It's A Zune! No wait, It's a Zvue! Actually, It's The Brand New Zvue 260 PMP!

ZVUE is worldwide known as the brand of portable media players designed and marketed by HandHeld entertainment. The device is said to combines a digital mp3 audio player with a personal video player and a JPEG viewer all in one consumer electronics device about the size of a pack of playing cards.

The ZVUE 260 was announced by HandHeld entertainment on January 16th, 2007 and was planned for a Mid-2007 release in June. At that time, some leading technology news editors called it "iPod-esque".

At 4.16- X 2.4- X 0.5-inches and 3.93 ounces, the ZVUE 260 PMP is comparable to the video iPod in thickness as it sports 6/100ths of an inch longer and 7/100ths of an inch thicker, yet weighs close to an ounce less, almost 3.98 ounces versus 4.8 ounces, respectively. The ZVUE 260 is also the smallest and lightest Zvue ever marketed.

Surprisingly, the ZVUE is said to be similar to the video iPod and works on the MPEG-4 or H.264 video standard for video, MP3 standard for audio (in addition to OGG Vorbis) and the JPEG or BMP standard for images. Furthermore, the Handheld entertainment company was involved in the Zvue-Zune trademark.

Zvue is known as the lowest-cost media player to support the WMV standard for video and the WMA for audio around, including DRM so that legal licensed content from almost all non-apple media download sites can be played. The usual ZVUE costs about $100.

The ZVUE 260 is said to be a full-featured personal media player (PMP) and the first one to sport the fashionable built-in speaker and a sleek and thin design that comes in 1 GB version, with an integrated SD slot, delivering sufficient memory for up to six hours of video playback or approximately 500 MP3 songs. The ZVUE 260 features a 2.5-inch screen and supports videos running at up to 30 frames per second at resolutions of up to 320 x 240 pixels.

Jeff Oscodar, president and CEO of HandHeld Entertainment said for HHE: "At under $100, the ZVUE 260 gives digital media consumers access to a high quality, yet value-priced, PMP that is exciting to own. In addition to our players, HandHeld provides one of the most extensive content offerings in the market on our network of Web sites, with premium and free content available for users to download to their ZVUE 260 using our ZAPP program for use anytime, anywhere. We want entertainment to be as accessible to our customers as possible."

The ZVUE 260 will be available initially with at least two different SD memory configurations. The entry-level configurations will have a suggested retail price around 100 bucks.

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