Weekly Price Guide

This week we say hello to the new Rio Carbon 5GB mini player. We believe that Carbon pre-orders will be shipping from the major web retailers soon.

Player	Capacity	Brand	Price	Change	Vendor
iPod (4G)	20GB	Apple	$294	+$19	Buy.com
iPod (4G)	40GB	Apple	$394	+$25	Buy.com
iPod Mini	4GB	Apple	$239	+$14	Adorama
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$289	---	iAudio Store
iAUDIO M3L + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$349	---	iAudio Store
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	40GB	Cowon	$345	+$5	Chief Value
Nomad MuVo²	4GB	Creative	$183	-$2	NewEgg
Nomad Zen Xtra	30GB	Creative	$180	---	Outpost
Zen Touch	20GB	Creative	$235	+$5	Buy.com
DJ-15	15GB	Dell	$199	---	Dell
DJ-20	20GB	Dell	$251	-$28	Dell
H120	20GB	iRiver	$270	-$16	1001Hitech
H140	40GB	iRiver	$351	-$12	Comp-u-plus
Nitrus	1.5GB	Rio	$127	---	Broad Markets
Carbon	5GB	Rio	$225	---	Amazon
Karma	20GB	Rio	$232	+$10	6th Ave.

A Pair of iAudio M3 Reviews

Two new reviews of the iAudio M3 popped up today. The M3 is a thin audio player that comes in 20GB and 40GB flavors, but to save space has no LCD on the body, only on the included remote. Gizmodo is up first:

So yeah, check it out. It's not for everyone, and it certainly has some rough edges, but considering the price - they list for $350, but Newegg and other people have them for around $300 - it's definitely not a bad deal. If you want simplicity, though, look elsewhere.

Next is The Tech Lounge:

Through my testing, I found the iAudio M3 to be excellent in every respect. It’s the smallest, most light-weight player in its class, which JetAudio achieved without sacrificing features or cutting corners. The build quality is outstanding, ear buds are included with the player, and the M3 has lots of nice features. In addition, JetAudio is actively adding new features and improving old ones via Firmware updates. Not to mention the fact that the M3 is available in several different versions (20GB, 20GB Long Battery Life, 40GB), and two different colors (Metallic Silver, Metallic Brown). Everything about the M3 screams quality, and I really can’t say enough good things about it. From its sleek, modern looks to its great sound quality and feature-set, this player just plain kicks ass.

Related Links:
iAudio M3 Dissected
Cowon iAUDIO M3 Review
Cowon Expands iAUDIO M3 Line

SigmaTel Inside

Forgive the audio player geekery, but SigmaTel has announced an upated version of its D-Major MP3 player chipset. SigmaTel also announced that D-Major provides the core of the new Rio Carbon and Forge players.

We make mention of new chipsets because of their importance to the audio player market. A handful of chipmakers such as SigmaTel and Player Portal power virtually every audio player on the market. Thus, the features they choose to add (or not add) have an amplified effect on the market.

On the surface the new D-Major chipset seems to be fairly feature-rich, except for USB Host capability. USB Host (sometimes known as USB On the Go) lets you connect a digital camera directly to the player to transfer photos off of the camera's smaller memory card. We're really suprised to see this missing because USB Host and color LCDs are just about the only two major features missing from the market-leading iPod.

Related Links:
Apple Video iPod Demystified
iPod Can Supprt WMA?!?

The hPod Debuts

As expected, the HP-branded version of the iPod was officially announced today. It was thought that HP might make at least a few changes to the original, possibly an HP-blue exterior for one, but it appears not.

As far as we can tell, it's exactly like the regular 4G iPod and has the same $299 and $399 retail prices for 20GB and 40GB models. If there were any differences, it's reasonable to assume that HP would call attention to them, but they have not.

The only new feature are "HP Printable Tatoos for iPod", stick-on (and removable) skins for the iPod casing. Actually this is kind of a cool idea, not earth-shattering, but a good idea nonetheless. Likely they will adhere just as well to the original iPod. Shades of NEXkins...

If you're wondering why Apple and HP went through all this trouble, it is all about enlarging the iPod distribution channel. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has about 12,000 retail outlets (the Apple website, Apple stores and others), while HP computers are sold through 110,000 outlets. New HP PCs are going to be pre-loaded with iTunes and likely the iPod will be an accessory to any PC purchase in the way that printers are today.

HP iPod Coming Tomorrow

At first it was rumored that the HP-branded iPod would be coming on September 5th, but it turns out it's even sooner than that. CNet is now reporting that HP CEO Carly Fiorina will introduce the new device tomorrow in Miami. Even if you're not invited to the press event, you can join in via the HP webcast.

We do know that the hPod will be based on the new 4G iPod, this being the cause of delays, in favor of launching earlier with a device based on the older, 3G iPod. What, if anything, will differentiate the HP version from the Apple original is unclear, however.

iRiver H340 Review

Mistic River, the iRiver community site, has published a nice review of the iRiver H340, their top-of-the-line color LCD audio player with a 40GB capacity. As could be expected of those who really know the ins and outs of iRiver products, the review is very thorough. We're especially pleased with real-world battery life testing rather than relying on vendor specs.

If you're in the market for the latest technology which iRiver has to offer then this should be your next purchase. It has the features, build quality and looks to impress the most die hard of fans. On the downside, USBOTG could have been better implemented with USB2.0 support as well as native support for a larger percentage of cameras and devices. In addition, the ability to copy subdirectories should have been a slam dunk. On the firmware side, the unit supports on-the-fly deleting of files throught the browser function but I'm wondering if iRiver should have waited a bit and tried to implement the more basic and user requested functions such as on-the-fly playlists, gapless play back, WAV support and unlimited WAV recording prior to releasing the unit to market. All in all a solid player with some outstanding features including the best color TFT screen to be found on any portable device.

JNC SSF-M5 Review

MP3|Revolver has a new review of the JNC SSF-M5, a compact device with a 1.5GB capacity. While there are an increasing number of 4GB and 5GB devices in this category, 1.5GB may still be enough space for some:

A basic and simple to use MP3 player, with awesome sound and good battery time. This is one of the very few player's that I've recommended to friends.

Related Links:
Attack of the Common 1.5GB Player

Weekly Price Guide

Due to reader feedback, we're going to keep 3G iPods in the price guide for a little while longer. Personally we'd never buy a 3G iPod over a 4G model because of the dismal 3G battery life, to begin with and now the 3G prices are higher than the 4G. But to each his own.

Also, Office Depot still has a $25 off $250 coupon to get those low iPod prices. Just use coupon code LST854 at checkout. Note that the coupon expires after 8/31.

Player	Capacity	Brand	Price	Change	Vendor
iPod (3G)	15GB	Apple	$245	+$1	Buy.com
iPod (3G)	20GB	Apple	$315	+$39	CompUPlus
iPod (3G)	40GB	Apple	$375	+$7	Software for Less
iPod (4G)	20GB	Apple	$275	---	Office Depot
iPod (4G)	40GB	Apple	$369	-$6	Office Depot
iPod Mini	4GB	Apple	$225	---	Office Depot
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$289	---	Amazon
iAUDIO M3L + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$349	---	Amazon
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	40GB	Cowon	$340	---	Chief Value
Nomad MuVo²	4GB	Creative	$185	+$11	NewEgg
Nomad Zen Xtra	30GB	Creative	$180	---	Outpost
Zen Touch	20GB	Creative	$230	-$6	eBuyer
DJ-15	15GB	Dell	$199	---	Dell
DJ-20	20GB	Dell	$279	+$28	Dell
H120	20GB	iRiver	$286	+$11	BuyDig
H140	40GB	iRiver	$363	+$19	BuyDig
Nitrus	1.5GB	Rio	$127	---	Broad Markets
Karma	20GB	Rio	$222	---	Electronics Expo

Philips Bumps Up to 30GB

In what seems to be a half-hearted move, Philips has announced a 30GB version of its HDD-series audio players. We say half-hearted because of the prevalence of 40GB devices now and how Philips seems to do so little to build a maket for their devices. The HDD has a striking, black glass exterior which just might be the ticket when competing on looks. [Via DAP Review].

Related Links:
Philips HDD120 Info

Under the Hood of the iRiver PMP-140

Never mind that they're scarce, Chinese-language site imp3.net has put their screwdrivers to the new iRiver PMP-140 and given us a pile of photos and even a few functional diagrams of the personal video player.

iPod Accessory Round-Up

For quite a while the iPod has been the king of audio player accessories with literally hundreds of add-ons and extras for the device. Here's a run down on a few that have recently appeared.

The "ergonomic and luxurious" leather iPod case from cigarette maker Dunhill. [Via BoingBoing]

iPod bags from Gucci and Fendi. [Via i4u]

"MUST HAVES" (their words, not ours). [Via Endaget and Gizmodo]

DIY iPod superCase. [Via Engadget]

(This one is actually useful, we swear). The Griffin RoadTrip: FM transmitter, car charger and cradle in one. [Via Engadget]

DMC X-Clef 800 Reviewed

Pocketnow has a new review of the DMC X-Clef 800. It's a 20GB device and the successor to the X-Clef 500. Fairly compact, the X-Clef 800 is 3.9"x2.6"x0.86" in size and weighs 6.35oz.

I truly feel that Digital Mind is doing the right thing: trying to devise devices that do what the other guys cant. In this case, the mp3 encoding capabilities makes it stand above the iPods out there, in addition to its overall versatility. Through these innovative features, has the Xclef dethroned the iPod? Not quite. If the Cons above are addressed, the world will be seeing less Apples and more thinking Minds.

iRiver H300 Firmware Updated

iRiver has just released a small update for the firmware for its new H300 devices today. It looks as if only a couple of bugs have been fixed in this version, but what's notable is that iRiver still hasn't released the long-promised major firmware updates for both the H3xx and H1xx devices. iRiver has already missed the deadlines they set for themselves twice and the iRiver community forums are filled with antsy users demanding satisfaction.

PS: we apologize for the recent lack of updates. We've been buried in a lot of RL work, but we're working to catch up now.

Related Links:
New iRiver Firmware Dates
New Firmware Schedule in English
iRiver Forums NSFW
Upcoming Updates for iRiver iHP Players

Weekly Price Guide

This week we bid adieu to the 3rd-generation iPod since there's absolutely no reason to buy into its awful battery life over a snazzier and longer-lasting 4th-generation iPod.

Also, like last week, Office Depot still has a $25 off $250 coupon (available until 8/30). Just use coupon code LST854 at checkout.

Player	Capacity	Brand	Price	Change	Vendor
iPod (4G)	20GB	Apple	$275	---	Office Depot
iPod (4G)	40GB	Apple	$375	---	Office Depot
iPod Mini	4GB	Apple	$225	---	Office Depot
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$289	-$10	Amazon
iAUDIO M3L + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$349	---	Amazon
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	40GB	Cowon	$340	---	Chief Value
Nomad MuVo²	4GB	Creative	$174	-$9	CompuVest
Nomad Zen Xtra	30GB	Creative	$180	---	Outpost
Zen Touch	20GB	Creative	$236	---	Dcompute
DJ-15	15GB	Dell	$199	---	Dell
DJ-20	20GB	Dell	$251	+$28	Dell
H120	20GB	iRiver	$275	-$13	Harmony Computers
H140	40GB	iRiver	$344	-$19	BuyDig
Nitrus	1.5GB	Rio	$127	---	Broad Markets
Karma	20GB	Rio	$222	---	Electronics Expo

Rio Chroma Details: Color!

Some interesting details on the upcoming Rio Chroma on web retailer Digitally Unique's website. The important bits are that it will have a color screen, a 20GB capacity, a SD flash memory slot and retail for $399. It will be interesting to see what street prices on the Chroma are. Digitally Unique has it for $320, which in more in line with the $299 4G iPod benchmark. The full details:

20 GB BUILT-IN MEMORY STORES UP TO 330 HRS OF MP3 OR 660 HRS OF WMA

PLAYS MP3, WMA, FLAC, OGG VORBIS, AUDIBLE® & WAV FORMATS

16 BIT COLOR SCREEN

VIEW ALBUM COVER ART & PHOTOS

VOICE RECORD

SDIO EXPANSION SLOT ALLOWS TRANSFER OF PHOTOS FROM A DIGITAL CAMERA

DRAG & DROP OF MUSIC & DATA FILES

12-HR RECHARGEABLE BATTERY

5-BAND ADJUSTABLE EQUALIZER WITH PRESETS

COMPATIBLE WITH WINDOWS® 98SE, 2000, ME, XP

INCLUDES DOCKING CRADLE, REMOTE CONTROL, CARRYING CASE, EARBUDS, USB CABLE, INSTALLATION DISC, QUICK-START GUIDE & WARRANTY

More bits at Gizmodo and Engadget.

Another Zen Touch vs. 4G iPod Matchup

IT Asia One has another matchup between the new Creative Zen Touch and the 4th generation iPod. Not suprisingly the iPod wins again, but the reviewer does note how the market landscape has changed:

The price war is on, with the price gap between the Zen Touch and the iPod narrowed to $49, from a considerable $269 difference between the previous 20GB Zen NX and third-generation iPod, only less than a year ago.

The Firepod: USB/Firewire Power in the Car

The Firepod is a nifty new gadget that lets you charge devices in your car via a USB or Firewire port. Not every audio player supports USB or Firewire charging, but (we believe) that all generations of iPod and iPod Mini do. iRiver H1xxs do not support USB charging, but the H3xxs do. Go figure. [Via Engadget].

Tethering, Tying and You

Engadget has a pair of interesting editorials on tethering and tying. Tying is the practice of selling a "parent" product that requires a separtely sold "child" product to be complete: razors and blades, printers and toner and (apropos of this site) iPods and iTunes music. Of course, you aren't forced to buy music from iTunes. But if you are buying DRM-protected music, these pieces are relevant and thought provoking.

The first is from NYU professor Siva Vaidhyanathan:

Tethering should be a great deal for hardware makers. They all seem to be trying to corner the market on "secondary goods."� Whether they make coffee makers, garage door openers, ink-jet printers, batteries, video games, or digital music files, producers are employing tools that range from copyright to contract to design to freeze out generic competitors.

But some times, as with the coffee maker, such tethering limits consumer choice to such a degree that many consumers who would otherwise jump into the early adoption game eschew the new device in favor of diversity and flexibility.

Next is the response, written by Greg Scher:

Like iTunes™ protected files, MP3 files are tied to the presence of a standards-compliant player in order for you to hear the music. MP3, contrary to some assertions, is not an open format in the truest sense of the word "open"�. Makers of software and hardware players must pay a license fee to the owners of the MP3 standard in order to produce compliant products. The portability of MP3 comes at a price that is paid for by developers of MP3 players and encoders, like Apple. As a consumer, you should be aware of this. Someday, the ability to play an MP3 file may not be as free as it is today.

More bits at BoingBoing and a whole bunch more weblogs.

Related Links:
Real Networks Introduces Harmony

iRiver H3xx in Action

Jeff over at the Mistic River forum has posted some videos of the new iRiver H340 in action and has been answering questions on the device. Thanks Bill!

Gadgeteer 4G iPod Review

4G iPod reviews are really starting to roll. Today's review is from the Gadgeteer:

People in the market for an iPod should not hesitate to buy this model, but do I recommend that 3rd generation owners rush out and upgrade? No, not unless your current device has some type of defect or you just have to have the latest model. The 2hrs additional battery life and new clicker design are nice, but for me these features aren't that compelling. As far as power, most of the time I'm near an outlet and can grab some juice when needed. I didn't have any real complaints with the old wheel design. My advice to 3rd gen owners is to just wait for the 5th gen devices. Maybe they'll have some of the cool new features that were rumored for the 4th gen.

iAudio M3 Dissected

We love device dissection around here. Today's victim is the iAudio M3. [Via DAP Review]

Comparison of Voice Recording Capabilities

DAP Review has done a nice comparison of the voice recording capabilities of 4 popular devices (the iRiver H-series, the XClef HD800, the Neuros 2 and the Dell DJ). The versatile iRiver was the winner:

Sound Quality of the recording is excellent, best of the bunch by a good margin. Recordings are fairly life-like, clear, and loud. The built-in mic is sensitive and can easily pick up voice from across a room.

The one thing that hurts the results is the hard drive spin-up noise, which is picked up by the mic. It spins up every so often to save audio to disk. The noise is more audible on the iRiver than any other player.

iRiver Image Hacking

We had previously mentioned some firmware hacks for Asian versions of iRiver's H-series devices, but we weren't sure if it worked on US or European versions. It turns out that you can change any of the graphics with these tools. They even have some nice, downloadable startup images to get you going.

Weekly Price Guide

Office Depot still has a $25 off $250 coupon (available until 8/30). Just use coupon code LST854 at checkout.

Player	Capacity	Brand	Price	Change	Vendor
iPod (3G)	15GB	Apple	$244	+$6	Comp-u-plus
iPod (3G)	20GB	Apple	$276	---	Software for Less
iPod (3G)	40GB	Apple	$368	---	Software for Less
iPod (4G)	20GB	Apple	$275	---	Office Depot
iPod (4G)	40GB	Apple	$375	---	Office Depot
iPod Mini	4GB	Apple	$225	---	Office Depot
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$299	---	Amazon
iAUDIO M3L + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$349	-$11	Unlimited Sound
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	40GB	Cowon	$340	---	Chief Value
Nomad MuVo²	4GB	Creative	$183	-$1	eBuyer
Nomad Zen Xtra	30GB	Creative	$180	-$24	Outpost
Zen Touch	20GB	Creative	$236	+$6	Dcompute
DJ-15	15GB	Dell	$199	---	Dell
DJ-20	20GB	Dell	$223	-$56	Dell
H120	20GB	iRiver	$288	+$19	BuyDig
H140	40GB	iRiver	$363	+$9	BuyDig
Nitrus	1.5GB	Rio	$127	---	Broad Markets
Karma	20GB	Rio	$222	-$19	Electronics Expo

iPodFilter: 60GB Model in time for Holidays?

Toshiba has announced a new 60GB drive in the 1.8" form factor presently used by the iPod. Reportedly Apple has already ordered a large quantity for what would be the highest-capacity iPod to date.

Toshiba notes that the new drives (also available in a slimmer 30GB model) consume 20% less power than the previous 20GB and 40GB models. Unfortunately, they won't be available in quantity until near the end of the year. Apple will likely be one of, if not the first customer to get them, so 60GB iPods may appear by holiday gift-buying time. [Via Mac Observer]

iPodlounge Power User Review and "Secrets" Probed

To complement the new user review, iPodlounge has published its power user review of the 4G iPod. Ironically, this iPodlounge review seems to be hardest on the new iPod out of all the reviews that we've read. Presumably this is because most reviews are written from the perspective a first-time buyer rather than a potential upgrader:

For new users, the new fourth-generation iPod is an imperfect but solid update of Apple's earlier high-capacity iPods, and the new hardware is highly likely to appeal to virtually any prospective iPod user out there. With few exceptions, what was great about the iPod has become even better. And to the extent that some Power Users may be looking for an excuse to replace their iPods, these will no doubt make excellent birthday and holiday gifts.

But other Power Users will unquestionably find that the new fourth-generation iPod is no mandatory replacement for older iPod hardware. It's actually a snore in that it offers only minor updates to the features that Apple introduced in last year's third-generation iPod and February's iPod mini. Click Wheel and battery life aside, the 4G iPod's other changes are iterative software tweaks mixed with one or two small aesthetic downgrades, and therefore we don't see this as a product that long time iPod lovers will line up to buy. It's also no surprise that some 3G iPod users are demanding that Apple support the older hardware with the 4G's software features. When a new iPod looks and functions so much like its predecessor, such complaints and requests are only natural. No one would be begging if the new iPod had shipped with a color screen and a dramatically enhanced interface.

As you may have heard, there is a lot of speculation on what, if any, tricks Apple still has up its sleeve with the new iPod. In the past we've written quite a bit on the chips that power devices and how their potential isn't always utilized.

Along those lines, iPodlounge has done some excellent analysis of what's under the hood in the new iPod, what Apple could do if it wanted and what they think Apple actually will do.

Related Links:
Hidden Features In 4G iPod?
Some Corroboration for the New iPod Rumor?
Apple Video iPod Demystified
iPod Can Supprt WMA?!?

PC World on the 4G iPod and Zen Touch

PC World has a brief review of both the 4G iPod and the Creative Zen Touch. The new iPod gets high marks even though the reviewer includes a thorough list of what is still missing in the latest rev. The Zen Touch, however, doesn't fare as well:

You might remember that a few months ago I went a little nuts (in a good way) over the playlist interface for Creative's Nomad Zen. I mean, I loved this thing. It absolutely changed the way I listen to music. The idea of an IPod-sized player with that interface had me drooling.

But no, Creative wanted to simplify things, to aim for the ease-of-use found in its IPod rivals. So with its latest player, there's no more moving songs around within a playlist. No more treating albums and artists as objects so you can collapse them for easy navigation or move a full album of tracks with a few clicks. Gone. Poof. No more. And no "advanced menus" option that brings these features back.

First Looks at the Rio Carbon, Karma 2 a No-Show

Rio is one of the first places to go if you're not an iPod fan. The Carbon's innovative and stylish design, intuitive interface, and extra gigabyte of memory give it a competitive edge over the iPod Mini--especially for those who prefer to purchase WMA files. Check back for our full review to find out if the Rio Carbon will be a force to reckon with.

Gear, which has been pretty quiet on the audio player front lately (see reason below), also has a brief on the Carbon:

Thankfully, Rio didn't screw around with the outstanding menu system. This scheme is basically the same it's been since the ill-fated Rio Riot. It might not be as intuitive as Apple's menu system, but it's damn close. With plenty of options and extremely easy navigation, the Rio menu system is one of the company's most powerful weapons.

To my eyes the Carbon is one of the best looking portables on the market. The stripped down, quasi-industrial aesthetic is getting a little long in the tooth, but the Rio designers apply it perfectly. A few small physical changes help the looks while adding functionality. Gone is the familiar red stick. In its stead is a silver button with a D-pad surrounding it. The red stick might have been a distinguishing mark, but the button makes for a lower profile, which makes the Carbon more pocket friendly. Rio also scrapped the dumb volume buttons. (The Nitrus ones were extremely small and worked poorly, which made volume control a pain in the ass.) The scroll wheel now controls volume.

You will be happy to learn that the Carbon will hit shelves in two to three weeks for a very reasonable $249.95. Apple users should note that the Carbon will support both Windows and Mac OS.

The Gear article also notes the present whereabouts on the long-awaited Rio Karma 2, specifically that it is being redesigned and won't appear until early 2005.

Finally, we also hear the Mike Wiley, author of countless articles and reviews, is no longer with the site. He says that he'll contribute occasionally and we wish him the best in his next venture.

PVP4U Launched

From the minds behind the gadget site I4U comes a new site devoted to personal video players of all sorts, PVP4U. Also, in addition to the main weblog-style site, they have a PVP discussion forum as well. Best of luck to them on the new site.

Related Links:
PMC Player Site Launches

Archos AV420 Review

Archos seems to have all its bases covered in the burgeoning portable video player field. On the heels of the more compact Gmini 400, PC Magazine has a brief review of its bigger sibling the Archos AV420. Clearly the AV420 is more of a video player than the Gmini 400 (which is essentially an audio player with a color screen):

If you want to be an early adopter of a capable portable media player, the Archos AV420 won't disappoint you. More cautious souls might want to see what's just over the horizon with Windows Mobile-based Portable Media Center players from Creative Labs, iRiver, Samsung, and others.

Related Links:
Spiffy New Archos Gmini 400
Archos AV 400 PVP Reviews

Spiffy New Archos Gmini 400

Archos has announced a pretty neat new device, the Gmini 400. It's a 20GB portable video player with a 2.2" color LCD. Not having the larger 3.5" LCD yields a pretty compact device at 4.17"x2.37"x0.69" (compared with the 4G iPod at 4.1"x2.4"x0.57"") that weighs only 5.64oz (nearly the same as the iPod at 5.6oz).

I'm not sure I would want to watch a movie on that 2.2" screen, but it does play MPEG4, DivX, XviD and AVI video formats.

And of course it can display JPEGs on the color screen. Notably, it has a CompactFlash slot for downloading pictures from a digital camera. If you're camera uses CompactFlash media, this is great. Otherwise, more general-purpose USB Host functionality would be nicer.

At a first glance, the new Archos Gmini 400 seems to have a lot of potential, especially if Archos prices it competitively relative to the iPod.

More bits at Magma (French) DAP Review, Portable Media World, Gizmodo, Gear Live and Engadget.

Rio Carbon First Look

Pocket Lint has managed to get one of the new Rio Carbons. Here's their brief first take on a Carbon review:

It seems Rio has listened to the criticism that reviewers and the public made with the Nitrus and this is the result. Gone are the complains, and rightly so. This is a player that offers 20 per cent more memory that the iPod Mini in a smaller shell all for the same price. File transfer is fast, while the introduction of a pink for the GizmoGirl’s and blue will certainly appease the fashion set that aren’t happy with the Carbon (get it) colouring. Any criticisms? Only that it hasn’t been available sooner.

Hidden Features In 4G iPod?

There have been some rumblings about "hidden features" in the 4G iPod that Apple would spring on its competitors at a later date. Not suprisingly, heavy speculation ensued. However, an iPodHacks user has it nailed down definitively:

I have it on good authority that the secret code in 4G iPods is a portable version of RealPlayer, as users have been clamoring for stuttering, scratchy sounding audio for the iPods. According to beta tester Audrey Helpern, "Having RealPlayer on the iPod is like being in touch with the very beginning of multimedia on computers. Sometimes I close my eyes and pretend I'm on my Quadra 660AV listening to a distant sounding AM-radio feed over a 33.3k modem. Then I open my eyes and realize I'm on a 4G iPod. It's a trip."

Sony NW-HD1 Now Available

The Sony Network Walkman NW-HD1is now available at the Sony online store and at J&R. Retail price is $399, which for a 20GB capacity device, really sticks out against the new 20GB iPod's $299 price.

To put it bluntly, this thing is dead in the water. It's $100 more expensive than its competitor, and although it is smaller, it doesn't even play MP3s. Sony, try again. [Via Engadget]

Related Links:
Walt Mossberg: Sony HW-HD1 is "markedly inferior"
A Rough Week for Sony

4G iPod Dissection Photos

A brave soul over at iPoding has dissected and photographed a brand spanking new 4th-generation iPod to see how the new click wheel works.

Mo iRiver PMP Photos (On Sale Soon?)

Chinese site iMP3 has another photo-packed review of the upcoming iRiver PMP-100 portable video player. Also, we've heard the device will be available from the iRiver online store in the very near future.

New Rio Carbon Comparision Photos

A Riovolution member (lucky enough to be a Carbon beta tester, we think) has taken some comparison photos between the 5GB Carbon and the 1.5GB Nitrus. From what we can see, they look pretty close in size. If so, Rio could have a big winner on its hands. The Carbon has a cool look without being an iPod clone and the runaway success of the iPod Mini demonstrates that 5GB of space is enough for a lot of people.

Related Links:
Rio Carbon Officially Official New Chroma from Rio?

Weekly Price Guide

We welcome the 20GB M3L (long-playing battery version) and the 40GB iAUDIO M3, by popular demand, to the list this week.

Also, we believe that 4G iPods are going to be available by major web retailers in the near future. If you're pinching pennies, but still want the 4G iPod or a Mini, Office Depot has a great $25 off $250 coupon available until 8/30. Just use coupon code LST854 at checkout.

Player	Capacity	Brand	Price	Change	Vendor
iPod (3G)	15GB	Apple	$238	-$7	1ShopDirect
iPod (3G)	20GB	Apple	$276	---	Software for Less
iPod (3G)	40GB	Apple	$368	---	Software for Less
iPod (4G)	20GB	Apple	$275	-$24	Office Depot
iPod (4G)	40GB	Apple	$375	-$24	Office Depot
iPod Mini	4GB	Apple	$225	-$20	Office Depot
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$299	---	Amazon
iAUDIO M3L + cradle	20GB	Cowon	$360	---	Unlimited Sound
iAUDIO M3 + cradle	40GB	Cowon	$340	---	Chief Value
Nomad MuVo²	4GB	Creative	$184	-$3	Chief Value
Nomad Zen Xtra	30GB	Creative	$204	---	Comp-u-plus
Zen Touch	20GB	Creative	$240	---	Buy.com
DJ-15	15GB	Dell	$199	---	Dell
DJ-20	20GB	Dell	$279	+$42	Dell
H120	20GB	iRiver	$269	-$9	Butterfly Camera
H140	40GB	iRiver	$354	---	Digital Direct
Nitrus	1.5GB	Rio	$127	---	Broad Markets
Karma	20GB	Rio	$241	+$43	Harmony Computer

Rio Carbon Officially Official

The rumor mill got it right. Today Rio introduced the Carbon, a 5GB successor to the 1.5GB Nitrus. Reportedly it will retail at $249 (same as the iPod Mini) and weigh only 3.2oz (the iPod Mini weighs 3.6oz). No size specs have been published, but if it's at all like the Nitrus it will be pretty tiny.

The Carbon is supposed to be available sometime this month.

Related Links:
New Chroma from Rio?

New Chroma from Rio?

An on-the-ball Rio fan noticed on the official Rio product page that new, unknown devices were listed along with the existing Rio Karama and Nitrus. Unfortunately for us, Rio seems to have removed the references and even the Google cache didn't catch it.

In any case, three future device names were mentioned: Chroma, Carbon and Forge. The text associated the Chroma with the 20GB Karma, but said that the Chroma had "digital coax" outputs and likely a 20GB capacity as well.

The Forge was described as another flash player in 128MB, 256MB and 512MB configurations.

Nothing specific was said about the Carbon, but it might be a 5GB replacement for the 1.5GB Nitrus.

More bits at DAP Review, Gizmodo and Engadget.