SAN FRANCISCO –

Back in 2004, when I got my first MP3 player, I never cared that it lacked a camera, Web browser and crystal-clear video playback — features that are now common on digital media devices.

Apple’s latest iPod Nano and Microsoft’s freshest Zune, both released within the past week, offer these kinds of perks and plenty more. Neither is right for everyone, but both serve as a reminder of how far digital media players have come in just a few years.

Apple has sold more than 100 million iPod Nanos since launching the first one in 2005, and the latest version should cement its title as king of the prom.

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There’s a new Android device on the market. On Tuesday, the French company ARCHOS announced the ARCHOS 5 Internet Tablet, based on Google’s open-source Android mobile operating system.

The ARCHOS 5 features 720p high-definition viewing, TV recording, and built-in GPS with 3-D navigation in addition to Net browsing. It has a five-inch 800×480 touchscreen, and the company emphasized that it has a full-fledged browser and integrated applications. Connectivity is Wi-Fi, or 3.5G from a mobile phone connected through Bluetooth.

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BEIJING (AFP) –

Chinese high-tech giant Lenovo on Wednesday unveiled the OPhone in partnership with China Mobile, which they hope will rival Apple’s widely popular iPhone.

“We hope OPhone will take at least 50 percent of China’s smartphone market in three to five years,” Huang Xiaoqing, president of China Mobile’s Institute of Research, said at a ceremony.

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Pity that busy monster, gamers-unkind…to Nintendo’s extraordinarily successful pint-sized hexahedral Gamecube-with-motion-control. Who knew the Wii would become the sales darling of the current generation? The Nintendo ditto-heads, sure, but they thought the Virtual Boy would usher in head-mounted gaming long before the Wachowskis were jamming knitting needles upside the backs of pasty-faced heads.

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Microsoft will take another swipe at the iPod on Wednesday when it launches the latest version of the Zune media player.

After three years and untold millions spent on the line, Microsoft’s hopes of cutting into iPod’s big lead are now on the Zune HD, with its 3.3-inch multitouch screen, streaming-music feature, and the ability to playback video, with the help of an HDTV, in 720p. A 16GB Zune HD is available at retailers for $219.99 and a 32GB will cost $289.99.

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Now that’s impressive, you don’t see an aircraft lifting anything this big every day. Unless you are in the U.S Marine Corps Combat Logistics Battalion 46. The MV-22 Osprey aircraft can switch from being an airplane to a helicopter mode on the fly which is good for picking up artillery pieces. Continue reading…

Mini laptops are popular. Dell’s entry to the mini laptop market performs not disappoint. The Inspiron Mini 9 is small, compressed and indeterminate at merely 2.28 lbs. The Inspiron is out there in two Operating Systems: Ubuntu Linux 8.04.1 or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.

The Inspiron Mini 9 is powered by Intel’s Atom Process N270 (1.6GHz 533Mhz FSB 512K cache). The LCD panel is a glossy 8.9 inch LED score in a resolution of 1024×600. Memory comes in either 512MB or 1GB. The hard push is firm state, allow me to translate it’s quiet and in with out a doubt no moving parts. Hard press sizes begins at 4GB, 8GB or 16GB. Continue reading…

A new Xbox 540 will be released in autumn next year, 2009, at least that’s what everyone is saying. Rumors have it that the new Xbox model will be a slimmer version of the current 360 and will be quicker and quieter, similar to the PS2 slim systems. From Taiwan, the system will get the Valhalla chip, it’ll will be combining the processor with graphics which can enable the system to be slimmer. Continue reading…

Its not all about thin HDTV anymore, check out Sanus’ new Ultra Slim TV mount from the VisionMount series.  Hanging less than an inch from the wall, you won’t even think its a mount but part of the TV itself.

Sanus will be releasing these in two models, the ML11-B1 for 26 to 46 inches, 110 pounds and the L11-B1 for 37 to 65 inches, 165 pounds.

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The new Nike + Sportband, yeah that’s what they call it, is Nike’s armband that will give you real-time performance feedback on distance, pace, time and calories burned.

It’ll come with an upgraded screen with better water resistance so no more excuses for running in the rain…

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