:59:00.003-05:002008-12-30T23:16:04.046-05:00Sansa Clip 1GB/2GB/4GB - New Compact Flash Leader<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/electronics/detail-page/B000W09ZTK-1-lg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 237px; height: 354px;" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/electronics/detail-page/B000W09ZTK-1-lg.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BACKGROUND:</span> I was in the market for a small MP3 player with primary usage at the gym. I was looking for a rechargeable unit as my previous player ate AAA batteries about every week or so. I considered three options of which the Sansa Clip was one of them. I eliminated the iPod Shuffle due to its cost and lack of display. The other primary contender was the Creative Zen Stone Plus (I rejected the non-Plus model due it its lack of display). I will reference how the Sansa Clip won out throughout the rest of the review.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">SET UP: </span>The Sansa Clip is about as simple as it gets in this area. It requires no additional software installation. My home system runs XP SP2 with Windows Media Player 11. When I plugged the player in to charge, it was detected and recognized automatically. I told windows to "Take No Action" as the default behavior when the device connects. This allows me to maintain complete control over the syncing process. My unit charged in about an hour.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">MUSIC TRANSFER: </span>You have the option of using simple drag and drop of MP3 files to the device as you would a USB flash drive. However, using Windows Media Player allows you the more advanced feature of playlists. Since I primarily use my MP3 player at the gym, I created multiple playlists for warm up, workout, and cool down. The workout lists are about 90 minutes while the others about 20 minutes. I really liked that I was able to create multiples of each for variety. Right now I have three of each with about 1.5 Gb still remaining to use as I please. Using Windows Media Player, you can sync albums, songs, or playlists as you would with any other device. The Sansa Clip fully supports all of these options so it is a nice low effort, highly functional set up.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">SOUND QUALITY:</span> This is an area where the Sansa Clip is pretty impressive. I previously had the Sansa M230, and I can tell a significant difference in sound quality. I am able to hear a lot more detail in the higher ranges (such as high hat cymbals). I am using the headphones that came with the unit, but I would image that higher quality headphones would sound even better. The player also has a series of preset equalizer settings for different music styles as well as one that you can customize.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DISPLAY:</span> This is a distinguisher between the Clip and the Zen Stone Plus. The display is larger and easier to read. The mix of blue and yellow against the black background is also pleasant.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">NAVIGATION:</span> The Clip has a normal four button dial that is common to most small MP3 players. With the crisp, clear display it is easy to move around and select music by artist, album, song, or playlist. The only thing that I have noticed that doesn't work quite the way I would like is that if you navigate away from the song that is playing there doesn't seem t<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/ea/5c/660081b0c8a07eb0c50fd110.L.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 185px;" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/ea/5c/660081b0c8a07eb0c50fd110.L.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>o be a way to get back to it to see the details of what's playing. This is pretty minor, though, because I do not regularly navigate away from the song that is playing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">FM RADIO: </span>This is about what you would expect from a unit with no external antenna. Strong signals come in clearly, but it is not going to match what you can pick up on your car stereo. This is a nice to have feature for me so it is plenty adequate.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">OPTIONS: </span>As I mentioned previously, my primary usage comes at the gym. I had used the song timer to measure the time between reps while lifting weights on my M230. However, the Clip has a power saving feature that shuts off the display after 15 seconds by default. However, you can change this to 30, 45, 60, or 90 seconds which should cover your needs. After adjusting mine, I wake up the display after completing a set. When the display shuts off, it's time for the next set.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">USE ON THE GO:</span> This is the other area where the Clip separates itself from the Zen Stone Plus. You can clip the player to your clothes or an arm strap (I use the one that came with my M230). The Zen Stone Plus requires purchase of a separate armband accessory for an additional $15.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">COST:</span> At base price, the Zen Stone Plus and Sansa Clip are a push. However if you factor in another $15 for an armband you have a clear winner given the other advantages.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">CONCLUSION: </span> The Sansa Clip is now the leader in 1/2/4 Gb small MP3 players. Give it a spin and you won't be disappointed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-19086168512625627012008-09-13T23:09:00.000-05:002008-12-30T23:14:44.088-05:00Zune 3rd gen - Finally a legit player from Microsoft<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/16/c7/bfbf81b0c8a009414d69c110.L.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 314px; height: 208px;" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/16/c7/bfbf81b0c8a009414d69c110.L.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The Zune is overall a great product and I would recommend it to anyone. This review makes some comparisons to the iPod Classic because many are familiar with the iPod Classic and are debating between these two often.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Positives for the Zune:</span><br />- Sound Quality exceeds that of the Classic, while the classic is good it has too much focus on the low end and really isn't all that great in the mids. The Zune has great balance meaning it plays low/mids/highs exceptionally well, matching the 5th gen iPod in my opinion. [Tested with Bose Around The Ear Headphones, won't be noticed much with cheap/stock ear buds]<br /><br />- Interface is wild and more modern than other MP3 players. You'll feel like you are in 2008 with the device's interface. You can also customize it, while customization is limited to changing the wallpaper its still something not many other players have. [including the classic]<br /><br />- The large screen is nice for video..I haven't ran into any pixelation problems that some people report with the resolution of 320 x 240 on that size of the screen..however your mileage may vary. The screen is much better suited than the dinky 2.5 screen that is on the Classic.<br /><br />- Navigation with the Zune pad is a breeze and better than the Classic. A few reasons being that a) you can press the buttons to adjust volume in your pocket [the classic relies on luck that you can actually get the touch sensitive wheel to respond through your pants], b) the zune pad sticks out from the unit which makes it easier to feel for than the classic which the click wheel is pretty well flush with the unit itself, c) you can navigate with pin point navigation, use the touch function to scroll fast and the click function to get precise.<br /><br />- Microsoft continues to make improvements to the product like the Zune 3.0 release that adds the FM Radio feature that allows you to add music off the radio to your cart or with wireless download the song directly to your Zune. Clock is introduced [a feature that was lacking that people constantly complained about, MICROSOFT LISTENS!], and the Wifi Marketplace is also introduced which allows you to browse the marketplace wirelessly as well as preview/download songs instantly if you have a Zunepass.<br /><br />- The software on the PC looks very modern..where as iTunes has virtually remained the same since its release on the PC. The software has the ability to combine albums with a simple drag n drop which allows you to combine singles into their full featured albums with a simple click. Getting Album art is easy as well as track listings for a album if you are missing tag information..if you are missing tag information and the software can't find it, it will give you a drop down list of all albums on the CD and allow you to choose which track is the right one..none listed? No problem you can keep it its current track name. Manual Sync is NOW supported officially, meaning the device can run independently of your Zune Collection. The software can actually work with a external drive, when I tried with iTunes 7.6 it would close by itself. Mixview is nice, you can simply right click a album click mixview to get a view of several related artists to find new music with.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/7a/96/fc998149e7a0512ef5e8d110.L.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 378px;" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/7a/96/fc998149e7a0512ef5e8d110.L.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Neutral:</span><br />- Zune Pass, almost all the music on the Marketplace supports it..some might be annoyed with the fact you have to pay $15 a month forever unless you want to lose your songs, some might also have a problem with not owning the music or that some songs aren't available for the Zune Pass. I personally think its a great concept and I have absolutely no complaints about paying $15 for all the songs I can download.<br /><br />- Smudges and scratches might be a problem for some if you are really picky the new gloss front is prone to scratches from metal objects [keys, coins, etc.].<br /><br />- Its made of plastic which could be taken either a) a good thing because its lighter b) a bad thing because its obviously not as tough.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Negatives:</span><br />- Software is still behind when compared to iTunes but improves with every update. Some complaints include, Rating system is a "Like, Don't Like" System giving you very limited options when you find songs that aren't GREAT but are OK..you either have to hate it or like it. If you are in a certain spot in your collection and click Marketplace then go back your spot is lost and Zune software returns to the top of your list. The same happens when you are at a certain spot in the marketplace as well, you leave and you end up reseting the marketplace back to home.<br /><br />- Marketplace layout is very generic and needs some serious tweaking where as the iTunes Store is very precise the layout of the Marketplace is just sloppy, there really isn't much browsing you can do unless the artist is new because when you browse through artists in a specific genre they aren't in alphabetic order they are just scattered about I assume by popularity.<br /><br />- Premium Earbuds are gone replaced with generic earbuds.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overall a great alternative</span> to the now dying Classic [which didn't get any upgrades beyond battery and the genius feature..unless you consider the 120GB a upgrade from the 80GB model last year].Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-47683931611932148462006-12-26T20:59:00.000-05:002006-12-26T21:11:59.993-05:00Dyne busts out Tuny 9 and Tuny 11 sexy flash DAPs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0dD7R41bbc7u2XF5fIOVCT1LHsBiB5iTLJH4aN-EYPefpXZddodk-G3S3ZGOZ8eTJnJJbIiMDKkc9jCjLBomr0tu7GtVfJhAhzLJ7ByHi0HTGjQqPs0PVjGjrBGUn9O1Zqaf/s1600-h/dyne-tuny-11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 313px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0dD7R41bbc7u2XF5fIOVCT1LHsBiB5iTLJH4aN-EYPefpXZddodk-G3S3ZGOZ8eTJnJJbIiMDKkc9jCjLBomr0tu7GtVfJhAhzLJ7ByHi0HTGjQqPs0PVjGjrBGUn9O1Zqaf/s320/dyne-tuny-11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5013023550598618882" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We got our pun on with the Tuny 8 from DYNE last year, and now it's been joined by the Tuny 9 and Tuny 11 for a full-on pun extravaganza. The Tuny 9 (pictured) isn't quite as "tuny" as its Tuny 11 sibling (pictured after the break), but with its extra girth it manages 512MB, 1GB and 2GB capacities with a 2-inch 176 x 220 pixel display and 0.55-inches of thickness. There's also 18 hours of battery life -- 8 hours during video playback -- plenty of codec support, FM radio and line-in recording, TV out and Bluetooth. The Tuny 11 is a bit less exciting, with a 1.7-inch 128 x 160 screen, and none of that TV out or Bluetooth nonsense, but it manages the same capacities with a mere 0.3-inches of thickness. The design is nothing incredibly unique, but it's pretty sexy all the same. Unfortunately, we don't have a word on price or availability for either of these, and we probably won't be seeing 'em outside of Korea anytime soon anyways.<br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">From Dapreview</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-31895382774541949832006-12-26T18:46:00.000-05:002006-12-26T19:03:09.582-05:00Best Buy - I actually had a good experience with DAP returns! :o<span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US">Ok. First things first. Timeout from all the technical mumbo-jumbo for a "consumer relations" experience. So I have had my Zen Vision: M for about 3 months, until it croaked unexpectedly around December 20th. I said fine, at least I got the warranty. So I walk on over to Best Buy and tell them the story. Long story shor</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4Pf0oT692_9WGzrj6NqFZzb5giKhSDbOvU-YpDoV8R52xb3apmkFiWXTXUAhA1jZicDJzpJrpT_Jpv2ZeKcNIaI1R1aNdFFtegZ4MHUFhE3JWhh2OegH5MYwBIyADc4eRVH2/s1600-h/best-buy.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4Pf0oT692_9WGzrj6NqFZzb5giKhSDbOvU-YpDoV8R52xb3apmkFiWXTXUAhA1jZicDJzpJrpT_Jpv2ZeKcNIaI1R1aNdFFtegZ4MHUFhE3JWhh2OegH5MYwBIyADc4eRVH2/s320/best-buy.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5012990337616518882" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US">t, after a bit of a hard time (the typical BB return policy), I walk out with a new ZVM. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US">Great. I take that home, plug it i</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US">n my laptop, the thing doesn’t startup. So I just leave it there, go eat some lunch, come back, and still nothing. Turns out this thing was DOA (dead on arrival). AH! I was angry with BB at this point. I marched back in there and told them the story. It was December 22<sup>nd</sup>, and there was a HUGE, I mean HUGE customer service line. The customer service reps looked pretty stressed. Bottom Line, I said I’m not going home with another ZVM, two have already been defective. So the girl at the cash, who was just trying to get through the whole line of returns, makes me a sweet offer…pick any DAP I want and if it is less they would even refund the difference! THIS IS NOT PART OF THE WARRANTY. So, knowing my DAPs, I go out and pick up the dreaded, yes dreaded, Ipod 5.5G, s it is the closest competitor to the ZVM. It costs about $60 less, so I use the extra money to get an iSkin silicon case and an FM transmitter…</span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:georgia;" lang="EN-US">Moral of the story…return your electronics when there are tons of people in line and the customer service reps are under a lot of stress…their so much easier to deal with!</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158618747177116602006-09-18T17:30:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.653-05:00Wal-Mart Leaks Zune Price<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/wal_mart_logo.0.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/wal_mart_logo.0.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">We've got a good idea as to the Zune pricetag, though we're still no closer to a specific launch date. By the time we got to the Zune's product page, the pricing info had been removed, but it can still be spotted in the MP3 player category listing at a lean $284 flat. Of course, Wal-Mart likes to skim as much as they can off the MSRP -- they're charging $147.88 for a 1GB iPod nano instead of Apple's nice round $150 figure -- but a whole $16 shy of the magic $300 number we were expecting Microsoft to hit isn't too shabby. Rumors still abound as to why we still don't have a solid figure from Microsoft on pricing. Some believe it has something to do with the "bombshell" of Apple's recent iPod price drop, so Wal-Mart potentially be off the mark with this $284 of theirs, but we'll give their soon-to-be-fired database lackey the benefit of the doubt.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158419593048512362006-09-16T10:11:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.582-05:00Zune Official Specs<span style="font-family: verdana;">To wrap it up, here are the official specs and opinions</span>: <o:p></o:p> <ul style="font-family: verdana;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">4.4 x 2.4 x 0.58-inch footprint (vs 30GB iPod's 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.43-inches, and 80GB iPod's 0.55-inch thickness -- trust us, on a device<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/zune_brown_sm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/zune_brown_sm.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> like this a tenth of an inch is a <em>huge</em> difference)<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">5.6 ounces (vs iPod's 4.8 and 5.5 ounces for the 30 and 80GB models)<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">WiFi is 802.11b/g, photo is JPEG only (right now)<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Zunes and their users will have names -- Zunetags -- building off the phenomenal success of Xbox Live model.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Faster charge time than an iPod, but still no quoted battery life. It will not be user replaceable.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Nope, no price or release on the device or anything Marketplace related -- which they told us yesterday they wouldn't be releasing (yet).<o:p></o:p></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; font-family: verdana;">Web Opinions:<o:p></o:p></p> <ul style="font-family: verdana;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Zune supposedly won't be taking advantage of the device's video capabiilties by selling TV shows this year, nor will it play Media Center video files (DVR-MS files, we take that to mean).<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Microsoft went with brown on one of the three Zunes because "artists would and musicians would." We're not going to lie, some of us around here like it (key word: <em>some</em>).<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Zune will be backing concerts and shows, and is really working with the music influencer angle.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">The 3x3 DRM layer (share a song for three plays over three days) will supposedly wrap files of any supported type (MP3, AAC, etc.) in DRM during the transfer.<o:p></o:p></li></ul> <span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:12;" >And that's it folks. To tell you the truth, I'll be buying my own personal one in brown, there's just something about that colour! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158419454008846382006-09-16T09:59:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.486-05:00Zune: The Beast is Here<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/image001_low.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 330px; height: 245px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/image001_low.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Not a lot of surprises in the specs department, but they've confirmed the basics we've known for a while, like WiFi, 30GB of HDD, built-in FM, a 3-inch screen and the basic music, pictures and video playback. They also finally let slip the screen res -- an unsurprising QVGA -- and some better news on the codec front: the Zune supports h.264, MP3, </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/ms-zune-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 179px; height: 318px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/ms-zune-3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">AAC and WMA. As for ballyhoo, wirel</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">ess Zune-to-Zune sharing is where the real action is at, and it works pretty muc</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">h like we've been hearing: you can share a full-length track with a friend, and they've got three times to listen to it over a three day period, after which they can flag the song</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> for purchase on the Zune Marketplace -- unless they're an unlimited "Zune Pass" subscriber, of course. You can also share playlists and pictures with your buddies, along with what we suppose are "unprotected" homemade recordings.<br /><br />So far Microsoft isn't mentionin<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.engadget.com/search/?q=%22Live+Anywhere%22"></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">g Live Anywhere functionality, but they do hint heavily at future software updates to take even better advantage of the wireless capabilities. Of course, it all really comes down to matching your Zune with that snazzy new fall wardrobe of yours, and to that end the Zune comes in black, brown and white. Sadly, Microsoft still won't spill the beans on pricing and availability (other than a vague "this holiday season"), so we'll keep an eye out for that just like always.<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158242578642798432006-09-14T08:53:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.420-05:00Zune Poised to Make First Appearence Tomorrow!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/zunesideways.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 180px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/zunesideways.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Finally! According to Seattle Weekly, the suits at Redmond are finally ready to unveil their closely-guarded pet project to the world at an invite-only press event, where the WiFi-sportin', video-playin', friend-makin' Zune will have its first public appearance. Since we already know so much, though, what can we really expect to learn at the press conference? Well we'll be looking out for the little things, such as codec and DRM support, definitive pricing and release information, whether or not Bill G will make an appearance in a black turtleneck, and most importantly, what kind of headphones will be bundled in the package -- oh wait, we know that too.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">For those of you who missed the specs of Zune, here's what we're expecting:</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >$299.99</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> pricetag</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" ><br />Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) connectivity</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />30 GB Hard Drive</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />3.75 inch video LCD</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />White, Black, and Chocolate Colors</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />FM Radio<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">TV output connectivity<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">Dedicated song download site</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />DJ Mode (broadcast what you are listening to)<br /><br />After Apple's disspointing new generation iPods, Zune has a great chance to capitalize and sweep those in dismay from the lackluster new iPod. Not that the iPod isn't good, but when rumours are going around of a new, truly video PMP, an iPhone and such, the old, normal, boring deisgn of the flagship 5.5G iPod just doesn't cut it anymore. Time will tell!<br /><br />As the Zune release date approaches keep the site bookmarked Ctrl +D for the latest news, information and where to buy Zune for yourself</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158148563030378172006-09-13T06:52:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.356-05:00Iriver S10 - Redefining Cool<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/b001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 152px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/b001.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Moments after the new iPods were released, we got wind of the new iRiver S10. We loved the U10 to bits and gushed about the E10. iriver's D-Click interface always gets us flustered… in a good way. Stunningly tiny, it's just 1.9g heavier than </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: verdana;" href="http://dapmp3review.blogspot.com/2006/09/ipod-shuffle-2g-step-up.html">the new shuffle</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> And unlike a lot of tiny MP3 players that fluff on the physical controls with Lilliputian buttons, the D-Click system will make navigating plain sailing. But unlike the U10 and E10, there will be no flash or video support on the S10. What iriver seems to be doing here is to export the U10 form factor onto its popular N-series of pendant MP3 players. Good move there. But who will take on the mantle of the new mini fashion queen? The shuffle or the S10? Only time will tell. Watch this space for more details to come.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158120367833795692006-09-12T22:56:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.296-05:00New 2G Nano A Nice Improvement<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/ipodnano04_20060912.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 165px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/ipodnano04_20060912.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">As expected, Apple's hot-selling iPod Nano has been given a big-time update with some flashy colors, new capacities, better displays, better batteries, and new pricing. They all sport an even-thinner aluminum case and are available in (again, mini-like) green, silver, black, blue, and pink. However, the 2GB and 8GB version are available in aluminum and black only, respectively.</span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/dsc_1057.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 181px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/dsc_1057.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">As for pricing, $149 for 2GB, $199 for 4GB, and $249 for the 8GB model. Apple says: "Double the storage for the same price," and they're available today. What's more, the new packaging is 52% less volumetric than the old iPod nano, making it "environmentally friendly." Expect to see tons of these on the subway by next week.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Very nice, Apple. It seems that they are taking out the Creative Neeon 2 / MicroPhoto niche with the array of colours. I just can't see anyone taking a significant chunk of Apple's marketshare, at least not until ZUNE arrives...</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158119729873042232006-09-12T22:51:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.231-05:00iPod Shuffle 2G - A Step Up<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/dsc_1042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 204px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/dsc_1042.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">After the initial dissapointment of the 5.5G, the new 2G shuffle was revealed. After having sold 10 million of the first-gen shuffles, the new model is the size of the iPod radio remote, as if Apple cut the old shuffle in half and shaved some excess of too! It comes in just a 1GB capacity, and sports a shiny new aluminum body with a clip for easy wearability. This thing is truly groundbreaking, an unbelievably small DAP that really must be seen to be believed. Steve's calling it the "world's smallest MP3 player" and hey, who are we to argue? It's available for preorder today and expected to ship with its itty bitty dock and ear buds sometime in October, for the bargain basement price of only $79.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158119442856568192006-09-12T22:45:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.169-05:00The new 5.5G iPod Arrives...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/apple-6g-ipod.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/apple-6g-ipod.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">...And I am </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >dissapointed</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> to say the least. After all the hype and publicity this things been getting, you'd think Apple would offer their customers something new and groundbreaking, similar to what the 1G did a few short years ago. Don't give up hope though, apparantely the "Real" next generation iPod is dropping next year, but I'm not holding my breath. Nevertheless, a few key improvements have been made to the new 5.5G </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">The screen is now 60% brighter, the battery can last up to 3.5 hours during video playback, and the iPod includes new headphones, but otherwise the specs remain the same. As for software, the iPod is finally getting gapless playback, text-based search and brightness controls, along with a whole slew of games. The 'Pod has Bejeweled, Cubis 2, Mahjong, Mini Golf, Pac Man, Tetris, Texas Hold 'Em, Vortex, and Zuma bundled, and you can nab new games for $5 each off of iTunes. Maybe the best news is that Apple is dropping the prices and bumping the storage: you can get a spankin' new </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >30GB iPod for $250, and the new 80 gigger for $350</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">. No word yet on availability. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158069764426664582006-09-12T08:55:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.108-05:00Kenwood Adds a Digital Amp to their Media Keg DAP<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/kenwood-hd30gb9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/kenwood-hd30gb9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">So if you are familiar with good sound, you'll know that many high quality headphones need a good amp to properly power them, and this doesn't just mean turning the volume up. For those of us who don't wan't to lug around a </span><a style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(102, 51, 255);" href="http://dapmp3review.blogspot.com/2006/08/diy-cmoy-pocket-headphone-amplifier.html"> cMoy</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> or Pav2, Kenwood may have just made our life easier by including a digital amp in their new DAP. </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />The main difference between this new version and its predecessors is a snazzy new digital amp to boost the audiophile quotient. The 30GB player supports Kenwood's proprietary lossless codec, and can be managed via WMP10 (PlaysForSure is a go) or Kenwood's included software. There's also a new black color, but the case design remains otherwise identical. All that said, we're not likely to see this one in the States anyways -- it should be out in Japan this October for 50,000 Yen (about $430 US).</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1158069281303652942006-09-12T08:51:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:03.045-05:00iBreath, Your iPod-Powered Breathalyzer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/ipod_breathalyzer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 171px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/ipod_breathalyzer.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">You know that people are trying to jump on the iPod bandwagon when someone releases a breathalyzer </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/09/aanda-intros-the-alcowatch-breathalyzer-wristwatch/"></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">that connects to the ubiquitous music player. Yes, David Steele Enterprises has just released an iBreath ($50, black or white color), a small device to plug into the dock connector of your iPod. Sticking out of the side of the device is the breathalyzer tube, and within five seconds it'll read out your blood alchohol content level, accurate to within 0.01 BAC -- oh and if that wasn't enough, it doubles as an FM transmitter for your car stereo. Not bad for $50.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1157723795435155252006-09-08T08:51:00.001-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.983-05:00New Teclast TL-T29 Media Player is Quite Elegant<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/sc001.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/sc001.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The newest portabe media player to come out of China is one from Telecast. This time it's the TL-T29 -- this superslim player measures 2.8 x 1.6 x 0.3 inches, sports a flash drive (1, 2 or 4GB) with a 220 x 176 display and has a whopping 24 hours of audio playback time. No word on price or if you can get it anywhere outside the Zhongguancun district in Beijing, where CNET Asia found it. Maybe if these things were to cross the Pacific, then we'd have some real competition in this sector.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1157723406096220702006-09-08T08:44:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.864-05:00Apple Unveils New Products September 12th<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/showtime_th.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 174px; height: 113px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/showtime_th.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">There </span><em style="font-family: verdana;">will</em><span style="font-family:verdana;"> be an Apple special event one week from today, on </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/31/apple-planning-event-in-sf-on-september-12th/"></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">September 12, at 10:00AM Pacific (1:00PM Eastern, 5:00PM GMT) at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in downtown San Francisco -- coinciding exactly with the opening day of the Apple Expo in Paris. Now for those of you keeping score at home, we may or may not see an updated nano a new version of iTunes, a new a new iMac and possibly movie downloads on iTunes. Mark this one on your calender folks.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1157491491005506972006-09-05T16:09:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.804-05:00New SAFA SS200 Series DAP<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/safa_newthing2.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 148px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/safa_newthing2.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">The SS220 is a bit of a mystery. In addition to featuring touch-based controls and a built-in speaker, we know it's capable of splashing a range of unspecified video, photo, and text formats up onto its tiny 1.5-inch screen. It also packs in an FM tuner just in case the few reticent GBs of audio dumped to flash can't slake your jones. We know a bit more about the other player -- the SS200 -- a 71 x 48 x 12-mm wafer with a 2-inch, 260k color, 220 x 176 pixel display. The SS200 is capable of 6/8-hours of video/audio playback with support for MP3, WMA, and WAV media formats.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1157422221718035272006-09-04T21:02:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.743-05:00HP's New iPAQ rx4000 Buys into the Widescreen Craze<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/ipaqrx4000_thumb1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 160px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/ipaqrx4000_thumb1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">HP seems to be going after a consumer dollar with this device, with a $300 pricetag, but the specs aren't terrible. The rx4000 features a 2.8-inch screen which runs in landscape or portrait mode, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and is naturally a full-fledged Pocket PC with support for VoIP software and Microsoft Office apps if you're feeling in a productive mood. Of course, the "Mobile Media Companion" moniker reveals the proposed functionality of the device, and between the media player support, nifty scroll wheel and decent screen the rx4000 shouldn't go far wrong there. Unfortunately, HP has so far only announced an October launch in Asia, so there's no telling when or if we might get this little guy in the States. There's also no word on internal storage -- a few gigabytes of flash memory wouldn't go far wrong here -- but we're guessing it isn't anything much if HP has decided not to mention it in their press release.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1157421603851126472006-09-04T20:51:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.682-05:00Sansa Base Station Dock with Remote<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/0404.2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 167px; height: 167px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/0404.2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Although not ground-breaking, this hyped docking station is a very usable dock and remote for your sansa player. It includes a USB 2.0 and RCA jack, remote control, and a "universal connector" which makes use of the bottom jack on the e200 and c200 players for charging. It'll set you back $70, and willl be available by October in the both the US and Europe.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1156970592779941082006-08-30T15:38:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.620-05:00Creative Zen Vision W: Official Specs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/creative-zen-vision-w.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 167px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/creative-zen-vision-w.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Early reports of this screen have been positive stating that it does not suffer the same poor quality of the Zen Vision, specifically the small viwing angle, and looks more like the brilliant Zen Vision:M screen. The screen itself will be a 4.3” 262k color 480 x 272 LCD screen.The ZVW will step up this resolution to DVD quality resolution (720 X 480) when outputting to your TV. </span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Judging by the retail prices in Singapore dollars the Zen Vision: W will likely retail around $400 for the 30GB and under $500 for the 60GB version when released to the US, which, as of yet, has no offcial date.</span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1156968929203460242006-08-30T14:58:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.560-05:00Archos 404 PMP - Stripped Down Version of the 604<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/archos604.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 138px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/archos604.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ok, so maybe it wasn't wise to name their next PMP after an internet error code (404). The 404 offers support for MPEG-4 ASP up to 720x480 @ 30fps, WMV9, WM DRM and DivX, although not exclusively stated by Archos. You'll have to settle for viewing on a 3.5-inch 4:3 screen as opposed to the 4.3-inch widescreen display on the 604. However, the 404's smaller screen is lacking in more than size, with a more pixelated image and less vibrant colors than the 604's. Archos also left out a player stand and removable battery, both of which the 604 has. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bottom line: spend the extra fifty bucks and pick up the widscreen, 604 model. </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1156861052402238742006-08-29T09:10:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.492-05:00Philips GoGear SA1335 Flash<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/philips-gogear-sa1335.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 199px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/philips-gogear-sa1335.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">Philips recently unveiled its new 1GB SA1335 mirror-surfaced flash player. The player provides up to 12 hours of MP3, WAV, or WMA playback on its non-removable lithium polymer battery. </span><p style="font-family: verdana;">Like most DAPs these days, it comes with an FM tuner, voice recorder, and direct USB 2.0 connectivity (no cable required). Not bad for $100.<br /></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Included is a customizable EQ, as well as very respectable sound quality. The GUI interface could use some work, the processor often bogs down and is unresponsive at times. Above all, it doesn't remeber the track you previously played when you turned it off - a bit annoying. A good offering overall.</span><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1156634036904900112006-08-26T17:42:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.419-05:00Philips HP460 vs Audio Technica ATH-FC7<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >Let the battle of cheap, portable, closed cans rage on! The HP460s, </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/ME0000413975_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 138px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/ME0000413975_1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >made by Philips, has beautiful detail and midrange for headphones in this pr</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >ice range. The bass is deep, but like most cheap phones, a little sloppy. This leads to clouding of some of the mids, but make no mistake, they're definitely there. Highs are not too tamed, but not shrill either - just the right combination for headphones of this price range. They fit very</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" > well on the head, and are quite comfortable for exte</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/1600/athfc7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 139px; height: 178px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3849/3282/320/athfc7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >nded listening sessions. <br /><br />The </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >ATH-FC7s, another closed can, typically costs about $10 more at $43. One thing - the</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >se things hurt your ears. The pads are too thin, not nearly enough padding</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >. The driver also sits close to your ear, making it unco</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >mfortable for long listening sessions. Bass is definitely overpowering with these cans, more so then the HP460s. Overall it’s just a little "all over the place". On the plus, they are easy to drive at 35 ohms, making it good for portable use.<br /><br />Overall, the HP460s win out in sound quality and comfort, and the FC7s are just a bit smaller and more portable. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Skip the FC7s; go for the HP460s if you can,</span> they're cheaper too!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33233495.post-1156566277126902172006-08-25T23:10:00.000-05:002006-10-14T15:21:02.358-05:00Video Preview of What Could be the Next Generation "iTalk" - Is this the One?<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:12;" ><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >Rumors of the new wave of next generation ipods have been absolutely storming audio sites and blogs, and there has been some very, very intriguing speculation. Some say it will include a phone, others says wi-fi capability. Either way, it's clear that DAPs will eventually be all-in-one gadgets including internet capabilities.<br /><br />Anyways, here is one person’s professional rendition of what they believe to be the next generation "iTalk", to drop this fall. Doesn't look far off, in my opinion. Let's here your comments!</span></span><br /><br /><div align="center"><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-5qGn7kIkMA"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-5qGn7kIkMA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="350" width="425"></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0