As a frequent traveller, my luggage is filled with electronic gadgets for entertainment and distraction during long flights and nights spent alone in hotel rooms. My favourite toy is my fifth-generation video iPod, loaded with music, videos and photos. But I cannot imagine watching a movie on the iPod's 2.5-inch screen, so I carry a separate PMP (personal media player) with a larger screen.
Two new devices from Philips would make me the envy of fellow air passengers. These units combine a large screen, portable DVD player and dock for the video iPod as well as a port for a SD/MMC memory card. The DCP750 features a 7-inch LCD screen, the DCP850 an 8.5-inch screen.
Aside from videos stored on your iPod and standard DVDs, these DCPs (digital cinema packages) can play DVD-Rs and SVCDs, with support for MP3 audio, DivX video and JPEG photos. Their rechargeable batteries provide up to 2.5 hours of play time when using the DVD player and up to five hours when using the iPod. Each unit has a remote control and two jacks for earphones.
Previews of these units say their video and audio quality won't win awards but given the amount of functionality packed into these two boxes, they seem relative bargains. The DCP850 will retail for about US$199; the DCP750 for about US$150.
One of their competitors, iLuv, is offering the i1055, combining a 7-inch screen, DVD player and video iPod dock. However, the i1055 doesn't offer support for AVI videos. Well-reviewed portable units that don't have a DVD player include the Flip from Memorex and the Video-55 from Sonic Impact.