CES 2009

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.

(Credit: Panasonic)

One of the biggest disadvantages to Blu-ray has been its lack of portability. While DVD players are virtually everywhere and portable DVD players are cheap, when you buy a Blu-ray Disc you're typically limited to watching it in your home theater. The Panasonic DMP-B15 looks to address this; it is the first portable Blu-ray player and it's also designed to be used easily around the house with a built-in stand. Here are the details.

Key features of the Panasonic DMP-B15:

• 8.9-inch WSVGA (1,024x600) LCD screen
• Three-hour rechargeable battery
• Profile 2.0 compatible
• Bitstream output for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-Master Audio
• HDMI output
• SD card slot
• Optional headrest-mounting bracket for car use
• Access to Viera Cast Internet content, including Amazon Video On-Demand
• Pricing and availability TBD

While the DMP-B15 includes a lot of cool features (HDMI output, Viera Cast), the 3-hour battery life seems pretty limiting, especially if the real battery life is closer to 2.5 hours. That means you'll be racing against the clock to finish watching some longer Blu-ray movies and don't even think about pausing. It's also worth pointing out that the image-quality advantages of Blu-ray are going to be nearly imperceptible on the 8.9-inch screen, even with it on your lap. That being said, it is the first of its kind and it looks to be a decent solution for those with growing Blu-ray libraries who want to take their movies on the go.

Panasonic's new Blu-ray players

(Credit: Toshiba)

Toshiba just announced two new portable DVD players hitting this March. While we weren't thrilled with the SD-P71S, it seems the high-end SD-P93S has gotten quite a makeover.

The P93S will feature a 9-inch 180-degree swivel screen along with a pearl-white finish. In addition to MP3, JPEG, and DivX playback, the unit boasts a five hour battery life. We're also glad to see that Toshiba has added an SD card slot for even more playback options.

The P93S will retail for $180, while the smaller, step-down, seven-inch-screen model will go for $130. Both portables will be available in March.

The iLuv i1166 is due to arrive in March, though no price has been set.

(Credit: iLuv)

iLuv has a new 9-inch wide-screen portable DVD player, the i1166, that integrates a dock for iPods with video capabilities. The device also has an SD-card slot and USB port (for connecting storage devices) and it supports playback of DivX video files and JPEG images.

iLuv says the i1166 Portable Multimedia Player for iPod and DVDs will arrive in March, but its price hasn't been determined yet. By comparison, the company's 8.4-inch i1155 carries a list price price of $269.99 but sells online for just over $200.

Here's a rundown of the i1166's specs:

• Compatible with all iPods with video capability
• DivX certified to play DivX videos
• Video output for TV connectivity
• Built-in USB/SD/MMC slot; supports the new slotMusic
• Three-way power source: AC, DC car adapter, or built-in li-polymer rechargeable battery
• Charges your iPod when docked and features iPod full remote control
• Digital Photo Frame to view photos from built-in memory, memory card, USB, DVD±R/RW, or CD-R/RW
• Remote control included
• Playable Media: DVD, DVD±R/RW, VCD, CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, MP3 CD JPEG, Kodak, DivX, MPEG4