Zen Plus?

I had just about decided that the second generation iPod Nano was the MP3 Player to top my Wish List, when I came across the Creative Zen V Plus. This tiny player is not much larger than a container of tic tac mints (see the first picture on page 3 of this excellent review on epiZENter.com or
alternate picture here)



It is shorter than the iPod Nano by almost an inch, but slightly wider and more than double the thickness. Like the Sandisk Sansa e200 series, the player features an FM tuner and video playback. The player has an excellent user-interface, which is licensed to Apple for their iPods. It is also loaded with useful features like creating multiple playlists on the player, renaming and deleting them. Files can also be deleted on board the player. Creative players are well known for superb sound quality.

There is also a plain Creative Zen V (no Plus) version, which doesn't have an FM tuner or video playback. This costs about $20 to $25 less than the Plus version. At present the Plus comes in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB versions, but an 8GB has been rumored and reported (on mp3newswire) and is even mentioned on the Creative Asian website, but is yet to be seen in the USA.

The Zen V Plus would really be a contender if it had a 8GB version available in the US, as the 4GB is around $180, some $20 cheaper than the 4GB Nano, so an 8GB version would be cheaper and more worthwhile.

Too soon for the Zune

In one of two major product releases due this week, the Microsoft Zune Media Player (or MP3 player) is scheduled to be released tomorrow. (The other is the Sony PlayStation 3, scheduled for release on Friday November 17).

By "Too soon", I don't mean that the player will not be ready. Instead, I would want to remind all those caught up in the hype that this is version 1.0 of a Microsoft product. Not only is this a hardware product running an OS, but a whole ecosystem to support that product. Just to make matters a bit more interesting, the Zune is not backward-compatible with PlaysForSure - Microsoft's own DRM (see Wikipedia Digital Rights Management). This means that subscription tracks purchased from stores such as Napster or Urge will not work on the Zune. The Zune is also a bit large, at 4.4 by 2.4 by 0.6 inches and weighing in at 5.6 oz. Okay, that is about the same size as the Creative Zen Vision:M, but the ZVM came out in December of last year.

Personally I wouldn't touch the Zune for at least a year or more. Still, it will be interesting to see how this version 1.0 product fares against the 5th generation (or 5.5) Apple iPod.

A Nano bit

My research turned to the iPod Nano. Interestingly enough, this is no longer the smallest MP3 Player out there, although it may be the thinnest. Ever since it first came out I wanted a Nano, but the first generation was just too expensive. At $199 for a 2GB Nano and $249 for a 4GB it was just too much. You could get a non-Apple 6-10GB hard drive player in the same price range. There was also the widely reported problem with the Nano scratching easily.

The 2nd Generation Nano spectrum

The second generation Nano fixed that by being coated in Anodized aluminum, like the iPod Mini was. The prices are a bit more competitive - especially since there are now a number of different Flash-memory based players on the market. Starting at $149 for the 2GB Nano (available in gray only), $199 for a 4GB Nano (available in multiple colors, excluding black), and the 8GB Nano for $199. The 8GB only comes in black or red (the latter color is only available online).



Like other iPods the Nano doesn't have a FM Radio built-in, but unlike most other flash-memory based players it cannot play videos. Even lacking these features it is one of the most popular MP3 Players.

It definitely rates high on my wish list. I just can't decide whether it is worth shelling out an extra $50 for a black 8GB Nano instead of going with the $199 silver 4GB Nano.

Research - Sansa e200 series

Okay, so I researched the second possibility on my wish list, the iPod Mini replacement. Because I mainly use the Mini to listen to podcasts and music in my car, it had to be small enough to easily fit into a cup holder. Also, it had to be light, since I don't leave it in the car, to keep down the weight of my work bag.

Flash-based MP3 Players seemed to be what I wanted (Flash memory being more resistant to bumps than hard drives).
The first MP3 Player I looked at was the SanDisk Sansa e200 series.


The SanDisk Sansa e200 series has a lot going for it:

Available in four storage capacities, 2GB (Model Number e250), 4GB (e260), 6GB (e270), and 8GB version (e280). SanDisk had an 8GB Flash-based player out months ahead of Apple. Until September this year, the 8GB version was known as the highest-capacity flash-based player in the world. It also cost the same as the 4GB iPod Nano.

The e200 series was initially my first choice, being packed with features, the most important being a user-replaceable battery. There is a major downside to iPods and many other MP3 Players - the battery only has a limited life (100 full charges or so). When the battery finally dies, unless it is a user-replaceable battery (and they are few and far between - the manufacturers would obviously rather have you buy a new MP3 Player). Anyway, Apple apparently does have a plan where you send in your dead iPod with about $70 and they send you another one, usually a refurbished one.
With the SanDisk Sansa e200 series a replacement battery costs about $20, and all you do is remove 4 screws to replace the battery.
The Sansa e200 series also has an FM Tuner, can play videos (on a 1.8 in screen), and has MicroSD expansion slot. Music can either synchronized to the player using Windows Media Player (a requirement for subscription music), or copied via drag and drop. You can also run myPodder software from PodcastReady.com directly from the player to manage podcasts. This feature really excited me. That was, until I found out that if you lose your place in a 30 minute podcast it is difficult to Fast Forward and find your place again - the Sansa just doesn't offer the fine control with Fast Forwarding and Rewinding that other players do. That was the deal-breaker for the otherwise promising Sandisk Sansa e200 series for me.

You can get a 6GB Sandisk Sansa e270 for slightly less than a 4GB iPod Nano, but no amount of useful features and even a highly competitive price matters if the MP3 Player doesn't do what you want it to.

Touchscreen iPod?

According to TrustedReviews the "Touchscreen iPod Comes This December". That would make the Microsoft Zune look a so last year.

Cellphone Research Stopped!

Actually it is only temporarily suspended. My (early) research for a new cellphone has temporarily halted. The reason: I'm drawing up a Christmas "Wish List". Cellphone research can resume after New Year.

My wish list so far is:

Nintendo DS Lite game console.
But it has two counts against it - the majority of games are mainly aimed at children, and I already have a Sony PSP. If I want a more portable gaming device than the PSP I always have the Tungsten T3, which has a number of games on, as well as the Tapwave Zodiac, which I often take with on shorter trips.
OR
A replacement for my iPod Mini - its battery life is getting worse - either the iPod Nano or Sandisk Sansa or another, maybe Creative Zen V Plus.
OR
"Media Carousel" from CyberGuys.com - black one which takes 150 CD/DVDs for $132 - but maybe rather large (dimensions-wise)
OR
Microsoft Flight Simulator for PC with airplane controls (or similar for Sony Playstation 2) or Nascar PC game with Driving controls
OR
iGo charging kit - consisting of iGo juice 70 ($129.99 - power from wall/auto/airplane) or iGo wall85 ($79.99 - power from wall only), iGo dualpower (free with iGo juice 70 or iGo wall85) - allows charging of notebook and another gadget simultaneously, also need iGo power splitter ($14.99). Also iGo powerXtender($24.99) - power from 4 AA batteries.
iGo power tips for devices cost $9.99 each - Need 5 Tips =$50
Cost = iGo wall85 ($79.99) + iGo power splitter ($14.99) + iGo powerXtender($24.99) + iGo power tips ($50) = $169.99 (plus tax). This would be useful, but it is not really appealing as a Christmas present (too practical)
OR
Nintendo Wii (or maybe not..)

Of course, I can only choose ONE item from the list above...

Outfoxed

Firefox 2.0 has been out for a while now, but I've held off on trying it, being quite happy with version 1.5.

Then last night I setup Firefox 1.5 with all the addons I use and did an upgrade to version 2.0 on a test machine. The one addon which wasn't compatible was Tab Mix Plus - which is probably the Firefox addon I use the most. I can get some of its functionality with the Tabbrowser Preferences addon, but it messes up the automatic loading of URLs selected from the address bar's history list. I looked around and found New Tab Button, which simply "adds a new tab button to the tab bar".

I'll have to keep on looking for the other functionality I miss from Tab Mix Plus.

Too much technology

No, I'm not referring to this blog, but just how overwhelming technology can be sometimes. On the flight out during my short vacation, a fellow passenger was trying to turn off the radio of her Treo 650. I could hear it shut down and restart again. Eventually I was asked to help. It took a bit of fiddling, and eventually I got the wireless to turn off somehow. The owner of the Treo said she had the cellphone for over a year, and still did not know how to turn off the wireless. So much for ease of use.

Seeing RED

Well, for a good cause...



(RED) is not just about the new Red iPod Nano, but also several other red products, including a red RAZR. A portion of the purchase price of these red gadgets goes to "the Global Fund, to help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa."

More Apple iPhone Evidence?

An Exclusive story from AppleInsider : Apple seeks rights to iPhone trademark.

Evidence, or just another rumor?

Cell Swap

That's cellphone swap.
Several months ago, when I was looking for a cellphone the final choices were the Motorola V325 and the Motorola RAZR V3c. I was seduced by the cool factor and good reviews of RAZR.

Now I've swapped the RAZR for a V325, a phone with fewer features, but with which I'm much happier.... (and now I can read the display in sunlight!)

Google to Buy YouTube?

According to MyWay News and the blog TechCrunch Google is said to be in talks to Buy YouTube.

GoogleTube!

Misquoted

Firstly, and apology to The General for misquoting him in yesterday's post - I guess I may have more than paraphrased what he said. Anyway, it was noted that a number of my alternative cellphone choices were with T-Mobile.

I'm quite tempted to return to the flexibility of GSM again, although Verizon's CDMA has clearer reception (imho). For definitions and explanations of CDMA and GSM see "FDMA, TDMA, CDMA & GSM - What is the future?" or (even better) "Mobile Phone Terms Explained".

The Motorola Q is one of the few Verizon phones that really interests me, especially since Verizon apparently released it without crippling the Bluetooth.

Some alternatives

The General asked me today when I was going to get over my griping about the Motorola RAZR. Anyway, my reply was that I'd stop griping about the piece of crap RAZR when I finally replaced it.

On a positive note, the cellphones I've been looking at as a replacement are:

T-Mobile SDA (aka HTC Tornado)
The built-in Wi-Fi in this phone intrigues me

T-Mobile MDA - but I'm not sure about another fully-fledged smartphone.

Samsung SGH-D807
A slider for a change...

And, a phone from Verizon Wireless - the Motorola Q - but I really need to do some more research on this one.

Maybe a good idea

I came across the following site while going through one of my fairly frequent periods of dislike (to put it mildly) for the Motorola RAZR V3c. Even on a cloudy day I was unable to read the screen outside.
Why bother getting VZ Navigator if you cannot see the maps on the freaking stupid cellphone screen! Looking for a cheap way to replace the V3c, I found this site: "Cheap No Contract". Basically they sell used cellphones at fairly decent prices. This is ideal for people who have either lost their cellphones or had them stolen, and are still under a contract.

This is a good idea if the used phones are in good condition.

Verizon RAZR bug

The Motorola RAZR V3c from Verizon has a security bug.

There is a way to bypass the automatic lock option which asks for a password when the phone is powered up. Normally, after powering up the cellphone, it asks for a password if you have set the "Automatic Lock" option on. However if you turn on the cell and immediately close it for a few minutes (I haven't timed how long) it appears to bypass the security lock and doesn't ask for a password. A weird side-effect of this is that the phone seems to work as normal except you cannot receive calls - they go straight to voicemail. You can make calls though.

I've only tested this with version .3 of Verizon's firmware, and don't know if it affects the original Motorola firmware.

Cellphone Vending Machine

According to an AP article on MyWay News, Motorola is planning to Sell Cell Phones via Vending Machine. The Instantmoto machine is on a pilot program in Chicago. (If the vending machine was female it could be "She sells cellphones by the sea shore...")

I wonder if the machines accept Credit Cards?

Audio and Video Podcats?

Actually, that should be podcasts.

I've only recently got into podcasts, first just audio podcasts on my iPod Mini, then video podcasts. For the uninitiated, podcasts are basically like recorded radio shows. The ones I've heard so far are either like music radio without advertisements or news type discussions on particular subjects. See the Wikipedia article about Podcasting here.

My two favorite audio podcasts at the moment are both CNET podcasts, "MP3 Insider" - about MP3 Players and related topics, and "Buzz Out Loud" - about new technology - mainly Consumer Electronics. Both are done by two or three professional journalists, and are quite entertaining. Obviously they cover subjects I'm very interested in, so if you want to try podcasts, choose one covering topics you find interesting. Of course Apple iTunes makes subscribing to the podcasts very easy, but there is other free software out there like Juice (previously known as iPodder) which does the same thing. It is also possible to use iTunes podcasts with non-iPod MP3 Players, since audio podcasts seem to be mainly in MP3 format.

Video Podcasts are a bit more tricky. Since I don't have an iPod video, I need to use other software to subscribe to and convert the video Podcasts. The Sony Media Manager software (not free) works for audio Podcasts for the Sony PSP, but I'm not sure about video Podcasts. The Creative Zen Vision:M comes with "Zencast Manager", which handles subscribing and converting audio and video pod Podcasts. Not all of the video podcasts need conversion. My favorite is the short and wacky video blog "RocketBoom".

Borland's answer to Microsoft's Express

Okay, for the uninitiated, first some clarification (those who understood the blog title can skip to the next paragraph). Firstly, Microsoft's Express refers to the set of free development products Microsoft has released called Visual Studio Express - which includes Visual Basic Express - and SQL Server 2005 Express. These free products are stripped-down entry level versions of their Visual Studio (.Net) 2005 Windows and Web Development suites, as well as a stripped down version of Microsoft's SQL Server 2005 database. Borland, previously known as Inprise before changing its name back to Borland, makes world-class development tools, very popular in Europe. Delphi is a Development tool which was first released after Visual Basic, but was always ahead with innovative features which appeared in later Visual Basic versions.

Borland has announced the availability of the "Turbo Explorer" family of products (see this review in PC Magazine), which includes Turbo Delphi, Turbo C++ and Turbo C# among others. According to Borland's press release, the "Turbo Explorer editions, available as a free download, are fixed, all-in-one solutions that let programmers learn and develop in a single language and platform environment.". The development tools are available here. I can't wait to start "playing" with Delphi Turbo, it will be interesting to compare it to Visual Basic Express.

Borland first released a free version of Delphi, called "Delphi 6 Personal Edition", way back in 2001, and also released an open source version of their Interbase database server.

Battery Malfunction

After all the news about the exploding notebook batteries, I remembered that I had a similar experience with a Dell. It was a Dell Axim Pocket PC, and the battery was not from Sony. I had bought an extended battery for my Dell Axim from a highly rated seller on eBay. When I tried to put the fully charged battery into the Pocket PC it ignited. Fortunately the handheld wasn't damaged. After sending the photos below to the seller I got a full refund (for the battery):

First Picture

Second Picture