Looking more like a remote control for the Batmobile than a voice recorder, the aluminum-clad Samsung YP-VX1 is way too sexy to record your memoir, much less a grocery list.
Announced today along with a handful of other Samsung portable audio gadgets we may never see in the U.S., the details surrounding VX1 are pretty scarce. There's no word on pricing or capacity, but this little beauty does offer MP3 playback with ID3 support, along with Samsung's DNSe sound enhancement technology.
But if you're feeling strangely compelled to buy a dedicated voice recorder, don't get your hopes up for this one. Both GenerationMP3 and PMP Today have stated their doubts that the VX1 will ever see the light outside of Korea. Hey, there's always the Sony PCM-M10.
The Samsung M1 authentically emulates my messy, flower-strewn desk.
(Credit: Samsung)A portable media player with a 3.3-inch OLED touch screen and an Nvidia Tegra chipset? Sounds familiar.
Nope, we're not talking about the Zune HD. This is the Samsung M1, a PMP that officially popped up on the company's Korean site this past Friday, and that's existence has been confirmed by the requisite blurry photo.
We've yet to see any pricing on Samsung's latest touch-screen media maestro, or any indication that it will be heading to the U.S. (especially not with that DMB tuner it's sporting). What we do know is that the Tegra-based PMP will include Bluetooth audio capabilities, DivX video playback, an active matrix OLED display, FM radio, photo viewer, text reader, microSD memory expansion, and an integrated voice recorder. The leaked photo also indicates the M1 will include a standalone Flash media player.
Should Microsoft worry? Well, any manufacturer going up against the iPod juggernaut should be a little worried, but I doubt the Zune team is losing much sleep over the M1. The Nvidia Tegra chip boasts some impressive specs (especially around battery life), but it's what you do with the chip that counts. Plus, advantages such as HD radio, Zune Marketplace integration, Xbox video compatibility, and one of the best podcast players you can buy make the Zune HD a tough competitor.
Of course, with pricing still unknown for both products, it's anybody's ballgame.
(Via DAP Review)
The Sansa Fuze offers three playback speeds--fast, normal, and slow--for podcasts and audiobooks.
(Credit: SanDisk)As its title may suggest, an MP3 player's primary duty is to play MP3s, which are more often than not music files. But audiobooks, podcasts, and other spoken-word content enjoy plenty of face time on portable audio devices, and why not? They offer an informative and entertaining way to pass the time. But for those of us who prefer our information and entertainment in condensed form, time is of the essence. Spoken-word content is one type of audio that (generally) doesn't sound completely absurd when sped up, and doing so gives the listener a way to get through said files with due haste.
Luckily, there are a handful of MP3 players on the market that offer a feature known as variable playback speed, which allows you to speed up (or slow down) audio on-the-fly--no clunky software conversions required.
X-Series Walkman takes on the Samsung P3
Q: I am finally ready to cross that bridge and get me a touch-screen player. I wanted to know your expert opinion on the Samsung P3 and the Sony Walkman X-Series. I purchase all my music from Napster, Amazon and some from Rhapsody. I use Window Media Player 11, so I need a player that is compatible with that. Please let me know what you think. -- bensworld411, via e-mail
A: Although I've only used a preproduction sample of the X-Series Walkman, I can tell you that I favor it over the Samsung P3. Granted, the X-Series is quite a bit pricier, but I personally prefer the onscreen interface and touch-screen implementation (though the P3's is certainly flashy). I also straight-up love the fact that the Walkman has tactile buttons on the top for controlling playback (say, while you have the player in your pocket). Both devices will work equally well with the system you use for music, and both offer excellent sound quality.
Really, I would narrow it down to two things: price and whether you prefer Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. If you want a cheaper device that includes the ability to sync up Bluetooth headphones, go with the P3. If you want something with a slicker interface that has Wi-Fi and built-in Slacker capability (free music!), go with the Walkman. Better yet, if you can hold off a few more days, I'm expecting a retail unit of the X-Series to be delivered to my desk tomorrow, which means we'll have a full review up for you very soon.
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Apple's iPod Touch is one of highest-rated MP3 players on CNET, but it's also one of the most expensive, starting at $230. That's a lot of money to drop on an MP3 player, especially when a touch-screen competitor like the Samsung P3 delivers many of the same features as the Touch for about $80 less. The price difference is dramatic, but it's unclear whether the Touch is suffering from an inflated ego, or if the P3's price is too good to be true.
To determine which of these touch-screen, music- and video-playing portable beauties is really worth your time and money, we've subjected each device to five rounds of criticism from three of our toughest judges. So let's stretch those fingers, and break out the good headphones, because the battle of CNET's top touch-screen media players is about to begin.
In this episode of the MP3 Insider, Donald and Jasmine weigh the benefits and drawbacks of the rumored iPod camera. Plus, Jasmine has a pair of Editors' Choice earphones, Donald rates the Samsung U5 $40 MP3 player, Pandora goes premium, and touch-screen MP3 players band together to challenge the iPod Touch.
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Jasmine and Donald set the stage for a battle between the iPod Touch and the Samsung P3. Then, DJs rejoice, Jasmine goes metal, Memorex makes a comeback, rentals hit the road, and Zune makes some suspicious calculations.
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Donald and Jasmine try to make the most out of their limited in-studio time slot by talking as quickly and clearly as possible about the new Samsung P3 and SanDisk's unusual SlotRadio player.
Also, Nixon enters the headphone market with a new line a fashion-friendly 'phones that any surfer is sure to love. Plus, find out about our Top 5 iPod-recording accessories and top 10 portable speakers. Finally, see if you can wager a guess as to who came out on top in the latest Prizefight, "The Evisceration."
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Get stereo separation with the Sony SRS-M50
Q: I've recently started looking for either a small MP3 player with a good speaker on it, or a small portable speaker that I can travel with that will work with my Zune and other players. I prefer a nonfolding one. I tried to look for a recent review of either category, but didn't find any. Can you help?--Jeremy, via e-mail
A: Right off the bat, I recommend checking out our top 10 portable speakers product roundup. Any of those speakers come with a high recommendation.
However, if you're looking for something ultracompact, pay particular attention to the Soundmatters FoxL, the Samsung BS300, and the iMainGo 2 (this last one does double duty as a protective case for your player).
One other option that did not make the top 10 but still might be a good choice for you is the Sony SRS-M50. It's plenty compact and the two speakers can actually be separated for wider sound.
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Jasmine and Donald talk about their favorite portable audio discoveries from the 2009 Macworld Expo and the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This episode is recorded live from the CNET stage at CES 2009.
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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.
