Archos has just released its latest PMP in Europe and they’ve called it the Archos 2 Vision PMP.

While its diminutive size, slick looks and features may appeal to many, the battery life may not be as welcome – 10 hours audio and 4 hours video.

Other than that the interface looks simple enough to use and will be a decent competitor in the PMP market.

Some Features on the Archos 2 Vision PMP:

• Screen size 2-inches
• 220 x 176 resolution display
• Tactile slider for menu navigation and volume control
• Credit card size
• FM Tuner and recorder
• Micro SD memory card slot
• Internal memory
• Support for MP3  / WMA audio and AVI video
• Battery life Audio : 10 hours, Video : 4 hours

Currently available only in Europe. Rest of the world to follow soon.

Via Engadget

The Belkin RockStar allows a person to share their music with multiple people.

Features of the Belkin Rockstar:

• Five jacks for attaching headphones or iPod devices
• One hard-wired connection for your MP3 player
• Mixing and fade-ins controlled by each MP3 player
• Also works with all MP3 and portable DVD players
• Check out Belkin’s other iPod and iPhone Accessories!
• http://www.belkin.com/au/ipod

This Japanese bloke used it to create his own techno-orchestra!

Belkin RockStar Order Page

These days, watches have become some sort of luxury instead of the necessity they used to be, seeing as gadgets such as mobile phones already have clocks on them. So, I’ve seen numerous reinventions of the wristwatch lately, one of which is its conversion into an MP3 player.

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Cupertino, get ready because this purported mock-up of Sony’s first touch screen Walkman player is sure to make waves – if the news is real, that is. SonyInsider is reporting that reliable sources confirm the existence of a Sony Walkman with a touch screen panel and its subsequent debut in CES 2009.
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The minuscule Sansa Clip have always had a storage capacity limited to only 4GB, but now the small digital audio player comes loaded with 8GB of memory. That kind of storage could store around 4,000 tracks, with the device’s battery able to last 15 hours of straight playtime.

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Last September, SanDisk unveiled its slotMusic microSD cards to the public—these are 1GB microSD cards that come preloaded with DRM-free music. A follow-up to the cards themselves is the SanDisk Sansa slotMusic Player.

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Looks like a team in Europe is to release a study that finds regular high-volume MP3 listening could lead to permanent hearing-loss. This is quite significant as there are approximately 10 million or so MP3 users in Europe alone.

The report said that those who listened for only five hours a week at high-volume settings exposed themselves to more noise than permitted in the noisiest factory or workplace. Maximum volume on some devices can generate as much noise as an airplane taking off nearby.

With the prolific use of iPods/ MP3 players it was only a matter of time until a report like this formalised what we already knew but ignored. Let’s face it – many of us from the “walkman” days will be able to recall stern warnings from our parents as we pumped up the bass, grooving along the streets with our rolled-up jeans, mullet haircuts and flourescent singlets.

The solution is simple: turn it down!

Via IHT & Cnet.com.au

Microsoft Zune

For those of who aren’t on iPods and would rather not get anything made by “that fruit company,” here’s an option: Microsoft has officially announced the 120GB Zune. The improved storage capacity’s just one of Microsoft’s new offerings.

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Announced last July, the Sony NWZ-B130F Walkman player will be sold in Australia and around Asia-Pacific starting this August 2008. The simple, no-frill MP3 player is available in 1GB to 2GB capacities.

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I’m not sure which this system resembles more: an alien or Darth Vader’s helmet. Still, even if it’s like something that just popped out of a sci-fi flick, the JBL Creature II Speakers promise a plug-and-play system for both the Mac and the PC, as well as for portable media players, MP3 players, mobile phones, and the like.

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