Just a few years ago, portable media players were the hot gadgets for everyone, be it a teenager or a business professional. Everyone wanted to access their favourite music on the move. Cut to present: We live in a world where smartphones exist that can store all our favourite tracks, as well as connect to the internet and stream millions more. Clunky CD Walkmans might have become obsolete, but the same can?t be said for MP3 players. This is because portable devices have evolved to play not only music, but they are also suitable for digital audio, photos and video.

For evidence, take the case of Zebmate Cinema 1.8 touchscreen media player from homegrown Top Notch Infotronix. Their latest gadget is ultra-light and handy with stunning looks at an amazing price of R1,600. This portable device is suitable for digital audio, photos, and video.

Top Notch Infotronix has debuted several portable media players in recent months, but the game-changing feature of the new player is it?s ultra-light weight and an 1.8-inch touch-screen (160 x 128 pixels). The player itself is designed as a lifestyle accessory for the style conscious generation?it comes in an elegant smoked-black + Sky blue colour body with a sturdy build and quality feel to it.

In keeping with the Zebmate line-up of players, known for good sound quality, attractive design and features, the Zebmate 1.8 has 8 GB capacity inbuilt as standard while a micro-SD card slot takes care of expandability. Built for long battery life, the player is rated to give you uninterrupted play of up to 12 hours for audio, long enough to enjoy music without a break.

Featuring fairly decent audio clarity, video, FM, text, image, audio recording and expandable memory the player can be used easily while on the move. The easy touch and select options enables user to change the audio tracks and rewind/forward selected songs depending on their mood?be it they are on your way to office or in a crowded metro or jam-packed buses. The audio formats supported include MP3, WAV and WMA. The bundled accessories include high-quality earphones and USB cable. It features a standard 3.5 mm stereo jack and therefore it can be connected to vast varieties of external speakers systems to listen to music in louder noise. The player interfaces to a computer through a USB2.0 cable, the most convenient for data transfer.

Apart from the audio features, Zebmate Cinema 1.8 also supports equaliser options to enhance the music experience according to individual preferences. Other run-of-the-mill features like FM radio, photo viewing, e-book, and a voice recorder makes it your perfect companion at any point of time in a day. The touch-screen interface of the player is extremely user-friendly and intuitive, so that anyone from young to old can use it.

All in all, the Zebmate Cinema 1.8 is a feature-rich portable and represents excellent value for money.

SPECS

Display: 1.8 inch (160 x 128) touchscreen

Earphone jack: 3.5 mm x 1

Interface: Mini USB

Built-in memory: 8 GB

Memory expansion: MicroSD (from 128 MB to 16 GB)

Battery backup: 12 hours music playback time

Compatible format: AMV (Video); MP3, WMA, WAV (Audio); JPG, GIF (Photo)

Estimated street price: Rs 1,600