So, does anyone have any additional information on Intel's PVP (personal video player) design beyond what's been mentioned on sites like IGN?

refs:
http://www.pcmag.com/print_article/0,3048,a=29695,00.asp
http://gear.ign.com/articles/365/365833p1.html
http://gear.ign.com/objects/487/487469.html

http://www.golem.de/0207/21026.html (if you like reading German)

Synopsis: Portable, hand-held (PDA size) device with a 4" screen running an XScale processor and served by a 20GB PC-Card hard drive (same as in Apple's Ipod). Capable of playing MP3s and MPEG4 movies.

I don't know anything beyond what's been written in those articles. I don't even know anything about the graphics chip recommended. Wouldn't I feel like I got a kick in the ass if it turns out someone's going to release one using an ATI chip (Imageon series is for hand-helds & wireless products).

With decent quality TV output, this is a little device I would be very interested in. Of course I'd be much more interested if it also offered some PDA functionality (which it isn't supposed to).

Sooner or later, the hand-held PC from OQO (http://www.oqo.com) will also be out (higher price point) and that should satisfy a lot of demanding uses.

Bruno

Not personally, no, and it interests me as well.

I noticed the screen was 320x240, the same typicial resolution in many PocketPC devices. It would be nice to combine this with the iPaq 3900 series, or the upcoming 5000 series and a hard drive in the PCMCIA sleve.

None of the current PocketPC devices, not even the iPaq really do anything for me. They're marginal improvements on a pretty old product. When we start seeing hard drives built into them, without taking up any expansion space, then we're talking.

I'd like to see at least 20GB of storage with firewire and USB 2.0 (master/host) ports (memory specs are fine with the current units - but 128MB RAM with 32 or 64MB flash would be nicer ). Well, ultimately I guess I'd really like a very small laptop replacement like the OQO unit. But something that runs PocketPC OS would be fine along with the expanded HD-based storage and connectivity. It has to be able to deal with multimedia - music, voice recording, movie files, video output. If it could record video, all the better, but not a requirement - that can come with some type of plug-in module. It should also have a CF slot (or PC-Card) on it - not an SD slot. That allows for adapters for other media more easily. I'd also be able to unload images from my camera's CF card this way. With USB master/host capabilitiy, I guess I'd be able to connect the camera directly to the device if I needed to.

My job role should be changing sufficiently that I'll end up getting something, even one of the current mainstream models, which should do fine for day to day business requirements.

Bruno

Have you seen the Archos Jukebox Multimedia?

I especially like the photo module, which can turn the thing into a digital wallet.

Yup, I saw the Archos product when it was first announced. I don't like the idea of modules.. And the archos doesn't have very much memory nor a very fast processor. It also doesn't have a 4" screen. Loading a 5mp JPEG on that thing isn't the snappiest thing in the world either. I've also seen the troubles people have had with the original Jukebox models over the past two years.

I'm very interested to see what's available by next spring from more prominent manufacturers. Hopefully a product or two with some hacking potential as well. The Archos stuff is pretty closed.

Bruno

Don't forget that their current products are built like crap.