04/13, 2:40pm
Plenue Z2 aimed for US release early May
The Cowon Plenue Z2 is being aimed for release in early May, a spokesman advised. Speaking to Engadget, the Korean manufacturer said it will be shipping two versions of the Android media player, differing in color, size and price.
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01/24, 11:45pm
Company upgrades to Cortex-A8
Cowon has introduced a new Android-based media player, the Z2 Plenue, which appears to be built with the same external design as the company's existing D3 model. The improved model jumps to a 1GHz Cortex-A8 processor paired with 521MB of RAM, along with Micro USB and Micro HDMI ports.
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12/04, 11:50am
Cowon R7 tablet stays offline with 1080p video
Cowon made an unusual step sideways this weekend by unveiling the R7. The seven-inch tablet and media player crossover carries Cowon's usual broad format support, showing up to 1080p video (over HDMI out) with 3GP, Flash, MKV (Matroska), and other formats. In an odd step, though, it runs a heavily modified, artistic version of Windows CE 6.0 and doesn't have Internet access, taking a step back from the smaller but more aware Android-based D3.
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09/07, 4:15pm
Multimedia player offers enhanced audio/video
Korean multimedia playback software and hardware vendor Cowon has released more detailed information on its forthcoming iAudio 10 player. This follows the company's unveiling last week of a teaser microsite dedicated to the product. The site revealed nothing about the product, but did enable viewers to listen to Korean pop music and play with the site's color scheme much like Cowon's current products offer a ‘Color Therapy’ UI.
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08/31, 1:50pm
New Cowon Audio i10 microsite offers little info
Cowon, the Korean maker of portable multimedia playback devices, has just launched a mysterious microsite. It seems to be devoted to an upcoming device from the company, the so-called Audio i10. Nothing in the way of tech specs are revealed about the device, however.
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07/13, 10:00pm
New features include sleep timer, search, VOIP
Cowon is now offering owners of the D3 Plenue multimedia player the option of upgrading it to Android 2.3, up from the Android 2.1 OS it began shipping with. Other than improving system stability, the free upgrade brings with it new features, including a music sleep timer, plug-in code support, a search widget and VoIP. The performance is also said to be faster and more responsive.
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02/01, 4:50pm
Cowon D3 Plenue with Android comes to Amazon
The Cowon D3 Plenue multimedia player, officially unveiled late in December, can now be pre-ordered at Amazon. While the device will also be available in other, smaller capacities, Amazon only has the 32GB model on its site, revealing it will cost $370. The device is significant as it's Cowon's first to use the Android OS, 2.1 in this case, instead of the company's own software.
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12/28, 11:25am
Will feature AMOLED screen, HDMI-out
Cowon has confirmed more details for its D3 Plenue, its first media player with Android rather than its own OS. The Android 2.1-based player is also confirmed to have a 3.7-inch, 800x480 AMOLED touchscreen display and enough performance for 1080p video playback. The D3 will feature 802.11g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 and HDMI out. The company claims the device is VoIP-capable.
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12/23, 12:20pm
Cowon D3 confirmed to get Android 2.1, AMOLED
Korea's Cowon has officially announced the long-awaited D3 multimedia player, confirming an earlier rumor that the device will sport an Android OS rather than Cowon's own. The replacement for the D2 will be Cowon's first device to run on Android and will use 2.1. It will also depend on a 3.7-inch, 800x480 AMOLED capacitive touchscreen instead of the old resistive display.
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11/30, 4:55am
Runs Windows CE 6.0 PC/Mac compatible
Cowon has unveiled what it claims is the world’s first glasses-free 3D Personal Media Player, the Cowon 3D. The device runs Windows CE 6.0 and centers on a 4.8-inch 800x400 widescreen display. In addition to its 3D capability, it is also capable of 1080p output via its HDMI port.
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10/08, 6:00am
Eschews flash storage for larger spinning platter
Korea’s Cowon has debuted the X7 Personal Media Player in its home market. The device combines a 4.3-inch touchscreen with up to a 160GB traditional spinning hard drive. It is battery can deliver up to 103 hours of music or up 10 hours of video playback. It is also equipped with Bluetooth, a radio tuner and a TV-out port.
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07/08, 9:55am
Cowon outs 1080p-capable portable media player
Korea's Cowon has released its latest portable media player, the V5W. Video is its focus as it can play back 1080p video onto external displays thanks to an HDMI output. Its own touchscreen is limited to 800x480 but, at 4.8 inches, is large enough for handheld viewing. The Wi-Fi-equipped device runs on Windows CE 6.0 with a proprietary user interface and contains a few document apps, games, dictionaries and more.
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04/22, 4:40pm
Cowon to use Android for next-gen PMP?
The upcoming D3 portable multimedia player from Cowon may be running on the Android operating system, rather than Cowon's own OS, according to recent rumors. The device will replace the currently available and popular D2, which sports a 2.5-inch touchscreen and up to 8GB of built-in flash storage, along with an SDHC memory card slot and included 8GB card.
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03/31, 4:20pm
Cowon J3 media player now out in Korea
The previously leaked Cowon J3 portable multimedia player is now shipping in its home market of Korea. The device features a 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 480x272. Its other key specs, such as stereo Bluetooth, a DMB tuner, voice recorder and TV-output are otherwise also now confirmed.
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03/17, 7:20pm
Photo of Cowon J3 multimedia player gets leaked
The upcoming and leaked Cowon J3 multimedia player can finally be seen in the flesh, after months of speculation, thanks to a leaked image. The device will have a 3.3-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 480x272 and be available in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB capacities. It will also include an accelerometer for switching the orientation of its screen, as well as Bluetooth and a TV output, the last of which is new information.
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01/15, 4:10pm
Upcoming Cowon J3 specs unveiled by own app
A Cowon app, jetAudio, has revealed some specs of an upcoming portable media player recently. The Cowon J3, the graphic for which was leaked a few weeks ago and is seen here, is expected to sport an ultra-efficient 3.3-inch AMOLED display with a 480x272 resolution. The device is also expected to ship in a few models, which have built-in storage or 4GB, 8GB and possibly 16GB. A memory card slot is expected as well.
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01/08, 11:05am
Cowon W2 would be company's first true MID
Cowon has quietly put up a teaser page for its first real entry into the MID (Mobile Internet Device) category, the W2. It would occupy the higher end of the spectrum with a 1.33GHz Atom and Windows 7 but would center on style with a relatively low-key, brushed metal design with only a few buttons. An extra dense 4.8-inch, 1024x600 touchscreen would serve as its near-exclusive interface.
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12/21, 12:00pm
Cowon V5 HD gets HDMI output, 4.8-inch screen
Korea's Cowon has introduced launched one of its portable HD media players, the V5 HD. The device sports a 4.8-inch touchscreen with an 800x480 resolution, but it can output 720p HD video thanks to its HDMI output. A DMB TV tuner is integrated, and it supports multiple common HD-ready formats that include H.264.
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11/03, 5:10pm
Cowon iAudio E2 now available in the US
Cowon's second announcement regarding the US market on Tuesday involves another one of its personal music players, the iAudio E2. The iPod Shuffle-sized player has Cowon's well-known audio enhancement features, letting users pick from one of eight audio enhancement profiles. Each mode has a built-in voice guide that is used to preview the sound enhancement presets.
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11/03, 4:50pm
Cowon iAudio 9 coming to US in 8GB, 16GB sizes
Cowon has priced its iAudio 9 portable digital media player and confirmed the device is coming to the US within a week. The first versions of the devices will be available only in black, with an 8GB capacity and 16GB version. The device will sport a 2-inch color screen with a 320x240 resolution and a capacitive touch strip for navigation, as well as Cowon's well-reputed sound processing technology.
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07/31, 12:25pm
Cowon iAudio E3 coming
Korea's Cowon is displaying an upcoming portable music player on its home page, the iAudio E2. While little is known about the device other than its styling and that it's coming soon, it appears targeted at the same audience as the iPod shuffle as it goes without a screen. Cowon also makes the iAudio T2, which has a tiny OLED screen and a 2GB capacity. It connects to PCs via a miniUSB connection and sports a built-in FM tuner with recording for both broadcasts and voice. Some of these specs are expected to be shared by the E2.
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03/04, 4:55pm
Cowon D2+ ships in US
Cowon has quietly begun selling its D2+ portable entertainment device in the US recently just one week after than its launch in the home market of Korea. Like its predecessor, the D2, the new player is available in both 16GB and 8GB versions on Cowon's US online store, JetMall. Unlike the D2, however, the D2+ adds more colors to the same 2.5-inch, 320x240 touchscreen, has a new GUI, new BBE+ sound processing and a slightly different exterior design. The North American version also loses the DMB tuner, which is not usable in the area.
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02/23, 3:40pm
Cowon D2 Plus
Korean-based portable electronics maker Cowon has replaced its D2 media player with an upgraded D2+ version. The device has the same 2.5-inch 320x240 LCD touchscreen but with improved colors and can now be had with or without a DMB TV tuner. It can be ordered with 4GB, 8GB or 16GB of built-in memory, while external memory can be added via a microSDHC card slot that can support up to 32GB.
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02/13, 4:35pm
Cowon launches L3 player
Korea's Cowon has finally released its L3 multimedia player, which first appeared back in August. The L3 sports a 7-inch, 800x480 resolution display and runs on Windows CE 5.0. The only details released on its CPU is that it has dual cores. The device has 128MB of SDRAM and ships with 4GB of flash storage space. It can, however, be expanded via an SD memory card slot.
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12/15, 12:10pm
Cowon S9 Ships to US
Cowon this morning said it has started shipping the S9 Curve to the US. Like the original version, the media player is Cowon's closest equivalent to the iPod touch and centers on a 3.3-inch active matrix OLED with a capacitive touchscreen; the display is both more color-accurate than Apple's and supports the same pressure-free finger input, although without multi-touch gestures. The display is limited to 480x272 is supported by a processor that can decode 720x480 MPEG-4 video versus the 640x480 limit of the iPod.
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11/27, 8:25am
Cowon S9 for US in Dec
Cowon today revealed that it will bring its S9 Curve media player to the US in December. The device is the Korean company's most direct answer to the iPod touch and centers on a rare, 3.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen that both produces more vivid colors than LCDs and also boosts the battery life to 40 hours of music. It also includes an accelerometer to rotate the image into landscape, Bluetooth for wireless audio, and is unusually fast for its category through a dual-core processor.
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10/27, 4:30pm
Cowon O2 Comes to US
Cowon today has quietly launched an Americanized version of the O2, its most recent video-oriented touchscreen player. The device is a close cousin of its Korean original and carries a 4.3-inch, 480x272 display as well as the processing power to decode 720p video in some formats. Although it denies the use of the T-DMB TV tuner that would only work in Korea, the O2 continues to support relatively exotic formats that include Monkey Audio and OGG as well as video formats like Matroska and MTV. Several common formats are likewise supported and include both AAC and H.264.
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08/25, 7:55am
Cowon S9 O2 and L3
Cowon as of Monday launched a concerted campaign to improve its touchscreen players with three new models. Headlining the move is the S9 Curve; the device is the first narrow-format touchscreen player from the Korean company and also the first to use an active matrix OLED (AMOLED) touchscreen. The switch from LCD both improves color output (up to 16 million colors) and also battery life: despite a 3.3-inch display, the S9 is capable of 40 hours of continuous music while remaining slim.
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07/23, 8:00am
Cowon P5
Cowon on Wednesday added a new entry to its touchscreen players with the P5. Targeted more at video users, the device has a 5-inch, 800x480 touchscreen with a new customizable "shelf" interface with widgets; haptic feedback that simulates physical button presses through vibrations. A new, faster 700MHz processor gives the device both a quick interface as well as the power to decode full DVD-resolution video that includes both offline formats (AVI, DivX, MPEG-1/4, WMV, XviD) as well as digital over-the-air TV through a built-in DMB tuner.
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01/11, 2:30pm
Cowon D3
Cowon is already in the midst of developing a sequel to its relatively well-received D2 touchscreen player, representatives from the company's CES booth have said. The D3 should mark a performance upgrade and may be the first to play video beyond 320x240 despite its small frame. This size is also expected to shrink and will see both the overall surface area shrink as the device gets thinner, Cowon says.
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01/11, 9:45am
Cowon iAudio U5 in America
Cowon today added to its steadily growing portfolio of US players with the shipment of the iAudio U5. The Korean firm's exported player is designed to undercut the iPod nano, Zune, and other players in the class by offering a handful of features that are not found on the higher-profile players, such as a voice microphone and an FM radio tuner with scheduled recording for listening to shows after they air. Where other players' audio equalizers only offer presets, the U5's settings are fully customizable, Cowon says. A 1.8-inch screen keeps the device comparable to the Zune 4/8 in size.
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12/27, 11:25am
Cowon N3
Cowon today finished its device upgrades for 2007 with the launch of the N3. An upgrade to the N2, the N3 is built to be used either at home or in the car as a multi-purpose tool: though it includes a GPS unit with full navigation tools, the device also uses its 7-inch screen for playing back music and video. A picture-in-picture feature allows users to watch a smaller video window while keeping track of the route ahead, Cowon says. At 800x480, the display is sharp enough to play DivX, MPEG 1/4, Windows Media, and XviD movies at greater than DVD resolution. It also includes a DMB tuner for digital over-the-air broadcasts and will even accept input from a portable DVD player or rear-view camera through a video-in jack.
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11/29, 12:20pm
Cowon Q5W coming in Dec.
Cowon has revealed that its Q5W media player, announced for the US earlier this month, will at last ship in early December. The player is unique in several respects; it supports 802.11b Wi-Fi for instance, but unlike Apple's iPod touch, can browse websites with and without Flash. The player also has a five-inch, 800x480 touchscreen, which can be optimized for either fingers or a stylus.
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