iriver D50

Portable media player (PMP) maker iriver is entering the portable computing market with its new D50 model, a device that combines multimedia capabilities, wireless connectivity and a full Qwerty keyboard.

The D50, marketed as part of the company's Dicple series of electronic dictionaries, features a 4.8-inch display (800 x 480 pixels), 16GB of internal memory - expandable via a microSD slot - and 802.11b/g wireless LAN for connecting to the internet.

Compared to netbooks, the iriver D50 is pretty small, measuring only 150mm wide and 24.8mm thick, and doesn't come with an option to run Windows operating systems. But its sleek, white design makes it look like a solid, smooth block. There's also a very cool LED display on the cover that gives you information without having to boot up the core programs.

Despite the keyboard, it's pretty obvious the D50 isn't meant to challenge computers. Applications for the D50 are limited to its dictionary, web browser and viewers for Microsoft Office documents (Word, PowerPoint and Excel), Adobe PDF, and a Korean word processor.

What it does offer is a full-feature PMP, including high-fidelity sound, robust audio and video file support, FM radio and voice recording. You also get up to 16 hours of battery life for music playback and up to 8 hours of video viewing.

The D50 is currently only available in Korea, but should hit Hong Kong shores soon. Pricing quoted on various websites start at US$370 (HK$2,900).