Maxian M800 (also known as Maxian M8000) Review

Official Site http://www.maxian.com/eng/
Reviewed by K.C. Kim
Review unit provided by latteglobal.com

30 GB (1.8 inch HDD)
4.3 inch WQVGA(480 x 272) TFT LCD,
16,700,000 color (24bits) / 390,000 pixel
AVI, MPG, ASF, WMV, DAT, VOB
MPEG-1, MPEG-2, DivX3.1/4.xx/5.xx, XviD,
ISO MPEG-4 SP, WMV9 (640 x 282), H.264 (CIF)
MP3, AC3, WMA, BSAC, AAC+
720 x 480 maximum (WMV9 : 640 X 282, 500Kbps)
30 fps maximum
SMI
MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG
8~320Kbps CBR & VBR / Q0~Q10(OGG bitrate)
ID3v1, ID3v2 2.0, ID3v2 3.0
TXT
25MBytes
TXT + MP3
MP3
AVI
DivX 5.0
MP3
3Mbps maximum
128Kbps
640 x 480 (VGA)
Earphone jack, Composite AV IN and AV OUT
Built-in Microphone, Built-in Stereo Speaker
Video output in PAL(EU) or NTSC(US) standard
Removable Lithium-Polymer battery pack, External AC charger/adapter
USB Device
USB 2.0 High Speed (480Mbps maximum)
USB Host
USB 2.0 High Speed (480Mbps maximum)
168.9 (W) x 79 (L) x 17(D) mm
265g
Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000 or XP / LINUX, MAC OS 9.X, 10.X (Windows 98 SE requires downloadable driver)

Intro – Ever since I first heard about the Maxian M800. I put this PMP on the top of the list for must haves. Unfortunately the player was unavailable at the time and very scarce even through gray market importers. The player retails for around 400,000 Korean Won, or about $416. But is sold at higher price at many other countries upward of $500-$700. And is worth every penny of that amount.

I had all but given up on getting the Maxian M800 until I found one company Latte Communications, Inc. who at some point in the future will launch the product in the U.S. I managed to get a review unit and here I will review the Korean PMP player “Maxian M800 30GB Black”

In the box – Maxian M800, leather case, AC Adapter, Manual, wriststrap, a/v cables, remote w/ batteries, manual, usb host cable, usb cable, and earphones. Pretty much Maxian threw everything you need into the box. This is great as buying accessories separately can cost quite a lot of money. The leather case is quite nice and better than the average one that comes with other pmp’s.

Design – Maxian M800 may in fact be the best-looking PMP I have seen. With a huge 4.3-inch 480×272 LCD made by Sharp, slim 17mm form factor, and metal etched d-pad and buttons. The design bares a resemblance to a PSP crossed with a Razr keypad.

Functions – Maxian M800 can play videos, music, view pictures, read text, voice and video record. Something’s missing were lack of fm radio and no games even though the layout would be perfect for this function.

Firmware – Firmware is upgradeable and updates can be found at Maxian’s official site http://www.maxian.com/eng/cs_center/cs_pds_list.asp

GUI – Navigation is very simple with the D-Pad and large icons that anyone can see. The interface is nice and bright.

Movie – The Maxian M800 can play quite a few different formats out of the box such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, DivX3.1/4.xx/5.xx, XviD,
ISO MPEG-4 SP, WMV9 (640 x 282), H.264 (CIF). In testing 5 out the 6 files playback without a hitch. One AVI for whatever reason would not play. Converting the file using PocketDivx did the trick. Overall a good experience with the large screen, built in speakers, and smooth playback.

Music – Music was quite good especially with its Burr Brown High-End Audio codec.

Pictures – Pictures viewing was excellent with the Maxian M800. You can enlarge the image to fit the full screen, view images in a sideshow, and zoom in on an image 1x, 2x , and 4x.

Text – With the large 4.3” display and the d-pad for scrolling. The Maxian M800 becomes a nice ebook reader on the go. I downloaded Frankenstein by Mary Shelley off Project Gutenberg and text size was good and quite readable.

Additional features – Voice Recording, Video Recording, Audio Recording, TV out.

Games – For a PMP that would be excellent for gaming the M800 lacks any games at all.

Comparisons -

Maxian M800 vs PSP

Maxian M800 vs Cowon A2

Maxian M800 vs Clix2

Conclusion – Maxian M800 is one of the best PMPs on the market. The design, style, slim form factor, and numerous features put this in elite group of dedicated video players.

Positives
Great sound quality
Stylish and thin
Large beautiful widescreen display
Built in speakers
Lots of features
Replaceable battery
Nice included leather case

Negatives
Not pocketable
Sharp screen had two lit pixels(Similar issues to PSP screens)
Not all videos played without conversion
Expensive

9.2 out of 10

Currently this product is not available in the U.S. Latte Global http://latteglobal.com/ may launch this product in the future in U.S. But no given date is stated. Will post here if I get any new info about availability.

Logitech Alto Review

Reviewed by K.C. Kim

Product Page

Overview

Take your notebook to new heights.

Looking for more comfort from your laptop? This adjustable stand places your notebook display at eye level while the full-sized keyboard lets you type faster and with less fatigue. Easy to set up and easy to store, it works with virtually any notebook.

Easy to set up, easy to store.
The Alto™ flips open for instant use on almost any flat surface, and folds down to a compact size for easy transport and storage. Also, the keyboard folds up over your notebook when in the stand to free up space.

Notebook display riser
Elevates and extends your notebook´s display to an optimal height and distance for viewing comfort. Helps you relax while making you more productive.

Enhanced comfort
The full-sized keyboard lets you type faster, with less fatigue. The integrated soft palm rest provides extra wrist support, while keeping your hands away from the heat generated by the notebook.

One-touch hot keys
The easy-to-use media and volume controls give you instant access to your digital music. Additional hot keys provide quick access to your favorite applications, folders, and web pages.

Multipurpose USB hub
Three high-speed USB 2.0 ports add instant connectivity for your favorite peripherals—including cordless mice, webcams, printers, and external drives.

Works with virtually any notebook
Use it with your current laptop—and with your next one.

Specifications

System Requirements

* Laptop / Notebook PC (up to 9 lbs weight)
* Windows® 2000, XP™ or Vista™
* Available USB port

Note: The use of USB devices with high power requirements may require an external power adapter
Dimensions

* Height (thickness):
o Keyboard: 22.2 mm
o Closed: 35.7 mm
* Width: 427.8 mm
* Depth (front to rear)
o Open: 486.1 mm
o Closed: 237.0 mm

Package Contents

* Logitech® Alto™ keyboard
* User’s guide
* 5-year limited hardware warranty

Intro – When my PC went down (Power Supply Died). I had to use my laptop as my main computer. This becomes difficult to get used to. As I am used to looking up at my 20 inch TFT Flat Panel display. While I have to look down to view my 14.1-inch LCD on my laptop. This made me decide that I needed a laptop stand. At the same time Logitech was launching their product the “Logitech Alto”. And I figured I give it try.

Design – The Logitech Alto is all black and a tad on the large side. This is partly due to the beautiful full keyboard. The Stand is well built and shows no sign of weakness. The stand is mostly made of plastic and rubberized casing. Logitech always put out quality products and the Alto is no exception.

Function – I tested the Logitech Alto with my IBM ThinkPad T43p. The Alto comes folded with two sides. On one side a full keyboard and the other the stand. The documentation that comes with it is a bit on the lite side. So I figured out most of the things on my own. On the top half there is a stand that is released through a release button. Once the stand is up you insert the laptop. Unfortunately my laptop kept sliding out. This maybe due the material the ThinkPad uses in their laptops makes them slippery. But I had hoped there would be a second security blanket to hold up the laptop other than the rubber extension on the bottom. Next I attached the usb plug to connect the built in keyboard and all ports on the dock. Now you’re set and ready to use the laptop. Not too bad of a setup process. And having the laptop in the stand gave me a closer feel to the PC experience.

Conclusion – The Logitech Alto is a good concept but does suffer from being a first generation product. Dust is a major issue and the stand didn’t work well with my particular laptop. Lightweight and smaller thinner laptops would work best with this stand.

Overall 6.9 out 10

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