That’s down in no small part to the JetEffect 3.0 and BBE+ processing, tuned by Cowon’s own CEO Namkyu Park, aka “Golden Ears”. There’s also an integrated speaker, accelerometer, FM radio (with recording functionality) and a microSD card slot, along with a T-DMB tuner.

Pricing at Advanced MP3 Players is 8GB for £219, 16GB for £239 or 32GB for £279; US shoppers can pick up the 32GB version through Amazon for $369.99. More details on specs here.

The D3 has a big 3.7-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 800 x 480. The device has integrated WiFi so the user can surf the web. The screen supports 16 million colors and the payer has HDMI output. Other features of the player include Bluetooth, a T-DMB tuner, FM tuner and recorder, and a micro SD card slot.

The player has an integrated speaker and touch feedback. It uses the NTFS file system as well. The headphone port lets you listen privately and the Gsensor changes the screen to match how the user holds the device. Onboard storage is 32GB and the device will ship February 15 for £279.00.

Via Android Community

In fact, there’s a lot of tech you’d usually expected to find in a phone inside the D3, like an accelerometer and vibration feedback. There’s also a microSD card slot – augmenting 8GB, 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage – along with HDMI and USB 2.0 connectivity. It doesn’t look like Android Market access is included, but Cowon does throw in a Twitter and social networking app.

As you’d expect from Cowon, the list of supported file-types and codecs is huge, and includes 1080p Full HD support. No word on pricing at this stage, but audiophiles looking for an iPod touch alternative might find something here worth waiting for.

[via OLED-Display]

Of course, the company is saying that the Cowon 3D is the first 3D PMP available on the market. Much like the Nintendo 3DS, Cowon’s PMP is able to display 3D images to the user without the need for glasses. The Cowon 3D will also let you fully enjoy 1080p HD video, as well as through the output so you can enjoy it on your HDTV. You’ll be able to use the Cowon 3D to browse the Internet, look at your photos and videos, as well as listen to music.

The device features a 4.3-inch touchscreen display, with a resolution of 800 x 480, and it will come in sizes of 32GB or 64GB. For the 32GB, you’ll have to pay $430, and $510 for the 64GB version. Both of them are due to hit retail shelves some time in December. The big question, though, is whether or not the device is meant to convert standard 2D images into 3D ones, or if the device’s User Interface and 3D-based movies will be the only thing users experience in 3D.

[via Wired]

The X7 can be had in 80GB, 102GB, and 160GB flavors with that capacity reached using a spinning HDD, not flash. I would assume these would be more fragile thanks to that point than other PMPs with flash-based storage.

Other features of the X7 include Bluetooth, a radio tuner, video playback with DivX support. The PMP also has TV-out capability and has a web browser. There is no mention of WiFi officially apparently, but a browser without WiFi makes little sense. The X7 will also sport a RSS reader. The X7 standard with 160GB of storage will be 339,000 won with the same PMP packing in seven optional dictionaries is selling for 379,000 won.

As before there’s a multimedia app, games support and more, but Cowon have preloaded the Opera browser and a YouTube viewer to take advantage of the new wireless connection.  There’s also Flash support, an SD card slot and Full HD video playback support (via the HDMI output, not the V5W’s own display of course).

Cowon use their JetEffect 3.0 audio processing system, and with a reputation as one of the better companies in the PMP industry for sound quality we’ve high hopes for the V5W’s multimedia credentials.  Battery life is tipped at up to 45hrs of music, 10hrs of video or 300hrs of standby; no word on pricing, but it’ll hit Korea this month.

[via TechTicker]

Now, beyond that there’s no more information, but we’re assuming that – like Archos have done with their Internet Tablets – Cowon will be reskinning Android in some way to better suit a PMP.  The D2 has a mere 2.5-inch resistive touchscreen, so if Cowon are planning to use the same sort of form-factor they’ll need to do some work making Android finger-friendly for an interface that size.

Still, if they can get that right and the audio quality to the same standard as previous Cowon PMPs, there’s no reason the D3 shouldn’t be a success.  We’re hoping it looks a little more like the luscious AMOLED-screen J3, frankly, which gives the iPod touch a run for its aesthetic money.

[via Anything But iPod - Thanks Pete!]

While control is predominantly via the touchscreen, Cowon have also added a few useful hardware buttons for some frequently-accessed features.  Fast forward/rewind and volume all get physical controls, but Cowon’s GUI also looks pretty darn neat (if a little bit like an amalgam of LG’s S-Class UI, the iPod touch and Windows Phone 7).

Other specs include an accelerometer, FM radio, voice recorder and Flash player, together with a dictionary and a battery good for up to 64hrs of audio playback or 11hrs of video.  The whole thing measures a waifish 106.5 x 56 x 9.9 mm and tips the scales at 76g; it’ll be available in both black and white.  No word on when we can expect it in the US or Europe following the South Korean launch at the end of this month.

Three versions of the J3 will be available initially, with the PMP coming in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB SKUs.  All will have an accelerometer for automatic screen-orientation flips, a TV output for displaying content on a bigger screen, and Cowon’s own JetEffects effects 3.0 technology for improving audio performance.

Previous rumors suggested that the J3 would also get integrated WiFi, though there’s no mention of that which we can find.  However, given the company’s well-respected audio quality, this could be a popular PMP among audiophiles assuming Cowon price it reasonably.

[via OLED-Info and via PlayerBites; image via MovePlayer]

Unfortunately they’ve singularly failed to deliver any feedback about how the W2 actually performs, so we’re still left wondering about whether the Atom 1.33GHz machine is reasonably functional or otherwise.  What we do get is a shot with it being used with a compact USB keyboard; it’s unclear whether that’s an unofficial accessory.

Still no word on whether Cowon will be bringing the W2 over to the US or Europe, or indeed whether their roughly $534 to $659 pricing would hold in the process.  The W2 has WiFi b/g, VGA output, two USB 2.0 ports and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.

The four models of W2 on sale will start from the W2 60GB, progressing through the W2 80GB and the W2 60GB Premium to the W2 80GB Premium.  It’s not entirely clear what differentiates between the standard and premium versions at this point; all apparently have WiFi b/g, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and 1GB of RAM.

There’s also a TV output and Windows 7 OS, and the whole thing measures 143.6 x 88.1 x 27.5 mm together with tipping the scales at 450g.  Pricing will begin at 599,000 Korean Won ($534) and rise to 739,000 Korean Won ($659).

[via Akihabara]

Storage is expected to run the gamut from 4GB through 8GB to 16GB at most, though we’re not ruling out the possibility of Cowon adding a memory card slot as they have done on previous models.  Elsewhere there’s talk of wireless connectivity too; that could be WiFi or it could be Bluetooth for A2DP wireless headphones.

That’s a lot of maybes, we know, but Cowon are known for the high audio quality of their PMPs which is why we generally hold a small candle for the firm.  A higher resolution display might have been nice, but we’ll cope with AMOLED and WiFi thank you very much.

[via Player Bites]

Other specs include two full-sized USB 2.0 ports and a mini USB port, a USB device port (presumably for plugging the W2 into a computer and accessing it as an external drive) and integrated speaker and microphone.  Cowon are also supplying adapter cables, one of which adds an ethernet port and monitor connection (we’re guessing VGA), the other which adds component/composite TV output.

The resolution of the display seems a little high – it’s the same as you’d find on a regular 10-inch netbook, despite the panel being half the size – and Cowon haven’t revealed storage or RAM (we’ll take a guess at a roughly 32GB SSD and 1GB memory).  No word on availability or pricing, either.

[via DAP Review]

The battery occupies pretty much half of the casing, with the rest of the components squeezed onto a single PCB.  Samsung memory and the company’s WM8750 decoder chip are put to good use, while the round component in the lower corner is the PMP’s microphone.

[via Playerbites]

The plastic shell does look a little like a big-gulp drinks container up-ended, but inside there’s a reasonably slim PMP with touch-sensitive controls, some headphones with an anti-tangle cord, and – quite a surprise these days – a mini CD with drivers and software.  Considering most companies point you in the direction of their website for apps to go with your new media player, we’re giving Cowon a little credit here.

As to whether this is all a case of style over substance, ask yourself whether you’d have reached for a Cowon player in their previous, ugly bare-box or vacuum-packed containers, or if you’d have gone for the glistening iPods next to them in-store.  Unboxing a well-designed device not only sets the scene for a clean usage experience, it also helps banish a little of that “new gadget guilt” where you wonder whether you really were justified in splashing out on the plastic.  Anything that minimizes that, we’re happy with!

In fact, all the listing tells us is that the Cowon W2 has an Intel Atom processor and that it has Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.  There’s some speculation that the MID might have a 4.8-inch touchscreen display, given the “4.8″ reference in the design description; that would certainly bring the W2 in line with other MIDs on the market currently, such as the Viliv S5.

The exact balance between PMP and MID remains to be seen; Archos, for instance, describe their range of PMPs are “Internet Media Tablets” though they’re more mediaplayer than they are a true tablet.  However given Cowon is known for the audio fidelity of their PMP range, we wouldn’t argue with a web-capable, pocket-sized touchscreen device with excellent sound quality.

[via Pocketables]

Specifications for the 40g PMP include a 2-inch 320 x 240 LCD TFT display and support for WMV, AVI and DivX video, together with broad audio file compatibility.  Cowon have also stuffed it full of their DSP technology, including JetEffect 3.0 and BBE+, and while we’re usually sceptical of such finagling the company is known for putting out PMPs with excellent audio quality.

Pricing for the iAudio 9 is expected to be 14,800 yen ($161) for the 8GB model, and 17,800 yen ($194) for the 16GB model.  No word on whether Cowon will bring them to Europe or the US as yet, but if so they’ll have to shave something off those prices in order to remain competitive against the camera-toting iPod nano.

[via Akihabara]

Supported file types include MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, FLAC and APE audio; AVI, WMV, Xvid and ASF video; as well as an image viewer, Flash Player and text viewer.  Cowon have also loaded JetEffect 3.0 BBE+ for improving sound output, and there’s also a TV-out connection for watching video on a bigger display.

The whole thing measures 42 x 95 x 8.9 mm and has a built-in speaker and FM radio.  No news on how much it will cost, what capacities will be on offer or when it might launch, but if you’re swayed more by codecs and sound quality than you are following the iPod fashion train, the iAudio 9 might be worth waiting for.

[via DAP Review]

In fact the icons – which include a camera, USB thumb-drive, radio, door and coffee mug – are pretty confusing.  The most obvious explanation is that they suggest the iAudio E2 works as a USB memory stick as well as a media player, ideal for storing files and other information.

That’s all speculation, though, and we may have to wait and see exactly what Cowon have up their sleeves whenever they finally announce the curious DAP.  Click on the image below for the full-sized version of the teaser.

[via Generation MP3]

Other defendants include Cowon, Philips, LG, Meizu and TrekStor, amounting to twenty in total.  However it’s Apple – as lead in the PMP segment – which Tsera view as the biggest cash-cow here, with claims that they notified the Cupertino company as far back as September 2004 as to the nature of the patent and accusing them of being “wanton” in continuing the “misuse”.

Tsera is seeking ongoing royalties from each of the companies, together with damages for prior infringement.  However from Apple they’re seeking “enhanced” damages, likely a result of all that “wanton” behavior.  A jury trial has been requested, which if granted will be held in the Eastern District of Texas (Tyler) District court.

[via Apple Insider]

Strangely, Cowon’s Korean site currently only shows 8GB and 16GB versions of the white S9, compared to the two black models which also have 32GB options.  Otherwise the specifications are the same, which means you get Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP/AVRCP support, TV output, audio and video playback and Flash gaming support.

The ceramic white S9 is yet to show up on Amazon, unlike its chrome black and titanium black counterparts.  They retail for roughly $170 for the 8GB, $200 for the 16GB and $270 for the 32GB.

[via Pocketables]

With the gadget listed as in stock, we can only assume that it is, in fact, available. The player features a Titanium and Black finish. The 32GB capacity makes this the largest PMP from Cowon so far.

On the company’s official website, the device isn’t listed, however, JetAudio is offering it on Amazon right now–which is Cowon’s online sales hub. The going price is $299.99. So, let us know, folks. Have you been able to purchase this PMP yet?

[via Engadget]

The new tweaks to the D2+ are mainly in the OS’ GUI, the longer battery life and a new range of casing colors.  There’s still an SD slot good for cards up to 32GB in size, either 4, 8 or 16GB of onboard storage, and Cowon’s well-admired BBE+ audio DSP engine.

Back when we reviewed the original D2 in December 2007, our only real criticism was the GUI, which paled in comparison to what was on offer from the iPod range.  The Cowon’s real strength is in its sound quality, with many audiophiles believing it thoroughly bests much of what else is on the market.  No word on pricing or availability outside of Korea for the Cowon D2+, though.

[via Electronic Pulp]

The GPS functionality includes not only basic navigation but Eco Drive, which guides you on the most fuel-efficient route and speed, while there’s an FM transmitter, FM radio and line-out connection to hook up to your car stereo.  AVI, ASF, WMV video, and MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV, and OGG audio files are all supported, and the whole thing measures just 180.4 x 112.2 x 18.3mm and tips the scales at a mere 318g.

This is one of those times that you wish Cowon had slapped in a web browser and WiFi, and made the L3 into a super-slinky net-surfing tablet.  Until they see the error of their ways (oh, and announce availability outside of Korea, which is likely to be the L3′s only stomping ground) we’ll just have to make do with the pictures.  I’m particularly fond of the idea of an “Extreme Navigation” interface.

[via Akihabara]

In fact Cowon are claiming the S9 Curve can handle DVD-quality MPEG-4 videos, either on its own display or via the TV output.  There’s also an accelerometer for automatic screen rotation, integrated microphone and a line-in socket.

Battery life is rated at up to 11 hours for video and 55 hours for audio, and Cowon have loaded their latest sound enhancements, BBE+, for those taken with that sort of thing.  Find it, this Friday, at Amazon.com, Newegg.com, B&H Photo-Video, ZipZoomFly.com and eBay.com.

Press Release:

COWON Ships the Ultra-Stylish COWON S9 PMP

COWON’s Most Stylish PMP Shows Off Its Sophisticated Design, AMOLED Touch Screen, Exclusive GUI System, Advanced Video Functionality, Bluetooth® 2.0 and Long Battery Life

COWON S9 is First to Feature “BBE+” Sound Enhancement Technology

IRVINE, Calif. – December 15, 2008 – Delivering on its promise to satisfy both the design-conscious gadget seeker and digital media enthusiasts, COWON America, Inc., today announced the shipment of the new COWON S9 portable media player (PMP). The COWON S9′s innovative design features a titanium/black face and a curved-back casing surrounding a 3.3-inch Active-Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) touch screen display. To complement its sleek form design, the S9 features an exclusive GUI system boasting capacitive touch screen operation, advanced video functionality supporting transcoding-free playback of most DVD-quality MPEG-4 videos and TV output, Bluetooth® 2.0 support for stereo headphones, G-sensor accelerometer for auto-pivot display, and extended battery life of 11 hours for video and 55 hours for audio. The S9 is also the first COWON player to offer next-generation JetEffect 2.0 audio technology with improved EQ filter, stereo enhancement and BBE+, which includes upgraded BBE, Mach3Bass, 3D Surround and MP Enhance audio processing.

Developed for the U.S. market by COWON Systems, a global leader in digital multimedia solutions, the COWON S9 is available with 8GB or 16GB internal flash memory and priced at $199.99 and $239.99, respectively. Customers can order the product starting December 19, 2008, through JetMall (www.jetmall.net) and at select authorized U.S. retailers Amazon.com, Newegg.com, B&H Photo-Video, ZipZoomFly.com and eBay.com.

“The COWON S9 is by far the most attention-grabbing media player we have introduced to the U.S. market. Users looking for the next ‘must-have’ fashion gadget will be impressed by the S9′s streamlined design, while digital media aficionados will appreciate the S9′s amazing video and sound quality,” said Francis Choi, senior marketing manager, COWON America. “Thanks to its dual next-generation portable media technologies, AMOLED display and BBE+ audio, advanced GUI system and extended battery life, the S9 ushers in a new standard of portable digital media excellence that most other PMPs simply can’t meet.”

COWON S9: Sleek and Fully-loaded PMP
The COWON S9 is loaded with exclusive features including a 500MHz dual-core processor, widescreen AMOLED display capable of 16 million colors with 480×272 resolution, and capacitive touch-screen operation of COWON’s new advanced GUI system with Zoom UI, video clip preview, auto pivot, and Quick List functions. The PMP also supports “user created interface” to allow users to develop and share the S9′s unique interface. The S9 also supports a wide array of video/audio formats and codecs, including:

Video file formats:
AVI, WMV

Video codecs:
Xvid, SP/ASP, WMV9 SP/MP

Audio file formats:
MP3, WMA, FLAC, OGG, WAV, APE

Audio codecs:
MPEG1 Layer 1/2/3, WMA, FLAC, OGG Vorbis, OGG FLAC

In addition to the next-generation JetEffect 2.0, the S9 offers audiophiles a five-band custom equalizer with 30 presets (four user presets), built-in microphone and line-in recording functions, and an FM radio. Completing the S9 is a JPG photo viewer, text viewer, Flash player and calculator. The COWON S9 measures 2.2 x 4.17 x 0.5 inches and weighs 2.7 ounces.

That’s thanks to Cowon’s CEO, Namkyu Park, a sound engineer who’s apparently known as “Golden Ears” due to his ability to distinguish between even the smallest sounds.  Cowon is known for its polished audio performance, but its wares have traditionally been more modest in their design; the S9 changes all that, with a swooping body, capacitive touchscreen and 16.9-million color widescreen AMOLED display.

There’s also Bluetooth A2DP support, 55hr battery life for audio playback and an accelerometer to automatically flip the screen orientation.  The Cowon S9 will be priced at £169 ($252) for the 8GB and £199 ($297)for the 16GB. 

More details, including GUI screenshots, after the cut

Meanwhile, if you’ve noticed that the majority of S9 shots we’ve seen so far have shown the display disappointingly blank, you may be excited to hear that the first GUI screenshots have emerged [via CNET Asia].  While some have accused it of being slightly too similar to that of the iPod touch, it’s still got a little of its own Cowon style.

The S9 Curve has an AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display, A2DP Bluetooth v2.0 for cordless stereo headphones, up to 40hrs audio playback or 8hrs video playback from the full charge, and Cowon’s usual broad array of supported standards.  The Korean version has an integrated DMB TV tuner, though this will not make it to other markets.

Cowon have also released the latest beta firmware for the PMP, version 1.14.  It brings with it better support for large and faulty video files, reduced gaps between audio tracks, improved wallpaper support and new transitions between images in slideshows, among other things.

Version 1.14 of the O2 firmware is required for software created with the SDK to be usable on the PMP.  Both are free downloads; however the site seems to suggest that the SDK requires Linux to run.

[via GenerationMP3]

This latest Cowon offering is Flash-based and offers touchscreen interactivity. This PMP features a 4.3-inch touchscreen, which is widescreen and offers a 480 x 272 resolution. The O2 also has the Power Management System by Cowon. This system lets you get about 8 hours worth of video playback on the device as well as 18 hours of audio playback. All of this is just from one single charge.

The O2 also allows for expandable memory with an SD and SDHC slot. Also included is a 10-band equalizer and a built-in speaker. The device is available today and features 8GB, 16GB and 32GB options. They are priced at $219.99, $249.99 and $299.99, respectively.

[via Gearlog]

Three different colors are on offer - white, black and rose – and the PMP measures 119.5 x 73.4 x 18mm and weighs 205g. Prices are as follows:

• O2 iAudio 8GB Pink – €289.99 ($400)
• O2 iAudio 8GB White – €289.99 ($400)
• O2 iAudio 16GB Black – €309.99 ($428)
• O2 iAudio 16GB White – €309.99 ($428)
• O2 iAudio 32GB White – €365.99 ($505)

As well as the TV tuner the O2 also has a dictionary and voice recording.  Battery life is estimated at 18hrs audio or 8hrs video.  Format compatibility is something that Cowon has been known for, but the O2 really outdoes itself: DivX, XviD, MPEG-4 SP/ASP, WMV 9/8/7, M-JPEG, MPEG1, MPEG-1 Layer 1/2/3, WMA, AAC3, AAC, FLAC, OGG Vorvis, OGG FLAC, Apple Lossless, True Audio, Monkey Audio, MusePack, WavPack, G.726 and PCM. 

[via Generation MP3]

Unlike its Korean counterpart, the Euro S9 will lack a DMB digital TV tuner.  However it still has A2DP Bluetooth v2.0 for cordless stereo headphones, up to 40hrs audio playback or 8hrs video playback from the full charge, and Cowon’s usual broad array of supported standards.  The Curve can play MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC and WAV audio files, and MPEG-4 SP (e.g. DivX/XviD), WMV9 SP and H.264 BP video files; maximum video resolution is 480 x 272 30fps.

The PMP also includes a built-in microphone for voice recording, a text and image viewer, and an FM radio.  It measures 57.08 x 105.75 x 12.7mm and is listed as weighing around 100g.  What most people will be interested in, however, is Cowon’s already legendary audio quality; the company usually produces excellent sounding PMPs, and hopefully the S9 Curve will be no exception.

[thanks Paul!]

Keeping things moving is a dual-core processor, and the S9 can be used in both orientations as it has an accelerometer to switch the screen around.  Battery life is claimed to reach up to 40hrs.

The O2 PMP is the next largest, with a 4.3-inch touchscreen and the same T-DMB tuner as in the S9. There’s also a dictionary and voice recording, an SD slot for expanding the memory, and battery life is estimated at 18hrs audio or 8hrs video. Format compatibility is something that Cowon has been known for, but the O2 really outdoes itself: DivX, XviD, MPEG-4 SP/ASP, WMV 9/8/7, M-JPEG, MPEG1, MPEG-1 Layer 1/2/3, WMA, AAC3, AAC, FLAC, OGG Vorvis, OGG FLAC, Apple Lossless, True Audio, Monkey Audio, MusePack, WavPack, G.726 and PCM.

Finally the largest of the new models, the L3, with a 7-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen. As with the others, it has a T-DMB TV tuner, FM tuner and playback of multiple formats, but it adds GPS and an FM transmitter for in-car use.

Obviously the use of T-DMB tuners limit the PMPs TV capabilities outside of Korea, but Cowon are keeping any regional changes or even confirmation that the players will see release elsewhere close to their chest.

[via Gadgetell]

LG, too, are said to have a netbook in the works, with a model tentatively named X110 running Intel’s Atom CPU and made for them by MSI.  It’s uncertain whether, if this turns out to be true, the X110 would be a rebadge of the MSI Wind or a whole new design.  Finally, ASUS confirmed they wouldn’t be letting up the pressure as firm most associated with the segment; there’s talk of an “all day” battery and cloud storage option for release later on in 2008.

What will hopefully be available alongside that is a dual-core Atom option, with Intel confirming this week what many suspected: that the new processor’s release would slip from Q3 to Q4.  It’ll apparently be priced at around 1.5x the current single-core Atom, and use the same motherboards and socket.

Available now, however, is Gigabyte’s M912 netbook, which differentiates itself (and justifies its $600+ price) by virtue of a convertible 8.9-inch touchscreen.  Initial reviews look mighty convincing; this could be the machine to encourage users to spend a little more than for a basic Eee 901.

Apple celebrated some impressive financial results by stirring up controversy, as giggling execs suggested they had something “very exciting” to announce later in the year, and a “product transition” to boot.  The latter is believed to be a refresh for the MacBook and/or MacBook Pro lines; however multiple theories have been put forward for the former.  My personal favorite (or maybe just the top of my own Apple wish-list) is a MacBook Touch multitouch tablet.

In entertainment, Samsung took the well-packed wraps off of multiple new HDTVs in four of their ranges, while a new – far smaller – screen was on offer from Cowon in the shape of the Bluetooth-equipped P5 PMP.  A rumored fresh PSP from Sony has also been making the rounds, courtesy of some photos purporting to be the device.  Nintendo fans, meanwhile, can maybe get pre-emptively excited at the prospect of extra storage on the Wii, as Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime describes it as “a mainstream problem” that they are examining with “urgency”.

Finally, the chumps of the week award goes to Yahoo! Music, who announced they are shutting up shop at the end of September.  Of course, bricks & mortar record stores close all the time, but they don’t take their DRM servers offline at the same time – anybody with legally purchased tracks from Yahoo! Music won’t be able to re-licence on another machine.  The company’s suggestion?  Bypass their DRM by burning music to a CD and then ripping it back.  Classic.

Storage is courtesy of a traditional HDD, with 60GB and 80GB options for both models and a 40GB basic P5 too.  The underlying OS is Windows CE, running on a RMI Alchemy AU1250 700MHz CPU, with Cowon’s own widget-based GUI with haptic feedback on top.  Battery life is reported as 9hrs of video or 14hs of music.

There’s also Office compatibility for Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as an image viewer, notepad and calculator.  Cowon have also added a dictionary app and ‘Alpha Brain’ learning app.  There’s also some suggestion of a WiBro version for imminent announcement too, as well as a navigation version.

Pricing is from 439,000 Won ($434) for the P5 Study 40GB up to 599,000 Won ($592) for the P5 80GB.  The Navi version will carry a 679,000 Won ($672) tag.  Release is suggested within the next eight months.

Measuring a pocket-friendly 3.1 x 0.7 x 2.2 inches (78 x 55.4 x 16.7mm) and weighing just 91g, the D2 has no buttons on its front and resembles a small digital photo frame; indeed, its crowning glory is a 2.5-inch, QVGA touchscreen capable of displaying 16 million colours (which sadly doesn’t photograph well). Around the edges there are volume controls, a power/hold switch, microphone, headphone socket and a menu button that jumps you back to the home screen, together with an SDHC card slot on the bottom, while a slot in the side serves double purpose as both a place to attach a lanyard or strap and a point for the small, triangular stylus to clip in and serve double duty as a desk stand.

Build quality is excellent, and while the black plastic front bezel and rear panel aren’t soft-touch plastic they are pleasantly matte; similarly, the metal edging is satin-finish. If anything, the fact that the casing is so solid makes you all the more wary for the touchscreen – it’s a traditional passive touchscreen, responding to both the stylus and your finger, and Cowon supply neither a case for the PMP nor a screen protector. Since just about every function is controlled by touch, I was wary of putting the D2 loose into my bag (or even in a pocket also holding money or keys) as should the display be damaged the whole thing would be useless. There are a number of aftermarket cases available – including a transparent hard plastic one, which you currently get free if you buy from Advanced MP3 Players – and I’d recommend anyone who doesn’t intend keeping their D2 on a pedestal should pick one up.

Of course, the overruling aspect of a PMP should be the sound quality, and here Cowon deserves more than a little respect. As ever, bin the included headphones (which aren’t as bad as some, but still don’t do the D2 justice) then busy yourself loading the D2 up with MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, APE, WAV and AAC files. It’s an impressive compatibility list, and Cowon have included an impressive amplifier to go with it: 74mW, making it one of the most powerful on a portable player, and capable of driving headphones in excess of 100 Ohms impedance. Thankfully, with all that power there’s audio finesse, too; delicious, crisp and thundery basses, clean trebles and mids, and no background hiss to speak of. Throw in the eminently tweakable EQ settings – six presets and space for one of your own – and the sound processing (which has been licenced from pro-audio manufacturer BBE Sound Inc.), all of which can have their multiple setups stored in one of ten overall presets, and there’s the double whammy of great untreated sound and then great ways to treat it.

DAB radio relies on the connected headphones to work as an aerial, but proved adept at grabbing a decent signal despite movement in and outdoors. It first autoscans for all available stations, building a playlist to choose from; if you change position significantly you might have to force a re-scan to get the best lock. Most stations transmit both some network information (for instance musical styles covered) and ‘now playing’ details, usually what show & presenter you’re listening to, and sometimes individual track details. Useful, but the D2 sometimes has problems formating all that for the screen, leaving text overlapping or falling off the edge. Sound quality is good, although the fact that digital radio doesn’t decline into vague fizzing interference and instead gobbles turkey-like with audio artifacts when the signal is less than stellar could see you switching to the FM radio instead. With that you get a 24-entry preset list and autoscan, as well as the ability to record radio either instantly or via a timer, but there’s no RDS for station identification and reception is average compared to what DAB can manage.

Despite a mere 2.5-inch screen, the D2 is a stunning video performer. It supports WMV3 and MPEG4 Simple Profile (e.g. DivX, XviD, etc) and can play files encoded at bitrates of up to 2,000kb/s. Sadly video must be 320 x 240 resolution, which means that despite the D2 showing up as an external drive, most clips will need to be converted before they can be dragged across. Cowon include their own JetAudio software to do that, although it leaves a faint company logo in the top corner, but overall it means that using the D2 for video requires preparation rather than last-minute organisation.

When in the right format, though, the results are stellar. The 16-million colour screen is crisp and bright, viewing angles are good and audio can be run through the same sound processing and EQ as music files. Cowon offer an aftermarket TV-out cable, although this wasn’t part of my review package.

In terms of additional functionality, there’s a voice recorder that uses a built-in microphone and, with the adaptor cable available as an optional extra, direct line-in recording. Considering the screen quality, it’s good to see Cowon added a photo viewer, too; it only supports JPEGs but there’s no size limit and images can be zoomed, rotated, moved around using the touchscreen and set up as a slideshow with background music. There’s also an alarm clock, sleep timer, text viewer with a choice of fonts and sizes, and bookmarking for both audio and video files.

Perhaps most impressive is the D2′s battery. Being non-user-replaceable earns it a black mark, but it redeems itself with a quoted 52hrs music playback or 10hrs video from a single charge. Real-world play showed it seemed most likely of any gadget I’ve tested recently to meet those specs, and it also recharged faster from the AC adaptor than the stated 3.5hrs.

If there’s anywhere the D2 pales slightly, it’s the interface – particularly when you’re comparing it to, say, an iPod Touch. It almost seems as though the excitement of having a touchscreen has encouraged Cowon to make you touch it as much as possible: even straightforward tasks, such as skipping through tracks or changing EQ presets, demand three presses (one to activate the screen, one to bring up the options, one to select). It’s a shame, as there are also thoughtful shortcuts such as scrolling through lists by flicking anywhere on the screen, and options and menus trigger instantly with no render lag. There’s no shortage of on-screen information, either, which will either be a plus or a minus depending on your minimalist tendencies – ID3, EQ and processing settings, bitrate and sample rate, even the clock gets its own pixels as standard. Album art is also displayed.

Frankly, though, that’s a nit-pick; compared with the D2′s incredible audio performance any less-than intuitive controls become a minor frustration. Actually listening to music is when you’ll appreciate how much Cowon have packed into the PMP’s small frame, and it even encouraged me to go back and re-rip old CDs at higher bitrates. Cowon also seem to be on the ball in terms of software updates, too, with new firmware builds regularly released that, according to the user community, actually have a noticeable effect on functionality and performance. If you can resist the lure of the iPod, and musical clarity is your lodestar, then you won’t be disappointed with the D2.

Many thanks to Advanced MP3 Players for the loan of the Cowon D2; the 4GB model I tested retails at £169.99.

Rating:

4.5 out of 5 gears

As such, the black one can store 9 hours of 1Seg mobile TV, or up to 45 hours of audio in various formats. The battery should last about 7.5 hours, I assume that’s for music, so probably half that or less for video.

The D2-2G (the white 2gig model) goes for about $220 while the D2-8G (the black 8gig model) sells for around $310. You can only get them in Japan though. Also, as a side note, they both have 2.5” screens, and due to the mention of 1Seg TV storage, I assume they both have the necessary hardware to receive those broadcasts.

Cowon D2TV [via coolest-gadgets]

You get your choice of 40 or 60 gigabyte capacities both with a 5-inch WVGA screen, 64MB of flash memory, 128MB of DDR2 SDRAM, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and Windows CE 5.0. There is also a voice recorder, photo/text viewer, and support for a ton of different audio, video, and picture formats.

It will be launching next week in the US, like a godsend. But I must admit, for the $549.99 (40GB) and $599.99 (60GB) I’d either go with an iPod Touch or for an even closer comparison, an Archos device. Those prices are just plain crazy unless all that storage space is pure flash.

US-Bound COWON Q5’s Get Price and Release Date [via pmptoday]

Then there is the FM radio with built in recorder, a USB host, MPEG-4 video recorder, and up to 1280×720 HD output. Codec support includes FLAC, DivX, and OGG, and I assume there is a sufficiently longer list of other codecs supported as that list doesn’t have any picture formats and no MP3 support in the list either.

They are going to be sold in 30 and 60 gigabyte capacities for about $387 and $465 respectively. So, go get one and tell us what you think.

Cowon A3 to debut on November 14 [via pmptoday]

According to sources, the manufacturer may be considering upgrading both their D2 and iAudio 7 players to 16GB later this year. With the rate that flash memory is growing, we could potentially see devices like the iPod going strictly to flash in the next year or two.

No release information was given regarding these larger capacity players, only that we will likely see them before the year’s end.

16GB Cowon D2 in works? [via electronista]

Cowon knows in today’s world, 2GB is not sufficient as storage, so the L2 is equipped with SD port in case you want to add more space to it. File supports on L2 include AVO, MPEG4, MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV, JPG, BMP, and PNG.

As many other digital player, L2 sports an FM radio, a Picture in Picture functions allowing you to view more than one media files at once. The L2 is priced at 299000 WON (around US$320).

Cowon’s L2, you don’t know yet but you already need it [via akihabaranews]