<% rating = 4 %>

Now, that’s what I’m talking about! I was checking out my favorite gadget weblog, Gizmodo, this morning and noticed that they posted about a portable media player that plays back almost every format on the planet. It’s has a 30gb hard drive, and also includes flash card support. Not just CF, but SD and Memory Sticks. What makes this media player a winner, is that it plays back all the standard media formats with out transcoding! It will even play VOB files! Now, last I check, it’s not illegal to rip your own DVDs and play them back off a hard drive, but please don’t download illegal DVDs rips off the web… nothing good comes from that. This device does exactly what a transitional device should… it lets me play the media I own with having to carry the disc. Until all DRM are licensing details are figured out, which at our current rate will take years, it’s refreshing to see a company releasing a product that actually makes sense. They just need to work on the design a bit… maybe they should get someone from Apple or Porsche to design the case and then we’d have something I’ll buy at any price. As for the CT-PMP58A, as pictured, I don’t have any details on if or when it will be out, or what the cost is. If I find out, I’ll post an update.

[ via Gizmodo ]