PMP (portable media player) also referred to as a portable video player (PVP) have been fascinating many in the entertainment world through its superb . PMP are devices capable of storing and playing digital media.
One of the leaders of digital entertainment products, Creative has recently launched a portable media player to its arsenal. Apart from the mandatory music, video and photos the 2.5-inch TFT display ZEN X-Fi with wireless LAN-available in 16 and 32GB capacities-allow you to stream and , video and photos from your PC over your wireless at home.
According to Creative, the player boasts of X-Fi Crystallizer, a proprietary audio technology that restores the highs and lows to enhance sound quality that is lost during ripping to MP3, WMA, ACC and unprotected audio. Additionally, free over IM services like Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live! Messenger is also possible.
Along with all popular audio formats, the X-Fi can tackle WMV, AVI, MJPEG, MPEG4-SP, DivX4 and 5 and XviD on the video front. It can also sync with Microsoft Outlook for contact, calendar, To Do lists, etc. A build-in speaker lets you listen to favorite songs sans headphones. An SD card slot allows easy expansion and addition of media. There’s a build-in microphone for voice recording and a 32-preset FM radio too. It has been priced at $299.99 (32GB); $199.99 (16GB).
Another electronics company Cowon launched its Cowon P5 PMP that has a wonderful 5-inch touch screen. It brags an 800 by 480 pixel resolution and features a widget-based haptic feedback user interface (that employs the use of vibrations from the device’s vibration alarm to denote that a touch screen button has been pressed). There’s a wireless Bluetooth connectivity, an FM radio, a photo player, a document viewer, a USB host and USB 2.0. It supports WMV, MPG, OGM, DivX, Xvid, MPEG4, WMV9, AVI, ASF, MP3, WMA and AC3 media formats.Its price is yet to be announced.
Another Korean creation, the Abigs DVP-260X has an astounding 320GB hard disk inside it. Other than functioning just as a portable hard disk, its compatibility with HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) and 5.1 channel digital audio gives you access to 1080p high-def videos on a 2.5 inch display.
It is available only in black or white and is compatible with PAL as well as NTSC formats. Other features include an integrated FM transmitter, e-book support and photo browsing.
Blu-ray may have won the high-def format war, but it still has a tough fight in its hands which is to get customers to actually ditch the standard DVD format. And though adoption has been rather slow for the format – thanks in part to the still relatively high price tag for equipment – Sony claims Blu-ray discs could outsell DVDs in three year’s time.
