mp4

Philips turns heads again with new media player

Our infatuation with all things Philips has spanned a broad range from land-line phones and iPod speakers to dirt-free mice and giraffe-necked laptops, with an occasional remote thrown in for good measure. (It should be noted that this crush is based on looks alone, as any good infatuation should be.)

So it comes as little surprise that this affinity now extends to its new "Streamium" SA9345 media player, which upholds the company's standards for European aesthetics with a sleek and thin design destined for the U.K. market. (Philips says there are no plans for U.S. … Read more

A multimedia GPS system for $175?

Is it possible to get a quality dashboard-mounted GPS system that can play video and MP3s for $175? We don't know about the quality part, but there's a new product that advertises all of the above, as well as a 3.5-inch color touch screen.

DealExtreme, an online retailer that habitually teases us with interesting products that offer frustratingly little detail, has done it again with this no-name item. The unit, which can apparently be removed from its mount and carried away from the car, also features an SD card slot, a car charger and USB cable, according … Read more

An e-dictionary to watch and listen

As so many electronics manufacturers try to cram as many technologies as possible in a single product, it's not surprising that the "convergence" bug has spread to such boring devices as electronic dictionaries. To wit: South Korea's Atree is combining a 100,000-word English-Korean dictionary with a video and MP3 player, according to Electronista.

Perhaps even more important, the combo gadget can also tune in digital TV broadcasts, which is a must for the many viewers who are hooked on Korean soap operas. For that reason alone, it wouldn't be a bad idea to expand … Read more

Convert movies for your iPhone (or iPod)

I'm not sure how you people can watch movies and TV shows on those little screens, but you sure are doing it! Every time I turn around on the bus or in the airport, somebody is watching video on her iPod. (If she's supercool, she's watching it on her new iPhone.)

It's easy to buy videos designed to view on those little screens, of course, but if you want to get your own DVDs and Web movies onto your iPod or iPhone, you'll have to dive into the wide world of video converters.… Read more

Video watch gets all dressed up

Like any decent gadget freaks, we've fancied the idea of a video wristwatch since we were kids. But as tempting as some of the early versions might be, they just look, well, cheap. (And at prices starting just over $50, they are.)

It was only a matter of time before the marketing people got involved, however, and Epoq has come out with a model that Mobile Magazine calls an "upscale" MP4 watch. The reason? A silver metallic case and a leather strap, as opposed to the standard black plastic accoutrements (yech) of previous products. Other than that, … Read more

Mr. Bean vs. the iPod

Could the video iPod face a serious challenge from a Dutch media player? That's what the cheeky monkeys at U.K.-based Pocket-lint appear to be saying with this headline.

The supposed contender is the "Blaze" MP4 player from Holland's Sweex, which sports a 1.8-inch color display and can has all the usual functions and, in its latest version, comes with a pair of "exclusive" Sennheiser MX 300 earphones as well as 4GB of memory. No price has been disclosed, which makes it tough to gauge the Blaze's market prospects, though earlier … Read more

Mr. Bean gets a media player

Regular readers of this space know that we're given to the occasional rant against silly special or limited editions, but this is one we can get behind: a "Blaze" MP4 player from Dutch company Sweex that comes preloaded with a trailer of Mr. Bean's Holiday. The player otherwise seems fairly unremarkable, available in 1GB black and 2GB pink for about $93 and $117 respectively. But there's one more thing--if you do buy one, you could win a ticket to the premiere of the movie.

The Cube Mini: When small is too small

This may sound heretical, but we don't think smaller is always better for gadgets. Especially if it means needing a magnifying glass to use them.

Take, for example, the Digital Cube Mini just released on the Korean market. It does what you want it to do: play videos, live TV, and music, as well as display photos and support e-books, according to Ubergizmo. And it's portable, that's for sure, measuring about 3 by 2 inches and a little more than a half-inch thick.

But is that a good thing? The cube's diminutive stature means that its … Read more

A certain detective would kill for this watch

We try not to use the "Dick Tracy" cliche with watches, but stuff like this make it hard to resist. Gearlog says a company called Chinavasion (not a typo) has released an MP4 video watch with a 1.5-inch screen that can also play MP3 and WMA files, as well as display your personal photos. But the most surprising feature of all may be what it costs--between $59 and $101, depending on storage size. Gearlog says it's available only for wholesale at present but, at those prices, we wouldn't mind buying in bulk.

(Photo: Chinavasion)