Tech & Gadget Stream

Check it -- HandStands isn't just making kit for items not yet conceived. Oh no, SanDisk's Sansa Fuze is indeed more than a figment of someone's clever imagination. Judging by a product listing at Amazon, this media player is set to ship "within one to three months" and features a 1.9-inch display, FM tuner, built-in microphone for voice recording, a battery good for 24 hours (audio) / 5 hours (video) and a microSD / microSDHC expansion slot for good measure. As of now, we know that the 4GB unit in red, pink or black will sell for $99.99, but there's no word on whether more (or less, for that matter) capacious / colorful models will eventually emerge.

The KEF Instant Theatre, or KIT, systems aim to deliver all the delight of the home cinema experience without the complex cabling or set-up. Using virtual surround sound via NXT, the KIT is reduced in size and complexity without loss of quality. The all-in-one KITs contain two or five loudspeakers, a subwoofer with integrated amplifier and a DVD/CD player with HDMI technology. Available in matt silver of high gloss black finishes, the units are connected with a single cable connection to deliver great surround sound even from just two speakers. There are several KITs, the 120, 140, 160, 510, 520, 530, 540 and 550, and they range in price from £1199.99 to £2499.99 for the KIT550 which boasts four midrange / bass drivers per speaker and KEF bass extension optimising technology. And if those prices haven't made you sweat, then you might want to keep an eye out for the 570w and 580w coming soon, which have wearless rear speakers.

Finally, the iRiver Clix 2 8GB model has arrived in the US, long after other countries have received theirs (especially folks living across the Atlantic). Thankfully, none of the features are gimped, retaining the 2.2" AMOLED display, an integrated FM tuner, a built-in voice recorder, USB 2.0 connectivity, and a rather impressive battery life of 24 hours. The iRiver Clix 2 8GB can be yours today for $239.99. Would you pick this over the new 3G iPod nano?

The NHC Ecolong is a miser when it comes to power consumption - this tiny digital audio player offers an amazing 85 hours of playback time all from a single AAA battery, making it perfect for those who have a long road trip up in their itenary. Other than superior battery life, the Ecolong isn't really special in other aspects, offering MP3 and WMA (non-DRM) support and a measly 1GB of internal memory. I would've been nice to see a memory card slot of some kind included, but that would then be reflected in a price that's higher than the current $52. The NHC Ecolong measures 78mm x 36.6mm x 18.5mm and weighs 36g.

Trekstor's iBeat Blaxx certainly comes with a pretty unique name, and I would say this is a love it-or-hate it affair. This MP3 player comes with all the bells and whistles of an ordinary MP3 player, and it looks pretty cool in its black get up complete with touchpad controls that hark back to the LG Chocolate design. Audio formats supported include MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG, and WMA DRM9, while the SMV format takes over when it comes to video. Measuring a mere 34mm x 81mm x 8mm, the iBeat Blaxx weighs a mere 26 grams. It will come in 2GB and 4GB versions that retail for €119.99 and €149.99 respectively. Would you pick this over the iPod nano?

Philips has made another silent introduction to the GoGear line of flash players. The SA3300 series carries a design very similar to the SA6000 series, but the 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB capacities have been complimented by an additional 8GB version. The QVGA LCD display will expand to 2.4-inches, but the 320 x 240 pixel resolution and 65k colors are retained. MTP has been dropped for the SA3300, and video formats have not been limited to Philip’s proprietary SMV, or exclusively to WMV (DRM). Support for MPEG-4 (SP & ASP codecs) as well as WMV is included, but there is nothing more given to the generic MP3 and WMA audio formats. With some significant adjustments taking place, the mediocre video battery life still remains: 20 hours of audio and 4 hours of video.