Surprise attack: the 30GB Toshiba Gigabeat V
But the most interesting (and surprising) bit of news to me is the Toshiba Gigabeat V, which was announced September 1. The 30GB V uses the same excellent Microsoft PMC platform as one of our faves, the Toshiba Gigabeat S, but boasts a bigger screen (3.5 inches vs 2.5 inches) and better battery life (rated 25 hours vs. 12 hours for audio). Though the device has a different look and feel with a new set of controllers (and a built-in speaker), it should still be easy to use. A rated 8 hours for video playback isn't shabby either.
While this may be old news to gadget fanatics, the arrival of a Gigabeat with good battery life (mediocre battery life was the only major flaw of the S series) has me extremely excited. The $399 device (pricey) is available for preorder at Amazon and Crutchfield and should be available in October. Check back soon for our review.
