Audio Video News

Once a marvel of technology, the portable DVD player is now on its way to becoming a "been there, spun that" kind of product category. (Oh, how quickly we take electronic things for granted nowadays…) So manufacturers - and there are many - of this kind of portable device have to focus their design attention on enhanced features or reduced weight/size/cost in order to attract the attention of the much loved, cash-carrying consumer. (Yeah, don't go looking around the room. I'm talking about you.)

Axion's attention-getting attempt comes in the form of a 4.2-inch DVDMan portable DVD player. (With a 4.2-inch screen, shouldn't it be called a DVDTeen?) The new player, the AXN-6042, is said to be "small enough to fit in your purse and much lighter than a laptop at less than one pound..." In addition to playing DVDs, the AXN-6042 can also play CDs and MP3-encoded discs.

Axion says the DVDMan is "perfect for the road warrior or a great way to keep the kids entertained in the car" and can provide "hours of entertainment in a single charge."

If that were all there was to it, the DVDMan would certainly languish on the dusty back shelves of store warehouses; but Axion's AXN-6042 includes a unique feature that helps it stand out. (A little bracket on the back helps it stand up, but that's not what we're talking about here.) A special built-in connection technology, called the Axi-Port, allows for the use of a couple of add-on devices not available with most portable DVD players.

Axion's AXN-1001 is an external tuner (VHF, UHF, and 181 cable channels) that connects through the Axi-Port. Although it's difficult to get the local cable company to drop a cable line to your car, the off-air portion of the tuner might help your kids settle down in the back seat as they watch the latest episode of Barney on your next cross-town or cross-country trip. (Although having them bouncing around the vehicle like chimpanzees on speed might be preferable to listening to Barney songs during any part of the trip…)

Another "kidnotizing" add-on gadget is Axion's AXN-1101, a plug-and-play game pad with seven classic SEGA games built-in. The game pad is powered by the AXI-Port so no extra batteries are required - a great feature since you know if that it did need batteries, you'd be in the middle of nowhere when they ran out.

The AXN-6042 includes a 960 x 234 TFT LCD screen, stereo speakers, dual headphone jacks, AC and DC power adapters, and built-in lithium-polymer rechargeable batteries. The $139.99 unit is available now.