Spiralling bang-per-buck for handheld video

The Bang-per-buck factor for personal handheld digital entertainment devices continues to spiral forever upwards with the pricing on new AV and PVRs driving the penetration of handheld video. One of the most logical functions of handheld devices is to be able to download images from that other heading-for-ubiquity digital device, the digital camera, without needing a laptop. When you’re out seeing the sights, or taking holiday snaps far from civilization, the last thing you want is to run out of memory in your camera or be weighed down with your laptop. Which makes Astone’s new 5GB EVO Digital AV Player an even better proposition because, thanks to its OTG (On The Go) function, you can download photos direct to the player. The EVO has a 280 x 220 pixel, 260k colour, 1.5" TFT LCD display and can also play movies and music clips, display images, listen to and record FM radio, read text files and record voice! More proof that the bang-per-buck factor for handheld entertainment just keeps getting better is the EVO’s price (US$220) and that of its big brother, the EVO X. The 20GB EVO X has a 2.5”, high-res color LCD screen and offers direct video recording and playback from any audio/visual source (TV, DVD, video) in real time, all for US$400. And having a detachable20GB hard drive, you have the option for easy size upgrades in the future.

Now Astone’s EVO isn’t the first to offer the direct downloading of pics from a digital device – we blieve that honour goes to iRiver. But credit where credit’s due – you still can’t do this with an iPod without purchasing an accessory.

You can find your local distributor here.

An Australian-based consumer electronics company, Astone launched just 12 months ago but already has a presence in 19 countries and a range of high spec, low-cost products that keeps forging greater market share. The company’s structure is streamlined, with a design studio based in Hong Kong and its products manufactured to Astone designs in China.

Astone is constantly seeking international distribution partners – enquiries should be directed to Andrew Shephard at Astone