Todays & Tomorrows Technology

According to an internal Microsoft tipster, the upcoming Zune HD will be available in 16GB and 32GB capacities, and be priced from $249 to $280 for the entry-level model. The company is considering a 64GB Zune HD later on in the model year, but the first of the PMPs will arrive in September; that tallies with previous rumors that fingered September 5th.

The source – a software engineer within Microsoft who claims that, while he chose to leak independently, his actions are known and unofficially sanctioned by the company – also suggests that movies are finally coming to the Zune Marketplace, and that the team are working on the final licensing agreements with the major studios. That content will be available in HD.

If that starting price turns out to be accurate, it will position the Zune HD above Apple’s rival iPod touch PMPs. The Zune’s Tegra HD-capable chipset, HDMI output and AMOLED multitouch-capable display are likely culprits for pushing up prices; it remains to be seen whether Microsoft can sufficiently persuade consumers that their platform is finally better than Apple’s.

We’re still harboring a soft-spot for mintpass‘ mintpad MID, so it’s relieving to hear that the first English-modified units are meeting with approval. Pocketables shared their unboxing earlier this week, and now it’s time for some first-impressions. The mintpad’s 1.3-megapixel camera is proving surprisingly capable, as is the browser (despite not being fully translated yet) and the QVGA screen may be small at 2.86-inches but it’s still highly readable.

Build-quality, responsiveness and file support continue to satisfy, while the mono speaker is loud and clear. Fans of Windows CE – and we’re sure there are some out there – will be pleased to hear that the mintpad is compatible with apps for the Microsoft platform, so there’s flexibility in what you can run. Flash support in the browser is a nice touch (especially when you look at the number of smartphones that can’t do this) and audio quality is decent.

On the downside, there are no hardware volume controls, the browser lacks an on-screen keyboard so far, and the rotation-sensor is underused. Still, these things might change when the final English firmware release arrives at the end of the month.

Microsoft have confirmed that their upcoming Zune HD touchscreen PMP will use NVIDIA’s high-definition capable Tegra chipset. Speaking in the official Zune Insider podcast, product team member and show host Matt Akers revealed that the recent rumors about Tegra’s adoption were true, describing the Zune HD with the NVIDIA chipset as “like a mini laptop in your hand.”
Also tipped by Akers are “much better battery life” and graphics acceleration, both well publicized advantages of Tegra by NVIDIA. The chipset offers 1080p video output via an HDMI port, together with hardware graphics acceleration and multiple power-saving features; the Zune HD, meanwhile, will support 720p output to a connected high-def monitor and HD Radio.

The PMP will go up against Apple’s newly-boosted iPhone 3G S, which uses a PowerVR SGX video chipset that also promises HD support and improved graphical capabilities. We’ll have to wait until September, when the Microsoft Zune HD is tipped to launch, to find out which takes the top spot.

Rumors that Microsoft were eying up the NVIDIA Tegra platform for an upcoming smartphone have circulated for some time now, but it seems the company’s new PMP may have beaten the cellphones to it. According to PC Perspective, NVIDIA have confirmed that the Zune HD will use the Tegra chipset for its 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen and 720p HDMI output.

In fact, they’ve been sitting on the news since Computex, seemingly unaware of how “news worthy” it was. There’s no official confirmation from either NVIDIA or Microsoft, and we’re not really expecting them to discuss it until closer to the Zune HD’s launch, but it would certainly make sense given Tegra’s graphics prowess and low-power demands.

The Zune HD has a 480 x 272 display, HD Radio receiver, WiFi and an internet browser based on Mobile Internet Explorer. According to the most recent rumors, it will arrive in the US on September 5th.

A new Samsung PMP has been leaked, courtesy of online retailer Play. The Samsung YP-R1 has a 2.7-inch WQVGA (400 x 240) touchscreen and 8GB of onboard storage, and supports not only standard headphones via a 3.5mm jack but Bluetooth cans thanks to the A2DP profile.

Update: The above Play link still works, but a new listing for a 16GB version of the YP-R1 has been added, with an MRSP of £179.99 ($296) and a sales price of £129.99 ($214) – thanks Sebastiano!

Other specifications include an FM radio and ebook reader, together with games support. There’s a fair chunk of codec support in there too, with the YP-R1 coping merrily with MP3, WMA, OGG, ACC, FLAC, WAV and ASF audio files and MPEG-4, WMV, H.264, RMVB, DivX and Xvid video files. It’ll also show JPEG, BMP, PNG and GIF images.

A TV output wraps up the main abilities, and transfers are via USB though there’s no word on whether the YP-R1 uses a proprietary port or a standard mini or microUSB connector. We’ll keep out fingers crossed for the latter. The Samsung YP-R1 8GB is set to arrive on July 30th, with an MRSP of £149.99 ($247); Play are listing it for £109.99 ($181), however.

Sony Japan have announced a new range of B-series Walkman PMPs, in the shape of the NWZ-B142F(JE). Not a snappy title, but the PMP claims to make finding the track you want more straightforward courtesy of its ZAPPIN feature, that runs through your music playing a five-second snippet from the middle of the song.

That won’t take all that long, since the NWZ-B142F(JE) Walkman only has 2GB of onboard memory. If audio previews aren’t your thing, then there’s a three-line monochrome LCD display, together with an FM radio. The battery is rated for up to 18hrs of music playback, and a three-minute “quick charge” is good for 90 minutes of runtime.

Other features include an equalizer, 30 radio presets, voice and radio recording, bass enhancement and support for MP3 and WMA files. File transfer is drag-and-drop over USB 2.0, and the whole thing weighs just 26g. It’s listed as “coming soon” but there’s no pricing information.

There's nothing particularly offensive about this DAP, but we can't imagine it changing anyone's life -- and really, is that too much to ask out of a portable audio player? After catching wind of this upcoming YP-R1 from Samsung, the fine folks at DAP Review did a bit of sleuthing to pair up the specs with a photo, and it's all pretty traditional: 8GB of flash storage, a 2.7-inch 400 x 240 touchscreen display, a good amount of video and audio codecs, TV-out, Bluetooth, FM, e-book reader and even some games. Supposedly it'll be out in the UK on July 30th for £109.99 (about $181 US). Like we said, pretty standard stuff, but who knows, maybe Samsung will surprise us all with a new UI theme or something.

The ARCHOS 3 vision is the latest in a new line of MP3 players, with an impressive 3” tactile screen that covers the whole surface of the device. You can access all your favorite features with the brand new virtual wheel selector, which provides a whole new browsing sensation. No matter where you are in the media library your favorite feature is only a spin away.

The ARCHOS 3 vision is extremely compact and lightweight and will easily fit in pretty much any kind of pocket. Yet it’s so pretty you may want to show it off instead of hiding it there.

Pick your favorite use : You can listen to up to 4,000 songs, stored on a 8GB flash drive, and enjoy superb audio quality for up to 14 hours. Or you can view back photos in a great panoramic view; Or you can choose to do both, with music slideshows; why compromise?

If you add to that a voice and audio recorder, a stopwatch and a calendar, what you’ve got here is just the perfect tool at the perfect price.

iriver’s P35 PMP has been quietly upgraded, introducing a most-welcome 32GB top-spec version. The touchscreen PMP, which is currently available in Korea and which will arrive in the US come the fall, has a 4.3-inch WQVGA display and a microSD slot for up to 16GB cards.


The Korean version also has an optional DMB digital TV tuner, a feature unlikely to be carried over to the US model. More likely is that iriver will use the mid-range WiFi-enabled version of the P35, which includes an internet browser and the company’s “Magazine” UI.

The 32GB iriver P35 retails for 488,000 South Korean won ($389) in its home country. No word from the company on how the PMP will be priced once it reaches the US.