Incase announced a new line-up of custom cases for the new iPod nano, iPod classic and iPod touch models. The line-up includes Leather Sleeve, Neoprene Sleeve, Sports Armband and Protective Cover. As you can guess by their name, there’s not much to be said here. Except of course that they come in a variety of colors and construction methods. The Leather Sleeve is made of genuine leather and has form-fitting construction, while the Neoprene Sleeve features neoprene construction and features a belt clip for easy carrying.

The Sports Armband is made of lightweight, washable neoprene and, most importantly, reflective material. It is adjustable and ideal for your early morning jog. The case manages to provide easy access to the pod’s controls. Last but definitely not the least, the Protective Cover features a molded-rubber construction - but without adding the bulk. Available in custom colors.

Pricing and availability:
Leather Sleeve: $29.95-$34.95
Neoprene Sleeve: $24.95-$29.95
Sports Armband: $29.95
Protective Cover: $24.95-$34.95

Available now.

(more…)

The Siren DP350, successor of last year’s DP3000, has just been launched in Japan. It comes in with a 2GB and a 4GB storage capacity for $120 and $150, respectively.

The player supports MPEG-4 and WMV for videos and MP3, WAV, and OGG for audio files. Popular image file formats are supported as well. There’s also a built-in FM tuner that can record broadcasts to WAV along with USB host support, 18 hours of battery life for audio files, and 5 hours for video.

Windows-compatible, you get five hours’ video playback and 18 hours’ music from its Lithium-Ion battery. Vital statistics are 73.2 × 41 × 14.6 mm, and it weighs 46 grams.

(more…)

Toshiba has just announced the release of its wave of new device in the US, said to rival the iPod nano. It began with the early import of one of its most advanced, flash-based music players. The gigabeat T400 closely follows the release of the Japanese version and promises the same use of H2C decoding to produce superior audio quality compared to most players.

The new gigabeat’s chipset can restore many of the details lost in the compression of MP3 and WMA tracks. A 1-bit digital amp and filter also help reduce background hiss and other noise that sometimes intrude into music. The T400 is also one of the few media players to support Windows Media Lossless.

The company further boasts one of the more video-friendly media players with flash memory, fitting a 2.4-inch LCD and the ability to play WMV movies for up to five hours. Music playback time is rated at 16 hours, according to Toshiba.

Pricing will be the emphasis for the player with a single, 4GB black model shipping for $120 with color trim as the only option; the American version drops the second Wi-Fi model that is available in Japan and may hint at a flash-based Zune with a similar design that restores wireless support.

(more…)

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, nothing out of the ordinary. A bit dull, with rain clouds hovering over the area and dampening the spirits. It was about at this time that the MW head honcho Paul (aka Maverick) sent me an email approving an iPod classic for review. As Saturday was pretty gloomy, I decided to head up to the big apple on Sunday to purchase Apple’s latest toy for the masses.

Remember how I got the Apple iPhone in five minutes? Well, today I found out that it takes just about a minute to buy the iPod classic at the Fifth Avenue store in New York City. And I didn’t even have to go to the checkout counter there. Apple has these guys placed strategically around the store showcasing the latest and greatest stuff. I happened to find one as soon as I entered the store, and he had on display the new iPod classic - both the 80GB and 160GB models. He had a Symbol portable computer with integrated card reader. All you do is present your card and ID and the ‘pod is yours. He even stuck a small Thank you note on the iPod classic before bagging it and handing it to me.

I couldn’t wait to try it out. Not that the audio quality was different from any other iPod - the included headphones still suck. But the UI has undergone some changes, which is great. Now, I don’t know if it’s just me, but after being used to the iPhone, the iPod’s interface seems a bit difficult to use. Especially the click of the button which seems to take a lot more effort, while on the iPhone a gentle tap would do the trick.

So, yeah, Apple decided that Cover Flow was something that they should standardize on all their portable products. In case you haven’t been in touch with gadget news lately, Cover Flow is Apple’s UI to browse your music library by album artwork. Introduced initially with the iPhone, it definitely became a hit.

Again, navigating Cover Flow on the iPhone is much more nicer than on the iPod classic. Don’t go buying that iPod Touch yet, though. I can assure you the iPod classic is better than Touch (size-wise and more) any day.

Read Part 2 in the extended entry.

(more…)

Update: They lady at Enegizer said that this charger is compatible with the new ipod classic and original ipods. Energizer has not done enough testing to confirm it will work with the new versions or the iPhone. Although early testing has been encouraging, we are not able to confirm compatibility at this time.

Energizer unveiled the new Energizer Energi To Go, a portable power solution for the new line-up of Apple iPod music players. The device is powered by Energizer e2 Lithium AA batteries allowing for a compact, cord-free design. It includes a patented intelligent control chip that is designed to maximize the power transfer to the iPod, while a flip design allows it to be used as a stand while charging and fold it later for storing.

According to tests conducted by Energizer, the charger can extend the music playback on the iPod nano by up to 46 hours, and as many as 32 hours on the video iPods. It is equipped with an Apple iPod tip and is adjustable to fit 4th and 5th generation iPods, iPod mini and iPod nano.

Priced at US $29.99, the Energizer Energi To Go Portable Power for iPod will hit the stores in October.

(more…)

A new protective silicone case for the iPod nano has been announced and available from usbfever. The case is priced at $9.99 and is available in Smoky Black (default color), Pink, Yellow and Frosty White. It has an integrated click wheel protection and will fully protect your device from bumps and scratches.

It has a unique ergonomic design, lightweight, comfortable and allows easy access to all ports and sockets.

Features:
- Unique ergonomic design
- Comfortable
- Fully Protected from bumps and scratches
- Light weight
- Perfectly fit
- Anti-dust
- Easy access to all ports and sockets

Options: Color
- Smoky Black (Default color to be shippped)
- Pink
- Yellow
- Frost White

Package Contents:
- iPod Nano 3G Silicone Case x 1

(more…)

Kensington unveiled a new line-up of FM transmitters in the LiquidFM range. Available both for the Apple iPod and other MP3 players, the transmitters feature Kensington’s ClearFM technology for delivering high levels of audio quality. The new models include the LiquidFM Deluxe for iPod (pictured above), the LiquidFM for iPod and LiquidFM Plus for MP3 players.

The transmitters also feature QuickSeek technology to find the clearest station in seconds. The iPod version also charges the iPod while it plays, and fits most iPod models in a case. For instant tuning, there are three station presets in the 88.1 - 107.9MHz range.

Prices:

Marware announced the availability of its new iPod cases for the updated iPod nano and iPod classic players unveiled by Apple last week. The cases have been designed for the new iPods and come in a variety of form-factors including the following for the new iPod nano:

There are a couple of two new flash MP3 players from mpio. They seem to be mostly targeted at first-time users, seeing that they offer only flash memory, that too in the low capacities of 1GB and 2GB. The new models are the ML300 (1GB) and ML300 (2GB). With support for both MP3 (8 to 320 kbps) and WMA (32 to 355 kbps), a useful feature on the ML300s is the ability to record voice, which can be helpful in taking down notes and sudden bursts of idea.

Both models feature a blue-backlit 4-line display. When connected to your computer’s USB drive, it can double up as a mass storage device. There’s an added bonus in the form of an FM radio receiver. The built-in equalizer has 8 presets. mpio claims an audio playback time of about 15 hours on a single AAA alkaline battery, but YMMV.

Measuring 28.2mm x 19.3mm x 65.9mm, the mpio ML300 1GB and 2GB models weigh in at 23 grams and are available for ¥4,980 (US $44) for the 1GB model and ¥6,980 (US $62) for the 2GB model.

(more…)

Here’s one quick entry. Most of the articles written here are usually for Apple’s innovative iPod. However, its competitor, Microsoft, has Zune but it hasn’t achieved the popularity that the iPod has. Well, for those who have Zune’s then this article might be just for you. A price list for Zune accessories has just been leaked. In the blurry photo above (yes, leaks always have blurry photos), you can see some of the prices.

Anyway, here’s the list of the items that’s worth noting:

# Zune AC Adapter (V2) - $29.99
# Zune Cable Pack (V2) - $39.99
# Zune Car Pack (V2) - $79.99
# Zune Dock Pack (V2) - $49.99
# Zune Home AV Pack (V2) - $99.99
# Zune Sync Cable (V2) - $19.99

Thanks to Zunerama for the scoop and the photo.

(more…)

Monkey’s Audio is a file format for audio data compression. Being a lossless compression format, Monkey’s Audio does not remove information from the audio stream, as lossy compression formats such as MP3, AAC, and Vorbis do.

The new MSI MS-7650 is one of the best mp3 players to support the APE format. This brand new product is available with three different colors, namely black, yellow and green. The MS-7650 uses four OLED screen colors which matches its exquisite 45*31*15mm figure.

Furthermore, the device supports MP3, WMA, WAV, MP1, and MP2. It has an FM transceiver and is powered by a 400MA lithium battery. For those audio geeks, there’s no need to worry the MS-7650 has 1Gig capacity to store all your music files and can continually play for 27 hours.

The MS-7650 high speed USB 2.0 connections, can rapidly establish connection with any computers. At present, the device is priced at 199 Yuan.

(more…)

Today Apple Guru Micheal Josh covered Apple’s big day live as it happened. Here is a wrap up of the event:

The Parrot Party, a wireless speaker system for your mobile phone or laptop supporting Bluetooth technology, just gained the approval from the FCC. With this, you can conveniently place speakers in your hall while streaming music from your phone. The Parrot Party is compatible with devices that support the Bluetooth A2DP (advanced audio distribution profile). Packaging includes a carry case, wrist strap, user guide and adapter.

Compact and lightweight - just 620 grams - the wide-band speakers are driven by a class D amplifier. LEDs indicate the status of Bluetooth and audio effects. The Parrot Party has different modes of operation as well: normal, pairing, low power and low battery. Parrot claims a playback time of up to 4 hours on this device.

Sadly, it is a class-2 Bluetooth device, meaning the range is limited to 10 meters or 33 feet. Priced at £79.37 (approx US $159).

(more…)

After much delay, Sony’s video Walkman players finally hit the markets. Sony announced the availability of the new NWZ-A810 and NWZ-S610 series of Walkman portable media players, and with their open platform support, should allow the user more choices for downloading music and videos online. Both gadgets are slated to have a similar, standard UI for managing and accessing your media collection. The QVGA LCD display (320×240 pixels resolution) can handle videos up to 30 frames/second. Sony claims a playback time of 8 hours (video) on the NWZ-A810 and up to 9.5 hours on the NWZ-S610. Music playback is much more, at 33 hours on both.

Supported audio formats include WMA, AAC and MP3, with the integrated image viewer capable of handling JPEG files. Video formats include AVC (H.264/AVC) baseline profile and MPEG4. You can download movie trailers in .mov format and convert them for use with the Walkman video players. As can be expected, Sony Pictures Entertainment has also provided video content for both the players.

The NWZ-A810 comes bundled with Sony ear-buds (model MDR-EX082) and features a 2-inch screen. Both models are available in 2GB/4GB/8GB versions. Models available in the NWZ-A810 series include:

The super-smart, great value new Sony NWD-B103 Series Walkman MP3 Player makes it easy to connect with your precious music collection whenever and wherever you want. Weighing just 30g, the stylish NWD-B103 Series slips effortlessly into a pocket or bag. But despite its tiny size, it’s packed with clever technology that takes the stress out of managing your music files - even if you’re a committed technophobe.

Files can be streamed directly via a USB connection from the NWD-B103 Series to your device. With a generous 1GB storage capacity, the NWB-103 can store up to 660 songs. The MP3 playback quality is superbly crisp and clear and dynamic. There is also a 6-mode equalizer for fine-tuning your listening pleasure.

The Walkman NWD-B103 Series sounds as good as it looks. It’s available in a choice of three cool colours - black, white and violet - to satisfy fashion-conscious music lovers everywhere. It also comes supplied with comfortable, easy-to-wear headphones that team superb audio quality with stylish design. The Walkman NWD-B103 Series is now available throughout Europe.

(more…)

Sony today announced the availability of two new Series of digital media players in Europe – the WALKMAN A Series and S Series. The NWZ-A810 & NWZ-S610/S510 Series will support an open platform and include support for Windows Media technology, providing greater choice for downloading and managing music, video and photo collections.

The players support security-enhanced Microsoft Windows Media Audio (WMA), as well as non-secure AAC and MP3 music formats, plus JPEG files for photos, in addition to the AVC (H.264/AVC) Baseline Profile and MPEG-4 video codecs. Users can download movie trailers, music videos, podcasts and clips from a variety of website destinations. As long as the videos are compressed in the appropriate codec, resolution and size they will work with the new WALKMAN players.

With these new WALKMAN players, Sony has widened its digital music environment to support Windows Media technology. The company will be moving towards a more open system that gives customers flexibility in their music software approach. As a result, Sony will be phasing out the CONNECTTM Music Service based on Sony’s ATRAC audio format in Europe. Specific timing will vary by region depending on market demand, but will not be before March 2008.

(more…)

SanDisk Corporation, the second largest seller of MP3 players in the United States, today introduced the colorful Sansa Clip. It is a tiny MP3 player that boasts an array of cool features, as well as distinctively big sound for its small size.

The Sansa Clip supports many music download and subscription services, including Rhapsody To Go, Napster, eMusic and others. It’s designed to work seamlessly with a wide range of popular music formats such as MP3, WAV, Audible (for audio books) and Windows Media Audio (WMA) in both unprotected and protected files (such as those WMA files purchased from music stores).

The player is expected to be available from retailers in the U.S. and Europe in September 2007, with other regions to follow shortly thereafter.Its suggested retail price is $39.99 for a 1 gigabyte (GB) player and $59.99 for the 2GB unit.

(more…)

The Sony Walkman A800 portable media player that we covered in February and that was launched in Europe and Canada, has now been introduced in the US under a new name, the Sony Walkman A810 series.

The player features a 2-inch LCD screen and it can play all the multimedia files that you really need, including:

- H.264 or MPEG4 for the video
- JPEG for the photos or images
- AAC, MP3 and WMA for the audio files

In terms of battery life, the A810 can be used for 33 hours straight in case you are listening to audio files, and 8 hours if you are into video.

(more…)

Creative officially released its newest addition to the entertainment industry. The credit card-sized music, video and photo player with a stunning 2.5-inch color screen that supports up to 16.7 million colors named Creative ZEN. The Creative ZEN is the first Creative player to support AAC music and unprotected iTunes Plus tracks from the iTunes store, in addition to MP3 and WMA formats.

The Creative ZEN supports a wide selection of video formats, including WMV9, MJPEG, MPEG4-SP, compatible DivX4 and 5, and XviD. One charge of the built-in rechargeable battery provides up to 5 hours of video entertainment or up to 25 hours of music playback.

The Creative ZEN can carry up to 60 hours of video or thousands of photos, and it features an SD memory slot, so you can add virtually limitless additional storage capacity and easily bring new music, video or photos to the player. The Creative ZEN will be available next month in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB models, priced at US $149.99, $199.99 and $299.99 respectively.

(more…)

Toshiba has announced a new Gigabeat player that will first be released in Japan, and hopefully to the rest of the world too. The Toshiba Gigabeat T401 features a wireless connection (Wi-Fi) so you can transfer music from/to your computer, and at the same time you can surf the internet to download video and audio data.

In terms of capacity, the Gigabeat T401 has 4GB, and the screen is on the QVGA type measuring 2.4-inches and providing a 320×240 resolution with 260k colors. On top of the normal audio formats (MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, and WAV), the device can also play WMV videos.

The new Gigabeat player features “H2C” which is an audio technology made by Toshiba to make the audio files sound better. The operative system used on the T401 is from Microsoft, more exactly the Portable Media Center.

(more…)