Filed under: Portable Audio

It’s not everyday that we get to write about one of our favorite low-tech-but-still-awesome companies: Crayola. After all, it was pretty much impossible to be a 20th century kid without having drawn with (or tried to eat) a fistful of crayons. Well, Crayola’s now trying to draw (har) in new generation of would-be artists by partnering with GPX on its new line of consumer electronics, ranging from a calculator to a clock radio to what all the kids are going crazy for these days — a DAP called the Crayola MP3 Player (YCMW2816). There’s nothing all that remarkable about the MP3 / WMA player from what we can tell: it’s got a tiny screen, an SD card slot and is powered by a single AAA battery. Beyond that it comes with two audio out jacks so that you and a friend can rock out on the included headphones and earbuds. This one will set you back 50 greenbacks, although we’re a little unclear if that’s payable in Forest Green or Fern.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio

Listen up folks, while you might look mighty trendy rocking those headphones 24 / 7, you should be well aware by now that prolonged periods of heightened volumes can lead to embarrassing moments of near deafness in the future. While one (probably over concerned) citizen in Louisiana and a swarm of French folk both sued Apple for not providing volume limiters on its earbuds, your kid (or you, too) could be harmfully cranking it to eleven if your DAP doesn’t sport any kind of volume controlling functionality. Ingemi Corp. — where “kids comes first,” mind you — have unveiled the iHearSafe ‘buds which “have patent pending technology to keep the volume below 80 decibels,” regardless of how far you jam that volume knob or incensed you become. Featuring a standard 3.5-millimeter jack, the earbuds are reportedly compatible with any major MP3 player, but priced at just $24.99, we can’t imagine any sort of remarkable sound quality being emitted from these guys, quietly or otherwise.

[Via Techie Diva]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: GPS, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Transportation

With Sharp throwing down a svelte in-car LCD ready to display nearly any automotive statistic (or roadtrip route) you’d ever need, and Chrysler planning to offer the MyGIG do-it-all device on upcoming vehicles, Panasonic is tossing in its own rendition to keep the competition on their heels. The Strada CN-NVD905U is an in-car navigation / head unit that boasts a 7-inch touchscreen, 30GB hard drive, built-in DVD / CD player, NAVTEQ mapping software, and support for Bluetooth handsfree operations. The trilingual GUI also touts automatic rerouting, and if you’re not already tuned into XM Radio, you can access Sirius’ real-time traffic data to avoid those crowded freeways on your commute back home. Additionally, it sports “iPod video connectivity” for rear seat and front passenger entertainment, but we’re sure all those snazzy movie functions are kept under wraps until you throw it in park. While there’s no telling how much dealers will end up charging for this in-dash machine, the Strada CN-NVD905U should start making noise (and keeping us on track) next Spring.

[Via Slashphone]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

---

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Portable Audio

We know the winter’s coming soon, and if you haven’t hit the slopes just yet, we know you’re itching to climb back in that ski lift as soon as possible. Shred Ready is making sure those “first day back” errors won’t cost you an MP3 player, as its Freestyle Audio DMP is not only small enough to fit in any of the 238 (or so) available pockets your ski coat presumably has, but it’s completely waterproof as well. Designed to handle the harsh, unforgiving nature of the mountain, the DAP promises “skip-free” playback from the built-in 512MB of storage, and even if you pull an all-nighter on the black diamond trial, the reported “40 hours” of battery life should keep things jamming ’til the break of dawn. It also comes bundled with the SR Can-Can Earflaps to conveniently attach to your helmet and keep the cabling under control. Unfortunately, the $199.95 price does not include a helmet of your own, but there’s certainly no shortage of MP3-ready headgear if this one looks a little steep (ahem) to you.

[Via Red Ferret]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

---

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Portable Audio

Since you can’t take your iJoy ZipConnect chair everywhere you go, OSIM has a portable solution to your “musical therapy” needs. Boasting a stylish enclosure and a pair of massage modules, the iGoGo DAP performed its therapeutic magic surprisingly well — once the kinks were worked out, that is. Reviewers at CNET were quick to praise the uniqueness of the device, but didn’t hesitate to knock the “disappointing monochromatic interface, meager 128MB of internal storage,” and the complete inability to play back any format besides MP3. While you can add a few more playlists via the MMC slot, they would’ve preferred a more expansion SD / CF option; furthermore, the player only mustered about 7 hours of battery life with massage mode in full effect. The crew noted that the “massagers suffered from frequent connection drops,” but when things went smoothly, they provided a “truly blissful and relaxing massage experience.” Still, for over $400 the iGoGo sports too many archaic features to be considered a true contender, and if relieving stress is your primary concern, you may be better off spending that coin in a day spa.

[Thanks, Ficky Rick]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

---

BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video

While Amazon has done a commendable job in (presumably) dispelling the hot air of a Griffin spokesperson, it’s not always, um, entirely reliable. However, we’d bet the gallery of Zune accessories gracing its pages now weren’t uploaded erroneously. Boasting everything from the premium earphones, travel pack, FM transmitter, and dock to the sync cable, wireless remote, A / V cable, and car charger that we’ve known were on the way, we’re just glad we can finally match a face with a name. Although none of the Microsoft-branded accessories are priced or available for pre-order, the Zunes themselves certainly are (in all three colors, no less) for those who aren’t feeling lucky. Say, doesn’t that dock connector look awfully familiar?

[Thanks, Darryl]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

---

SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: GPS, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Transportation

Sure, there’s a gazillion aftermarket offerings out there loaded with niceties such as iPod connectivity, Bluetooth capabilities, and even flash memory expansion, but Chrysler is hoping to lure in customers who’d rather have their dashboard already pimped out when it rolls off the showroom floor. Slated to hit Sebring models first — with the Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Nitro to follow suit — the MyGIG head unit rocks a 6.5-inch touchscreen display, voice-activated controls, 20GB hard drive, “3D-like” navigational maps, real-time traffic updates, and a USB 2.0 port supporting JPEG / MP3 transfers, while also controlling the (optional) U-Connect Bluetooth handsfree system. Opting to support all DAPs (rather than taking the iPod-only approach that many automakers have), it sports an aux input just in case ripping CDs directly on the HDD doesn’t interest you. Another impressive feature is the unit’s reported ability to play back DVDs via the built-in optical drive (while in park, obviously), or you can hookup the forthcoming Wii or PlayStation 3 to the dual video inputs fpr keeping you and your co-riders entertained should you hit a traffic jam (or LA stoplight). If you aren’t much on custom installations, or just needed a good excuse to get in a new set of wheels, the MyGIG head unit will be a $1,700 option when it drops this fall.

[Via Gizmag]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

---

SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

It’s pretty hit or miss with these guys, but this new PMP2008 from Thomson looks like one of their hits. We can’t imagine the player is too terribly exciting to use, and specs like USB 1.1 don’t do much to inspire confidence, but they do seem to have managed to build a skinny flash DAP with at least a modicum of sex appeal. The unit, which is out now in China, sports 1GB of flash memory, a 2-inch screen and a surprising video-out port. However, we’re most impressed by the player’s 10mm (0.4-inch) thickness, though a sketchy 640 x 240 screen res stat might have that beat if it proves true. Unfortunately, we don’t have a word on price, and don’t really expect this one to hit our shores, but we can always admire from afar.

[Via dapreview]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

---

SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Cowon may not be the biggest portable audio maker out there, but they make some decent little players. The iAudio F2 features a tiny, 128×160 pixel 1.3-inch display, up to 2 GB flash, line-in recording, 22 hours of audio playback off battery, and the typical list of Cowon supported codecs: MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG Vorbis and even FLAC for lovers of lossless. At 39-grams / 34.4 x 72.9 x 16.7-mm, this 2 gigger is small, just not that small and likely includes an integrated FM radio and voice recorder judging by the interface icons. Available starting 22 September for 179,000 won or $187.

[Via CNET Asia, Thanks Garcia and Chris]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

---

SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: Portable Audio

Just a few days back, Sansa-manufacturer SanDisk was shot down by Sisvel and forced to take down its displays at Berlin’s IFA expo, but it seems that some fast-acting (and talking) lawyers have somehow reversed the decision just in time for SanDisk to show their products on the final day of the show. Tangled in lawsuits concerning MP3 patent violations, the company still insists its playback technology isn’t infringing on any patents, but Sisvel maintains its insistence that SanDisk should be included in the nearly 600 companies that pay royalties to the licensing firm. Apparently SanDisk wasn’t the only company forced to put its show on hiatus, as 19 other outfits had products unexpectedly seized for “similar violations.” Sisvel isn’t going down without a fight, however, as it has already filed an appeal to have the reversed order un-reversed — while it may seem a bit redundant (to say the least), it’s certainly not out of character for the sue-happy Sisvel, who proudly joins the growing list of “you’ve got to be kidding me” lawsuits.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Nintendo’s set to release an official MP3 player for the Nintendo DS, making it not only a game machine and a web browser, but a music playing device too. The above picture was seen in a brocure from the Leipzig Games Convention in Germany.

We suppose this is close enough to an official announcement, but there will probably be an even more official announcement from Nintendo soon. The specs:

• For Nintendo DS (to be inserted into slot 2) and Game Boy Advance hardware
• To store music you need SD cards. Up to 2 GB cards are supported, this equals to 500 songs (best sound quality)
• Choose between different skins (including one with Mario)
• The interface shows all important information
• The unit itself features another headphone port

The tentative price and release date are 29.99 Euros ($38) and October 8, respectively. – Jason Chen

Official Nintendo DS MP3 Player - Is There a Point? Homebrew Does it BETTER! [MaxConsole]
MP3-Player For The DS? Sounds Interesting… [Carpe DS Blog]

Filed under: Portable Audio

If any hopes you had of the new “Commodore” managing to bring their geek cred into the 21st century have managed to remain intact up ’till now, they should be thoroughly shattered by the new Commodore Mpet II MP3 player. There isn’t anything particularly atrocious about the player, it just happens to be generally lame. Capacities range from 128MB to 1GB, the battery life tops out at 15 hours from a single AAA, and there is built-in voice recording. The best news is the PlaysForSure compatibility, and we suppose a decent pricetag could sweeten the deal, but we’d really rather stuff our old Commodore 64 into a jean pocket and jam to some SID music before we commit the sacrilege of owning this decidedly boring product bearing such a holy trademark.

[Via MobileWhack]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Portable Audio, Portable Video

You’d think that we would have heard of a company that’s made (or perhaps rebadged) literally hundreds of DAPs and PMPs since 2004, but until we came across the swivel-screen M790, we’d never caught wind of a Chinese manufacturer called Newman. Most of its products are simply cookie-cutter devices that resemble so many of the other products we’ve featured on these pages, but the M790’s unique design and large-ish 2.5-inch screen convinced us to give it another look. As with many foreign products of its ilk, this DAP’s exact specs are a little hard to come by, but we do know that it sports a QVGA resolution, built-in speakers, a camera of some undetermined pixel count (machine translation pegs it as a 20 megapixel shooter, but frankly we’re a bit suspect), and support for MP3, WMA, JPEG, and unspecified video files. Storage on this one is a paltry 512MB (expandable through the SD / MMC slot), but that’s just as well, as it’ll take a pretty long time to load up even that amount of data over the sluggish USB 1.1 connection. Also along for the ride are your typical assortment of dictionaries, games, voice recording, audio line-in, and the all important timekeeping functionality. It seems like you can pick up the M790 sometime this month (maybe even right now!), but it’s obviously not available in the US, so factor in the cost of a plane ticket to China along with however many yuan this happens to be retailing for.

[Via Anything But iPod]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio

There are those of us who want a portable music / media player that does it all, and lasts an unnecessarily long time on a single charge, but since that probably ain’t happening anytime soon (without costing a small fortune), Aigo figured it might as well go all-out in one particular department for those who don’t mind reaping the longevous benefits associated with simplicity. While the A215 can’t play video clips, only sports a three-line LCD display, lacks an FM tuner, and can’t be recharged through a USB port, this minuscule audio player does manage to outlast those feature-ridden competitors by pumping out the jams for 50 solid hours. The design here seems decent enough, and we’re genuinely relieved that it doesn’t borrow from the styling cues found on their MP3-playing (and opposite-gender-deterring) wristwatch. A notable limitation is the inability to play back any formats other than your basic MP3 and WMA files, though it apparently will play nice with WMA-DRM. Curiously enough, the spec sheet claims that legendary “50 hour” figure only applies when tapping your foot to MP3 files; if your collection happens to be in WMA, you can “only” count on 35 hours, for whatever reason. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a pocketable way to carry a few tunes around, and don’t mind its sheer inability to do anything over and above play them back for an erroneously long time, the A215 can maximize the utility of that spare AA battery for £69.99 ($132).

[Via MobileMag]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio

Archos is no stranger to the portable audio player market, and while we’ve known about its 104 for some time now, PCMag has finally given it a good once over in the testing lab. Apparently designed to compete with other miniaturized devices like the iPod mini / nano and Cowon iAudio 6, the 104 sports a 4GB hard drive, 1.5-inch OLED display, and an enclosure that’s about twice as thick (though just as tall) as the nano. Available in black, silver, or pink, the relatively bare-bones DAP didn’t have a whole lot to showcase aside from its decent design. Reviewers noted that controls and menus were simple, yet effective at navigating through libraries, and did allow bookmarking to keep your place in those lengthy audiobooks. The inability to play any flavor of lossless format was a bit of a letdown, and although its “playlisting functions” were said to be “excellent,” the included headphones were anything but. The unit took some serious criticism when the review team attempted to view pictures on the color display, and found the results to be “terrible,” as “jaggies” distorted every photo they tried, even turning attractive faces into “scary sights.” The biggest dig, however, came from the lackluster battery life — by keeping the tunes rolling for only 11 hours, 50 minutes under “normal listening conditions,” it fell several hours of short of expectations. The so-so player earned a well-deserved “average” rating, as the lack of extras (like an FM tuner) and poor display / battery performance really put a damper on things. But if your primary interest is keeping it simple, and you don’t mind finding a charging port every 12 hours or so, you can snag the Archos 104 for a very competitive $159.99.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio

While not the most attractive or featured-filled of their kind, there’s really no arguing with the price on these DAPs. The 512MB version of the Ainol V3 retails for a mere $50 (in China, of course), and packs in MP3, WMA, WAV and OGG codec support, a 1.3-inch screen running at 160 x 129 for a bit of photo viewing or text reading, FM radio, USB 2.0 and a most welcome miniSD slot. There’s also a rechargeable battery included that should last up to 8 hours, and the V3 manages to squeeze it all into 0.5-inch thick enclosure. If 512MB plus whatever miniSD sticks you have lying around isn’t enough storage, you can always jump to the 1GB version for $69.

[Via Anything But iPod]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio

These days, you can find a digital music player in just about every shape and size imaginable, but we should have known the Europeans would find a way to incorporate a favorite pastime into a modern day music maker. The Naf Naf Hyp joins the ranks of odd, yet refreshing, digital audio players that offer the standard fare we’ve come to know and love, but this keg features an unexpected extra that sadly we have little use for. While this little barrel can playback MP3s, display ID3 tags on the circular LED display, spin standard or MP3-loaded CDs, and pump out the jams through the 2 watt stereo speakers, the oddball here is the built-in cassette player — yes, cassette, also known as a tape. Aside from that little dash of history, it rocks a graphic EQ, AM / FM tuner, aux-input, alarm clock, multifunction remote, and even a “foldaway carrying handle” to take it back for a refill. Although the quality here is really anybody’s guess, it’s still going to be mighty hard to resist such a fitting party ornament, and with these available now in red or black for 759,00 DKK (about $130), you can keep your MP3 collection (or 1985 mix tape) on tap.

[Via Red Ferret]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio

It’s fairly obvious that anything sold “exclusively” in Best Buy might be a bit suspect, and their Insignia house brand is no different. The Amigo, however, is a surprisingly decent looking flash-based DAP with a built-in FM tuner and OLED display. Not much bigger than an iPod Shuffle, it comes in 1GB and 2GB flavors, supports MP3, WMA, Audible, WMA-DRM (PlaysForSure-ready), and touts the ability to display pictures and album art on the external display. The removable, rechargeable battery keeps the tracks spinning for 18 hours, and they even toss in a carrying case and mini-USB cable to boot. While the package is far from remarkable, and the branding isn’t likely to boost your social status, the Amigo is well-suited for conquistadors on a budget; if you can wade through the pestering boys in blue, the Amigos are available now for $99 (1GB) and $129 (2GB).

[Via DAPreview]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio, Wearables

After we let the cat out of the bag, it didn’t take long for CNET to get their hands on Sony’s latest excuse to exercise. The NW-S205, appearing only in black and housing 2GB of capacity, is their newest Network Walkman and is apparently poised to combat the Nike+iPod craze. It seems to have done quite well at accomplishing that goal, as the myriad of features and bundled accessories (Sony, is that you?) readily revealed its “athletic intentions.” Although the reviewers weren’t too fond of being forced to transfer files via SonicStage, there was plenty of love for the cigar-shaped DAP. The player seemed well-built for its intentions: having a water (and sweat) resistant enclosure, throwing in a comfortable armband, and including the G-Sensor (Sony’s name for a pedometer) made this a viable alternative to Apple’s offering. CNET was most impressed with the built-in FM tuner — something sorely missing on the nano — and the intelligent playlist changer that hopped lists when you broke into a run or slowed to a walk. Thanks to a $150 asking price and superb “out-of-the-box” functionality, the NW-S205 was highly regarded, and will be tempting legs everywhere to make good use of themselves in August.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The last time we looked at MediaGear, they were hawking some USB drive card reader. They’ve stepped up their game a bit since then and are now hawking a portable media device, the HD2Go. While it may look like just about every other portable gadget on the market, the HD2Go’s 20GB hard drive and 3.6-inch color LCD try ever so hard to get you to notice it. With a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels, the screen is actually pretty decent for a portable device; on it you can view JPEGs and GIFs as well as video in the form of MPEG, VOB and AVI. Not even the iPod supports some of those formats natively.

As expected, the HD2Go also plays digital music in all the formats popular with the kids nowadays: MP3, Ogg Vorbis, WMA and AC3 make an appearance, but AAC is curiously absent. So if you’ve used iTunes to encode your library, tough luck.

The battery on the HD2Go supposedly lasts 4.5 hours while playing video and 15 while playing music. MediaGear will be selling it through its Web site soon enough for $295.95. – Nicholas Deleon

MediaGear Zooms In With HD2Go [Digital Trends]

MediaGear Home Page [MediaGear]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Wearables

It should already be fairly obvious that your iPod is a hot commodity, and the last thing you need is a crazed individual taking a stab at you, or worse, swiping your portable. You've already been warned by the NYPD that rocking the token white headphones is a big no-no, and Thomas Pink even designed a shirt and tie to keep iPod-jackers at bay, but the folks over at CNET UK have a few tricks of their own to keep you from becoming a statistic. As you may or may not be aware, gadget theft in Britain is out of control, and the methods were devised after a CNET UK editor was mugged, not too dissimilar from a situation of our own. The gaffer tape method consists of taping the iPod to your body -- using 15 rounds of tape -- so that your assailant gets frustrated with the challenge and hopefully gives up pursuit, while the paperback method throws back to secrecy of old by suggesting you remove an inner chunk of a novel to let your iPod reside, and since most thieves don't care about bestsellers, you'll likely avoid a tragic conclusion. For owners living in really sketch areas, the Christopher Walken method is nearly foolproof: for Pulp Fiction fans, the iPod's hiding location comes as no surprise. For more clever disguising options to keep you and your Apple tagalong safe, be sure to hit the read link for CNET UK's suggestions, complete with "Anti-mugger" ratings and all.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then it seems like Korean manufacturer iOPS has mad love for almost all of the major DAP makers on the market. Having already taken design cues from Samsung’s YP-U1 and Apple’s iPod mini — they actually got sued for that one — it looks like the company now has its sights set on the iRiver Clix with its latest offering, the BlueQ. Formerly known as the Q18, this model sports a 1.8-inch, 262,000-color screen, up to 4GB of flash storage capacity, and most impressively, Bluetooth support for wireless enjoyment of your tunes or 30fps vids. Expect to see the BlueQ in stores sometime in mid-August for an unknown price, but probably not in the US. Watch out Sandisk and Creative — we hear that iOPS’ engineers just got their hands on a Sansa and Zen V.

[Via DAPreview, photo courtesy of popco]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Portable Audio

Sanyo’s got a new digital audio player poised to drop on the Japanese market, though it’ll mainly be of interest to folks with a couple of extra SD cards laying around, as the DMP-M400SD contains neither a hard drive nor any flash memory. What you are getting with this latest member of the Diply Music line is a pendant-style device sporting a backlit screen that supports MP3 files as well as WMA tracks with or without DRM. Clearly stressing size over features, the M400SD is pretty lean when it comes to extras; in fact, besides acting as a USB mass storage device, there’s really nothing that makes it stand out from the crowd — especially the rather ho-hum 12-hour battery life. If this still sounds like an attractive option to you, then $60 is all it will take to pick one of these up when they’re released on the first of next month.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The great Japanese company with the environmentally conscious name is at it again. Green House is just a few weeks away from launching the GH-KANA-GT series of MP3 players, which comes with 512MB of flash memory and support for both MP3 and WMA digital music files. Even better, the player incorporates an FM transmitter—the headphone cable functions as an antenna—so that you can host your own pirate radio station inside the house, car, space station, etc.

Thankfully, the player comes with a rechargeable lithium ion batter that lasts for seven or four hours, depending on whether or not you’re using the FM functionality.

Look for the GH-KANA-GT this August in Japan for around $77. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page (in Japanese) [Green House via Fareastgizmos.com]

Filed under: Portable Audio

What do you get when you cross an iPod Shuffle with Nokia’s 7280 fashion phone? (Hint: it’s not Transcend’s T.Sonic 310, but good guess). Why, Apacer’s upcoming Audio Steno AU522 DAP, of course. This fairly-stylish little number comes in capacities ranging from 256MB to 2GB, supports MP3, WMA, and WAV files, and includes a memory card slot for boosting storage by another gig. A built-in USB connector allows you to use the AU522 as a flash drive or reader for all those MMCmicro cards you have lying around, and you can also record directly from the FM tuner and share your music with a friend thanks to dual headphone jacks. The two-color, 128 x 64 OLED screen is another nice touch, though it probably contributes to the player’s mere eight hours of battery life. No word so far on either pricing or availability, but if you really have a desire to snatch one of these up, we’re confident that you’ll be able to make it happen.

[Via MP3 Player Guide]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments