Since we don't know anything about this keychain-esque DAP, we're left to guess based on the interesting ad, with its repetition of the "circle + square" tag. Is it a lost-in-translation attempt at our "square peg in a round hole" idiom? A nod to the design of the gadget itself, which is, in fact, a circle combined with a square? A hint at the future aesthetic of Cowon's players (which have certainly been more attractive lately; compare the blocky utilitarian square of the D2 with the sleek curves of the S9)?

I personally hope it doubles as a USB drive—I really miss the design of the first iPod Shuffle and the Sansa Express, low-profile DAPs with built-in USB. That was so convenient! But we'll have to wait for a real announcement from Cowon to figure out what's going on here. [DAPReview]

SANYO Xacti E2 Key Features:
— Waterproof: submersible to a depth of five feet for 60 minutes
— Shoots high-quality video (advanced MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 at 640 x 480
pixels)
— Smooth movie recording and playback with 60 fps*5
— Takes 8-megapixel stills (JPEG format)
— Records onto an SD memory card or high-capacity SDHC card (memory
cards sold separately)
— Bright, 2.5-inch LCD color display flips out and rotates for easy
viewing
— 5x optical zoom for great close-ups
— Anti-shake digital image stabilizer*6
— Easy, one-handed operation
— Photo and Video Face Chaser technology uses a proprietary Sanyo
algorithm to compensate for distracting up-and-down or side-to-side
camera movement, keeping your subject steady and easy to follow
— Sequential Shooting allows high-speed continuous shooting at 5 frames
per second (for up to 10 frames) in [2M] mode so you won't miss that
perfect shot. Continuous shooting at 1 frame per second (for up to 10
frames) is available in [8M] mode
— CMOS sensor: an advanced 8.0-megapixel (total) CMOS image sensor
allows the E2 to capture high-resolution, 8-megapixel still images in
addition to recording high-quality digital videos.
— New underwater scene mode available in scene selection menu, making
colors more true and clear
— While recording video, 8-megapixel still images may also be taken
simultaneously
— Easy video sharing: Video recording employs highly efficient MPEG-4
AVC/H.264 compression. This keeps high-quality files small, so you can
upload videos to websites and blogs or share them via podcasts or
online social networks.
— "Quick stand-by" makes it possible to start recording or playback
immediately after the monitor is flipped open
— Bundled with 'Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0' for movie editing and
original DVD authoring
— Dimensions: 2.8 x 4.4 x 1.6 (W x H x D, in inches)
— Weight: 9.1 oz. with battery and SD or SDHC memory card
— Comes in a choice of Brilliant Blue or Pearlescent White

OQO's O2 model, previously released Stateside, is compatible with EV-DO 3G networks. If you are desperate for a speed boost up to 3.6Mbps, why not try hacking your $1,300+ machine? Bear in mind, importing the new e2 will not serve you well, as the HSDPA module is not compatible with US HSDPA bands. So, what did we make of the new(ish) UMPC?

Having had our grubby paws all over the e2, we can say it is as sexy as ever. It has the same solid weighty feel we love, and the screen is 5.6" of utter glory. The 1.6Ghz VIA processor and 1GB RAM seemed to hold up Vista well enough; the automatic network configuration, with Wi-Fi support for 802.11 a/b/g and backward compatibility for GPRS, is a welcomed feature. Bluetooth 2.0 also makes an appearance on the spec sheet, but is all this enough? With a battery life of less than 2.5 hours, a cramped keyboard and a price point above £1099 ($2,240), the viability of such a device is still questionable. Asus Eee, anyone? [Product Page]

That doesn't mean they're wimpy, though. The e2s can still run with the big dogs, packing up to 4GB of RAM, a TV tuner and built-in wireless. If you want something with a little more oomph (meaning something with one of the new Core 2 Duo chips) you're better off waiting for this bad boy. Otherwise, treehuggers can start lining up for the e2s now. Just don't forget your plastic. They range from $1,100 to $1,800. – Louis Ramirez

Product Page

The original ROKR E1 flopped and rumors of Apple's move to make a mobile phone means that manufacturers will probably be kept away from the iTunes license for the time-being. However, if the E2 is a big enough improvement, there may be some hope. No mention of it on the Motorola page, though.

Product Page [Motorola]

Motorola ROKR E2 to Include iTunes After All? [MobileBurn]

Yes, it's hard to believe, but CES has brought out the second incarnation of the Motorola ROKR phone, the ROKR E2. It's based on a Linux OS and of course comes loaded with a MP3 player that's compatible with a bunch of different audio formats. A USB 2.0 connection gives you fast transfer rates and you'll be able to drag-and-drop your music from your PC directly to the phone. Has up to 2GB of optional removable SD mass memory, a built-in FM radio, dedicated music keys on the handset s side and front, as well as play/pause, skip backward/forward, and hold. Oh, and don't forget the "airplane" mode which lets you listen to your tunes while in the air. Other features include a 1.3 megapixel camera for pictures, video capture and playback and SCREEN3 technology for zero-click access to news, sports and entertainment content. The best we can do for availability is sometime in the first half of next year. No price set as of now.