Korean electronics brand iRiver has come out with a new touchscreen media player called the Smart HD, which predictably supports high-def video playback. Aside from the ability to handle most common audio and video files, this slim device also comes with support for the Matroska MKV file container, which gives this portable player the power to play digital video files with extras… like compressed movies with subtitles that you may or may not have somehow downloaded for free off the net.
Chinon has just released the AVi, an iPod dock that comes with stereo speakers, a 7-inch LCD screen, and a digital TV and FM Radio tuner. The LCD screen on the front sports a 480 x 234 resolution displays videos and photo slideshows stored on the connected iPod (at least for the models that support the TV out feature), as well as for showing digital TV broadcasts.
Nokia has just announced the 5330 Mobile TV Edition—an update of the previously-released 5330 XpressMusic that adds (obviously) Mobile TV capabilities. It’s still pretty much the same phone plus that had a 2.4-inch QVGA screen, a 3.2MP camera, 3G and GPS connectivity, no Wi-fi, plus the optimizations that let it double as a mobile music player, but adds the DVB-H DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting – Handheld) receiver that allows it to tune in to live TV streams via a 3G connection.
Qualcomm’s FLO TV Personal TV, a portable device that tunes into FLO TV’s mobile broadcast service, is now available. Simply known as the PTV 350, the device comes with a 3.5-inch touchscreen display, an adjustable stand for tabletop viewing, built-in speakers, and a 5-hour listed battery life. A monthly subscription gets you programs from sources such as CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, FOX News Channel, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go and Nickelodeon. The kit is currently selling through Amazon for $250, coming with a free 6-month service.
FLO TV, the Qualcomm subsidiary that offers the FLO TV live mobile TV service, has unveiled the Personal Television, a compact device that’s dedicated to streaming in the company’s live broadcast streams. Featuring a 3.5-inch capacitive touch-screen (for channel-surfing with a finger), the device receives live and time-shifted content over the dedicated multicast network with no buffering, downloading or waiting to view content.
