iRiver preps UNIT2 media player combo

iRiver will soon have a premium two-piece media player and docking station combo, the company announced today through a teaser page. The UNIT2 will include a detachable and fully portable player with support for music, video, and Flash movies, including over Wi-Fi. But its base will greatly expand its features, iRiver says. With 2.1-channel speakers designed by home audio expert Niro Nakamichi, the dock will play DVDs, tune TV stations, and serve up content or connections as a wireless access point. A unique metallic controller with a 78-key QWERTY keyboard will steer not only the base station but also the portable unit through Wi-Fi.

As with the core features, storage will also depend on use of the base station versus the handheld, according to iRiver. The less portable home dock will make use of its size by hosting media on a hard drive that may ultimately be used to stream content around the home. SD cards and a USB connection will be used to load media on to the portable player for use on the go; iRiver suggests that the portable element won't depend on its host and should be useful in the car or at Starbucks.

Still to be fully announced, the UNIT2 has no set release date or price but stands a possibility of launching worldwide as well as in its Korean home. [via Engadget]