Top 5 Reasons the iPod Shuffle Beats the Nano

Apple's iPod shuffle sales have been brisk, and it's the sleeper hit of the holiday season. There are good reasons why this is happening, all of them having to do with features of the shuffle that can each be found elsewhere, but none all on one player. More »

Zune vs. iPod: The Final Word On Who Should Get Your Money

You've read our review, seen whether iTunes or Zune was right for you, seen other reviewer's takes on it, and even learned everything you need to know about the Zune in our Q&A. Now it comes down to the final question: should you buy the iPod or the Zune? After 72 hours of deliberating, I'll tell you what I would do. More »

Zune: First Full Review

Microsoft was kind enough to get us some hands-on time with the Zune, not batting an eye as we eagerly slided the player down our pants, enjoying the material it was made out of. Our thoughts first, then a gallery later. More »

Get Your External Storage On with the PSP

Need more room for porn movies and homebrew games on your PSP but don't feel like shelling out bucks for Sony Memory Sticks when you have a 2GB CF at home already? Don't fret, the Chinese are here to help you with cheap plastic attachments for the PSP! The Neo 2in1 and 4in1 are memory card reader add-ons for the PSP that will read up to 4GB CF, SD, and MMC cards. The Neo 5in1 adds a battery pack with AA battery support and USB ports for connectivity. They're all available now and range in price from $80 to $100. An excellent storage solution for the PSP, especially if you've got extra cards lying around in different formats. More »

iPod shuffle Sold Out—New shuffle in the Works?

Whoa there. Looks like Apple is doing pretty well this holiday season with the 1GB iPod shuffle completely sold out on their online store. The next date they'll be available? Mid-January. Which is also the time Apple is scheduled to release the Intel iBook and possibly a smaller version of the shuffle. So the timing seems to work out quite nicely, if you ask me. If you were just dying for a 1GB iPod shuffle this holiday season, try shopping around at a retailer such as Target, Best Buy, etc. and you may find one. The 512MB is still available for now, so grab one if you're worried. More »

Zen Vision:M Verdict: Big Props

Ok Creative, it looks like your Zen Vision:M has scored pretty nicely with the geek squads at both Cnet Asia and Generation MP3. Both reviews believe this is a real competitor to the Video iPod in both look, feel and tech, though nothing ever compares to Apple in the design area. Both agree that even thought the Zen is a little more expensive (both players have a 30GB hard drive), the Vision:M is more complete with its adapter, which is only an option (for around $30) on the iPod. With a large scroll wheel for better navigation and backlit buttons, the system seems easy to use and intuitive. But it's the screen that catches attention. Yes, it's 2.5 inches like the iPod, but the 262,144-pixel LCD scores big props, giving you crisp, sharp pictures. And the brightness can be adjusted when you switch environments. In terms of codecs, Creative has substantial support, which lets you play almost any of your digital content immediately. And guess what? You also get a FM radio, voice/FM recording, picture viewing and the option to sync Microsoft Outlook data (one way only) as well as output video to an external display, which is a nice list of extra features. A search feature with keyword search makes it easy to look for specific content, though one lament is the lack of a ripping software to digitize DVDs. Creative MediaSource content manager software is bundled together with an enhanced Windows Explorer interface though you're welcome to use Windows Media Player 10. The one big miss seems to be connectivity. With no built-in mini USB port or AC jack, the Vision:M instead has a proprietary port, which means you'll have to attach an external sync adapter every time you want to charge the unit or connect it to a computer. Kind of annoying. So, as of now, we are getting a general thumbs up for this PMP, in both audio and video, though reviews are still being formulated. Hopefully you'll get to check one out yourself soon. And remember, pre-orders have started at Amazon.com. More »

Mio A201 GPS and PDA in One

Is the Mio A201 a GPDA or PDPS, because this PDA that is designed to function as a GPS sure needs a new acronym. Being touted as the first Pocket PC with integrated GPS receiver, it's got a 20-channel SirfStar III GPS chipset as well as Microsoft Windows Mobile on board and features such as Outlook Mobile Contacts and Calendar, Word Mobile, Excel Mobile and PowerPoint Mobile, games and Windows Media Player. There is a rotating GPS antenna for navigating in both portrait mode or landscape mode, and you can swap screens just by rotating the antenna or touching a button. Because it's a PDA, you can choose what kind of navigational software you want to use, whether for street or survey mapping, and it will work with any software compatible with Windows Mobile 5. The latest version of the Mio Map software, version 2 for Pocket PC, will be bundled in with the price. Of course the beauty of this product is its portability, letting you take it on camping trips, use it in the car or just bring it with you when you're walking the streets of a new city and want to make it very clear that you are carrying an expensive device worth stealing. Hopefully your insurance will cover the full $460. Also included is power adapter, car charger, USB sync cable, car mount and carry case. More »

Sanho HyperDrive Mini

From a company called Sanho Electronics (umm hmmm...) comes a product called HyperDrive Mini. Being touted as the world's fastest, smallest and lightest memory card backup device, it's powered by a high capacity li-ion battery and offers up 30GB of space. It accepts eight kinds of memory card formats and, get this, also includes a built-in MP3/WMA player. More »

Samsung XM Satellite/MP3 Player

We've seen Dell's foray into MP3/Satellite radio territory, now Samsung is getting into the groove by announcing its neXus XM Satellite Radio/MP3 Player using XM's Connect & Play technology. Look for a 512MB and a 1GB product—each includes a XM Satellite Radio home docking kit which lets you get XM Satellite Radio in your living room. Like the Dell, content can only be stored on the product when it's connected to a docking station, but that content can be listened to anywhere. I mean, can't we do something about this? What about live, portable satellite radio, goddamnit? How long do we have to wait for that from a portable, combination MP3 player? You people are starting to piss me off. More »

The MiniDisc That Wouldn't Die (Literally)

We try and try to keep ignoring MiniDisc. We really do. But it just keeps coming back to life right when we think it might be dead. This time around it's going to be a bit harder with these JVC XM-C37 players because the battery life is absolutely insane. With a full charge, you'll be able to get 305 hours out of the battery. That's 12.7 days of uninterrupted MiniDisc action. Don't have that much time and still want your tunes? A 20-minute charge nets you 15 hours of battery life. Looks like the only way MiniDisc can compete in an MP3-dominated market is to showcase its absolutely nutty battery life. More »