Portable Splash

Ultra QuickTime M4V Converter

2008-03-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

Ultra QuickTime M4V Converter is a powerful tool, M4V Converter to help you convert QuickTime MOV, QT, MP4, M4V files to AVI, DivX, Xvid, MPEG1, MPEG2, VCD, SVCD, DVD(*.VOB), WMV, ASF formats. With the fast and powerful QuickTime video decoder inside, Ultra QuickTime M4V Converter can support almost all MOV, QT, MP4, M4V files, even QuickTime Player has not been installed. It supports batch convert MOV, QT, MP4, M4V files to various format files.

Download for Free Buy Now $29.00

Operating System:
Win98,WinME,Windows2000,WinXP,Windows2003

With the fast and powerful QuickTime video decoder inside, Ultra QuickTime Converter M4V Converter supports almost all MOV, QT, MP4, M4V files, even QuickTime Player has not been installed.

Integrated High-speed MPEG-2 encoder which let you make DVD-Video files(VIDEO_TS, AUDIO_TS) and VCD/SVCD image(*.bin,*.cue), so you can burn VCD/SVCD/DVD disc easily from QuickTime files by using third-party buring tools.

It is a software program for converting video formats at fast speeds and high quality. Very user-friendly interface and Quality Profiles realize 1-click to be professional .

Key Features:

Supports MOV, QT, MP4, M4V formats to AVI, DivX, Xvid

Supports MOV, QT, MP4, M4V formats to MPEG1, MPEG2

Supports MOV, QT, MP4, M4V formats to VCD,SVCD,DVD compatible MPEG format

Supports MOV, QT, MP4, M4V formats to VCD SVCD image(*.BIN,*.CUE) and DVD-Video files(*.IFO,*.VOB,*.BUP)

Supports MOV, QT, MP4, M4V formats to WMVDo not need install QuickTime Player.

Batch files conversion Cut unwanted parts by specifing start time and end time NTSC/PAL setting options for DVD, VCD, SVCD exporting Support "Drag and Drop" from Windows

Explorer Custom define the output audio volume.

Add letterbox to keep the original aspect ratio

Support large video file, even large then 2GB Fast conversion speeds and high quality Simple GUI and very EASY to use Lifetime FREE Technical

Support and FREE upgrade .

Free trial download.30 day money back guarantee
M4V to MPEG, M4V to AVI and M4V to DVD (*.VOB) QuickTime M4V converter

How to transfer iPod to Computer?

2008-03-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

How to transfer iPod to Computer, PC, Mac, iPod to iPod?iPhone/iPod music, songs, video, movie to computer transfer software. http://www.transferipodtocomputer.net/

Transfer iPod to Computer with Lenogo iPod to Computer Transfer

An ultimate application to transfer songs and videos from an iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone to Computer. With this ultimate iPod to computer transfer software, iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone users can transfer iPod to computer easily including songs, music and video.

It would be a wonderful thing to know we'll never have a hard drive failure, a system crash with data loss. Sooner or later plenty of iPhone users will need to the same as we've done with a computer--a fresh install of the operating system. We need transfer iPod to computer. Lenogo iPod to Computer Transfer is designed to back-up your entire iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone music library to computer.

Lenogo iPod to Computer Transfer is fully compatible with all existing iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone including iPod(1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation iPod), iPod Photo, iPod mini, iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod touch, iPod video and iPhone.

Buy Now $29.95

Mac users?
Transfer iPod to computer for Mac users
Transfer iPhone to computer for Mac users

Key features

Powerful transfer: iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone music backup/recovery to Computer
Complete transfer: Backup artists, albums, ratings and play lists.
Fastest transfer: Transfer speed is ultimately high.
Easy single-step transfer: directly transfer music from iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone to PC, no need of any mid step.
Compatible transfer: Full compatibility with all iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone models.
Content-rich transfer: backup video files as well as audio files.
Automatic transfer: Automatically detect your hardware and decide the best transfer mode.

iStation U43 PMP is amazing

2007-12-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

Why is it that the companies from far away lands that no one has ever heard of are the people releasing the PMPs that could actually give the iPod a run for its money? Why can’t Microsoft, a multi-billion dollar company come up with something that a company in Korea with an operating budget likely in the millions can come up with?

Anyways, this thing has a touchscreen, 4.3-inches worth to be exact, DMB-TV capability, GPS, and an E-Dictionary. On top of that it runs WinCE 5.0 in your choice of 3 flavors (standard, DMB, and Navi) with your choice of 2 capacities, 30 and 60 gigabytes.

The format list alone is highly impressive, MP3, WMA, AC3, OGG, WAV, AAC, FLAC, MPEG4, DIVX, XVID, and WM9, that’s an amazing list, I am sure there are several picture formats supported too. You can get them for 326 and 362 Euros respective to their capacities.

Creative Releases 32GB Zen PMP

2007-12-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Creative has finally released its 32 GB ZEN PMP. The company says it will store up to 8,000 tunes in MP3, WMA, Audible 2, 3, 4 and AAC by pay-per-download or subscription. It is also compatible with iTunes and features an FM tuner and voice recording. It will handle WMV9, MJPEG, MPEG4-SP, DivX 4/5 and XviD videos and boasts a 2.5-inch TFT display with 16.7 million color support. The Zen should be good for up to 30 hours of music or 5 video with its Li-ion battery and its memory can be expanded with SD cards. Check with Creative for a price and availability near you.

WD 320GB Passport Portable Drive on sale in the UK

2007-12-04T20:30:00.000-08:00

4 December 2007 15:12 GMT - Giving you almost a third of a terabyte of digital storage in the palm of your hand, Western Digital has announced the availablity of their Passport portable drives with a 320GB capacity.

Described as having plug-and-play capability, a stylish, ultra-portable design, and a sleek piano-black finish, the drives weigh less than five ounces and definitely fits into a backpack, or even a pocket at not too much of a push.

WD's software allows consumers to take desktop content with them by synchronising essential personal files and Microsoft Outlook data on a PC.

Any data on the drive is protected with 128-bit encryption.

Google software on the drive allows users to locate files with the Google Desktop Search search tool, manage photos with Picasa photo organiser software and simplify web searches with the Google Toolbar search bar.

"The need for travel-friendly storage devices continues to be an area that is growing immensely with the advent of rich media content generated by consumers," said Jim Welsh, vice president and general manager of WD's branded products group.

"It's not only music that's consuming space on desktops. Higher resolution pictures and HD videos eat up storage very quickly so we're excited to make a portable 320GB solution available for consumers on the move."

The sugested price for the WD Passport Portable Drive 320GB is £139.99.

PSP redesign in the works

2007-03-13T22:17:00.000-07:00

Denied not so long ago, it would seem that the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) is to be redesigned after all.

Comments made by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) executive Ray Maguire indicate that the long awaited redesign of the PSP is planned.

Not many details available at this time, but one thing Maguire did confirm is that the praised PSP screen will not be part of the redesign.

In an interview with gamesindustry.biz Maguire stated that the current PSP is just the “first iteration” and the aim of a revamped PSP strategy was to make the console “smaller [and] lighter” in the future.

From the gamesindustry.biz article; Responding to a query on Sony’s plans for redesigning the system, Maguire added that any changes to the industrial design would not affect the size of PSP’s screen - widely seen as one of the system’s key strengths - which is "fixed". He did not offer any suggestions as to when the new iteration might be released.

There has been much speculation around the PSP redesign of late, mostly around adding a Hard Drive or similar increase in storage and a change in the control system. The UMD format has turned out to be somewhat of a failure, with the UMD movies failing to ignite sales. From a gaming perspective, issues with load times also plagued the format.

I imagine that UMD will remain in a redesigned PSP, if merely for backwards compatibility, Sony would look forward to a different way of delivering content however, most likely in an extended form of digital delivery online.

Portable Gadgets And Wireless Technology Are A Powerful Combination

2007-03-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

Portable Gadgets And Wireless Technology Are A Powerful Combination. Wireless technology is making it so that different types of gadgets can be seamlessly integrated into a network in homes and offices. Another place where gadgets are becoming increasingly popular is in the great outdoors. Although many gadgets are useful in some way or another, most gadgets- on some level or another- are really just toys. However, gadgets like these make mobile entertainment and communication very feasible and enjoyable.

GPS-based Portable Navigation Devices Took Off in U.S. During 2006

2007-03-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

The adoption of global positioning system (GPS) technology in the U.S. is really starting to take off. U.K.-based research and consultancy firm Canalys reported Tuesday that 1.5 million portable navigation devices (PNDS)—which use GPS technology—were shipped in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of 2006, more than total shipments during the previous three quarters combined.

Archos Wi-Fi portable media player

2007-03-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

Archos portable media players are always ahead of the pack in terms of innovation and the latest model is no exception.

The 704 WiFi is the first handheld video device to feature a 7in colour touch screen and wireless connectivity, allowing you to surf the web (using Opera) and stream content from nearby networks as well as enjoy music, images and movies on the move. You can also view PDF files, edit videos and content directly from TV.

It will be available in 40GB (for storing up to 50 films, 400,000 photos or 20,000 songs) and 80GB capacities (for twice that amount) from the end of this month from the Archos online store.

Managing the secure use of portable devices

2007-03-09T19:45:00.000-08:00

Information theft and proprietary data leakage are making headlines frequently. Major organizations are forced to inform the public regarding compromised private customer records, and some are also slapped with steep fines.

Most occurrences of information leakage and data theft are attributed to insiders, network users with legitimate access to enterprise data. Controlling and monitoring how data leaves the organization is very challenging since commonly used gadgets like iPods, thumb drives and even cell phones can easily be used to download data from PCs. The problem is that those gadgets are not managed.

Unmanaged portable devices pose a huge risk for organizations and create a massive gap in enterprise security management. Typically those portable devices have been introduced to organizations by individual users with no coordination support or control of network administrators. Since companies don’t have visibility into these devices, they are prime targets for information theft and data leaks. Employees can download business-critical, proprietary information or even run the risk of inadvertently introducing malware to corporate networks with their portable devices.

So what’s the solution? A management platform that protects, manages and secures the use of removable media and portable devices. Enterprises must consider utilizing a management platform which effectively extends the reach of enterprise management to include these vulnerable endpoints; portable devices.

Ideally organizations should be able to centrally control, monitor and log how data is downloaded and uploaded from desktop and laptop computers to removable media and portable devices. Unauthorized transactions should be blocked and all activities monitored and communicated in real time to management servers. The solution should shield networks from malware copied to endpoints and secure networks from exposure to the outside world through WiFi, Bluetooth and other interfaces.

Is this technology available today? Yes, endpoint security technology is deployed by some of the world’s most security-sensitive organizations including the Israeli Ministry of Defense and El-Al Airlines, as well as regional banks and international financial organizations, law firms, major healthcare companies, etc.

“Data security is a number one priority for our bank and we have been looking for an efficient solution to address the area of endpoint protection.” Amnon Beck, senior vice president, First International Bank.

In conclusion, be aware of your vulnerable endpoints and scope out the needs of the enterprise. You will begin to notice what seems like an infinite number of possibilities for information leakage. The mission of the enterprise should be to seek out a management platform that effectively extends the reach of the enterprise management to include these vulnerable endpoints; removable media (CDs, floppies, memory sticks), portable devices (iPods, PDAs, modems) and communication interfaces (PCMCIA, Bluetooth, WiFi.)

What are the best features of a portable DVD player?

2007-03-09T19:40:00.000-08:00

A great movie can make a long trip go by very easily, especially when flying. Often however, the movie you watch on the small screen at the front of your cabin is edited and interrupted by announcements from the crew about dinner. Have you ever considered taking a portable DVD player with you? With one of these and a good set of headphones, you can enjoy that action flick while everyone else is stuck hearing about the Grand Canyon. Check out our list of recommended features below to help you choose the best portable DVD player.

Dimensions A portable DVD player can end up feeling like a small brick to some, especially those which have large rechargeable batteries attached to them. While all players tend to run small, weight can vary by several pounds so make sure to check the side of the box before you buy.

Disc Formats Supported Besides playing standard DVDs, many portable players today can double as CD players as well, eliminating the need to take one extra device on your trip. You should also consider seeing if your player can support CD-R,CD-RW or DVD-R as well, as these do-it-yourself disc formats are becoming popular amongst those who have burners at home.

Outputs One of the great things about portable DVD players is that they can substitute for regular size cousins on the fly when you need to plug into your home entertainment system. You'll want to consider a player which has high quality outputs, such as S-Video for video and Optical Out for audio, so you can get the best quality playback possible.

Screen Many players today come with built-in screens, which make it the ultimate DVD entertainment device for the road. While screen size varies somewhat, larger is definitely better. You should expect to pay a higher price however. If you are looking for budget, you can also consider a player without a screen, though you'll need to make sure you have something you can hook it up to so you can watch your movie.

Virtual Surround Sound For those times when you don't have the ability to hook your DVD player up to a home entertainment system, consider a model which has virtual surround sound. This neat feature enhances the sound quality of the movie, giving it a more realistic edge.
Now that you have down the basics about what makes a great portable DVD player, put your skills to the test by browsing our Top Portable DVD Player picks and choosing the player which best fits your needs.

iPhone Mobile Photos gallery

2007-03-08T00:28:00.000-08:00

Apple iPhone Mobile

2007-03-07T23:46:00.000-08:00

iPhone combines three amazing products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device.

iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers.

So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone.

iPhone is a widescreen iPod with touch controls that lets you enjoy all your content — including music, audiobooks, videos, TV shows, and movies — on a beautiful 3.5-inch widescreen display. It also lets you sync your content from the iTunes library on your PC or Mac. And then you can access it all with just the touch of a finger.

iPhone is a revolutionary new mobile phone that allows you to make a call by simply pointing your finger at a name or number in your address book, a favorites list, or a call log. It also automatically syncs all your contacts from a PC, Mac, or Internet service. And it lets you select and listen to voicemail messages in whatever order you want — just like email.

iPhone features a rich HTML email client and Safari — the most advanced web browser ever on a portable device — which automatically syncs bookmarks from your PC or Mac. Safari also includes built-in Google and Yahoo! search. iPhone is fully multi-tasking, so you can read a web page while downloading your email in the background over Wi-Fi or EDGE.

Multi-touch
iPhone features the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse. It’s an entirely new interface based on a large multi-touch display and innovative new software that lets you control everything using only your fingers. So you can glide through albums with Cover Flow, flip through photos and email them with a touch, or zoom in and out on a section of a web page — all by simply using iPhone’s multi-touch display.

Intelligent Keyboard
iPhone’s full QWERTY soft keyboard lets you easily send and receive SMS messages in multiple sessions. And the keyboard is predictive, so it prevents and corrects mistakes, making it easier and more efficient to use than the small plastic keyboards on many smartphones.

No one wants full length portable movies, I bet!~~

2006-09-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

Apple is set to start offering full-length movies for download through iTunes for viewing on iPods and Sprint is "renting" movies for people to watch on their cell phones. With these developments, one might think that there's a small-screen revolution going on and that consumers are clamoring for ways to watch movies on the go. But are they? Do people really want to watch a two-hour movie on a 1.5-inch screen? I really doubt it. Gadget makers and content distributors need to reexamine how people watch videos on the go and cater more towards the realities of the market rather than wishing for a world in which people will be excited to drop $10 on a low-quality version of a movie they can watch only on a tiny screen.

People like watching movies in traditional places: namely, the theater or the living room. Pay-to-download sites such as Vongo haven't really caught on, and for good reason. While watching a movie on your laptop once in a while is fine, it really doesn't compete to sitting on the couch and watching it on TV. If people don't want to pay to watch a movie on their laptops, why would they pay to watch them on their iPods? First of all, the quality is just not up to snuff. Those tiny screens are okay for watching music videos, but to stare at one for 2 hours is far from a comfortable viewing experience. Secondly, you need to think about what situations people will be in when they're going to watch a movie on their phone. It seems like the most logical place to watch a movie on the go would be while traveling, as there really aren't too many other times that you'll be stationary for a couple of hours and want to be distracted. However, laptops are a much better way to watch movies on the go, and if you are going to pay for your movies wouldn't you rather have a DVD you can use on a laptop or at home than a digital copy that's trapped on your phone or iPod?

If you look at what videos are popular on the Internet, you'll see that shorter is better. Sites like YouTube are totally full of videos that clock in well under the 5-minute mark, and these are the types of videos that people would be more interested in watching on portable devices. After all, if you're in a waiting room or on the subway and want to watch something, you don't want to get sucked into Rumor Has It, you want something that will fit into the time you have. There are already applications out there to put YouTube videos on your iPod, and no rental or purchase fee is required. iTube for Windows and PodTube for OS X both do the work of converting and transferring YouTube videos to your iPod, and this is the perfect solution to people who want to have free, short video content for their portables.

Downloading movies is something that will catch on eventually, but it has to be done in the right way. The rumored Netflix set-top box is exactly the type of thing that consumers will embrace. It gives them the luxury of downloading something without leaving their house and lets them watch movies where they want to ? the living room. Companies such as Apple and Sprint want to get in on movie downloading, but portables are just not the venue that will make it catch on. Watching videos on your phone or music player is a novelty, one that demands content that's somewhat disposable as well. Until that happens, don't expect to see legions of people watching Little Man on their phones anytime soon. ? A.F.

Mobile phones could become portable TV recorders

2006-09-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

Texas Instruments is set to introduce a mobile phone that can record TV programmes using the DVB-H handheld digital video broadcast standard to record short extracts of TV for later viewing. It will also have picture-in-picture (PIP) technology (hope it has a big screen) to allow two programmes to be watched at once.

TI have done research that suggests mobile users would watch up to 3 hours of TV per day on their phones, but in snippets of 2-10 minutes at a time and particularly during a commute and at meal times.

Whether it will catch oon will depend upon broadcasters providing content in this format, operators streaming in, and consumers actually wanting it. The actual technology is expected to be available en masse during 2007.

It could be something that increases in popularity though. ITV recently started streaming ITV1 and ITV Play to the 3 Network.

Are you interested in mobile TV, and what sort of devices would you want to be able to watch it on?

Fun with Portable Software

2006-09-12T04:43:00.000-07:00

The latest trend in the computer industry is making a big splash despite its small frame.
Small, portable, USB compatible devices, capable of holding several gigabytes of data, are a viable alternative to compact disk media for file transfers and data storage. The two mediums have combined to crush the archaic floppy disk under the weight of its own 1.44 megabytes.

These thumb-sized vaults of information have found a new and immediately popular niche in their ability, thanks to faster USB technology, to run full program applications at speeds comparable to native hard disk access. This realization has led to an entire industry filled with "portable applications" ? software programs that run completely on removable USB memory drives and make no changes to system settings or files. This development adds new meaning to the words plug and play. When the user is finished, the drive can be unplugged and used in the exact same way on a different computer.

Most of the currently available portable applications are freeware, meaning they can be used free of charge without limitation, and many of them, including portable versions of Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird, are part of the open source software revolution.

One of the more popular sources of self-named portable software is PortableApps.com. The consistently updates site has the latest portable/standalone versions of Firefox, Thunderbird and a variety of other useful applications including the popular Microsoft Office replacement, Open Office and a fully functional visual FTP client.

A second site that makes the rag cut is The Portable Freeware Collection. This site gets the PRrag seal of approval because its owner not only makes constant updates, but consistently removes software from the database if it contains any form of adware or spyware or makes any changes to your system settings or hard disk.

This is why open source, non commercial, software is working so well and becoming so popular. Before the open source boom, you couldn't download a simple program without facing the consequences of unwanted advertisement software and other computer-slowing, security-compromising junk. In those days, between 2001 and early 2004, unwanted programs ruled the land and were a far greater security risk than any virus or worm at the time.

That was the age of the spyware. The age after the basic death of Netscape and prior to the stable release of Firefox, which was released in September, 2002 under the name "Phoenix."
The PR guy wanted to give portability a try, so I purchased an RiData 2GB USB 2.0 compatable drive. It is a little wider than I was expecting but lightweight and inexpensive.

Using Firefox and Thunderbird along with the rest of the PortableApps Suite, I also gave myself Gimp Portable, a lightweight open source graphic and photo editing solution.

I like it. The only thing I'd worry about is that if this takes off and people start to rely on the portable applications and their password saving features, USB drives will become more valuable than wallets. The lesson here is that you should always protect your data. If you're prone to losing things, do not save your passwords on your portable apps.

Another feature is the convenience of Open Office. This is a full feature productivity suite with most of the bells and whistles you'd see in comparable commercial products, and it's free and open source means anyone with the ability can take its code and turn it into whatever their heart desired.

Thus, the age of spyware closed and the age of open source, transparent, software has emerged. The only question that remains is, what comes next?

Harmon/Kardon Go and Play portable iPod speaker

2006-09-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

Over in Berlin right now the IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung in case you were wondering) Consumer Electronics trade fair is in full swing. Amongst all the many products that are on show Harmon/Kardon's new Go and Play iPod boombox has certainly caught our eyes.

Up until now the best portable iPod speakers are the Apple iPod Speaker and the iBoom. The latter is a bit on the ugly side and its performance isn't exactly earth shattering, the former is let down by the positioning of the iPod so as it's liable to fall out when moved. In contrast Harmon's Go and Play has the iPod fit in snugly on its back which should keep the whole thing nice and secure and, with the company's excellent reputation for audio quality, it shouldn't sound to bad either.

As well as a striking black body and stainless steel detail the Go and Play also packs bi-amped digital amplification, digital sound processing and ridge and Atlas transducers so it's safe to say our hopes are high. If Harmon is able to improve upon the sound of GC fave the Soundsticks II then we'll definitely be in for a treat. Expected by Christmas the Go and Play should retail for around ?230.

New I4U Gadget Model Mandee Makes Portable TVs and Baseball Sexy

2006-09-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

A new month a new hot gadget model on I4U News. September belongs to beautiful model Mandee.

Mandee (love that name) takes two Axion portable TVs to the ballpark. We picked the Angels team outfit because, you guessed it, Mandee is an angel. Baseball, TVs and a hot model, what do you want more. Ok, beer is missing.

Enjoy the photos now!(Depending on your Company?s culture the photos might not be safe for work).

You can also get a Free Mandee as Wallpaper for your Desktop.

The Axion AXN-5327A is a compact portable TV with a 2.5" TFT screen. The second Axion TV featured in our gadget model photo spread is the AXN-5500. This portable TV has a 5 inch screen. Thank you AXION for providing your products for our September Gadget model photos.
Mandee about herself: I was born and raised in California where I currently reside. I work full time while I finish my last year of college; obtaining a bachelors degree in business management. For fun, I love to hang out with the people I love the most, go to the beach, gym, and of course shopping.

Modeling is something that I have been encouraged to try by others in the past and I have always had on my list of things to do. I have just recently started modeling and have come to really enjoy it! I am a highly dedicated and motivated individual who is willing to work hard to fulfill my dreams and try just about anything once! I am excited to see where this new venture takes me!

Devices offer backup power for portable laptops, phones, PDAs

2006-09-07T21:59:00.000-07:00

A Canadian company has an answer for all those times that your laptop, iPod, PDA or cell phone runs out of juice where an electrical current is nowhere to be found. Xantrex's XPower PowerSource Mobile 100 is like a portable AC outlet designed to charge and run portable devices from wherever you happen to be.

The device is basically a lithium-ion battery with an inverter, a grounded electrical power plug and two USB power plugs for BlackBerrys, iPods and other devices that can draw power from PC USB ports. The USB ports and AC plug can be used at the same time to charge or operate two devices at once.

The device can be charged from any 110-volt wall outlet or a 12-volt vehicle power outlet -- what used to be called a car cigarette lighter -- so it doubles as a car adapter. It weighs 17 ounces and measures about 1 by 3 by 5 inches.

The company says it can power a laptop for two hours, an iPod for 44 hours or a cell phone for 12 hours of standby. The estimates include the time that the device being charged can run on its own battery after receiving a charge from the PowerSource.

It did an excellent job powering up one of my laptops but shut down immediately when I plugged in one with a hungrier power need.

A company representative acknowledged that there are "a small number of laptop AC power adapters or 'bricks' that were designed for docking stations, draw more than the 100-watt limit of the Mobile 100 and cause the device to automatically shut down.''

Xantrex makes a line of battery-powered backup systems including some that can keep a home office running for several hours.

ANOTHER OPTION: I get cranky when my cell phone battery dies but that would be OK if I carried around the SideWinder Portable Power device because it has a crank that you can use to generate power for a few minutes of talk time.

At under three ounces, it's a lot easier to carry than the Xantrex unit, but it's not nearly as powerful or versatile. It works with a limited number of phones (go to sidewindercharger.com for a list) and requires two minutes of cranking for every six minutes of extra talking.

Samsung online music service signals looming DRM war

2006-09-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

The news that Samsung is to become a new entrant into the online music store market, using MusicNet as media provider, has created a new dynamic, with three hardware manufacturers soon to be using the music ecosystem model pioneered by Apple with the iTunes-iPod connection.

There are a couple of interesting aspects to this news. One is that Samsung's move is an acknowledgement that to be a player in the portable music player space, a company needs to be more than just a hardware vendor. Another is that there appears to be a looming digital rights
management war between Apple's FairPlay DRM based on QuickTime and Microsoft's PlayForSure based on Windows Media Player 10.

However, the reality is that the real DRM battle will start when Microsoft's Zune hits the market and, whehn that happens, PlayForSure DRM is not likely to be a major force.

Samsung is a hardware company, yet it has recognized that it will never be able to differentiate itself from the pack of MP3 player suppliers unless it has its own online music store connection like Apple. Microsoft, primarily a software company, has come to the same conclusion from the other end of the spectrum, so it plans both a music store and its Zune MP3 player.

Understanding that Apple has a stranglehold on the market in the US but is slightly weaker in Europe and Asia, Samsung plans to focus its efforts initially in those markets.

Samsung, like other music player companies aside from Apple, such as SanDisk, Creative and iRiver, uses the Windows Media Player 10 DRM.

When Microsoft releases Zune, however, it will not use its own licensed PlayForSure DRM. Instead Microsoft will create a new DRM compatible with Windows Media Player 11 but not PlayForSure, in effect ditching its PlayForSure partners in favour of creating a closed music ecosystem like Apple.

Thus, when Zune launches there will be three main competing DRM systems, two of which will be owned by Microsoft.

There has also been some speculation that Microsoft will attempt to lure PlayForSure users over to Zune by offering them free one-off transfers of their music files upon purchasing a Zune player. If that happens, as it probably will, PlayForSure licensees will find themselves in a spot of bother as the transfer will only go one way and there is likely to be considerable leakage of users.

Samsung plans own music service

2006-09-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

Aiming to better compete with Apple Computer's iTunes, Samsung on Friday announced that it will develop its own music service in conjunction with a new series of portable players that will debut later this year.

Samsung is tapping New York-based MusicNet to power the service, which will offer both download sales and subscription options. The service will initially be available in the United Kingdom, France and Germany, but Samsung says it hopes to expand throughout Europe and Asia.

The move follows Microsoft's announcement in July that it will launch its Zune player and service, competing directly with former partners, including Samsung, Creative Labs, iRiver and others. Until announcing the Zune, Microsoft had focused on getting others to build devices and music services that used the company's Windows Media Audio format. The various devices and music services were marketed under Microsoft's PlaysForSure brand, an effort that has been thrown into question now that Microsoft is developing the Zune.

Samsung said the service will work with a number of its new media players, including the striking new K5 player, which sports a built-in speaker system.

"Our partnership with MusicNet completes our product package," Seungsoo Park, vice president of Samsung's digital audio-video unit, said in a statement. Park said the company selected MusicNet because of its experience in creating other such services. MusicNet provides access to major-label music for a number of services, including Yahoo, MTV Networks' Urge and MusicGremlin, according to a MusicNet representative.

Samsung's decision also follows Nokia's announcement earlier this month that it would buy digital-music distributor Loudeye.

After spending years trying to compete against Apple's iTunes and iPod combination through a variety of devices and music services that could interoperate, many of Apple's rivals are now trying to build integrated devices and services.

Gartner analyst Michael McGuire said Microsoft has provided little clarity for its PlaysForSure partners as to how much support they will see going forward or how Zune will work with their players and services. As a result, he said he expects to see others follow Samsung's lead.

"Hardware makers make their money leveraging their manufacturing capacity," he said. "It's not good to let a lot of those things run idle. I think you can expect a lot of them to be doing similar types of things until there is more clarity."

Creative bows widescreen PVP, the Zen Vision W

2006-09-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

The latest weapon in Creative's cold war against all things iPod is the Zen Vision W, a portable video player that appears to improve upon its predecessor, the Zen Vision. Vision Dubya comes at us with a 4.3-inch widescreen LCD that's clocked at 480 x 272 pixels ? the same as Sony's PSP. We hope the lab coats at Creative have made some upgrades since designing the original Zen Vision's screen, which was certainly sharp but noticeably less vibrant than the displays on more recent portables like the video iPod and Creative's own Zen Vision:M. But there's also a video output when you want to watch your digital vids on something bigger. Of course, it'll play all the standard video and audio formats (Windows Media, DivX, AVI, MPEG-4, MP3, etc.), has an FM tuner, serves as your organizer ? blahblahblah yaddayaddayadda ? though apart from the display it looks like it has the same bag of tricks as the Zen Vision. The 30-GB version of the Vision W will cost a little more than $400 US while the 60-GB model is about $475. It's only available in Singapore right now, but we'll keep our eyes peeled for a U.S. release.

Samsung announces 10-inch portable TV

2006-09-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

Portable TVs always sound like kind of cool idea in theory, but when you actually try to use one you find that they either aren't portable at all due to needing to be hooked up to a cable source or the quality is terrible due to bad reception. Samsung is releasing the R7, a big ol' 10-inch portable TV that doesn't seem to be addressing any of the concerns that have kept portable TVs from ever catching on. It apparently has "excellent mobile receiving characteristics," so perhaps in large cities the reception issue wouldn't be so bad, but unless you live near somewhere that is broadcasting digitally over the airwaves you'll be stuck either plugging into a wall or into a portable hard drive. Yes, you can plug a hard drive in to watch videos, but wouldn't a laptop be just as easy for this? There's no word on pricing or a release date for the R7 as of yet. ---------Via Slashphone

Superior technology design is necessary

2006-09-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

In the modern days, mobility is more than a need. It has transformed to lifestyle in the form of mobile phones, laptops, portable DVD players, rechargeable torch lights and battery-operated shavers. At the back of all these mobility enhancing devices is the power centre or the rechargeable battery pack. These packs come in different sizes, shapes and ratings. While some are generic in nature and can be used in more than one product, majority are custom designed for specific products and applications.

Moving a step ahead, these products are used worldwide and predominantly used by domestic and international travellers. This calls for superior design to meet wider ambient conditions.
While rechargeable batteries can be made with active materials, lithium-ion batteries are the most common. These Li-ion batteries are constructed with coated anode and cathode foils separated by thin layers of a polymer material. A corollary to this can be a bread sandwich with jam applied in between. Using advanced machinery, such coated layers are wound to arrive at individual Li-ion cell. To increase the battery capacity, it is essential to increase the surface area of the active polymer separators, by increasing the number of layers.

However, the catch is to keep the size, shape and weight of the battery within mobility limits. This calls for applying thinner polymer separators such that more and more layers can be added between multiple cathode ? anode combinations.

Battery packs used for backup in such electronic devices are generally safe as long as they are adhere to the following norms:

> Strict quality control while manufacturing
> User meets operating guidelines
Safe disposal of used/dead batteries
> Quality control in manufacturing

We believe that thinner the polymer separators, better is the result towards size, weight and capacity. However, there is a limitation to this. When the polymer becomes thinner below the threshold limit, it poses a safety hazard.

If there are any contaminants or metal particles in these separators, there is possibility of cathode ? anode short-circuiting. If a large particle of conductive material penetrates the separator, connecting the anode and cathode, or a small particle of conductive material comes in between the anode and cathode, it results in short circuiting.

This results in ?thermal runaway?, where the battery cell releases all its energy at once. Here is the possibility of overheating and fire hazard.

Strict quality control measures ensuring no metal particles in the separators at the time of manufacturing, can provide safety for the users.

While all measures are taken by the product manufacturers to protect batteries from ambient conditions such as heat and humidity and electrical circuitry, it is still important for the users to adhere to operating guidelines. These are:

> Product usage within the specified ambient conditions
> Using the exact replacement batteries as specified by the vendors
> Using the right charger to recharge the batteries

It is important to meet the disposal guidelines too. Used and defective batteries cannot be handled the way the general litters are handled.

Thus, products from renowned brands like LG, having core manufacturing competence with strict quality control, backed with user awareness on do?s and don?ts can provide maximum safety to the users, while offering the best mobility solutions.

ASUS Launches Ultra Portable U5F Notebook

2006-09-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 26, 2006: Mumbai: A notebook which combines aesthetics, style, durability and a whole gamut of latest desirable features all rolled into a very compact, slim and light package. Yes! we are talking about the latest offering by ASUSTeK Computer Inc, the 12.1? ultra portable U5F Notebook Series.

With its unique splendid technology and built-in Bluetooth EDR, the sleek and compact U5F is perfect for business professionals who demand true mobility with full connectivity on the go.

All parts of the notebook, from interior components to exterior housing and paint are environment friendly and comply with RoHS regulations Directive 2002/95/EC (Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment).

The slim and lightweight U5F, weighing only 1.4kg, offers the best mobile computing solution. The unique seamless touch pad design allows users to type and navigate the cursor in one fluid operation while eliminating annoying dust accumulation.

Incorporated with the latest 'Splendid Color Enhancement Engine' technology, the 12.1" LCD screen displays images with enhanced contrast, brightness, skin tone and colour saturation for vivid presentations.

Equipped with the latest Dual Core processing, the U5F enables users to simultaneously run demanding applications, such as running virus scan while talking on Skype and surfing the web. The U5F's exhilarating capabilities will immerse users in riveting vibrant entertainment at home or on the go with the built-in features of your new mobile dual-core processor-based laptops.

Bluetooth V2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) allows omnidirectional wireless connection and enables a high data transfer rate of 2.1 Mbps that is three times faster than standard Bluetooth without EDR.

So all those who love using technology on the go, ASUSTek's U5F Notebook Computer is the word.

Archos Announces Generation-4 Portable Media Players

2006-09-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

Today Archos, grandaddy of the portable media player category, introduced five new fourth-generation media players.

Coming in early September (and available now for preorder) is the 30GB Archos 604 (right picture), which Mike Kobrin has previewed already. This is Archo's followup to the AV500, which Mike loved. It'll have a 4.3-inch screen, a removable battery, and a kickstand. But some of its predecessor's features are now optional extras, including the ability to record video from analog sources; it's $349.99. Also coming in September is the 30GB Archos 404 (left), just .6 inches thick and only $299.99.

Later this fall we'll see the Archos 504 PMP, which will have a 160GB capacity. The company will also extend the 404 with a camcorder, and the 604 with integrated Wi-fi and touchscreen capabilities. We're promised more details on these products in a few weeks.

Smallest portable DAB ever!

2006-09-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

Roberts thinks thin with the slim RD49 digital radio.

The RD49 comes in "sexy" iPod white. [more images]Roberts latest DAB radio may not look particularly record-breaking, but it is: according to its makers, the RD49 is the smallest, most compact mains/battery DAB on the market.

The radio measures a svelte 215 x 116 x 40mm, and totes all the usual DAB bits and bobs: FM tuner, 10 station presets, LCD display and alarm clock.

What's slightly more interesting is its built-in battery charger, which tops up the battery power every time the RD49 is plugged into the mains - meaning you don't have to worry about the notoriously power-hungry DAB tuner cutting down your mobile music time.
The RD49 is out now priced at around ï¿¡60.

Disney jumps into portable gaming with GAMEiT!

2006-09-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

Disney is set to jump into the portable video game market with a set of devices called Disney GAMEiT! Yes, the (nearly) all caps format and exclamation point are part of the official name. A little annoying, I know.

The devices, made by the same folks behind the VG Pocket, can work either as truly portable gamers -- launching one of the 12 "new and unique" titles on the 2.5-inch LCD screen -- or as home consoles by hooking them up to a big screen TV. You'll find a 16-bit processor for 3D graphics and a couple of built-in speakers for the cutesy-wootsy soundtrack. The button layout is about as standard as it gets, with a video game "joystiq" (no relation to the popular gaming blog) on the left and a pair of action buttons on the right.

Marketed at kids 6 and older, the GAMEiT! will come in two varieties, one featuring classic characters (Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, etc.) and the other with a different set of characters (Little Mermaid, Lucifer, Fotsam, etc.). Look for both versions to go on sale next month for $40 each, with "starter kits" (for accessories like an A/V cable, carrying case, and so on) going for $15 more.

Aevoe Mobix: portable TV receiver, recorder

2006-09-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

This is definitely an improvement on the usual portable TV experience. It's certainly more portable anyways.

The Aevoe Mobix is a plug-n-play DVB-T receiver that is specially made for laptops and other portable USB computing devices. It unfolds into a small antenna that boosts weak signals while eliminating interference.

You can also use the digital receiver capabilities to pause or rewind live TV and, of course, record your favorite shows. For that, however, you'll need to clear some space on your hard drive or stock an external or two. Recording TV is a good idea, as long as you have the space to store it.

Archos Beats Apple to Portable Video (but Why?)

2006-09-01T06:56:00.000-07:00

As Apple refuses to tip its hand about the possibility of a so-called "true" video iPod with a larger, 16:9 screen, Archos has been filling in the gap with its ever-expanding line of portable digital video players. Although it hasn't been officially announced, the Archos 604 ($350, specs on CNET), part of what the company is calling its "Generation 4" devices, will be available shortly.

The main draw here is the great-looking screen. I've been testing the Archos 604 for a few days now, and can safely say that Archos's claims about the quality of the 604's screen are justified. Colors were clear, sharp, and deep, and the 4.3-inch (diagonally) screen was large enough to afford decent viewing of short format shows.

But the 604 suffers in the area of video compatibility. I transferred a random selection of 22 video files acquired from BitTorrent, and only one of them, an MPEG-4 AVI with an MP3 soundtrack, played on the device.

Out of the box, only WMV 9 and MPEG-4 files are supported by the 604, although you can add support for MPEG-2 and H.264 using $10 plug-ins from Archos that aren't yet available. I think Archos should have included a conversion utility that would have converted (or at least attempted to convert) a wide range of video formats into something the device can play. Instead, the manual advises you to use a soon-to-be-outdated version of Windows Media Player, or to find your own conversion software.

The other way to get video onto the 604 is to record it from your television, but the required accessory ($100) for that is not included. (Archos told me a camcorder attachment could be in the works as well.)

For the consummate early adopter, the Archos 604 offers a good way to import video onto YouTube or BitTorrent, share downloaded clips in the offline world, and watch video on the go (assuming anyone actually does that). It also has some DVR functionality, if you get the video recording accessory; its high-quality video output and rudimentary scheduling features make it a somewhat clumsy replacement for a TiVo.

But the lack of a simple conversion utility hampers the usefulness of this PVP (portable video player) for the one market segment that will truly embrace it: parents who spend a lot of time in the car with their kids. As things stand, those looking to fill every last minute of their child's non-academic day with video entertainment of some kind will have to look for something easier to use.
The gearhounds that Archos is trying to target with these things tend to listen to music players while on the go, and I don't think they're looking for a heavier device that can also play video. A laptop can do everything the 604 can do and more, and most early adopters have one by now.

To me, it doesn't really matter how good the 604 is, because I don't see any clear need for portable video, especially on an unconnected device. I could be wrong... portable video enthusiasts, feel free to add a comment explaining what you like about these devices. I'm want to believe!

RAmos RM150 portable media player released

2006-08-31T10:34:00.000-07:00

RAmos RM150 portable media player released
No, thatâ€™s not a spelling error, the company is deliberately named RAmos, and the two caps at the beginning arenâ€™t for any reason that's obvious.
After receiving a lot of flak last year for releasing a kitschy â€œgoldâ€� mp3 player, RAmos is out to make amends this time by releasing their latest RM150 portable media player and sticking to two safe colors - black and white.
In the already over-crowded PMP market, the USP of this device seems to be its support for the XviD video format. If you are not yet tuned-in to XviD, it is the latest video compression format being developed as part of an open-source project to combat the other paid alternatives in the market. That probably is a major plus for the RM150, as most other PMPs donâ€™t support this format as yet. The other features of the PMP include a very decent 2.2-inch TFT screen, built-in FM radio, text and photo viewer, and support for all the standard audio formats in the market.
One niggling shortcoming of the RM150 PMP is its storage â€“ the highest is 1GB â€“ and you can't store too much with that kind of space. However, if you're someone who doesnâ€™t mind that, you could get yours from the Chinese market - the RM150 retails in 512 MB and 1 GB versions in China for $50 and $63 respectively. Which is really cheap. And as the popular Chinese saying goes â€“ â€œBetter a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without oneâ€�.

Sony's PSP, Nintendo DS, Gameboy, iPod and Portable Media Players Inspire Fashionable Sling Lifestyle Bags by Everki

2006-08-31T10:11:00.000-07:00

New Duel, Combat, and Force Combine Style, Portability, Ruggedness, and Ingenuity to Take Gaming, Movies and Audio Wherever, Whenever

VISTA, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- August 21, 2006 -- Everki, makers of mobile lifestyle products designed to carry and protect the digital equipment we use everyday, today announced its new line of mobile gaming and multimedia digital lifestyle sling bags.
As PSPs, Nintendo DS', iPods and portable media players (PMPs) permeate our digital lifestyle, legions of users are searching for dedicated, mobile, stylish, and compact bags to easily, and efficiently, take everything on the road. The new Everki sling Duel, Combat, and Force feature durable Nylon shells, sling strap, small, innovative designs.
The Duel is a small, unique satchel that can carry small multimedia and mobile gaming devices. It features a cushioned nest, inner compartment accessory space, mobile phone cache, plus a media player pocket. MSRP is $24.99 and it's available at Fry's Electronics as well as through distributors worldwide.
When gamers are playing more than breathing or music enthusiasts listen to their earphones more than the outside world, the Force carries everything they need to get their game on and their music/video on while on the road. The Force features a cushioned inner PSP and media player compartment, rear sunglass case, key slot, power adapter compartment with plenty of media storage space, plus a zippered front change pocket and easy access stash slot. MSRP is $29.99.
The Combat carries everything gamers and multimedia enthusiasts need to take their gizmos anywhere, quickly. The smallest of the lineup, Combat features a smooth and contoured design with a nest, inner media storage slot, mobile phone cache, and a media player section -- ready for access anytime, anywhere. MSRP is $19.99.
About Everki
Everki, http://www.everki.com/, manufactures movement-focused lifestyle products designed to carry and protect the digital equipment we use everyday. Everki bags combine comfort, convenience, durability and style. The stylish and innovative bags offer smooth zipper lines, stash pockets, top load design cuts and quick snap buckles, which provide easy access to files and accessories. They are constructed with tough, reliable materials, robust padding inside walls, computer nests, and sturdy zippers with smooth lines, classic colors, and unique features to blend distinctive function with impeccable looks.

Portable Net radio ready for retail

2006-08-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

INTERNET DAILY

Within the next few weeks, Torian Wireless will begin showing U.S. retailers what you might call a Wi-Fi "Walkman." The InFusion is a portable, battery-powered device which you can tune to any of thousands of Internet radio stations. It also has an FM radio, an audio recorder, and an MP3 player. It does not have a built-in speaker. The retail price could be as low as $229.

George Parthimos, Torian's founder, said inspiration for the device came to him while he was traveling in Europe in 1999. "I wasn't able to hear my football teams from back home in Melbourne," he said. "It wasn't rocket science to come home and work up a design."

A working prototype of the device has been seen publicly. In its debut, at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show, it was a finalist for the G4TechTV Best of Award. In January, at the 2006 CES, InFusion won an Innovations Honoree award.

"We went to CES with an early model," Parthimos said. "It was kind of dodgy, but we wanted to test the market. We came back, made some modifications, and then three of us went on an eight-country world tour in 21 days to show what we had."

The big holdup, of course, was widely available Internet access. That's less of an issue now. Just this week, Wayport Inc. announced its 10th anniversary and reported it's installed Wi-Fi in more than 7,200 McDonald's restaurants. Numerous other firms have aggressively expanded Wi-Fi to hotels, airports, train stations, and other retailers. Starbucks began deploying Wi-Fi in its stores in 2002.

Parthimos has an agreement with a manufacturer in Malaysia to produce the InFusion. "In a couple of weeks, we'll be getting samples for distributors and we can get into mass production in six to eight weeks."

Availability at retail may be limited to a few boutique stores and his Web site unless a retailer like Best Buy (BBY : Best Buy Co., Inc. News , chart, profile, more Last: 49.64+0.53+1.08%11:17am 08/17/2006Delayed quote data Add to portfolioAnalyst Create alert InsiderDiscussFinancials Sponsored by: BBY49.64, +0.53, +1.1%) or Circuit City (CC : Circuit City Stores, Inc.- Circuit City Group News , chart, profile, more Last: 25.35+0.07+0.28%11:17am 08/17/2006Delayed quote data Add to portfolioAnalyst Create alert InsiderDiscussFinancials Sponsored by: CC25.35, +0.07, +0.3%) places a big order. "There are a lot of niche players who'd like to take this on." Torian is privately held, has about 20 employees, but no revenues. "We can't fund a mass release ourselves," he said.

iriver Announces 2GB T10 Portable Media Player

2006-08-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

VANCOUVER, Wash., Aug. 15 -- iriver America announced availability of a new higher-capacity version of its T10 portable media player, which comes bundled with technology and special content offers from Audible, Inc. the leading provider of spoken entertainment and information on the Internet.

The iriver 2GB* T10 comes bundled with AudibleReady technology and is capable of storing and playing back Audible's audio titles right out of the box. The T10 is PlaysForSure verified to support subscription-based music download services, including URGE, Napster, Rhapsody, Yahoo! Music Unlimited and eMusic. Customers who purchase the new 2GB iriver T10 media player are also immediately eligible for a free book download from Audible.

"iriver is committed to providing valuable features, content and services to our device customers," said Jonathan Sasse, president of iriver America. "We are thrilled to continue offering direct access to Audible's impressive library selection of quality digital audio content including books, radio broadcasts, magazines, news and podcasts."

Customers of the 2GB iriver T10 may select the free book download from the following popular titles, available at the audible.com website:

-- 1984, George Orwell -- It's Not About the Bike, Lance Armstrong
-- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis
-- The Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris
-- The Soul of Capitalism, William Greider
-- Talk to the Hand, Lynne Truss
-- The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger
-- Scientific American, 12-Month Subscription

"Audible is pleased to work with iriver in delivering thousands of hours of amazing content to the T10, creating a truly rich, on demand listening experience," said Chia-Lin Simmons, Vice President of Strategic Alliances of Audible, Inc.

Pricing and Availability

The 2GB iriver T10 is priced at US $149.99 and is available now at the iriver eStore at www.iriveramerica.com/estore and at Amazon.com. Visit http://www.iriveramerica.com/ for more retail locations.

Tekken: Dark Resurrection brings fighting fun to PlayStation Portable

2006-08-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

This image from the video game "Tekken Dark Resurrection," provided by publisher Bandai Namco Group, shows one of the many environments where players will have to wage battle in this gorgeous new fighting game for the Sony PlayStation Portable. (AP/Bandai Namco Group)

(AP) - If you've never played a fighting game like Tekken: Dark Resurrection, there are a few important things to know.

As with most video games, hand-eye coordination is certainly important. But above all else, you need fingers of steel.

This new title for the PlayStation Portable often comes down to how long your poor digits can endure pounding buttons in quick, endless succession.

For a portable system that doesn't have very many fighting games (or very many good games at all, for that matter), Dark Resurrection is a gorgeous, button-mashing extravaganza.
The gameplay is simple enough for novices to jump right into and enjoy, yet the many combinations and special attacks will take a long time to master.

People who struggle with the sophisticated button slaps needed to win games like this will appreciate the practice mode, where I was able to hone my skills with minimal humiliation.
You begin by choosing from an array of warriors - there are dozens of oddball characters including a kangaroo and a panda, as well as more traditional human combatants. Each has special moves and fighting characteristics.

These battle royales play out in 3-D environments such as wolf-infested forests and high-tech arenas that really come alive during the one-on-one fights.

Graphically, Dark Resurrection is one of the best-looking PSP games yet. Each fighter has a distinct look and features detailed, fluid movements as they flail around, throwing and blocking punches and kicks.

Of the several fighting modes available, the player-versus-player online mode offers the most replay value. Two PSP players within wireless range can duke it out, which is far more interesting than the built-in computer foes (who still provide plenty of challenge, however).
Though much of the game showcases the audiovisual prowess of the PSP, Dark Resurrection also points out one of the system's biggest annoyances: the button placement.

In a frantic game like this, it's painfully clear that the directional buttons are spaced too far apart from each other, if only by a millimetre or two.

But that's certainly not the game's fault, and at least I was able to tweak the button layout to make things a bit easier.

My fingers may be tired and aching, but Dark Resurrection serves notice that good fighting games are possible - and enjoyable - on PSP.

Three stars out of four.

Multi-Pack Portable Storage Devices From PNY Technologies Offer Consumers Convenience and Savings

2006-08-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ --

PNY Technologies(R), Inc. announced today that its Attache (R) USB 2.0 Flash Drives and SD(TM) Flash Media Cards are available in multi-packs from leading retailers. The 2-and-3-unit multi-packs offer consumers a special value on their purchases. Multi-packs are available for both devices in 512MB and 1GB capacities.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060816/CGW027 )

"PNY is pleased to introduce this innovative packaging design into the retail channel to meet consumer need for high performance, dependable storage solutions at a multi-pack value," said Tony Gomez, vice president of sales and marketing for PNY Technologies. "Our new multi-pack offerings provide consumers with the freedom and convenience of keeping one unit and sharing the other(s); using one for work and one for home; buying them in bulk for the back-to-school season, or giving them as gifts for all the people on their list; so friends and family can benefit from a single purchase."

The following portable storage devices are available in multi-packs from PNY Technologies:

-- 2 pack 512MB SD Cards -- 3 pack 1GB SD Cards -- 2 pack 512 MB Attache USB Flash Drives -- 3 pack 1GB Attache USB Flash Drives About PNY Technologies, Inc.

Established in 1985, PNY Technologies(R), Inc. is a leading supplier and marketer of NVIDIA Quadro(R) by PNY Technologies professional graphics boards and Verto-brand consumer graphics cards. The company also offers a full line of high-end memory upgrade modules, flash media, USB flash drives, portable hard drives and flash peripherals. Headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., PNY maintains facilities in North America (Santa Clara and Orange County, Calif., Miami, Fla. and Parsippany, N.J.), Europe (Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom,) and Asia (Taiwan and China). For more information, please visit http://www.pny.com .

The PNY logo is a registered trademark of PNY Technologies, Inc. NVIDIA, NVIDIA QUADRO and nView are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the Unites States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Lara Chereso of Gibbs & Soell Public Relations for PNY lchereso@gibbs-soell.comTechnologies, Inc., +1-847-519-9150 ext. 116,

Web site: http://www.pny.com/

Digital Digest: iPhone, Zune, eMusic, Paris Hilton

2006-08-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Report says Steve can't contain his excitement over iPhone; Microsoft's would-be iPod killer gets price, keyboard dock; eMusic launches in UK; AOL Music lands exclusive preview of heiress' album.

Report: Jobs ecstatic over iPhone

Steve Jobs, of all people, has been letting the cat out of the bag about the iPhone, Apple's much-rumored music phone.

So says a report on the Apple Insider Web site, claiming that Jobs has been so excited about the music phone that he can't stop babbling about it to his personal acquaintances, a rare string of utterances from the notoriously secret Apple chief.

The report said that Jobs has commissioned the release of cell phone prototypes to at least two potential manufacturing partners in recent months, with current designs conforming to Apple's integrated iPod-iTunes model. It also said the device will turn up earlier than some people may be expecting, in the form of a "big bang" introduction that will catch even some insiders off guard.

Apple still must determine if it's willing to let an iPhone cannibalize sales of its popular, flash-based Nano players. In a research note in May, PiperJaffray analyst Gene Munster wrote about such a concern.

"While we continue to believe there is a high chance that Apple will launch an iPhone in the next 12 months, the company says that the right path for Apple is to continue to pursue devices with one primary feature and not focus on multiple functions in one device," Munster said.

Jobs surprised some insiders when he gave his keynote at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco last week without any new iPod-related product announcements.

Zune to sell for $299, keyboard maker includes dock

The buzz around Zune, Microsoft's hoped-for iPod killer, continues to grow. Tech site Twice reported that the Zune player will go on sale in the fall for $299 and will come in three colors, including black and white. Today, keyboard maker Razer touted a forthcoming keyboard that will include a Zune docking station. The Razer ProType Multimedia Keyboard, proclaimed the "the world's most intelligent keyboard" by Razer, will reportedly be released in November in both black and white, and will also be compatible with the iPod. The keyboard will have line-out plugs for audio peripherals and a couple of USB ports as well.

eMusic launches in UK

eMusic, which has quietly climbed into second place among digital download stores, launched e beta version of its service in the UK today, hoping its DRM-free downloads will appeal to music fans there despite its indie-centric catalog of 1.4 million songs. The service launched with an offer for a free two-week trial and 25 free downloads. eMusic sells songs in the MP3 format, which means that, unlike other subscription-based services like Rhapsody and Napster, users are not renting the music but actually purchasing it. Although it trails far behind iTunes, eMusic now ranks second among all digital download services in terms of market share, according to June 2006 data from NPD Group. The UK version of eMusic charges 40 song downloads per month for Â£8.99 ($17), Â£11.99 ($22.65) for 65 downloads, and Â£14.99 ($28.30) for 90 downloads.

AOL Music snags Paris Hilton album exclusive preview

Paris Hilton has found a digital home. AOL Music will be the exclusive preview home for Paris, the upcoming album from the hotel heiress and paparazzi magnet. The album won't hit stores until August 22, but will be available on-demand exclusively at AOL Music until then. The exclusive preview also includes an interview conducted over AOL Instant Messenger. The project is being released through Hilton's Heiress Records, a subdivision of Warner Bros. Records.

"I'm really proud of my record and the work I put into it," Hilton said in a statement. "I'm excited AOL Music is debuting Paris online, so people can finally hear my entire album for themselves."

ComboGB: slim, powerful, portable hard drive with video in mind

2006-08-14T23:23:00.000-07:00

This small yet powerful device might be your best friend if you're in the habit of toting around a monster-video-showing laptop. It's the ComboGB from WiebeTech, and it's a hard drive that is designed for taxing tasks like high-speed, hi-def, video playback. You'll know this by looking on the side and inspecting the ports: You get a USB 2.0, of course, but you also get two FireWire ports, a 400 and an 800.

Here's the number you've been waiting for, though: It's 7200 RPM, which is a number you'll appreciate as you shoot, cut, and show your video.

The cables are your power source, by the way, so your computer or other portable device supplies the juice, eliminating the need for yet another cord to run an AC adapter. The drive plays nice with both Mac and Windows machines.

You'll also appreciate the size. The ComboGB is literally small enough to fit in your pocket, measuring up at just 5.4" tall and less than an inch thick. That's even at the 160GB level, which is the top of the class for memory. That one will cost you a pretty penny: 51,195 of them, to be exact. The bargain-basement 60GB model (which is still a lot of space) will run you just US$286.95. Three other models run the steps up the storage ladder, in 20GB increments.

Sony dismisses rumours of PSP price cut

2006-08-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

"No plans" to reduce cost, says spokesperson

Following the emergence of rumours that a PSP price cut is imminent, a Sony representative has told GamesIndustry.biz that there are no plans to reduce the cost of the handheld at present.

The suggestion of a PSP price cut initially came from industry analyst P.J. McNealy, who told CNN Money: "There is a price cut coming in the second half of the year."
According to McNealy, the PSP "has lost momentum. Nintendo has had a great run since it launched the DS Lite and Sony needs to regain some ground." He believes that Sony will slash the price of the handheld in the US from US$199 to US$149 - bringing it closer to the DS price point of US$129.

But a Sony UK spokesperson told GI.biz: "Currently we have no plans to cut the price of the PSP at this time."

It's more likely that Sony will cut the price of the PlayStation 2, as predicted by other industry analysts. The console currently retails with an RRP of GBP 104.99 in the UK, but many retailers are already cutting the price to below the magic GBP 100 mark - and it's thought that Sony could well follow suit with an official price reduction in time for Christmas.

Microsoft PlaysForSure License

2006-08-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

Microsoft PlaysForSure
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Microsoft PlaysForSure is a marketing certification given by Microsoft to media players that have been verified to work with Microsoft Windows and with Microsoft's branded Digital Rights Management. It is intended to inform consumers about what types of video and audio formats the digital audio player or video player will be able to play. The PlaysForSure logo is applied to digital audio player and portable video player packaging as well as PlaysForSure compatible online music stores.

Overview
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The logo certifies that the device is able to play files recorded in Windows Media Audio or Windows Media Video format with the Windows Media DRM digital rights management scheme used in Windows Media Player version 10.

While various online stores sell digital media in these formats, the most popular such store, Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store (iTMS) uses a competing format (AAC+FairPlay DRM). iTunes Music Store files are encrypted with FairPlay DRM, rather than the Windows Media DRM used in PlaysForSure products. Because of this format difference, files purchased from the iTMS are not compatible with PlaysForSure equipment. Similarly, Apple's popular iPod personal music players and iTunes software do not support Windows Media files.

Devices that pass this certification use the Media Transfer Protocol or USB mass storage device class, and can play Windows Media Audio files with DRM.

Criticisms
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PlaysForSure appears to report only the audio formats Windows Media Player can play, rather than device capability. Accordingly, PlaysForSure may incorrectly inform the user that a portable device cannot play a non-Microsoft audio format (e.g. Ogg Vorbis) and will refuse to transfer audio tracks to the portable device.

A recent court case harshly criticised the wording of a recent Microsoft licensing agreement related to portable devices, see "Judge blasts MS bid to monopolize music devices". The license prohibited makers of portable devices, compatible with Windows Media Player, from using non-Microsoft audio encoding formats. Microsoft indicated that the wording of their license was poorly written due to an oversight by a junior Microsoft employee. Microsoft quickly amended their stringently worded license agreement at the judge's behest.

In a possibly related decision, iriver recently dropped support for Ogg Vorbis from their latest H10 portable music player in order to market it with PlaysForSure certification.

Due to the introduction of PlaysForSure and Media Transfer Protocol, makers of portable devices have another source for media transfer and music management software. If enough manufacturers adopt this option, both development cost and diversity will be reduced. Even if the actual development cost is not reduced, Microsoft might well offer the software at a reduced price to achieve market dominance. Reduced cost could be expected to benefit the consumer. Lack of diversity may improve some kinds of interoperability but it does reduce choice and could even lead to monopoly.

Media Transfer Protocol is not as convenient for a number of puposes as the previous dominant approach: having the device appear to the host computer as a USB mass storage device. Most systems provide support for such devices without additional software. Furthermore, such a device can be used for alternative purposes such as transferring files or even as a boot device.

Official PlaysForSure website

BBC plans DAB add-on for MP3 players

2006-08-13T01:42:00.000-07:00

The deets are slim, but they come straight from a BBC News article, so we're thinking there just might be some weight to them. Apparently the UK's BBC is planning their very own DAB device to act as "clip-on" addition to current MP3 players. Such functionality extension brings the iPod and its dock connector quickly to mind, but BBC isn't naming any names as far as partners go. Right now they're mainly studying the feasibility of such a device, with the main goal being to "make sure that people can listen to digital radio on their own terms." They're also looking into versions for mobile phones and cars, and say they'd "like to get something out sooner rather than later."

PSP Price Cut Soon?

2006-08-13T01:40:00.000-07:00

8/11/2006, 11:12pm Eastern Time

Chris Morris, author of the weekly CNN Money column, Game Over, said that a PlayStation Portable price cut could be "imminent."

P.J. McNealy of American Technology Research, who was a source used in the column, said that there will be a price cut in the second half of this year and said that the price of PSP could fall up to US$50 to US$149.

Morris expects that due to the high demand for DS and DS Lite worldwide, Nintendo will not lower the price of their handheld system just to create higher sales numbers.

If and when Sony announces a PSP price cut, it would mark the first actual price slash for the handheld console. Earlier in the year Sony began selling a US$200 PSP box without many of the accessories that came in the US$249 box.

PlayStation Portable price drop near?

2006-08-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

Is a price cut coming for the PlayStation Portable? That may well be the case, says CNNMoney.com video game columnist Chris Morris. In his latest column, Morris talks about how Sony is reportedly stockpiling what is believed to be finished PSP gaming hardware, which many analysts apparently think is a sign the consumer electronics giant is preparing for a price drop. One analyst quoted by Morris said the PSP might drop by $50 before the end of the year.

Killer Portable Video Players

2006-08-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

Before you head off to campus this year don't forget to pack a portable video player. These are our picks for the best devices that let you take your TV to go.

Before you head off to campus this year don't forget to pack a portable video player. Great for quick study breaks, long trips, and sharing files among friends. While everyone's waiting anxiously for the "true" video iPod to come out, there are a bunch of portable devices out there right now that let you watch video on the go. You have a number of options, but these are some of our favorites.

For the most part, I recommend sticking to hard drive-based MP3 players and portable media players (PMPs). Their screens are generally large enough to avoid serious eyestrain and they play video at a nice quick frame rate of 30 frames per second. The last thing you want to do after hours of cramming or writing papers is to stare at a substandard display. Keep in mind that when I review a portable device, I take into account its primary function first and rate it accordingly. For example, players like the iPod and Creative Zen Vision:M are video-capable, but they're primarily audio players. Devices like the Archos AV500, however, are obviously audio-capable, but their main focus is on video.

Tiny Flash Players

Because of current hardware limitations for flash-based players, the ones that do play video are limited to 15 frames per second, which means the image appears slightly jumpy, especially in action-packed sequences. Whether or not you'd even want to watch video on the tiny screens most flash players offer is a different story, but I'm picky. Still, if I had to pick a flash player to watch videos on, it would be the iriver Clix, because it's got a 2.2-inch screen and nothing else on the front to distract your eyes.

Small Players with Compact Hard Drives

Many people view the Creative Zen Vision:M as the top MP3 player because it has more features (including an FM tuner and audio recording capabilities) and broader video format support than the iPod. Considering the 30GB ZVM as a video player, I'd agree, but I still prefer the iPod as an audio player, in part because of the iPod's support for lossless compression, and also because I'm not crazy about the ZVM's touch strip control. The ZVM's 2.5-inch screen supports more colors than the iPod's, and the device itself is very nice-looking. (Although a bit on the chunky side for a 30GB player). The thing I like most about it, though, is that I can play most of my AVI video files (including DivX and XviD) without converting them. It's also PlaysForSure-compatible for WMV-based video download, subscription, and rental services.

The fifth-generation Apple iPod (with video) is no doubt the favorite among audio players. Equipped with a sharp 2.5-inch screen this video-capable device has the simplest user interface in the business, although colors don't look as good as they do on the Creative ZVM. The iPod is available in 30GB or 60GB versions. One of the big plusses with the iPod is that you get access to an enormous amount of video content via the iTunes Music Store (iTMS). Although full-length movies aren't available yet, the rumor mill has been churning wildly about the addition of a forthcoming movie-download service to the iTMS, so we'll keep our eyes peeled for you. The drawbacks are that the iPod's native format support is very limited, so if you want to watch AVI or WMV files, you'll need to convert them to a format the iPod can read.

The Toshiba gigabeat S is the newest player on the block, and Toshiba really did a great job designing it. The controls are easy to use (although I don't really like the side placement of the playback buttons), and its interface has a familiar Media Center look and feel. The player has a 2.4-inch screen that's very sharp and bright, and movies can be viewed in landscape mode. On the content side, the gigabeat supports video recorded on a Media Center PC, WMV files, and protected WMV files from PlaysForSure-certified video download, rental, and subscription services like Vongo and CinemaNow. It's available in 30GB and 60GB models.

Midsize Media Players

The now-venerable Archos AV500 is one of the most impressive devices I've come across yet. Shipping in 30GB or 100GB models, this PMP not only plays video, it records it from any analog video source and can even be programmed like a VCR. The 4-inch widescreen LCD is sharp and very bright, and the battery is removable and user-replaceable. File format support includes DivX-encoded AVI video using the MPEG-4 Simple Profile. The device is also PlaysForSure-compatible with WMV-based video download, subscription, and rental services.

The Creative Zen Vision caused quite a stir when it came out, thanks to its stunningly high-resolution 3.7-inch screen. The polished interface is easy to navigate, and the controls are very simple and effective. It is still an excellent choice for watching video on the go despite a less-than-ideal viewing angle, and you can use the tiny built-in speaker to share content with your friends. You can't record video directly onto the device, though, as you can with the Archos AV500. Unfortunately, the player is available only in a 30GB capacity, but the battery is easily replaceable. The Zen Vision works with PlaysForSure video download, rental, and subscription services.

While I haven't had a chance to formally review it yet, the ATO iSee was on display at CES 2006, where I had the opportunity for a hands-on demo. This impressive iPod add-on lets you use any dock-connector-equipped iPod as a storage device for recording video from any analog source. And you can also watch video even on older monochrome-screen iPods, thanks to the built-in 3.6-inch color LCD, which is sharp and bright. Watch for my upcoming review here on PCMag.com.

Living Large

The Archos AV700 is the granddaddy of PMPs, with a bright, 7-inch widescreen LCD. It's not cheap and it's not pocketable, but it is perfect for the back seat of a car, or for travelers who don't want to bring a whole laptop with them. The device measures 4.2 by 8.2 by 0.8 inches, has a removable battery, and is available in 40GB or 100GB capacities. Like the AV500, it can record video from any analog source, and it supports DivX-encoded AVI files (using the MPEG-4 Simple Profile). It's also PlaysForSure-compatible with WMV-based video download, subscription, and rental services.

First portable anti-spyware product for U3 smart drive platform

2006-08-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

Posted on 10 August 2006.

ParetoLogic announced XOFTspy Portable Anti-spyware product, the first portable anti-spyware product operating directly from U3 smart drives. Built on its popular anti-spyware application XoftSpySE, the portable product is licensed for use on multiple computers and is built to protect roaming users accessing any PC they touch.

With the threat of malware escalating on a daily basis, XOFTspy Portable provides protection for roaming users, ensuring that the computer they are about to use is free of spyware, Trojans, keyloggers and adware without having to download and install anti-spyware applications on the local PC/computer.

Operating directly from the highly portable U3 smart drive, this security application boasts fast operation and a tiny footprint leaving plenty of space for other applications and data, providing modern computer users with the security they need to carry out their daily online activities, including online banking and the transfer of other confidential information. In addition to ensuring the security of the host computer, XOFTspy Portable Anti-spyware protects the smart drive itself, securing its data and programs, even in cases where the host computer has lost Internet connectivity.

New Dead Head Fred PlayStation Portable screenshots

2006-08-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

New screenshots are available for the upcoming PlayStation Portable game Dead Head Fred. Available from D3 Publisher in January of 2007, Dead Head Fred â€œdraws players into an original alternative universe as they embark on a quest for vengeance to solve their own murder by using the decapitated heads of enemies to battle through environments designed to showcase each headâ€™s unique abilitiesâ€�. Sounds kinda funâ€¦

Sony Intros Portable Entertainment Mylo Device.

2006-08-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

Sonyâ€™s Mylo Can Playback Music, Videos, Allow Communications

Sony on Tuesday introduced its Mylo device that lets customers use instant messaging, browse the Internet, make broadband calls, listen to music, send emails and view photos. Mylo is positioned as a rival for Apple iPod players with broader set of features, the primary of which are communications.

â€œThe Mylo personal communicator puts the fun parts of a computer in the palm of your hand. It's ideal for peoplewho want to stay connected to their online friends and family, but not be weighed down by a PC or buffeted by charges for IM and texting on cell phones,â€� said John Kodera, director of product marketing for personal communication devices at Sony Electronics.

Mylo comes with 2.4â€� colour screen, QWERTY keyboard and 1GB of flash memory, which can be expanded to higher capacity using Memory Stick Duo media. The device can operate in any open 802.11b wireless local area network (WLAN) and also connect to other Sony Mylo devices to share playlists or stream music from each other. The entertainment gadget can playback music in MP3, ATRAC or WMA (secure and unsecure) format, MPEG-4 personal videos and view photos in JPEG format.

The product comes pre-loaded with Google Talk instant messaging service as well as Skype and Yahoo! Messenger programs.

The Mylo device uses a lithium-ion battery that offers up to 45 hours of music playback, around 7 hours of chatting and web surfing and more than 3 hours of continuous Skype talk time. It comes with a microphone, stereo headphones, a USB cable and a neoprene case. Sony Mylo will be available in September for about $350.

Windows Mobile powered Portable Media Centers

2006-08-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

	All your media. Here. There. Everywhere.
	Portable Media Centers put all of your favorite video, music, and pictures at your fingertips wherever you are. Take digital entertainment from your computer with you on the go, including recorded TV shows, downloaded videos, home movies, music, and photos. With Windows Mobile software that features an easy-to-use, familiar Windows XP Media Center Edition interface, Portable Media Centers let you enjoy immediate access to all of your favorite entertainment â€” anytime, anywhere.
	See Portable Media Centers in action

	Every song you've ever hummed.
	Take your entire Windows Media Player music library with you, including all your favorite songs, artist and track information, playlists, ratings, and even album art. The Windows Media audio formats provide unmatched quality in smaller file sizes so that you can take more of your favorite music with you â€” up to 10,000 songs.* That's non-stop music for an entire month, without hearing the same song twice.

	Every TV show you've ever quoted.
	With Portable Media Centers, you can do more than just play music. Move digitally recorded TV shows from your computer running Windows XP Media Center Edition to watch hundreds of hours of TV on the road. Your Portable Media Center can store up to 160 hours of recorded TV.*

	Every movie you've ever loved.
	Now you can take all your favorite movies with you, wherever you go, whether you recorded them on your computer running Windows XP Media Center Edition, downloaded them from the Internet, or created them yourself by using a digital video camera. It's easy to move content from your computer running Windows XP to your Portable Media Center â€” video is automatically synchronized to the device. Your Portable Media Center can store up to 160 hours of video.*

	Every photo you've ever taken.
	Do you ever notice how most of your digital pictures end up stored away on your computer and you never get around to printing them? Now you can take all the digital pictures that you have stored on your computer with you to share with friends and family wherever you are. Portable Media Centers makes viewing your favorite photos and slideshows easier than ever. You can store tens of thousands of photos.* You can also connect your Portable Media Center to a TV to share the fun.

* This storage capacity requires that you have a Portable Media Center with a hard disk that is 40 gigabytes (GB) in size, with all hard disk space dedicated to either video, audio, or pictures.

Manufacturers

Portable Media Centers are produced by:

Microsoft confirms Zune portable entertainment devices

2006-08-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

By James Orry - 24/07/2006 - 5:01pm GMT

After months of speculation, Microsoft has confirmed the development of a range of portable entertainment devices under the Zune brand.

The confirmation comes with a teaser websiteintroducing Microsoft's new Zune brand, but very little information has been revealed. Rumours of an iPod killer or a rival to the PSP and Nintendo DS have been regular fodder on the popular video game forums, and it seems that the rumours managed to get something right.

Microsoft's general manager for marketing, Chris Stephenson, issued an official statement regarding the rumoured portable device.

"Today we confirmed a new music and entertainment project called Zune. Under the Zune brand, we will deliver a family of hardware and software products, the first of which will be available this year," said Stephenson. "We see a great opportunity to bring together technology and community to allow consumers to explore and discover music together."

The first device will store music on a hard drive and will feature wireless functionality - details on which are still to be announced. Microsoft hasn't revealed any plans for a mobile gaming device, but Stephenson has told Billboard magazine that other Zune devices, specifically a video player, are in development. It does seem likely that a mobile gaming device or at least a multimedia device capable of playing games is on the way, especially given the push Microsoft gave its Live Anywhere service at E3.

Further details on the first device from the Zune stable are expected to be announced shortly.

My Photo

2006-08-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

Portablesplash is created today!

2006-08-06T19:35:00.000-07:00

Portablesplash is created today! More news and articles will be posted.