player

Our overprotective parental genes have led us to express concerns about underwater electronics on more than a few occasions. It's that old radio-bathtub-electrocution warning from our childhood, not unlike the standard you'll-put-your-eye-out routine.

So even though it may not be scientifically necessary, we approve of the sealed-case design of this waterproof MP3 player from Japan's Sunconnection. The airtight casing has even skipped the usual display (gasp), though it seems to have most of the standard specs, Fareastgizmos says. And even if it does end up failing, you'll only be out $25--just hope that it doesn't … Read more

There's really not much reason to get a MobiBLU "Cubisto" unless you just want to carry around an oddly shaped music player as a conversation starter. But hey, that could describe a good number of gadgets we write about anyway.

Dapreview says the Cubisto is basically a stripped-down MP3 player with average storage and features, for $90. But we like the cut of its jib anyway, because it at least tries to be different without going over the top. We're also strangely fond of its name, which sounds like a cross between a magician and a … Read more

Just spotted on Buy.com: a 4GB Creative Zen V for $116--and with free shipping. Sure, it's after a rebate (doesn't say whether it's instant or mail in...I'd guess the latter), but still: a 4GB flash MP3 player for under $120 is quite a deal in my book.

Until the world switches entirely to video downloads, it looks as if portable DVD players will be around for awhile. But most of them are still fairly bulky animals with outdated designs.

Hammacher Schlemmer, however, claims to have "the most portable handheld DVD player," with 4.5-inch screen that pretty much takes up most of the surface area on one side. It still manages to cram in an MP3 player and a 2.5-hour battery, as well as some external kid-proof features (as if such a thing exists).

The diameter of the $130 1.25-pound player, which is … Read more

It's been noted repeatedly how difficult it is to tell what a lot of new gadgets do, based on appearance alone. But looking at various items that are coming to market these days, we have to wonder if some companies intentionally want to design products to look like something they're not. Check out the photos with this item to see what we're talking about.

This media player from Japan's Sunconnection at first looked just like a camera to us, at least on one side. But when turned around, as Akihabara News notes, the passionately named "… Read more

So much of the electronics industry is defined by opposite extremes--the smallest of the small and the biggest of the big. Nowhere is that more evident than in TVs. On one hand, we lust after displays the size of a billboard; on the other, we covet things like this combo LCD TV and DVD player with a 7-inch screen.

There are other TVs and DVD players in this size and smaller, of course, but Hannspree has combined the two into one product that weighs less than 2 pounds. And unlike portable products made primarily for the car, as Popgadget points … Read more

In these inflationary times, it's hard to argue against a media player that costs about $50. That's cheap even by Chinese standards.

So even if Yoto's "V200" isn't of premium quality, the price makes up for a lot. The player isn't completely stripped-down either: As Electronista says, "The V200 is capable of playing DivX and H.264 content at a full 30 frames per second and will also read eBooks as well as JPEG photos."

It actually looks pretty good too, with a slim design that maximizes space for a 2.… Read more

We've been accused of having a gold fetish, something that we resoundingly deny. It's mere coincidence that we've recently had occasion to mention gold phones, cameras, watches, printers, USB keys and, most recently, styluses (styli?).

Crave covers items made with all minerals, precious or otherwise. So it's simply out of obligation that we must now write about Samsung's special auction to mark the millionth sale of its "Z5" MP3 player. Up for sale: 10 of the players with 18k gold casings, each with a signature of designer Paul Mercer (of iPod fame) etched … Read more

Looking for a new music player but tired of the same old same old? This one definitely doesn't look like your standard fare.

Soundwave has come up with an MP3 ball less than 2 inches in diameter, complete with a tiny display and 1GB memory (in pink, of course) for about $77. And if it doesn't work as billed, you can always hang it on the Chrismas tree next to your eyeball-shape Webcam.