[f1000]

Beating Apple to the punch, little-known peripheral manufacturer Nyko has unveiled an iPod accessory which enables the popular audio player to play back videos on a 3.5" display.

At the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nyko Technologies has announced the MoviePlayer, an iPod peripheral which gives owners the ability to play back video stored on an iPod on a 3.5" display. Currently at the prototype stage, the company says the accessory is slated for release in the spring 2005, utilizing a portable cradle concept to connect the accessory to an iPod.

The MoviePlayer will connect to the iPod via the dock connector and draw upon its storage capabilities, delivering video playback on a 3.5", 16-bit TFT display as opposed to the small, monochrome display of the iPod itself. The accessory also includes built-in stereo speakers, although whether users will be able to utilize headphones is still unclear.

Offering a dedicated user interface, the MoviePlayer will according to Nyko allow for both music and video playback, as well as photo viewing, using a navigational interface which appears similar to that of the existing iPod scroll wheel. According to the company, included software - compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X - will convert any audio, video or image file to a format compatible with the MoviePlayer.

An additional three hours of playback can be had from the rechargeable Lithium Ion battery of the MoviePlayer, according to Nyko's claims, allowing users to watch "several full-length movies on one charge". To protect the screen when not in use, the MoviePlayer closes clamshell-style, protecting both the accessory itself as well as the connected iPod.

In related news, Nyko Technologies also announced several other iPod accessories, including a button relocator which moves all basic control functions from the face of the player to the top; a speaker dock; add-on, rechargeable battery packs for both the iPod and iPod mini under the iBoost moniker; and more. According to Nyko, all of its products will be launched in early 2005.

Pricing and availability for the Nyko MoviePlayer will be announced closer to launch.

http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/5668.html

[anamexis]

You had me interested until "According to the company, included software - compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X - will convert any audio, video or image file to a format compatible with the MoviePlayer."

[f1000]

That's a good observation. My Palm TC came bundled with a video player called Kinoma that required pre-conversion of video files as well, which made the Kinoma player something of a hassle to use.