7 deluxe portable audio and video players for audiophiles

There was a time when the Apple iPod was very much coveted among audiophiles. Over time, more portable audio and video players have entered the market. With their sleek deluxe designs and luxurious finish, these portable audio and video devices are really something to own if you want to flaunt your style quotient and at the same time, desire a high-quality audio output.

• Astell and Kern A and Ultima SP1000: This portable audio and video player has a storage space of 256 GB which can be expandable to 512 GB. It has a sleek design and does look quite like it is worth around $3299. The supported file types include DSD, FLAC, WAV, WMA, MP3, OGG APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, and so on. This portable digital player has a high audio quality akin to studio sound quality. Also, this device has an excellent resolution. It has a 5-inch touchscreen display and a very intuitive interface. The device is bundled with a USB cable for charging and data transfer.
• Questyle QP2R: An award-winning portable player, the Questyle costs around $2700. It supports the following formats: DSD, MP3, FLAC, WAV, ALAC, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, AIFF, APE, WMA, DFF, DSF. With a fantastic audio quality, this deluxe portable audio player packs in a 65 GB built-in memory. It has an expandable memory of up to 200 GB. A single recharge of the battery gives a continuous playing time of 10 hours. Accessories include earphones, USB cable, and a cable adapter.
• HiFiMAN HM901S: This portable player costs around $1499 and supports file formats such as DSD, MP3, FLAC, WAV, ALAC, AAC, AIFF, APE, and WMA. It is a high-fidelity audio player that is available in with expandable memory up to 256 GB. There is no internal memory. The battery life is around 9 hours. You can listen to songs for 9 hours straight on a single recharge of the battery. The hardware of this device is top-of-the-line, and this renders a high quality to the audio output.
• Sony NW-WM1Z N: Resembling something straight out of the Transformers movies, this portable player from Sony is priced at approximately $2699. It has an expandable storage of up to 256 GB; it can store nearly 20,000 songs. It supports file formats such as DSD, AAC (Non-DRM), AIFF, ALAC, DSD, FLAC, HE-AAC, Linear PCM, MP3, and WMA. Packed with a superb audio quality, this portable audio device has a 4-inch touchscreen and offers 30 hours of playback time on a single charge.
• Lotoo PAW Gold 2017: This portable audio player costs approximately $2399. Loaded with a great audio output, this player is truly made for luxury with its 24K alpha wheel and sapphire-glass display. Its powerful battery offers 12 hours of continuous playback time. Its expandable memory is upto 2 TB along with 128 GB of SD card memory; you can store thousands of albums. This device supports the following file formats: DSD, AAC, FLAC, MP3, WMA, DFF, DSF, ISO, APE, WAV, ALAC, M4A, and WavPack.
• Astell & Kern AK380 MP3 Player: This portable device costs around $2999. It supports the following file formats: MP3, FLAC, WAV, ALAC, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, AIFF, APE, WMA, DFF, and DSF. It has an internal memory of 256 GB which is expandable to 128 GB with an external memory card. It has a 4-inch touchscreen display. It has a built-in Wi-Fi to stream and download music. The music quality is quite high. The device does not come bundled with headphones.
• Cowon Plenue: This premium portable player is priced around $3999. It supports nearly all file formats including FLAC, ripped SACDs, and DSD. It has an internal memory of 128 GB, which is expandable to 256 GB. This device has a relatively shorter battery life compared to others; you can play songs for 8 hours on a single recharge of the battery.

Listen to your favorite music while working out with these portable players

For most people, listening to their favorite music is a great motivator while working out. While working out, you need a media device that is light, compact to carry around, can be easily clipped onto your clothes, does not fall off while you are exercising or running, is resistant to sweat, and easy to use. Although smartphones are viable devices for listening to music, they are not suitable for use while working out. Also, if you want to listen to music while you do your swimming laps, you will want a portable audio and video device that is waterproof. Here are a few popular portable audio and video devices that have been known to perfect for a good workout session.

• Aerb 4G Waterproof MP3 Player: These belong to the category of budget portable audio and video devices. Priced at around $50, this device has a functional design with the bare basic necessities incorporated in it. You can listen to music with this waterproof device while swimming or while you are working out. It is resistant to water at a depth of up to three meters. Made of plastic, this device can be held in your hand with its grip support, or it can be clipped on your workout apparel. This device supports MP3 and WMA format songs. Audio files can be transferred using USB.
• Sony Sports MP3 Player: The Sony Sports portable player is a dedicated workout gear. Its unique design has been made for use while running and doing exercises. Resembling a pair of headphones, this device is comfortable and hands-free. The quality of music is quite high. Along with listening to music, this device lets you listen to audiobooks as well. It has an internal storage capacity of 4 GB. The device has Bluetooth capabilities that let you take calls and stream music. The battery lasts for about 8 hours. The device is waterproof at a depth of approximately two meters. The device costs around $120.
• AGPTEK A26: Made of silicon case, this portable audio and video player is very lightweight and can be attached to your workout gear with its back clip. The device supports nearly all file formats. Its internal storage capacity is 8 GB, which is expandable to 64 GB with a MicroSD card. It also has Bluetooth capability, FM radio, a digital clock, and can display lyrics of stored songs on its digital interface. The device can store up to 2000 songs, and it gives approximately 30 hours of continuous playback. This portable player costs around $45.
• TomTom Spark Cardio: This portable audio and video device doubles up as a fitness tracker and a smartwatch. It is worn around the wrist. It comes bundled with wireless Bluetooth headphones to easy listening as you work out. The fitness tracker allows you to check your workout progress by indicating the number of active minutes, steps taken, calories burned, and the heart rate. The fitness tracker has eight modes for different activities such as swimming, cycling, and running. The device can also be synchronized with various fitness apps. It can store up to 500 songs. On a full charge, the battery allows nearly 56 hours of playback time.
• FX-Sport VRX Wireless Smart Sports Headphones: If you are willing to splurge on your workout portable audio and video device, you can buy this premium player, that is also a pair of headphones. This wireless player is resistant to sweat and rain. It has an internal memory of 8 GB and has a total playback time of 5 hours on a single recharge. The device is preloaded with workout routines that you can choose and follow as you like. The control functions are located on one side of the headphones, so you can easily navigate through your playlist as you work out.

Tune into your favorite tracks with these popular portable players

Right from the days of the chunky Walkman to sleek, pocket-sized media players, portable media devices have come a long way. The evolution of portable audio and video players picked up speed in the past couple of decades. Earlier you had to carry around a set of batteries, your portable player, audio cassettes or CDs, and headsets. Now you just have your compact media device with all your playlists stores in the device. You now have thousands of songs or movies at your fingertips.

Whether you are a keen audiophile or just like to listen to music or watch movies while you are commuting to work, portable audio and video players can be quite useful for you. A portable device can be used for playing games, reading books, streaming videos, and recording audios and videos as well. If you are looking for portable audio and video devices, here are some popular options available in the market for you:

• Apple iTouch: This is one of the most popular and coveted portable audio and video player that you can find. With its 32 GB storage capacity, this media player can store around 7000 songs, 2 videos, and 10000 photos. It is one of the most compact devices with dimensions 4.4×0.28×2.3 inches and with a weight of 3.6 oz. This portable audio and video device has a touchscreen interface with the LCD screen measuring about 3.5 inches. Other features of this device include an Internet browser, radio, Bluetooth, USB, and Wi-Fi. It supports a wide range of audio and video formats. The battery life is about 40 hours. The device comes bundled with earphones and a charger. The price is this device is around $200.
• Samsung Galaxy Player 5: The Samsung Galaxy Player 5 has a storage capacity of 4 GB. The device can hold about 5 videos, 1000 songs, and 10000 photos. It has an LCD touchscreen display that measures nearly 1.7×0.4×3.7 inches. The device is quite light with a weight of 1.8 oz. This Samsung portable audio and video device has an Internet browser, radio capability, Wi-Fi, USB, and Bluetooth. Earphones and a charger are provided along with the device. The battery life is about 25 hours. You can listen to music or watch videos for 25 hours straight on a single charge. The price of this device is around $150.
• Zune 80 GB Digital Media Player: This portable audio and video device has one of the largest storage capacities with 80 GB. You can store nearly 25000 photos, 20000 songs, and 5 videos. It looks quite sleek and weighs about 4.5 oz and measures about 2.4×0.5×4.3 inches. It has an LCD touchscreen measuring approximately 3.2 inches. The features of this device include an Internet browser, radio, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB. The device supports almost all popular formats of audio and video files. The battery life is about 24 hours. The device package includes a battery charger and earphones. The price is this device is around $270.
• Archos 604 30 GB Ultra Slim Portable Multimedia Player: This device is relatively bigger and heavier than the other portable audio and video; its size is about 5.1×0.7×3 inches and the device weighs about 9 oz. The device can store 40 videos, 150000 songs, and nearly 300000 photos. Its storage capacity is about 30 GB. Its touchscreen LCD display measures about 4.3 inches. Similar to other devices, the Archos Portable has an Internet browser, radio, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB capabilities. It supports all video and audio formats except AIFF. Its battery life is about 16 hours. Earphones and battery charger are bundled with the device. The price is this device is around $300.

Photography is the art of capturing a moment be it a picture of a stunning landscape or a portrait of rare visuals you come across while exploring. With what you take the picture, doesn’t matter! What matters is how you take that first click.

For some, photography is just a hobby. For others, it’s their livelihood, and everything depends on how well the picture has been taken. It doesn’t matter if you are just starting out, all photography needs is a passion for the craft and the patience to learn.

Here are a few basic things that will form part of your very own camera and photo essentials kit:

Camera

• Perhaps the most substantial and significant investment when you are just starting out.
• However with so many makes and models of professional DSLR camera’s available in the market, finding the right one for the best price can be very confusing.
• When you are just starting out, buying a high-end professional grade camera is not recommended, even if you can afford it.
• Instead, buy a DSLR camera which has basic yet useful functionality when it comes to different shooting modes and picture settings.

Lenses

• Just buying a camera body will not suffice, you will also need a number of lenses to shoot and click pictures for different settings and purposes.
• For a basic camera and photo kit, buying a prime lens and zoom lens, with one for specific wide angle shots will be more than enough to get you started on the basics.

Camera kit bag

• When you are investing a good amount of money in buying the right camera and photo kits and accessories, buying the right portable camera bag is the next logical step.
• Camera lenses and even the camera itself consists of delicate moving parts which are also expensive to replace in case of any damage.
• A good camera and photo essentials bag will allow you to carry your gear for both indoor and outdoor shoots with ease.

Tripods

• A good tripod will provide all the stability that you will ever need to click the best portrait and landscape pictures.
• Tripod forms an integral part of your camera and photo essentials kit, especially for people who are interested in travel photography.
• The tripod will allow a stable support even on rugged terrains to help you take a beautiful picture of that soaring eagle in the Grand Canyons, without having to worry about messing up manual focusing because you are too preoccupied trying to balance a heavy DSLR camera.

Memory cards

• Traditional cameras previously worked with film rolls, which would produce a negative print and the same would be then processed to provide with positive print on paper.
• This process was, however, time-consuming, which is why when digital SLR cameras were developed, memory cards replaced the film rolls.
• You want to purchase a high quality and capacity memory card for your professional grade camera, to get the best results when you process the finished product.

External flash and speedlight

• For the best results, professional photographers use external flash kits and speedlights as part of their camera and photo kit which are excellent lighting sources to click pictures in dim light or low light conditions.
• The traditional flash inbuilt in your DSLR will not provide the intended result when it comes to quality and color, which is why a speed light is used.
• The system is efficient since the speedlight is activated for a fraction of a second when the shutter releases to take the picture, which is why it is also not too harsh on the elements that you want to cover within the frame.
• However, speedlights are expensive accessories and generally should be bought only when you plan to take pictures professionally.

An electronic book reader or a universal name, the eBook reader, is one of the latest development in interactive electronic technology. It is a digital form of text-based publications. Some eBook may contain images and graphical forms, most of the formats are text-based.

They are designed so that they can be read on a compatible electronic device. eBooks are stored in the form of electronic files. The file size is small, so you can store a number of books, making them easy to share and purchase. It makes them a perfect companion for travel reading, making electronic notes. eBook readers have a come long since their first appearance.

Let us look at the timeline of eBook readers and accessories and how they developed with progression of time.

Automated reader

• The first automated reader, which is a precursor to all the versatile eBook readers available today was invented by Angela Ruiz Robles back in 1940’s.
• The first design of eBook reader was a very simple prototype that printed texts onto a spool that was operated by compressed air. Yes, this reader was not an eBook reader and did go for mass production but is still hailed as one of the first automated readers of that time.

Online surfing through Internet

• It was the invention of the internet that took the eBook reader and related accessories to the next level. The first eBooks took the advantage of Internet by sharing files and information. It was somewhere around 1970’s when a student from University of Illinois used a computer and ARPAnet (which would be later become internet) typed in some messages in Capital letters on the computer that was connected to some data processing machine. The text message was available for download and was downloaded by six other people that were on ARPAnet. This is how the first eBook was born.
• With widespread of the internet, a company published one of its hypertext fiction around 1985. This eBook was available on floppy disk.
• In the year 1993, a company launched a website that sold eBooks over the internet. With this, it also became the first company to create financial exchange system over the Internet. So, in a way, computers were the very first eBook readers.
• It was between 1998 and 2000 when the first true eBook readers came into existence. It was Softbook reader and Gemstar produced the first true eBook readers
• By the end of 2003, eBook reader and accessories manufacturing companies saw a decline in sales because of their monotonous designs and because of the fact that people were more inclined towards reading their favorite books the way they were supposed to be.
• Sony released eBook reader by the name Libre that utilized eInk (electronic ink). The annoying glare from the backlit was a thing of past as eInk on the PDA’s were more comfortable to read.
• It was only before the year 2010 that unleashed a whole new separate platform of eBook reader and accessories. Amazon (Kindle) and iPhone released eBooks and accessories that were initially sold only in the country. As the eBook reading picked up popularity, these eBooks readers started being sold globally.
• Today there are a like a “gazillion” varieties of eBook readers and accessories that avid readers can lay their hands on. These eBook readers now come with a plethora of features such as online bookshelves, music playback and internet browsing and much more. They offer accessories with eBooks that enhance the reading experience. To get the best eBook readers and accessories, read the reviews available on the internet and visit the manufacturer’s official website to know more about these eBook readers and accessories.

It is that time of the year where you would be getting electronic appliances and deals at the most competitive prices. There is no best thing than being a reader fanatic and a tech geek at the same time. e-Book readers and accessories are one of the electronic devices that are sold out like hot cakes.

But before you barge into the Black Friday and big boxing day sales, take a step back and read everything you need to know about eBook readers and accessories.

Have a look at the pros and cons of buying eBook readers:

Pros

• Portability
  An ordinary eBook reader weighs anywhere under 10 ounces. You can jam in as many as eBooks you please in one single device rather than carrying around a pile of books in a bag.
• Convenience
  Consider a scenario where you plan on reading a random book. If you own an eBook reader, you don’t need to go to a bookstore or order one from a website and wait for it to be delivered to your doorstep. All you need to do is download the book on your eBook and start reading it at your convenience anytime, anywhere. When compared with traditional books, newly released books are much cheaper with eBook versions. A wide variety of eBooks (including the classic editions) have entered the public domain and thus are freely available on the online portal of the eBooks.
• Ergonomically convenient
  One of the best things about using an eBook is its ergonomic convenience. eBook readers and accessories manufacturers, design eBooks in such a way that they can be efficiently held with just one hand. You can turn the page on an eBook reader without having to use the other hand. This comes in handy when you are using a public transportation that is rather crowded. The same is not the case with reading a paperback traditional book. There is always a fear of losing out on turning more than one page if you are not in a comfortable space.
• More than just an eBook
  eBook readers and accessories manufacturers have grown out and gone ahead with providing features in the eBooks that are more than just for reading. You can listen to music and browse the internet while you read favorite books in your eBook reader. You could do that with a traditional book as well but, you’d need a separate smart device which would be very inconvenient.

Now that we have learned the pros of using an eBook let us move over to the cons of the same that will help decide if it is a good idea to invest in eBooks readers and accessories.

Cons

• No “second-hand” option
  Unlike in traditional books, where you can get a book that you have not read at, second-hand prices. There is no such provision in eBook readers. It is possible that you may end up paying the same price or a lot more for certain books.
• No option of lending out a book
  Forget buying second-hand books, you cannot lend or borrow a book from a friend like you can with traditional cover books. There are a very few eBooks that let you do that but then you might have to compromise on some or the other factors.
• Not a real book after all
  While many of you might not completely agree with this disadvantage, if you are a paperback cult reader and like the idea of turning the pages the way they are meant to, you might find reading your favorite book from an eBook reader rather daunting and even disconnecting. Many eBook readers and accessories manufacturers try their best to give their users the same feel of a traditional book but it is an electronic book reader at the end.

Your living room deserves an amazing home audio system. If you have a comfortable couch and a big flat screen TV, the only thing you’re missing is a loud home audio system. It is the one thing that can change your living room into a home theatre or a music hall. If you are having a party, it can hardly be a success without music. But having said all of that, finding a home audio system that fits your room space and your budget is not very easy to find. So, here is a list of the top home audio systems in the market. If you are looking for a high end acoustic HD sound equipment to give you a theatre-like feel or a low budget one, you will find it on this list. Read along:

• Best overall: Nakamichi shockwafe pro 7.1 400W 45” sound bar
  It is the best home audio system in the market right now, if you are not restricted by a budget. It does not give you any hassle of space as it does not have a full receiver, the sound bar is aesthetically pleasing and has an amazing audio output. It has a massive 7.1 channel 400-Watt output which is ideal for your living room, no matter if you are watching movies or listening to music. It might not blast music into the room, but it definitely gives you a rich sound experience. The bar has five sealed speaker chambers and six DSP chipsets, it creates an acoustic wideness that gives life to your media with DSP EQ modes. It sets up with 11 tuned speaker drivers as well as an included eight-inch wireless subwoofer.
• Second best overall: Bose SoundTech 30 Series III
  Bose is known all over the world for its amazing sound quality and the enthralling atmosphere it creates around the room. It has the capacity to capture every single music tone, lyric, guitar strum, bass note and pin-drop from the music. This is a one-piece system so setting up is not an issue at all, and its patented technology is engineered to bring deep and robust sound quality to any room, large or small. These speakers are Bluetooth-enabled and can be added to other speakers, making your room a music blast. There is a SoundTouch app that allows you to connect to these speakers through your home Wi-Fi from your smartphone or your computer. And not just that, you also have access to music services like Pandora, Spotify, and SiriusXM in just one touch.
• Best Budget: Sonos Play 1
  This speaker is by far the best speaker in its category, it earns the ‘best budget speaker’ title with ease. However, it only has a Wi-Fi support and no other connectivity, but that could also be seen as a blessing in disguise. It loses some marks on the design, but has amazing sound output and is complete value for money product. It is the cylindrical shape, but isn’t designed for portability as it is 4.7 inches wide, 6.4 inches deep and weighs 4.1 pounds. The setup for this product is really simple, you just need to download the Sonos app and follow the basic instructions. Although you might have to stick to the sonos app for the music as it does not support either Airplay or Bluetooth. You can still stream the music through all the music streaming apps. It is tiny, but it can power up an entire room with volume and sound all it requires is a wall outlet connector.
• Best Under $75: Logitech surround speakers Z506
  This speaker is the most affordable speaker in the market, given the fact that it is priced below $75. It is a complete package with 6 speakers, wired two-channel sourced 5.1 and a 3D stereo surround sound system. Even if it does not have bluetooth connectivity, this speaker comes with enough sound to fill up a room with music and in some cases, rattle a few windows.