The Haier HLT71 7-Inch LCD TV is currently the bestselling TV on Amazon.
(Credit: Haier)As most people are by now aware, on June 12, full-power broadcast TV stations in the U.S. will stop broadcasting their analog TV signals and will only broadcast TV signals digitally. Obviously, that impacts people who have older TVs and still use antennas to get a TV signal at home. But what's not talked about as much is the thousands of portable TVs that will stop receiving signals once analog signal disappears for good. For those who rely on such sets to tune into sporting events, such as the NBA Finals, the analog switch-off requires immediate action.
It's no wonder, then, that the top two bestselling TVs on Amazon are portable TVs with digital tuners. The Haier HLT71 7-Inch Portable LCD TV sells for $105.99, while the Axion AXN-8701 7-Inch Widescreen Portable Handheld TV is $119.99. Coby's 8-inch TF-TV891 Widescreen LCD TV isn't as popular, partially because of its higher $159.98 price tag, but it still sits in the top 15.
So far we really haven't seen any digital portable TVs from tier-one manufacturers, which explains why all the top-selling portable TVs are from budget brands. We're still waiting for Sony's waterproof Bravia XDV-W600 to show up. (The 4-incher turned up in blogs late last year, but hasn't been heard from since.)
Anybody looking for a new portable TV? (Let's hope that all the old ones don't end up in landfills.) As always, feel free to comment.
The waterproof Sony XDV-W600 may be the future of portable TVs--but we're still waiting for it.
(Credit: Sony)On Sale Now: $79.99 - $129.99
View the latest prices for Axion AXN-8701
On Sale Now: $84.99 - $134.60
View the latest prices for Haier HLT71
(Credit:
Coby Electronics)
If all personal media players are dominated by the largest touch screen they can handle--a la the iPhone and Touch--how much room is left for designs that distinguish them from the rest of the pack? Take the latest to join the fray, for example: Coby's MP-835.
As Chip Chick notes, it seemed like an obvious Touch competitor, while fellow Craver Donald Bell thought it looked a lot like the Samsung YP-P2. It's certainly clean enough, but the specs aren't anything to crow about--a 3-inch touch LCD, 2GB or 4GB internal storage, and the usual audio and video support.
As far as the design goes, it's hard to blame Coby for not standing apart. The way things are going, media players may all end up looking like the back of a point-and-shoot camera. Which, in turn, may become a standard part of the phone anyway. And that brings us full circle, back to the iPhone. Think of it as a gadget version of an Escher illustration.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
Today we have some pictures of a bad, bad MP3 player. So bad our editors gave it a 2.3 rating. Poor thing. It looks so sleek and spacey. We also have pics of a gigantic wide-screen PVP with built-in DVR capabilities, as well as a slide show of a good entry-level car stereo. And we have two slide shows on the Canon PowerShot S5 IS. One shows its features and design, and the other presents some image samples. Check them all out below.
It is a rare day indeed that we come across a piece of technology that so utterly fails at its intended purpose, but American electronics manufacturer Coby has managed to produce just such a device. Check out the slide show of the Coby MP-C7082.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
Photos: Blue Raven MediaMate 7000
The Blue Raven MediaMate 7000 is a monster portable video player with a 7-inch screen, built-in video recording, and TV output. The screen is huge.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
The Sony MEX-BT2500 is a value-for-the-money car stereo with decent audio features and sound quality, Bluetooth calling, and audio-streaming capabilities. If you can live with the muddy call quality that the system's built-in microphone delivers, then the stylish and intuitive MEX-BT2500 is a good entry-level option. See some pictures of the Sony MEX-BT2500.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
Photos: Canon PowerShot S5 IS We've got an evaluation of the design and features of the Canon PowerShot S5 IS. One feature is despite its 12x zoom lens, the S5 IS remains fairly compact when it's completely extended. Check out the Canon PowerShot S5 IS image samples too.
Coby's 20GB MP-C951 MP3/video player
If you buy one of Coby's new MP3 video players when they become available this spring, you'll also get a coupon good for 50 songs from eMusic.
The flagships of Coby's new models are the 20GB MP-C951 ($249) and the 30GB MP-C961 ($279 to $289), both stylish players with red-backlit, touch-sensitive buttons arrayed on a handsome black plastic case below a bright, 2-inch LCD. Both units can handle a variety of A/V formats--MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, and Xvid--and include an FM radio with recording capabilities and a voice recorder.
Also eligible for an eMusic coupon are the smaller (1.66-inch LCD) but similarly styled and featured MP-7055 (512MB, $69.95), the -7085 (1GB, $79.95), and the -7095 (2GB, $89.95) flash players, as well as the white mini MP-C7052 (512MB, $59.95), the -7082 (1GB, $69.95), and the -7092 (2GB, $79.95), which sport a 1.8-inch LCD and the same set of features and format support.
All of these players come with an installation CD, stereo earbuds, and a USB 2.0 cable, and all are compatible with Windows and Mac OS X.
On Sale Now: $135.77
View the latest prices for Coby MP-C951 (20GB)
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