12. 8.2009

Black Hello Kitty PMP is Techie Catnip

I haven't had anything Hello Kitty since I was a little girl, but iriver is really making me backtrack on that decision. Their new black Hello Kitty PMP is sleek and stylish enough that I wouldn't feel silly using it public. From the gold-accented bow to the whiskers, I just can't stop looking at it.

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Available in 2GB and 4GB versions, the player is still a Japanese exclusive. It come packaged with earbuds and a USB cable. Volume and playback controls are located on the back of Kitty's head. Weighing in at a mere 16g, you just want to take it everywhere. The silicon cases are a cute touch, not only can you dress your Hello Kitty up, it keeps it safe from scratches.

It's set to release in Japan in time for the holidays. No word on when or if its coming stateside, but if you're a Hello Kitty fanatic you might want to look into importing this pretty mama. It's retailing for about $90.

Via Engadget

Posted by sherri Category: entertainment | portable media
Tags: hello kitty iriver music PMP
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10.26.2009

Don't throw away those tapes yet, Ion Tape Express can convert them to MP3

Though the technology revolution can be unforgiving, some kind folks are ever considerate. Because thankfully, they are working to satisfy the needs of those of us who are somewhat fazed by the speed at which we have been forced to adapt to latest "trends", but still cherish the memories connected with retro days and secretly wish we could have it all.

Well, as far as retrieving the music on your old cassette tapes goes, there is an option. Called the Ion Tape Express, it is simple and straight-forward. Put the cassette in, connect the device to your PC via the USB interface, and press "play". Voilà. The tunes are instantly converted to MP3 and can be taken into your iTunes library, your iPod or MP3 Player, burned onto CD, and virtually any other digital platform. And if you like to relive olden times, just listen to the music off the device which, by the way, also functions an ordinary walkman. You can power the device through USB, or with standard AA batteries. The Ion Tape Express is good to go with Mac, Windows XP and Vista operating systems and is available for pre-order at $82.

Via Retro To Go.

Posted by kanchana Category: misc gadgets | portable media
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10.20.2009

Gemei is Gem of a Bargain

Nothing makes me smile like great tech at a great price. It's like finding those killer designer boots for a fraction of the price. So when I saw the Gemei HD8800 portable media player, my bargain senses started tingling.

Retailing for $122, the Gemei PMP comes with 1080p support meaning it plays back your media in glorious HD quality which comes in handy when you want view your favorite videos or images through your HDTV. The device also features a 4.3-inch screen with 800 x 480 resolution, which unfortunately has no touchscreen capability, but at such a great price, it's hardly something to gripe about.

The HD8000 supports a ton of different formats including RMVB, MOV, AVI, VOB, MKV, MP4, and Flash. It may not be as flashy as some of the more popular media players, but with such solid features at such an awesome price, I'm not complaining.

Via Gizmodo

Posted by sherri Category: portable media
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09.19.2009

Mintpad gets attainable, UK is lucky first on the list

Remember all the gushing we did about Mintpad - the cute touchscreen PMP from Mintpass? Then allow us a bit more, thrilled as we are that the little one has come several degrees closer from where it first debuted, albeit a little inconspicuously for the world to take notice of the great potential. Mintpad is now on sale in the UK, in a 4GB avatar that leaves little to be desired.

The specifications : WinCE OS, 2.9-inch LCD touchscreen display, 1.3 MP camera, 4GB internal storage, microSD slot, WiFi, USB 1.1/2.0 interface, voice recording, and support for most audio/video file formats. Plus, there is the chat facility that enables you to chat with other Mintpad-ers within a 98 feet radius, without the need to connect to the internet. The battery life is approximately 30 hours of audio or 5-6 hours of video.

Definitely the first address if you are looking for a media player cum smart digital assistant. The asking price for the device in the UK is £139, which translates to $229 on American shores.

Via Engadget.

Posted by kanchana Category: entertainment | portable media
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09. 1.2009

Sandisk Sansa Clip+ mp3 player looks pretty, plays awesome

The successor to the Sansa Clip mp3 player - the Clip+ - is here and stands every bit as tall as its predecessor did, only, the changes will make you dance even without listening to the music. We swear.

The Sansa Clip+ packs a cute punch with its great looks and almost flawless design. It is sleek, uber compact (2.1 x 1.3 x 0.4 inches), and at 0.9 ounces, weighs a feather. The 1-inch OLED display maybe a little cramped for space, but can be forgiven considering the petite form factor. As regards the functionality, expect great sound quality, support for most audio formats (except AAC), 15-hour battery life, a built-in mic for voice recording and an FM tuner with an autoscan mode and 40 preset slots.

But the greatest gift of all is the microSD card slot which can accomodate preloaded slotMusic and slotRadio cards as well as your own music cards. So what you can look forward is creating your own vast library of portable music that is not even a great burden on the wallet.

Speaking of which, another aspect totally in its favor is that the Sansa Clip+ is unbeatably priced for a player that packs so many features - the 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB options (black, red, and blue) are available at $39.99, $49.99, and $69.99 respectively. The Clip+ is available at Best Buy or SanDisk now, but will move into retail stores in the US starting September 13th. Releases in Europe and Canada are slotted for end-of-year.

Check out a detailed review on CNET.

Posted by kanchana Category: devices | portable media
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08. 9.2009

More on e-books: Project Gutenberg and Barnes & Noble

And while we're on the subject, David Pogue has just done a thorough job of comparing Amazon's and Barnes & Noble's e-book services.

B&N won't introduce a Kindle-like reading device until next year. Meantime you can not only read B&N books on your iPhone, you can read them on your computer--a first for commercial e-book services.

Of course, for many years that service has been available--free--from Project Gutenberg, always on my Top Ten list of 'Net freebies. If you don't always have your computer with you but do have a Palm PDA or Smartphone, there's a free app, called plucker, for reading any of the thousands of free Gutenberg books. Get plucker versions of e-books from the Gutenberg site.

08. 5.2009

REW Headphone Cord Wrap is from that summer of '69

The Walkman era with the big hair, cool jean jackets and soulful music might be gone, but memories of it are still hanging around like the smolder left over from a mighty flame. And it is made fresh with this lovely REW Headphone Cord Wrap that looks like mini tape and can, if nothing else, hold your dangling earphone wires in place. They will be available in different colors from Perpetual Kid in late September, for $4.99 a piece.

Hey I want to entertain my inner child too.

Via Chip Chick.

Posted by kanchana Category: accessories | devices | portable media
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07.21.2009

Kingston creates record, releases monster 256GB thumb drive

Seven years down the memory lane, I still remember the times when at the end of a day's work at office, I would have to erase the paltry few MB of data on my 256MB thumb drive to accommodate a few files that I would take home to complete pending documentation. That seems like eons ago as I sit here, seeing a picture of this monstrous 256GB thumb drive from Kingston - the first ever in the world - with shivers of excitement down my spine.

Kingston has just released the Kingston DataTraveler 300 - a 256GB thumb drive which will allow a whopping 51,000 images, or 54 DVDs, or 365 CDs, or a database of documents which in an analog world would translate into a 1km paper tower. This beast is plug-n-play, has a 20 MB/sec. read and 10 MB/sec. write speeds, with a "Password Traveler" security software for Windows, and supports Windows ReadyBoost on Windows Vista systems.

Well, not everyone can rejoice just yet though since the release is only for Europe and the UK. And for those of you who can, it won't be unreasonable if you expect to win a lottery to be able to buy one - it is priced an equally monstrous $924.

Via Engadget.

Posted by kanchana Category: peripherals | portable media
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06.23.2009

Samsung Makes HDDs Pop in Pink and Blue

Apparently nothing sells a gadget like bright colors. Samsung has just announced the release of a pink and blue version of the S2 Mini Portable Hard Disk Drive, the S Series Pop edition. The colors, labeled Ocean Blue and Sweet Pink are an obvious attempt to attract more female buyers. The Sweet Pink version is even lined with tiny heart to make it even more irresistible, because nothing makes a women swoon like a pink gadget decorated in hearts (eye roll).

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Obvious and patronizing marketing ploy aside, there are no spec differences which mean the HDDs still have the same solid tech. The lightweight 2.5 inch drive is still convenient to carry and easy to use. Available with a storage capacity range between 160GB to 500GB, the S2 is great for backing up and using important files on the fly. The Auto Backup program allows users to back up files in real time or on a schedule while the SecretZone program creates a virtual drive for data encryption.