Posts in Music & Play
Shiro's solar-powered MP3 player
John Chan | Oct 09, 2008
(Credit: Shiro)
With everything going green these days, Shiro is determined not to be left behind and has in the pipeline a solar-powered media player. Yes, a portable media player which can be juiced up by leaving it in the sun. The Singapore-based company will be showcasing its Shiro SQ player at the upcoming Hong Kong Electronics Fair Autumn Edition.
Most of the SQ's specifications are nothing to shout about, including a 1.8-inch color display, FM tuner and up to 16GB of memory. Its main selling point is the solar panel found on the back which fully charges the device in 4 hours when under the sun. If the day is overcast, you can still power up the SQ through more regular means using a USB cable. We currently do not have a price for this piece of gear, but certainly more information will be forthcoming after its official unveiling at the fair in Hong Kong.
Collecting podcasts for a non-iPod MP3 player--Ask the Editors
Jasmine France | Oct 07, 2008
If anything's a given about the iPod, it's that the player has a solid history of handling podcasts exceptionally well. This has to do with the firmware on the device itself, but perhaps more credit should be given to the iTunes software, which makes excellent use of its integrated music store interface to aggregate, organize, and promote a wide variety of podcast--likely the widest array available in any one spot. That's great for iPod owners, but what about the rest of us? Never fear: There are plenty of solutions available.Read more »
Artsy iPod dock makes you look and sound rich
Dong Ngo | Oct 07, 2008
It's called the Art.Suono Wireless Music Transmission System and iPod Dock and it costs US$1,500. Designed by David Wiener Ventures, which makes products under the DWV and Ferrari brands, the Art.Suono is a limited-edition, luxury iPod-compatible product that works as both an audio instrument and, depending on your tastes, a piece of art.
The product uses a proprietary wireless transmission technology that lets users transmit any audio source--including iPods, iPhones, computers, CD players, MP3 players, and satellite radio--to any audio system.
Read more »
Nintendo announces new DSi gaming portable
John Chan | Oct 04, 2008
Update: CNET Crave has confirmed that the new external camera will be a 3-megapixel one and the internal one on the hinge has a 300,000-pixel resolution.
As the rumors predicted, Nintendo has announced a new version of its popular Nintendo DS portable gaming console called the DSi.
Like the transition from the original DS to the DS Lite, the DSi is not a new platform but merely adds to the console's existing capabilities. Most significantly, the GameBoy Advance (GBA) slot has been axed while an SD card slot has been added. While you won't be able to play your old GBA games on the DSi, it will now be able to playback music and images. What's more, Nintendo will be offering a new service called "Nintendo DSi shop" where you can download applications and games. The removal of the GBA slot enabled Nintendo to make it slightly thinner than the DS Lite though it is longer and wider. Its weight doesn't differ much--214g, just 4g lighter than the current model.
Other significant hardware improvements include larger 3.25-inch screens (up from 3 inches) and two cameras like in clamshell mobile phones. According to the specifications, the screens will have five brightness levels, up from the DS Lite's four. The bad news is that the maximum battery life at lowest brightness has been reduced to 14 hours, down 5 hours from the DS Lite, which we presume is due to the higher energy requirements of the larger screens.
The new Nintendo DSi will first be available in Japan on 1 November at 18,900 yen (about US$179). It will find its way to the rest of the world thereafter in 2009.
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Image credit: Nintendo DSi site
Ballmer: Zune coming to Windows Mobile
Ina Fried | Oct 04, 2008
Microsoft has indicated for some time that it sees a Zune future in the cell phone arena, but the company has been hard to pin down on just what its plans there are.
There would seem to be two main scenarios--the rumored ZunePhone, or just making Zune software for Windows Mobile or other phone operating systems. A magazine interview with CEO Steve Ballmer suggests that Microsoft at least plans the latter approach.
Asked why the Zune is important to Microsoft, Ballmer told the magazine that it was about more than just the device itself.
"Now, we built the Zune hardware with the Zune software--and what you'll see more and more over time is that the Zune software will also be ported to and be more important not just with the hardware but on the PC, on Windows Mobile devices, etc.," Ballmer said.
Asked for clarification, a Microsoft representative provided the following statement.
"We've always said that software and services is a key focal point for Zune and it does make sense to extend the Zune experience to other devices," the representative said. "In terms of specific timing we have nothing to announce at the moment."
Via CNET Crave
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