Portable CD MP3 Player

CNET Asia has a posted a reviewed about the Samsung YH-J70 (20GB). They write:

While Apple went out for minimal features in order to keep its iPods looking zen (no offence, Creative), Samsung, like most Korean companies, prefers to play it by the numbers (of features). Though it’s a force to be reckoned with in the MP3 player market with its status as the largest flash memory manufacturer, as well as a stated resolve to unseat the iPod from top dog position, Samsung still has some way to go before it can emulate the universal appeal of the iPod.

T3 has also reviewed Samsung YH-J70 and find the p layer dissapointing as they write ‘Alas, although this has features coming out of its chunky little ears (MP3 encoding, FM tuner, slideshow function, cuddly toy…), it’s got a menu system so archaic, the original blueprints for it may be on King Tut’s tomb wall. Getting tracks onto it is painful too, because of Samsung’s primitive software, whilst all videos have to be converted to a proprietary format or be denied entry. Oh, and then they look smudgy anyway.’

CNEThas reviewed the Oakley Thump 2 (256MB, black/grey) MP3 Player Sunglasses and gave it a ‘Very good’ rating, 73.7 out of 10. They write

The good: Music player built into sunglasses for cordless listening; plays MP3, AAC, WMA, WMA DRM, and WAV tracks; up to 1GB of storage; multihinged earbuds allow for a perfect fit with most users; USB 2.0 connection.

The bad: Doesn’t come with wall charger or hard case; poor battery life; advanced playback controls are hard to remember; high price; music can be easily heard by those around you.

The bottom line: The Oakley Thump 2 is a great choice for athletes who want portable tunes minus the headphone cord.

Belkin, a developer of computer and other digital equipment accessories, Monday announced a new portable battery pack for users of Apple’s fifth generation iPod (5G) with video playback capability. The TunePower for iPod video is set to appear by the end of this month for $79.99.

The TunePower for iPod video, explained Belkin , is a rechargeable battery pack which gives 5G iPod owners up to six hours of additional video playtime, reportedly even when the iPod’s internal battery is drained. The TunePower comes with two sleeves designed to fit either the 30GB or 60GB iPod and features a protective case design to prevent damage to the connector.

Other features of the TunePower for iPod video include an AC adapter for simultaneous charging and playing and a small and compact design with a low-level power indicator so you can monitor when batteries are low.

CNET editors has reviewed Cowon iAudio F1 (1GB, Black) and give it 6.0 out of 10

The good: The flash-based Cowon iAudio F1 includes an FM tuner/recorder, voice and line-in recording, OGG support, excellent sound quality, and a compact, unique race car design.

The bad: The Cowon iAudio F1 is a little pricey, and it lacks DRM support. None of the other announced colors and capacities will be available, so you’re stuck with the black 1GB model. The device also has subpar battery life, the USB/power cable is proprietary, and line-in recording maxes out at 128Kbps.

The bottom line: The good-sounding Cowon iAudio F1 is the perfect fit for race car fans and male preteens, but lack of DRM support and lower-than-expected battery life make it only a typical choice among grown-ups.

CNET editors has reviewed Creative Zen Micro Photo (8GB) and gave it an ‘Excellent’ rating, 8.3 out of 10. Creative Zen Micro Photo also received CNET Editor’s Choice.

The good: The Creative Zen Micro Photo features a bright, colorful OLED that’s viewable from any angle, and it’s available in a choice of 10 body colors. This MP3 player also includes useful extra features such as a user-replaceable battery, a voice recorder, a photo viewer, an FM tuner, and an onboard calendar and task manager that syncs with Microsoft Outlook. The Zen Micro Photo is also out-of-the-box compatible with Janus (Windows Media DRM 10) and offers excellent sound quality.

The bad: Unfortunately, the Creative Zen Micro Photo doesn’t let you listen to music and browse photos simultaneously, and album art is not supported at this time. The touch pad on this device can take some getting used to.

The bottom line: The Creative Zen Micro Photo is an excellent full-featured MP3 player and, for its size, a decent photo viewer; it just doesn’t combine the two effectively.

Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO) today announced a new workout-ready case for owners of Samsung’s Z5, T7 and T8 MP3 player. The Action Jacket for Samsung Z5, T7 and T8 is priced at $29.99 and available now.

The Action Jacket for Samsung Z5, T7 and T8 is a cushioned neoprene case which has a clear, plastic window for protecting the screen while engaged in an activity. The case also features a soft cover, said DLO, which mirrors the player’s controls so that one can get at the buttons without needing to take the Z5, T7 and T8 out.

The Action Jacket also comes with an adjustable belt clip for wearing the player at the hip and a slim armband for activities like jogging or working out.

Samsung YP-D1 (1GB) Review

CNET Asia has posted a review for Samsung YP-D1 (1GB) on their site and give it an ‘Excellent rating, or 8.0 out of 10. They write

The good: Detailed sound; simple video conversion; good video playback time; camera function.

The bad: Occasional color banding in video; average audio playback time.

The bottom line: It’s a great improvement on the YP-T8, fully feature-packed, but there are still some kinks to be worked out.

MusicGremlin (MP3 player/digital music service) Preview

Recently CNET has published a preview for MusicGremlin (MP3 player/digital music service) on their site. They write

Upside: The MusicGremlin will let you purchase music à la carte from its MusicGremlin Direct online store for 99 cents per track or buy a $15-per-month all-you-can-download subscription. The store should have more than 2 million tracks at launch, so it’ll be competitive with the iTunes Music Store and Virgin Digital. Subscribers can grab new songs anytime they like (as long as they have a wireless connection) or subscribe to Gremlist, which are hand-programmed playlists that are updated weekly and automatically download new music to the player.

Downside: The MusicGremlin will debut in an 8GB model (and possibly a 4GB), which isn’t much storage, although the player itself is still as large as the first-generation iPod. This is no diminutive flash player. It needs a larger battery for Wi-Fi, which is why the unit ends up on the bigger side. Getting the most out of it requires not only the initial purchase but also a monthly subscription, since you can’t subscribe to Gremlist without one. The player works with Windows PCs but not Macs, and we’re a bit disappointed that it doesn’t display pictures or videos, since it’s so cutting edge in other ways.