Last minute Gift Cards @ Best Buy.Cowon prices iAudio 9 for U.S.
Will the Cowon iAudio 9 make a dent in iPod Nano sales? Not likely, but it keeps things interesting.
(Credit: Cowon America)If last month's teaser of the Cowon iAudio 9 portable media player left you frozen in a state of awe, then we have good news. Our sources at Cowon have confirmed that the iAudio 9 is headed for U.S. shores in a matter of days.
At launch, Cowon will have one color (black) of the iAudio 9 on sale in the U.S., available in 8GB ($129) and 16GB ($169). No, it's not a tremendous savings over the Apple iPod Nano, but if you're looking for something that plays nice with FLAC, Ogg, Flash, and XviD files--the iAudio 9 is one of the best bargains around. More than anything, though, you're paying for Cowon's sound technology, which we expect will sound just as amazing as Cowon's other BBE-enhanced players.
The full list of iAudio 9 specifications are available from Cowon's Web site. Aside from the audio format support (MP3, FLAC, Ogg, WAV, APE, WMA) and codec support for XviD and WMV video content (sized at 320x240 pixels), the iAudio 9 also boasts a capacitive touch navigation strip (similar to the iAudio 7), 2-inch screen, composite video output (cable required), Flash Lite support (games), FM radio, text reader, photo viewer (JPG), and voice recorder. Cowan rates the iAudio 9's battery life at 29 hours for audio and 7 hours for video.
What it doesn't have, however, is the iPod Nano's video camera, pedometer, VoiceOver, video rentals, or accessory support--which pretty much ruins Cowon's chances at making much of a stir here. Still, for those who value audio quality above all else, this could be just the Nano-size music player you've been waiting for.
Stay tuned for a full review in the next few weeks. Until then, hit the photo gallery for more eye candy.
On Sale Now:
$169.99
View the latest prices for COWON I9 16GB Black
Donald Bell is CNET Reviews' senior editor for MP3 players and portable audio, and one half of the MP3 Insider blog and weekly podcast. He also likes getting his hands dirty with digital audio tools for musicians and DJs.
Donald Bell is an electronic musician, a veteran record store employee, and a fearless hardware hacker. He's also CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 and digital audio.
Jasmine France is CNET's resident digital audio doyenne, writing and editing product reviews, crave blogs, and feature stories on all things MP3. And if you need advice on headphones, she's your girl.
http://www.gizmoji.com/2009/10/cowon-to-launch-slim-fit-iaudio-9.html
http://www.cowonglobal.com/
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by Brent212
November 3, 2009 1:23 PM PST
- Dammit, why the F do these tiny mp3 players have to be all the rage these days? I can't wait until 128 GB is the new 16 GB. I was hoping we were getting close, but seems like I'll be waiting at least a couple more years at this rate.
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