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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

If you were this close to snapping up a new Zune after Microsoft pushed out its 3.1 software update, boy, are you glad you held off. At least, if you’ve been eying a Zune of the flash-based variety. Beginning today, the US Zunes are coming a little more in line with their Canadian brethren by falling from $129 to $99 (4GB), $149 to $139 (8GB) and $199 to $179 (16GB). The Car Pack / Dock Pack are also seeing a $10 decrease while the Home / AV pack is being reduced $20. You already purchased two in the time it took to read this, didn’t you?

Microsoft ratchets down pricing on flash-based Zunes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

We asked how you would change the Zune 3.0 software and Microsoft responded — by upgrading Texas Hold ‘Em. In addition to adding a multiplayer mode and some new single player difficulty levels to the venerable card game, the 3.1 update (out today) should find Zune Social easier to navigate, and a new “like minded listeners” feature lets you compare your music tastes to other users on the service. Additionally, the update promises an overall increase in stability and performance for the Zune PC app and the device firmware, including improved play count reporting and content synchronization. Rounding out this embarassment of riches, the new software packs in freebies of Checkers, Sudoku and Space Battle. What are you still doing here, Zuneophiles? Hit the read link!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Zune 3.1 update out today - now featuring Sudoku! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio, Portable Video

It sure is tough for iPod docks to stand out from the pack these days, but it looks like Logic3 has found one fairly unique way to get its new i-Station Rotate unit noticed, with it packing a rotating mechanism that will let you adjust your iPod or iPhone to suit your screen format. Other than that, it looks to be a fairly standard speaker dock, with it boasting a whopping 10W of total output power, a video output for some larger screen viewing, a 3.5mm line-in jack to accommodate your non-Apple devices, a remote control, and accommodations for four AA batteries to let you take it on the road. You won’t be able to get your hands on this one until January, however, when it’ll set you back $130.

Logic3 intros i-Station Rotate iPod / iPhone dock originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Portable Video, Wearables

Tanya Vlach, a San Francisco-based artist, lost her eye in a 2005 car accident, and now keeps a blog chronicling the “monocular life.” She’s got a real-enough looking prosthetic peeper, but Tanya’s a self-described “sci-fi geek,” and, with the approval of her doctor, she’s put out a call for engineers to build her a camera… for her fake eye. Likening her possible future self (the one with the eye-cam installed) to a cyborg, Tanya reasons that her aesthetic-only eye could become a source of “augmented reality,” and she’s got a list of possible specs up on her blog for would-be engineers to begin with. Just some of the things mentioned for inclusion are: DVR capabilities, MPEG-4 compression, a microSD slot, A/V out, and Bluetooth. In other words, Tanya Vlach is insanely cool. Emphasis on the insanely part.

[Via Digg]

Monocular San Francisco artist wants webcam installed in her prosthetic eye originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

First it was just new colors; now, it’s just more Zune Originals designs to choose from. A half year after Microsoft tapped a gaggle of Canadian artists for a few more Originals designs, the suits up in Redmond have evidently deemed it suitable to give prospective Zune buyers another handful of choices. Or, you know, forty-six new choices. The new options include “exclusive artwork of Eastern and Western astrology from Catalina Estrada and Iosefatu Sua,” all of which can be selected now from the online design studio. Unfortunately, you’ll probably have to burn a vacation day just to sift through ‘em all, but at least you’ll be having fun. Maybe.

[Via Zunerama]

Microsoft reveals 46 new Zune Originals designs — how will you ever choose? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, Portable Video

We’ve been hearing about Optoma’s Pico Projector for what feels like ages now, but at long last we’ve some concrete data on the minuscule beamer. Boasting Texas Instruments’ DLP technology, the 2- x 4.1- x 0.7-inch device weighs in at just 4.2-ounces and features a native resolution of 480 x 320 pixels, 9 (yes, nine) lumens of brightness and a minimum projection distance of eight inches (with a maximum of 8.5-feet). We’re also told that it can be recharged via an AC adapter or USB, but the 20,000-hour bulb is not replaceable. David Pogue was able to spend a little time with the unit, and overall, he was emphatically stoked. He stated that visuals were more than satisfactory when shot up on an airline seat back, and the general crispness of the picture was smashing, too. Contrary to previous reports, we’ve now learned that this critter will be shipping in a fortnight (or two weeks, for those who take issue with such a term) for $430, which means this can now skyrocket to the top of your holiday wish list.

Optoma Pico Projector gets pictured, specced and priced originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Microsoft’s newest Zunes (along with the 3.0 software) have been out for well over a month now, which means you’ve had ample opportunity to really test one out and form some educated opinions. Now, it’s time to open up and let loose. Are you still down with the design? Do you appreciate the extras that came with three point oh? What else could’ve been added to really spice things up? Do us a favor and tell the suits in Redmond what you would’ve done differently, and moreover, how things can be made better the next time it feels the itch to bust out a software update.

How would you change Microsoft’s new Zunes / v3.0 software? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Atta boy, Cowon. Before we Americans even had a chance to forget about the O2’s Korean introduction and the overseas hands-on, the outfit is going ahead and bringing the unit to US soil. Hailed as the company’s first flash memory-based PMP with a 4.3-inch widescreen display, this simple-yet-classy media player packs an SDHC expansion slot and a Power Management System that helps it eek out 18-hours of audio playback and 8-hours with video; you’ll also find a revamped user interface and world class codec support. Those who’ve discovered their dream machine can snap one up now from JetMall, Amazon, NewEgg or a variety of other e-tailers for $219.99 (8GB), $249.99 (16GB) or $299.99 (32GB).

Cowon brings the flash-based O2 PMP stateside: starts at $219.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Philips’ GoGear line hasn’t exactly sent us into uncontrollable fits of jubilation of late, but the latest DAP to fall under the aforesaid umbrella doesn’t look half bad. Boasting a prism-like motif and integrated Bluetooth 2.1 functionality, this unit will actually pause your tunes and allow you to answer a call if your BT-enabled phone is nearby and paired up. It also features 10-hours of playback time and 100-hours in standby, and there’s an FM tuner included in case you roll through 2GB of jams and just can’t bear to hear any of them again. Word on the street has it that this bugger will surface in Singapore next month for around S$139 ($92), though other Asian countries should see it pop up shortly thereafter.

[Via PMPToday]

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CNET got their hands on Cowon’s new flash-based PMP, the O2, and they think it’s one of the year’s best dedicated media players. The 4.3-inch touchscreen player has a truly ridiculous list of supported codecs, an SDHC slot to expand its internal 8, 16, or 32GB memory, solid (if not too flashy) GUI, and a surprisingly affordable price: only $219, $249, and $299 respectively.

It’ll play every file you throw at it: on the audio front, we’ve got (take a deep breath) MP3, WMA, AAC, AC3, FLAC, OGG, Monkey Audio, and a bunch of others I’ve barely heard of. For video, which is the real draw of the O2, we’ve got AVI, WMV, MP4, MKV, H.264, DivX and XviD, and again, way more. It’ll play videos up to 1,280×720 resolution at 30 FPS. What does that dictionary of acronyms mean? No more converting videos. Ever.

The GUI looks a little dated, awfully similar to my aging D2, but very functional all the same. The O2 has Cowon’s vaunted stellar sound quality, but battery life isn’t all that hot: 8 hours of video, which is great, but only 18 hours of audio, which is below average these days. Still, this looks to be right at the top of the heap of portable video players, if only because it’ll actually play your videos without making you transcode first. The Cowon O2 goes on sale tomorrow (the 25th) in black or white, direct from the manufacturer. [CNET]