Haier America Rhapsody Ibiza Touch
(Credit: Haier America)Last year, appliance manufacturer Haier America surprised me by producing its very first MP3 player. More specifically, I was confounded by the fact that the company actually made a decent one that offered a variety of compelling features most mainstream MP3 player companies had overlooked (wireless podcast updating, for example).
Now, Haier is updating its Rhapsody Ibiza line with--get this--the Mini and the Touch. Those certainly aren't the most original names (in fact, the words "blatant rip-off" come to mind), but to Haier's credit, the new players look nothing like the iPods of the same name.
First up is the Rhapsody Ibiza Mini, which will replace the current flash-based Ibiza Rhapsody. This pocketable player measures just 3.5 inches by 2 inches by 0.4 inch and features a 2.2-inch color QVGA screen dominating its face. Just below is a four-way directional pad composed of tactile controls for main navigation. Around the edges of the device, you'll find a dedicated volume rocker, a power button, and a Wi-Fi connect key.
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Will 2009 be the year when frivolous, '80s-throwback iPod boomboxes go huge? Don't hold your breath.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CBS Interactive)CES 2009 delivered a surprising amount of MP3 player-related product announcements compared with last year's show. No, I didn't see any "iPod killers" out there, but there are still plenty of manufacturers eager to fight for second place in the world of MP3 players.
The biggest trend I'm seeing right now is touch screens. For better or worse, every MP3 player manufacturer at CES was tripping over itself to show off its latest touch-screen models. Sony, Samsung, and Iriver had some beautiful, yet pricey, touch-screen devices to show off, but even budget-minded manufacturers, such as Coby, Memorex, and SanDisk, had touch-screen models on display. I'm also seeing a lot of manufacturers exploring the niche designs that compete with the iPod less directly, such as Haier's fitness-focused Ibiza Trainer and SanDisk's slotRadio player (see below).
The brightest example of the trend towards touch screens is CNET's Best of CES award winner for the MP3 player category, the Samsung P3. This elegant, well-executed upgrade to last year's Samsung P2 features an overhauled touch-screen interface, improved audio and video quality, a built-in speaker, and a metal enclosure that feels like a million bucks. We've got a gorgeous, hands-on photo gallery for the Samsung P3, as well as a First Look video.
Sony unveiled some stunning MP3 players, as well. The Walkman X-series, Sony's most hotly-anticipated new MP3 player, features a OLED touch-screen display, integrated noise-canceling headphones, and Wi-Fi features such as YouTube video streaming. Unfortunately, the X-series Walkman spent its time at CES under a thick layer of protective glass and Sony isn't setting a firm price or ship date quite yet. Luckily, Sony wasn't quite as coy about its new W-series Walkman, which is essentially a $69 pair of sporty headphones (not to mention attractive) with an integrated 2GB MP3 player. The W-series starts shipping at the end of March and I think they'll do quite well, considering their relatively low price, athletic emphasis, and the lack of any similar product from Apple.
Will SanDisk's $39 slotRadio player find an audience with technophobes?
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)Speaking of niche products, take a look at SanDisk's Sansa slotRadio player. This $39 buckle-sized MP3 player uses an extremely basic set of controls and plays music from preloaded microSD cards or a built-in FM radio. The appeal of the slotRadio player is probably lost on the tech-savvy, but I can think of more than a few people in my life whose aversion to complexities of computers and MP3 players has kept them in the dark ages of CDs, tapes, and radios. Like Sony, I think SanDisk is smart to chase after markets Apple hasn't yet seized.
On the portable video-player front, we saw the Iriver P7, the iLuv i1166, and a novel media player from Samsung (the MBP-200) that combines audio, video, and photo capabilities with an integrated pico DLP video projector.
I also got my hands on a line of little pico projectors made by WowWee. These little, standalone video projectors can cast the content of your iPod onto any nearby surface. I'm not convinced about how practical these things are, but I still want one.
On the headphones front, Monster, Memorex, Altec Lansing, Candeez, and Audio-Technica all had new wares to share.
To hear more about the gadget discoveries Jasmine and I made during the course of CES (and Macworld), listen to episode 129 of the MP3 Insider podcast, recorded live from the CNET stage at CES 2009.
Update (4/19/2009): CNET now has a full review of the Zoom H4n.
I practically squealed when I saw Zoom's new H4n professional handheld audio recorder on display at CES 2009. The $350 recorder was announced just a few days ago with hazy details on when it might hit store shelves, but lo and behold, here it was hanging out in the Samson booth, dressed up with full retail packaging.
To read my first impressions, take a look through our Zoom H4n slide show, fresh from the showfloor of CES 2009.
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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(Credit:
Haier America)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: an MP3 player is the perfect workout companion. There's nothing like a little music to get you motivated for a sweat session. Of course, some MP3 players even take things a step further by offering other fitness-friendly extras. Such is the case with Haier America's latest Ibiza device, the Trainer. This 2GB player includes a built-in heart-rate monitor, a pedometer, a calorie counter, and a stopwatch. Really, what more could you ask for from a gym-ready gadget? How about an FM tuner, you say? Why yes, there's one of those as well. The Trainer is also compatible with Rhapsody To Go for when you get sick of your same old rotation. Other supported audio formats include MP3, WMA, and WAV. The 10-hour battery life leaves something to be desired, but for an ultracompact fitness-oriented player, it's adequate.
The Haier America Ibiza Trainer is expected to go on sale by the second quarter of this year and will cost about $60.
(Credit:
Iriver)
Iriver's latest iPod Nano competitor comes in the form of the E50, a smaller and much sleeker relative of the E100. It may not be the most exciting thing to come out of CES this year, but it is a feature-packed MP3 player that will fit comfortably in your pocket--and that has to count for something. Plus, the design is a huge improvement over its bigger sibling, and that was one of our chief complaints about the E100. Rather than have a plastic body, the E50 is wrapped in a slick, brushed-metal exterior. The controls are integrated into the faceplate, which adds to the sleek look and feel.
As expected with Iriver players, the E50 is not wanting for features. A 1.8-inch color LCD displays a variety of options, including folder-based browsing. There's support for MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, and ASF audio; AVI and WMV video; and JPEG, BMP, PNG, and GIF images. You also get an FM tuner with autoscan, presets, and recording as well as a built-in mic for voice recording. The player offers nine EQ settings, including SRS WOW and a five-band customizable EQ. In addition, the unit includes A/B looping, lyrics display, shuffle and repeat modes, and bookmarking. All this and an impressive 52-hour battery life in a package that's about the size of your average pack of gum.
I don't often get excited about Bluetooth headsets, but Altec Lansing's BackBeat series is definitely worth a look. CNET's David Carnoy already reported the details of these Bluetooth beauties earlier in the week, but I thought I'd add some of my first-hand impressions, as well as a few photos. Hit up the Altec Lansing BackBeat slide show for all the details.
(Credit:
Monster)
If you can't get on board with the extra-long earpieces of Monster's Beats by Dr. Dre Tour earphones, perhaps the new Turbine In-Ear Speakers are more your style. The earpieces on these aren't the tiniest I've come across, but they're compact enough to fit into my small ears comfortably. And in true Monster fashion, the Turbine earphones have a nice, sleek look going for them. Each earbud is encased in a "black chrome" all-metal housing, which gives the set a sturdy feel and fashionable look. I also dig on the thin, color-coded ring around each 'bud that indicates the left (blue) and right (red) channels. Surprisingly, and unlike with the Tours, the Turbine's cable is nothing special--it's the standard tangle-prone variety. Personally, I prefer the flat, ribbon-like variety of the Tour earphones, as it's less prone to snarls and seems much more durable.
OK, I have to say it: calling earphones "In-Ear Speakers" comes off as a tad pretentious. Frankly, any set of earbuds--even the ones that cost $500 or more--aren't going to compete with a good set of speakers. With in-ear 'phones, it's exceedingly difficult to pull the sound outside of your head, which is why some purists shun earbuds entirely (listener fatigue is a common complaint). That being said, I was impressed by the Turbine's sound quality in initial testing. Low-end response is great (plenty of bass here), and the mids are warm and buttery. Highs are fairly detailed, but might not be crisp enough for some listeners. Sound isolation is about average; several standard silicone tips are included, as well as a couple of sizes in the triple flange variety. I was able to achieve a pretty secure fit with the smallest sleeves. All-in-all, these 'phones stand to be a real competitor in the $150 price range. Check back for an in-depth review in the coming weeks.
A Stevenote at CES? Don't hold your breath.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET News)A report that Apple is planning a visit to CES next year had eyes rolling Friday morning from Las Vegas to Cupertino.
Cult of Mac reports, citing a source with "friends at Apple," says that Apple is planning to "go large" at CES 2010, now that Macworld is out of the way. The source called it a "done deal," noting that since Apple is really more of a consumer electronics company these days, the Consumer Electronics Show makes more sense.
Too bad nothing else in this report makes sense. Apple has never liked to participate in big industry conferences, steadily backing out of things like NAB and now Macworld in favor of holding its own events. Apple executives and managers rarely even show up at the kind of low-key industry roundtable discussions and panels that almost every other company in this industry adores.
Apple explained its decision to leave Macworld by saying that it doesn't need trade shows anymore to get its message across, given its network of retail stores. And Apple's Phil Schiller hinted that the company wasn't crazy about the idea of having to tailor news and product introductions around an early-January event, such as Macworld or CES.
The report says "if Apple were to be a presence at CES -- with Steve Jobs possibly giving a keynote speech -- it would no longer have to compete with CES for press attention." But that's not true at all; CES is so huge, that companies compete desperately with each other for attention at the show, adorning taxicabs with their logos, throwing lavish parties, and giving out all manner of silly free prizes.
Jobs would certainly make a splash at CES, but Las Vegas doesn't seem like his kind of town.
Updated 4:55pm - AppleInsider is also reporting that Apple plans to attend CES next year, so perhaps there is more to this story than I initially thought, stay tuned. Others think that the CEA, which puts on CES, is merely planning to have a booth or pavilion next year that focuses on the Mac and Apple in hopes of drawing Macworld exhibitors to Las Vegas.
Audio-Technica's CES booth was littered with new headphone models for 2009. One reason for the glut is the addition of a whole new line of headphones made just for women, which, unlike the cheap, pink monstrosities we sometimes see from manufacturers, actually pull off some style--and without skimping on fidelity. There are also some gorgeous gender-neutral cans on offer. Hit the photo gallery for more details.
