Samsung Q1 16 GB Video MP3 Player with Lighted Touchpad (Black)

Take your media with you on the Samsung Q1 media player, one of the slimmest, lightest, and coolest looking media players on the market. This black Samsung Q1 has 16 GB of flash memory and a 2.4-inch LCD screen. Load your favorite songs from your MP3 library or subscription music services. Convert and watch your favorite videos. You'll also enjoy a built-in FM radio and recorder, photo viewer, voice recorder, flash games, and more.

Technical Details :
* 16 GB capacity for about 4,000 songs.
* 30 hours of audio or 4 hours of video on a single charge.
* 2.4-inch QVGA TFT LCD screen with 320 x 240 pixel resolution.
* Supports MP3, WMA, and subscription WMA audio formats; MPEG4, WMV, and SVI video formats; JPEG, GIF, BMP, and PNG images; and TXT text files.
* 1-year limited warranty.



HIGHLIGHTS :
- 2.4-inch LCD : The Q1's 2.4-inch QVGA TFT LCD screen gives you brilliant video, with a resolution of 320x240 pixels and a frame rate of 30 fps. You also can adjust the screen's brightness to your liking, or to preserve a little bit of precious battery life.
- Touchpad Control : The Q1's lighted touchpad--which is great to look at--makes navigation a snap. Screen savers on the Q1 are even extended from the screen to the touchpad for an extra visual treat.
- Video Playback : Enjoy MPEG4, WMV and SVI video files on the go with your Q1. The included software will transcode other video formats on the computer before transferring to the device, so videos on the Q1 play at the optimal frame size/rate with minimal effort from the user.
- Music Playback : The Q1 plays MP3 and WMA audio formats. As you probably know, MP3 files are the most common music format available today. WMA uses a high-quality compression technology so users can have smaller files that sound in near CD quality. The Q1 also works with subscription content from Rhapsody, Napster, and Yahoo!, giving you access to millions of songs for your enjoyment.
- Photo Playback : Add your favorite JPEG, BMP, GIF, or PNG images to the Q1 for viewing any time. Images can be zoomed and re-centered, and also can be used as wallpaper, so you can customize and make the Q1 yours.
- FM Tuner : The Q1 boasts a built-in FM tuner with 30 presets and the ability to make FM recordings.
- DNSe 3.0 : Samsung's DNSe engine produces higher quality sound with more natural effects than conventional methods by reproducing the "genuine" stereo sound intended by the music content creators. It achieves this by overcoming the limitations from earphones and less-than-ideal speakers to offer realistic stereo and deep bass sounds. DNSe 3.0 takes this to a new level.
- Text to Speech Conversion : You can convert text files to audio files. This feature is free of charge on EmoDio.
- Flash Games : Want to have a little fun? Enjoy BombBomb, BubbleSmile, and ChickenRunway, the included Flash games on the Q1.

PROS:
- Reasonable price.
- Glossy looks.

CONS :
- Fiddly, cramped touchpad.

Sony NWZ A-728 Walkman Video MP3 Player (Black)

Sony's NWZ-A728 Walkman MP3 player¿s svelte design houses a gorgeous 2.4 QVGA LCD display that makes your audio and video entertainment come alive. The compact digital music players 8GB storage capacity and easy-to-use menus let you store and quickly find up to 2,000 of your favorite digital music tracks, hours of high quality video, or hundreds of photographs. An extra long 36 hour battery life means the fun will last as long as you do, while Sony Clear Audio technologies and the supplied EX Series headphones help ensure you enjoy superior CD-quality audio clarity, even when listening to external audio sources.

Technical Details :
* 8 GB Flash memory for up to 1,850 songs or up to 30 hours of video.
* Up to 36 hours of battery life on a single charge.
* Enjoy photos and videos in portrait and landscape mode.
* Supports MP3/WMA DRM and non-DRM/AAC audio; MPEG 4, AVC Baseline video.
* 2.4-inch 320 x 240 QVGA LCD features intuitive menus and simple operation.



HIGHLIGHTS :
- High-Quality Video Playback : Playback your favorite videos--up to up to 30 hours of them--right on the player using MPEG 4 and M4V profile at 30 frames per second. Easily view your movies, photos, and music information on the high-quality 320 x 240 display, which allows for easy viewing in either a portrait or landscape position.
- Battery Life : With up to 36 hours of audio playback and up to 9.5 hours of video playback, you don't have to worry about running out of entertainment.
- Compatibility : The Walkman is compatible with secure Windows Media Audio, giving you more options than ever for downloading and listening to music. It supports playback of MP3 and WMA DRM and non-DRM audio files downloaded from multiple sources. The Walkman also supports non-DRM AAC content, giving you multiple options for downloading music the way you want.
- Clear Audio Technologies : Utilizing four Clear Audio Technologies, the Walkman reproduces crystal clear, CD-quality audio.
- Time Machine Shuffle : The shuffle feature lets you play among songs from a randomly selected year. Or,use the first letter of the song, album, or artist to easily find the music you want.

PROS :
- Good battery life.
- It does not rely on ID3 tags in order to catalog your music.
- Sound quality is superb.
- The video feature is outstanding.
- Navigation is a cinch.
- The player will bookmark your movie file for you.

CONS :
- The file transfer speed seems pretty slow to me given it's USB 2.0.
- When you unplug the player from the USB cable, and have hundreds of files on it like I currently have, it has to build the library, which can take up to 30 seconds, before you can access it. Again, a minor quirk, but nothing is perfect!
- No FM radio, no recorder.

Sony Walkman X Series 16 GB Video MP3 Player with OLED Display

By marrying technology and portability, the new 16 GB Sony X series video Walkman player delivers a superb, on-the-go experience. With a 3-inch OLED display, digital noise cancelation, wireless connectivity, and a touch screen, all in a slim, sleek design, the X series takes portability to the next level.

Technical Details :
* 16 GB capacity for about 4000 songs.
* 33 hours of audio or 9 hours of video on a single charge.
* 3-inch, 262,144-color OLED touchscreen display with 432 x 240 WQVGA pixel resolution.
* Supports MP3, WMA, AAC and L-PCM audio formats; AVC(H.264/AVC), MPEG-4, and WMV DRM video formats; JPEG image files.
* One-year limited warranty.



HIGHLIGHTS :
- Sound Quality : Enjoy ideal sound with digital clear audio technologies, S-Master digital amplifier, and a digital noise canceling function with Noise Canceling EX headphones (MDR-NC20).
- Discover Music : Slacker radio offers free personalized music that uploads to your Walkman player when the player is connected to a wireless LAN and when you are in a WiFi zone (Slacker registration is required after 30 days).
- OLED Video : OLED technology has a response time suitable for movie playback. A wide viewing angle of nearly 180 degrees gives consistent tone and stable contrast, as well as a wide range of color reproduction and a high contrast ratio.
- Hybrid Operation : The benefit of both "touch panel" and "button" operation makes the X series easy to use while using its different features.
- Internet Connectivity
* Podcast download, register podcast on browser and link to podcast web site.
* "Related Links" function relates web content with music content playing on your Walkman X series.
* Connect directly to"YouTube" and "Yahoo!"
* Internet Browser.
* Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) connectivity to Home Wireless LAN and to public Wireless LAN. Supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup.
- Drag and Drop functionality : Easily load your music, pictures, and video onto this player by dragging and dropping them into the video MP3 player on your computer.
- Multiple High-Quality Video Formats : This player supports multiple high-quality video formats as well as a variety of audio codecs, giving you more freedom to download the kind of music and video that you want.
- Long Battery Life : Equipped with a long-lasting battery that enables you to listen to up to 33 hours of music and watch up to 9 hours of video without needing to recharge.

PROS:
- Good sound quality.
- Good design.
- Beautiful OLED screen.
- Noise canceling.
- Touch interface easily on par with itouch or iphone
CONS :
- No Mac Support.
- No multi-touch.

Apple iPod touch 16 GB (2nd Generation) NEWEST MODEL

The iPod touch has always been an amazing iPod. And with its groundbreaking technologies--including a Multi-Touch screen, the accelerometer, and 3D graphics--and access to hundreds of games, iPod touch puts an amazing gaming experience in the palm of your hand. It comes in 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB models with new volume controls and a built-in speaker. Play hours of music. Create a Genius Playlist of songs that go great together. Watch a movie. Surf the web. View rich HTML email. Find your location and get directions with Google Maps. Browse YouTube videos. And shop the App Store for games and applications.

Technical Details :
* This player is the iPod touch, not the Apple iPhone.
* 16 GB capacity for 3,500 songs, 10,000 photos, or 20 hours of video.
* Up to 36 hours of music playback or 6 hours of video playback when fully charged.
* 3.5-inch widescreen multi-touch display with 480-by-320-pixel resolution.
* Supported audio formats: AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV; supported video formats: H.264, MPEG-4; supported image file types: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG.



Apple iPod Touch Highlights :
- Music : Music on iPod touch not only sounds amazing, it looks amazing, too.
* Touch your music : Just turn iPod touch on its side and flick through your music to find the album you want to hear. Tap the cover to flip it over and display a track list. Tap again to start the music. Even view the lyrics while you're listening.
* A Musical Genius : The new Genius feature finds the songs in your library that go great together and makes a Genius Playlist for you. You can listen to the playlist right away, save it for later, or even refresh it and give it another go.
* Fill It Up : Fill up your iPod touch with audio and video from your iTunes library.
- Movies and TV Shows : Movies and TV shows have never looked this good on a portable device.
- Games : With its groundbreaking technologies, iPod touch puts an amazing gaming experience in the palm of your hand.
* Get in the game.
* Fingertip control.
* Tilt, Turn, and Go.
* The App Store.
- iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store : Discover new music anywhere.
* Buy on the fly.
* Sync it back.
* iPod touch at Starbucks.
- Home Screen : Get instant access to whatever you need on your iPod touch.
* Customize Your Home Screen.
* Go Home.
* Add Apps, Web Clips, and More.
- Safari : iPod touch features Safari, the most advanced web browser ever on a portable device.
* Browse Anywhere.
* Search and Find.
* Zoom with a View.
* Clip it.
- Mail : Email on iPod touch looks and works just like email on your computer.
* See it all.
* Access it all.
* Send Fast.
* Type Smart.
- Maps : When you're connected via Wi-Fi, you can get directions, find local businesses, and check traffic.
* Find Yourself.
* Get Directions.
* Enjoy the View.
* See Traffic.
- YouTube : Love to watch the latest YouTube videos? iPod touch gives you all the fun of the web's best videos--pocket-size.
* Share from Anywhere.
* Watch What You Want.
- Photos : Carry up to 25,000 of your favorite photos everywhere.
- Calendar : With iPod touch, it's easy to make plans and stay on schedule.
- Contacts : Put names, email addresses, phone numbers, and more at your fingertips.
- Stocks, Weather, and Notes.
- Calculator : iPod touch's calculator helps you settle the restaurant bill or keep track of your budget.
- Multi-Touch : iPod touch features the same revolutionary interface as iPhone.
- Accelerometer : iPod touch responds to motion using a built-in accelerometer.
- Wireless : Connect iPod touch to the Internet anywhere there's a wireless network.

Hits :
+ great display
+ good audio
+ gesture-based interface
+ accelerometer for controls
+ great integration with your music library (via iTunes)
+ long battery life
+ wireless music store
+ wireless App store (killer feature)
+ Speaker for gaming
+ Mail, Calendar and Address book with Push
+ WiFi Internet (killer feature)
+ Remote App (free) for your PC/Mac's iTunes/AppleTV
+ SDK freely available for anyone
+ Microphone and remote support
+ Nike + iPod without dongle

Misses :
- incompatibility with 'made for iPod' devices (bad, bad, bad)
- stainless steel backplate (fingerprints and scratches easily)
- no wireless synching
- no wireless playback of streamed iTunes content (an Appstore application can stream unprotected content, though)
- no visualizer
- no search function
- no playlist groups
- no GPS nor FM radio
- Notes not synched with MobileMe
- no hard drive mode
- no synching documents (except third party Apps)
- downsampling of photos
- currently tops out at 32GB (would have preferred 64)
- no bluetooth

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Loudspeaker Dock System for iPod and MP3 Players

Welcome to the speaker system your iPod has been waiting for. Zeppelin sounds fantastic--and it looks great, too. It uses drive unit technologies and design principles refined and perfected for Bowers & Wilkins' most advanced reference-standard speakers. Compact, stylish, and beautifully simple to set up and use, Zeppelin releases all of the detail and atmosphere that standard iPod speaker systems miss, whether you're listening to standard MP3s or high-quality formats. It's time to set your digital music free.
Zeppelin is an integrated speaker system from Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), makers of the speakers used to monitor the recording of much of the music on your iPod. B&W developed its iPod speakers with the same exacting standards as the speakers that are used in Abbey Road Studios and Skywalker Ranch.

Technical Details :
* An iPod dock/speaker system that also can be seamlessly integrated into your home stereo/theater system.
* Comprised of two 1-inch aluminum tweeters, two 3.5-inch fiber cone mid-range drivers, and one 5-inch bass driver.
* Uses Bowers & Wilkins' state-of-the-art technology to create flawless sound reproduction; charges iPod while docked.
* The spring-loaded dock flexes to accommodate all dockable iPod models; compatible with iPod classic (3G, 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G), iPod touch (1G, 2G), iPod nano (1G, 2G, 3G, 4G), iPhone (1G, 3G), and iPod mini.
* Various other devices can play sound through Zeppelin using the 3.5-mm mini-jack analog/optical digital input.



Design
Form follows function; the body of Zeppelin follows the form of its components, with two tweeters at each end, two mid-range drivers next, with a subwoofer/bass driver in the center.
B&W has complimented the iPod user interface by designing a docking port that allows the user to grasp the iPod as if it were in the hand as normal. It also cleverly accommodates iPod/iPhone of differing depth through a spring-loaded docking arm that flexes to accommodate each model without adapters or other manual adjustment.

Technology
Not only is the shape of Zeppelin pleasing to the eye, but it also is based on sound acoustic principles. The less physical material there is around tweeters and midranges, the better they sound. By minimizing the baffle area around the drive units, the cabinet reduces diffraction effects, making for ultra-wide sound dispersion and a much smoother response. In other words, it sounds as good as it looks.
The twin midrange drive units that supply the bulk of Zeppelin's amazing sound rely on glass fiber cones optimized using laser interferometry. Drive units are the "engine room" of any speaker, and Zeppelin's midrange and tweeter derived directly from those in B&W's award-winning M-1, regarded by the world's specialist audio press as class-leading compact speakers.

Simple Operation
Zeppelin is simple to set up and use: plug it in, place your iPod on the docking port and hit the play button. The connections at the back let you play other sources through Zeppelin or channel images from your iPod or iPhone to a television. In addition, there's a USB input for internal updates available through B&W's website for download.

Remote
Accompanying Zeppelin is a pebble-like remote, which allows you to change tracks, volume, and mode.

Pros:
1. There would be no electricity noise AT ALL when you pause the music, which is a common problem in most speakers in the market even in Bose Companion 5 (I should know, had it before).
2. Music sounds continuous and balanced because it has 4 speakers and one bass in the middle.
3. Easy to connect to ipod iphone and computers.
4. They also have firmware upgrade.

Cons:
1. The remote is not very sensitive. It would work fine if pointed directly at the front of the Zeppelin, but would struggle from the sides or if facing away from the Zeppelin.
2. There would only be a power cord in the box. If you want to connect to computers or other thing like CD player, you need to get your own cord which is easy to get at radio-shack.

Cowon S9 16 GB Video MP3 Player with Touchscreen (Chrome/Black)

With its stylish, curved-back ergonomic design, the 16 GB Cowon S9 video MP3 player is quite the eye-catcher, and the perfect way to enjoy your favorite movies, TV shows, photos, and music on the go. With the S9 resting comfortably in your hand, you'll enjoy a vibrant 3.3-inch widescreen touchscreen display, Bluetooth support for wireless devices, a voice recorder with built-in microphone, FM radio/recorder, and plenty more, proving that the S9's beauty is way more than skin deep.

Technical Details
* 16 GB capacity for about 4,000 songs.
* 55 hours of audio or 11 hours of video on a single charge.
* 3.3-inch, 16-million color AMOLED display with 480 x 272 pixel resolution.
* Supports MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, WAV, and APE audio formats; AVI and WMV video formats; JPEG image formats.
* 1-year limited warranty.



HIGHLIGHTS:

1. 3.3-Inch AMOLED Display.
2. Intuitive Touchscreen Interface.
3. Video Player.
4. Music Player.
5. JetEffect Music Enhancement
6. Dial in the perfect sound no matter what you're listening to with Cowon's various enhancement tools:
* BBE: clarifies music.
* Mach3Bass: enhances low-frequency bass spectrum.
* MP Enhance: restores distorted digital music.
* 3D Surround: provides 3D sound effect.
* 5-Band EQ: customizable equalizer with adjustable band and bandwidth filter.
7. FM Radio and Recorder.
8. Photo and Document Viewer.
9. Bluetooth Freedom.
10.Digital Clock with Alarm.
11.Voice Recording.
12.Energy Efficient Entertainment.
13.Flash Player.

Pros:
-Sound Quality is the best I've heard personally from a portable music player.
-incredible battery life 11 hr video 55hr music.
-The video quality from the AMOLED screen is amazing.
-Strong but very light.
-CORNING GORILLA GLASS covers the screen, not plastic. Incredibly strong.

Cons:
-Default user interface is poor in places (coverflow, but that can be disabled now) and good in others. However, there are many user interfaces being made by owners and designers already, so they can be changed.