Apr 9, 2007 09:02 AM
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We saw hints of the Cowon Q5 PMP at CES, but the US announce of the Cowon Q5 Mega PMP is upon us, along with more shots and details. Why do you care? I'll tell you why: This PMP has not only Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but HSDPA/EDGE/GPRS data for web browsing over cellular data. DVR functions. And GPS with text to speech, 11 million points of interest. Yowza.
The rest of the package includes a impressively fine 800 by 480-pixel 5-inch touchscreen, FM radio/recorder, voice recording, and stereo speakers.
OK, as we know , devices with this much going on have to pass the user-interface test, which only a handful of companies in the world can pull off well. At least by features, the Q5 will have to face off with the Archos 704, and maybe in a strange multitasking matchup, the Nokia N95. It'll be out by end of Q2 for $500/$550 for 40 and 60 gig models.
There's also TV out over component, and direct download of photos from any camera (USB 2.0 Host). The processor, an AMD Alchemy Au1200, should allay any worries of sluggish Windows CE 5.0 performance...maybe.
Battery life is a claimed 13 hours of audio, or 7 of video, via lithium ions, but get this—it'll charge by USB. Rare for such a big gadget.
COWON Unveils the COWON Q5: A Next-generation Networked Portable Multimedia Player COWON Q5 Raises the Bar for Full-featured PMPs with Windows CE Operating System, Wireless Network Connectivity, AMD Chipset, Wide-screen LCD, FM Tuner and GPS Navigation IRVINE, Calif. - April 9, 2007 - Focused on giving consumers everything they want in a single portable multimedia player (PMP), COWON America, Inc., today officially unveiled the COWON Q5, the next generation in networked portable multimedia devices. The first networked PMP to blend an ultra-fine-resolution, 5-inch wide-screen color LCD featuring touch-sensitive interface with Microsoft Windows® CE 5.0 Professional operating system and AMD AlchemyTM Au1200TM processor, the COWON Q5 offers comprehensive wireless connectivity with a High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) modem, Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth®. Other product highlights include 40GB or 60GB of storage capacity, built-in stereo speakers, FM tuner and optional GPS navigation package. Developed by COWON Systems, a global leader in digital multimedia solutions, the COWON Q5 brings together the latest portable media and wireless network technologies to provide users with a full-featured networked digital media experience. The COWON Q5 will be available for U.S. consumers by end of Q2 2007.
"Industry experts expect the global PMP market to double by 20111 - growth that is
being fueled by increasing adoption of wired and wireless Internet access and
broadband digital video," said Francis Choi, senior marketing manager of COWON
America. "To harness this potential, we've bundled the latest portable media device
technology with those features consumers want most - a large screen for video
playback and Internet browsing; HSDPA modem, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless
networking; FM tuner and even GPS navigation - into the COWON Q5. We expect the
COWON Q5 to meet the high expectations of existing COWON PMP fans and introduce
to a new legion of users the COWON brand."
COWON Q5: Next-generation Networked PMP
The COWON Q5 runs Windows CE 5.0 Professional, Microsoft's componentized,
real-time operating system developed for small footprint consumer electronics devices.
The operating system features Microsoft's Networked Media Device components and
expansion capabilities tailored to the specialized needs of networked media devices like
the COWON Q5.
With its integrated HSDPA modem or Wi-Fi, the COWON Q5 enables users to
wirelessly connect to the Internet using a Windows CE Internet Explorer browser.
Additionally, the COWON Q5's integrated Bluetooth technology allows users to
wirelessly connect and share data with other Bluetooth-enabled devices such as mobile
phones, laptops, PCs, printers, digital cameras, and video game consoles over a secure
connection.
The COWON Q5 also incorporates the AMD Alchemy Au1200 500MHz processor, a
low-power, high-performance, system-on-chip solution designed to bring media
center-quality functionality to portable devices. Optimized for PMPs, the Au1200
processor enhances the COWON Q5's digital media playback capabilities thanks to its
integrated media acceleration hardware and software.
Moreover, the processor provides a more simplified user experience and enhanced
digital media playback than current-generation PMPs with digital-to-digital video
recorder (DVR) functionality and direct video transfer without the need to transcode
video files on a PC. Without the need to transcode video files, the COWON Q5 requires
less time to download and playback video files.
Full-featured PMP and GPS Navigation Device
The COWON Q5 is available with 40GB or 60GB 1.8-inch hard disk drive storage
capacity, 128MB of DDR2 SDRAM and 64 MB of NOR Flash memory. Every COWON
Q5 models are equipped with a 5-inch, wide-screen, 16-million-color TFT LCD with
ultra-fine 800x480 (WVGA) resolution. The display also functions as a touch-sensitive
interface to navigate the Windows CE operating system.
Additionally, the COWON Q5 provides an FM radio and recorder, voice recorder, built-in
stereo speakers, and TV-out supporting component and composite connectors. The
portable multimedia player also functions as a photo and document viewer with support
for photo backup of digital cameras, and as a high-speed USB 2.0 portable storage with
maximum speed of 480 Mbps.
The COWON Q5 also features an optional GPS navigation package loaded with Tele
Atlas premium digital map data of the continental United States featuring text-to-speech
technology and 11 million POIs (point-of-interest). With the addition of GPS navigation,
user can extend the versatility of the COWON Q5 to include in-vehicle use as a digital
mapping device to plan routes and pinpoint destinations.
The built-in Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery provides up to13 hours of audio and 7
hours of video playback in a single charge via USB or standard wall charger. The
COWON Q5 measures 5.46 x 3.48 x 0.79 inches and weighs 13.4 ounces.
The COWON Q5 is also outfitted with the latest portable multimedia technologies, and
supports a wide range of digital media codecs and formats, including:
• Enhanced sound quality with BBE, Mach3Bass, MP Enhance, 3D Surround
and 5Band EQ audio technologies
• Digital video playback without transcoding of AVI (DivX and XviD), ASF,
WMW, MPEG and MP4 codecs
• Digital audio playback support of MP3, WMA, WAV, AC3 and ACC codecs;
and lossless audio codecs including FLAC and OGG Vorbis
• DVR functionality with video (MP4) recording from TV, VCR or camcorder.
• Music recording from line-in audio
• Voice recording with built-in microphone
Pricing for the COWON Q5 40GB and 60GB configurations is estimated at $499.99 and
$549.99 U.S. (MSRP), respectively. Optional GPS navigation package will be available
for $199.99.
Cowon Q95 [Cowon]
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