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Raising the bar in Portable Multimedia Players (PMP)


Raising the bar in Portable Multimedia Players (PMP)

Postby andie » Jan 5, 2005 @ 5:22pm

Jan 05, 2005 11:05

PQI Corporation's New mPack Tops Portable Multimedia Player Field With More Formats, Higher Resolution, Live TV Recording; 2005 CES Innovations Honoree Perfect for Home, Road Use

LAS VEGAS --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 5, 2005 Movie/TV/Audio/Photo Player and Recorder Includes Live FM Reception, 5.1 Surround Sound, Address Book and More PQI Corporation, a leading manufacturer of digital media solutions, today announced from the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas that it is raising the bar in the Portable Multimedia Player (PMP) category with the release of its new mPack(TM) P800, the world's most advanced portable entertainment center. Featuring a 40GB hard drive able to store up to 160 hours of video or 10,000 MP3 songs -- with an even larger 80GB hard drive available -- along with live FM stereo reception, a Personal Information Manager (PIM) and more, mPack P800 is the ideal media companion for today's media lover or business professional on the go.

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PQI's mPack P800, a 2005 CES Innovations Award honoree, breaks new ground as the first PMP to support the Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format (SPDIF). When linked to a DTS (Digital Theater System) receiver via optical Toslink port, mPack P800 is untouchable, providing impeccable 5.1 surround sound. mPack P800 also supports a broader and more inclusive variety of media formats than any other device of its kind, including:

-- Video -- MPEG 1, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, XviD, ASF, MOD (decoding); MPEG 1 (encoding), with MPEG 4 and WMV 9 encoding soon available via free firmware upgrade;

-- Audio -- MP3 CBR/VBR, WMA, AC3, AAC, WAV, OGG (decoding); WAV, MP3 (encoding);

-- Image -- JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG, Raw Image.

Thanks to mPack P800's unique TV/DVD recording capability, entertainment lovers can record their favorite DVDs, home videos, and TV programs or sporting events direct from their TV for later playback -- whenever and wherever they want -- on the unit's 3.5-inch, 320 x 240 full-color TFT LCD screen. Live FM radio listening and recording capability is also supported.

As a storage/playback platform, mPack P800 enables users to play entertainment from its hard disk drive over a home TV or home theater system; audio/video is rendered in DVD quality. Its USB 2.0 transfer capability not only allows quick downloads of video and audio, but also enables text documents and other files to be easily stored and carried.

"PQI's mPack entertainment centers are much more than PMPs. In fact, they take the notion of compact multimedia entertainment to a whole new level of convenience and portability," said Nick Adams, U.S. Retail Sales Manager for PQI Corporation. "Imagine sitting on a couch, in a car, on board an airplane...mPack P800 will keep you entertained throughout your journey with movies, recorded TV programs, MPEG clips, pictures, MP3 audio, radio and more. mPack P800's 40GB hard drive stores enough digital entertainment for a whole month of viewing and listening pleasure."

Movies, Music, Photos

PQI's mPack P800 is able to play video files recorded in resolutions up to 760 x 576 (30 fps) -- the highest among all leading PMPs. The unit's LCD screen provides exceptional, full-color rendition of any kind of visual entertainment, while users can actually exceed DVD resolution when viewing files over TVs or video monitors.

Music lovers can load hours of their favorite songs into the mPack P800. In addition to MP3 and the many other formats supported, mPack P800 displays available album art on its screen; a built-in EQ enables the user to adjust the sound for normal, jazz, pop, rock, or classic, in 3D or DTS. The onboard FM tuner makes listening to, and recording, favorite live FM programs easy.

mPack P800 also functions as a walking photo gallery. The unit's type II CompactFlash slot lets users mount their memory card directly into the mPack in order to save and view pictures without connecting to a PC. Memory Stick, Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard and SmartMedia cards are supported through an optional 4-in-1 adapter.

Convenience Features

mPack P800 includes two different remote controls -- an in-line wired remote for close-up control, and a wireless infrared remote control for use across the room such as when connected to a home system. The remotes also allow quick navigation of music files, video, and pictures, making it fun and convenient to experience all forms of stored entertainment.

Businesspeople, travelers and students will enjoy the PIM functions of the mPack P800 including a calendar, address book, and clock. The internal microphone allows instant, on-the-fly recording of lectures, business meetings, or verbal notes. mPack P800 even includes a number of entertaining games to make sure users are never bored.

Other advanced usability features include a full complement of operational software including full-function audio/visual file browser, a download manager, address book manager, media library, and smart firmware update utility.

Pricing and Availability

PQI's mPack P800, powered by two permanently-installed 2200 mA rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries, comes with 70mW ear bud earphones; AC adaptor with cable; USB 2.0, SPDIF, and A/V cables; infrared and in-line remote controls; daytime carrying bag; and larger travel bag with room for all accessories.

mPack P800 is priced at $599.00 USD (MSRP) for the 40GB unit and $689.00 for the 80GB version. More models in the mPack entertainment center line are planned for debut through 2005.

mPack P800 is now available for purchase from PQI and its distributors, and is on display January 6-9, 2005 at 2005 International CES via PQI Corporation's exhibit, Booth 35809 in South Hall 4 (Upper Level) of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

For more information about mPack P800, visit http://www.pqimemory.com or http://www.mpack.com.tw.

About PQI Corporation:

Founded in 1998, PQI designs, manufactures, and markets computer memory modules, flash memory storage devices and peripherals. Addressing the need for reliable and versatile storage with much faster access times and lower power consumption than conventional drives, PQI products are recognized as category leaders. Two of the company's patented products -- Intelligent Stick(TM), the pioneer of small USB flash drives, and DiskOnModule(TM), a cost-effective and secure storage solution for the embedded system market -- have helped to reshape the memory storage industry. Located in the heart of the Silicon Valley, PQI Corporation is a subsidiary of Power Quotient International Co., LTD., a world leader in memory products. Visit PQI Corporation at http://www.pqimemory.com and PQI Taiwan at http://www.pqi.com.tw.
Andie Clarke
Senior Technical Recruiter
PM Contributing Editor At Large
andrea@planetschnoogie.com

http://planetschnoogie.com
andie
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Joined: Jan 7, 2004 @ 3:58am
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