Meizu Mini Player coming to America

Ask, and ye shall receive. When we mentioned that we'd like to spend some time with Meizu's M6 Mini Player a few months back, we were pretty sure that like most foreign gadgets we feature, this one would always remain just out of reach -- so imagine our surprise when we learned that pre-ordering has already begun to bring the M6 stateside. You'll probably recall that this model, which has the nano squarely in its sights (promotional materials even warn the iPod to "step aside"), comes in either 1GB ($139), 2GB ($159), or 4GB ($220) capacities, and besides supporting the usual assortment of MP3, WMA, WAV, and OGG audio files, does the AVI playback thing on its 2.4-inch QVGA screen as well. Also included are an FM tuner, voice recorder, calendar, stopwatch, USB On The Go support, and a couple of games, which is a lot more features than the nano offers, so it looks like Apple has reason to be mighty worried come July or early August when the first shipments of these arrive. Keep reading for a few more comparison shots that show just how mini this Mini really is...

[eagle15 @ Jun 26th 2006 4:38AM]

ipods will never die! expect new ones this christmas!

[seamus bartlettt @ Jun 26th 2006 4:58AM]

I'd love to see a side-by-side of this an the nano, or, better yet, a side-by-side of this and my hand.

Really though, going the whole extreme-mini-tinyness with a screen to watch video on really hasn't caught my interest, or any sane person's (people who buy those video glasses go under the insane category). PMP's need to keep aiming for the 4" and above screen sizes, or we'll not only go deaf from their devices, but blind as well.

[Deezee @ Jun 26th 2006 5:02AM]

This thing looks AWSOME!! But I cant wait that long for my next PMP! If it was available now I think I'd get it. I wonder what battery life is like.

[HaDes @ Jun 26th 2006 5:42AM]

nice. but 2.4" is a little bit small for video...

[TZK @ Jun 26th 2006 6:12AM]

WOW IT SUPPORTS AVI! This mean, even at a 4GB model, you can hold maybe one porn, or a few Family Guy episodes.

Sign me up mango-tango.

[Ballog @ Jun 26th 2006 6:13AM]

Warning; The Meizu's M6 Mini Player only does 18 fps in video. So its not really a PMP, video playback is just a gimmick - the screen would be nice for music scrolling though.

[John from Buffalo @ Jun 26th 2006 7:16AM]

Total first to market rip-off w/ video side screen. Check out the blue-esk background that looks like Apple's background. Outside of the Linux backgrounds under KDE 3.x desktops, this is a complete rip.

[Ben Hobbs @ Jun 26th 2006 8:03AM]

"Warning; The Meizu's M6 Mini Player only does 18 fps in video. So its not really a PMP, video playback is just a gimmick - the screen would be nice for music scrolling though."

The holy grail of high definition - 1080p - Only manages to do 24-30 fps, so thats a pretty silly warning really.

[Olivier @ Jun 26th 2006 8:15AM]

Ok it's beautiful but where can i buy it !

[Ross Carlson @ Jun 26th 2006 8:59AM]

I don't usually chime in with comments like this, but...

"The holy grail of high definition - 1080p - Only manages to do 24-30 fps, so thats a pretty silly warning really."

Do you have any clue what you're talking about? 24 fps is the same frame rate as film and is just about the slowest the human eye can see and believe that it's full motion video. 18fps would SUCK to watch an entire movie on - as others have said it's a gimik to be able to say the device does video.

Do your homework before you post idiotic statements like that.

[LD @ Jun 26th 2006 9:12AM]

Hey, wow, look at that. Another competitor making a PMP identical in style to Apple. The GUI even looks the same. I expect lawsuits if they try to bring it to the US.

[Sirius @ Jun 26th 2006 9:13AM]

To top that mac os x looking desktop background.. doesn't that gui look like the ipods? I can't be sure since i don't own an ipod, but from what i can remember.. the play state indicator in the top left corner, battery in the top right, > for the menu system... if u flashed that screen at me i'd prob think it was from an ipod hacked to display background pictures!

[Sh4Dow @ Jan 8th 2008 12:05AM]

Actually, The background is user changable, and the stock background actually has more of an windows XP feel to it. The stock background that came with mine was blue, with 4 blue squares (3d) 1 higher, the other lower, and the other 2 in between. Also, on the size matter, merely looking at measurements is not good enough. Take out a credit card, or a library card, or anything around that size, and imagine 3mm cut off from the side of the library card, then put 4 of these resized cards together, and u have the size of a meizu m6. Also, the screen is actually quite large compared to other players. Take the credit card, move in 1mm from 3 sides, and 1.3 cm from the other side, and you have the Meizu Screen

[dave95 @ Jun 26th 2006 9:41AM]

Well, if it looks like the iPod UI (which I think it does), shouldn’t Creative Sue them also?

[Dale @ Jun 26th 2006 10:21AM]

Man, if I were into the iPod nano, I would really considering giving this thing a go. Unfortunately, I'm too much of a space hog, so I need at least 10 GB for music plus another 20 or so for video. As just a music player though, that's not bad. Better have at least 15+ hours battery life, though.

[Fred @ Jun 26th 2006 10:27AM]

I will buy this lovely player, can´t think of any competitors that offer this performance in such a small package. Ok clix player, but that one has only 2gigs. And a big plus for UMS, no WMP or Itunes =)

[Sh4Dow @ Jan 7th 2008 11:32PM]

The New model of Meizu M6, is the Meizu M6SL available at 8GB for only 160 american! It supports FLAC audio, WAV, OGG, Mp3, WMA, and WMA lossless with licensing, but with licensing, same with most WMA audio files ripped off of a CD, need to be transfred with windows media player. Not very hard. Also, with 9 band user controlled EQ and Bass boost, Treble boost, and volume lock, it is a very customizable player in terms of media. Adressing the 18FPS problem, i used the video converter software that came with the miniplayer and i was pleasantly surprised. Transformers the movie fit in as 648MB and Kung Fu Hustle fit as 692MB. The image was NOT choppy, and played quite smoothly. However, scroll took around 2 hours of normal use to get used to, but after some practice works well. There are some minor problems with precision, but all who have not actualyl tried the player should not be so quick to start dissing every part of it. Also, does anybody have somewhere to recommend for me to write my own review of the player?

[Donovan @ Jun 26th 2006 10:59AM]

Poster 1> "The holy grail of high definition - 1080p - Only manages to do 24-30 fps, so thats a pretty silly warning really."

Poster 2> "Do you have any clue what you're talking about? 24 fps is the same frame rate as film and is just about the slowest the human eye can see and believe that it's full motion video. 18fps would SUCK to watch an entire movie on"

Wow, if you're gonna snap and question someone's intelligence, you really gotta watch what's coming out of your own mouth. It's a 2.4" screen, not a flippin' IMAX. I have a Sansa e200, with does 15 fps, and for that screen, it looks super smooth. How you can be so quick to judge the necessity of 24 vs 18 frames per second on a motion picture vs. lcd screen is beyond me.

18 frames per second will look fine. It's no more a gimmick than anything that plays video with less than a 4" screen is a gimmick, lol.

That said, I want one. My Sansa going back, too many firmware annoying issues (arragh).

[scott @ Jun 26th 2006 12:24PM]

no aac is a dealbreaker for me (and probably many others).

[Craig @ Jun 26th 2006 12:31PM]

This is what I think the iPod Video should look like. A nice big screen with controls on the side.

[soopergooman @ Jun 26th 2006 12:52PM]

Usb on the go, Eh? Looks like i could use this with my psp via irshell or daxziso loader(usbhostf). That price is pretty Solid! 4 gig for $220? Thats cheaper than a SD ProDuo for the psp of equivilant size and I could check my movies and games before i play em. This will be a great seller in my opinion.

[Mike @ Jun 26th 2006 1:27PM]

"The holy grail of high definition - 1080p - Only manages to do 24-30 fps, so thats a pretty silly warning really."

actually if i remember correctly 1080i is 30FPS (60 "refreshes with the interlacing" and 1080p technically runs at 60FPS.

[Joshi @ Jun 26th 2006 1:38PM]

Craig says:

"This is what I think the iPod Video should look like. A nice big screen with controls on the side."

"A nice big screen"? You do know that the standard iPod has a slightly larger screen (2.5 > 2.4) than this, right?

That said, this is REALLY iPod-like. And no, ABi-ers, not just because it's white, either...

The majority of people who see it will think Apple made it, which is a problem. I expect that Apple will probably have something to say about whether this really does come to America or not...

[Shaun B @ Jun 26th 2006 1:42PM]

hmm. 1, 2, 4g with video. that memory will be gone fast for some people think about it you know. pictures as well. but who actually puts pics on their ipod? i would rather buy the samsung. its way better. i know that picture is just to show the size but yeah.

[patkam @ Jun 26th 2006 1:49PM]

I am totally sold on this player. Read the full specs here http://en.meizu.com/product_m6.asp and this is the website that is taking preorders http://www.miniplayer.info (Dont know how reliable that site is)

I have been following it for sometime and have all read all available reviews of it and cannot wait any longer and hence have asked a friend to buy it in Beijing and send it to me. But apparently they have not yet ramped up manufacturing and hence even in Beijing I can buy only the white one with 4GB capacity for Yaun 1599/- (That is US$200). I am looking for the black one and I am told they should start selling that model by the first half of July.

My reasons are primarily to listen to my own MP3 colletion and be able to update it from any of the multiple machines in my home and watch video if I am waiting somewhere to kill time (18fps in the DMV line is sweet!!). Also the ability to offload the photos and videos onto that player from my camera will also be nice to have while on long trips without a computer.

[Jedediah Johnson @ Jun 26th 2006 4:30PM]

Of all the iPod style stealers this one actually makes its self seem a little worth wild. Like other said before, this is what things like the Nano should have been. The only thing this unit lacks is a few more music formate support and QuickTIme/Windows Media support. If it had those things I be a little sold on this handy little device. (If it rated good of course)

[zhonghuarising @ Jun 26th 2006 6:01PM]

I would definitely not want to watch videos on that tiny screen, so I think I'd just go ahead and pay the $30 more (or whatever) for a 4GB Nano.

[bliss @ Jun 26th 2006 10:11PM]

I wonder what the battery life on that thing is...

[Others @ Jun 26th 2006 10:35PM]

TO the idiot who said Apple will have something to say whether this will come to America...Wow, I didn't know Apple had a patent on a rectangular prizm device that has a UI similar to the one they copied from Creative. Also, LCD refresh rates are different, and 18fps is good enough.

[Sh4Dow @ Jan 8th 2008 12:05AM]

BOTH posts here, and the one under it are GOOD THINKING. Meizu's design is not taken from Apple, in fact, tell me HOW it looks like an ipod? A screen on one side, with controls on the other, it is comparable to a small psp with one side cut off. And it comes with a protector for the front side of the player! and if nobody noticed yet, the back of the player has a silver leaf on it,and can be used as a mirror. Another Extra. So now, everything that is shaped like a rectangle is now property of iPod? i think not!

[Jeff @ Jun 26th 2006 10:59PM]

These Apple zealots are starting to become annoying trolls. Every time their is a new mp3 player previewed, they will be the first there to tell you either how company A "copied" A , B, and C from Apple, or they will tell you how much the player sucks. Sometimes they will play both sides, all in an effort to try to hurt the players chances before the public gets a look at it.

[booboo @ Jun 27th 2006 12:40AM]

Man, this is a great gadget. I just got mines today from china. So so small. Anyone who picks up a nano from now on is dumb. Nano is overpriced and limited. The 18 frame rate is awesome. Have to be seen.

[Bart @ Jun 27th 2006 5:46AM]

nice origonal design though! wait... wait no no it has the same colour navigational keys and thick perspecs and looks like it has nice shiny metal backing too.
not that i really care :D

[elmer @ Jun 30th 2006 7:48AM]

I just found this site:
http://www.meizuamerica.com

looks like they are more organized than the other site listed. they also have a pre-order going with shipping starting in a couple of weeks

this player looks amazing really especially the 2.4" screen!

[MrsDokho @ Jul 2nd 2006 4:35PM]

In France we have it too ! We organize pre-orders for the bloggers ! All info on http://www.dokho.com

[Xavier @ Jul 3rd 2006 4:12AM]

I am selling the MEIZU on ebay and shipping worldwide.

http://cgi.ebay.fr/Mp3-Mp4-player-Meizu-M6-Mini-Player-4GB_W0QQitemZ300003876214QQihZ020QQcategoryZ73839QQssPageNameZWD2VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Please contact me at [e-mail] for more info!

[Aime Huot @ Jul 4th 2006 3:44PM]

Hi! All you guys and gals now getting tuned into the amazing Meizu products, check out www.digitalelement.ca for the best prices going. We offer updated firmware and one-on-one support through our toll-free number at the post sale level!

[Err0r @ Jul 14th 2006 3:32AM]

Check out the iPod nano - Meizu M6 comparison here: http://projecttradio.com/escape/viewtopic.php?t=19

[Matthew Davie @ Aug 16th 2006 1:25PM]

I live in the UK and brought one of these on holiday for £90 which was the 1GB version. I have had it for four weeks and everything works and I haven’t even seen all its features. Not only does it smash the iPod nano into next week but personally I think it looks stunning compared to the iPod’s unoriginal design.
If you need a small mp3 then I can think of no better one than the Meizu. Oh and I’m not saying were I brought it from.

[Sh4Dow @ Jan 8th 2008 12:07AM]

That is exactly right, Matthew! The NEW Meizu M6 SL edition can fit in any regular sized wallet with a credit card slot!

[Jaryd @ Mar 13th 2007 12:00AM]

Um.. I know this page is a little old... but... I'm going to say the obvious... rip off of iPod. And as someone said before, BIG SCREEN? It's smaller than a matchbox! And also, the background IS a Mac OS X background image. It's my desktop right now. Next, it is identical to an iPod. Also, $220 for 4 gigs??? An iPod, and some other comparable players run about $249 for 30 gigs... 29 more dollars for almost 8 times the storage? Great deal. I know the iPod doesn't have a giant screen, but at least has enough storage to hold a few movies. That would hold about 10 DVD movies max, if converted down a lot. That's all I'm gonna say. It's crap.

PS Not to mention the M8 or M6 whatever phone is exactly the same as the iPhone... wow.

[Sh4Dow @ Jan 15th 2008 10:11PM]

This comment is utter bullshit. Can the iPod play 1.3mbps bit rate FLAC audio files? NO. Does it have a calculator, a calendar, a stopwatch, and games where you can actually move? NO. And the screen is not smalelr than a matchbox, in fact is exactly the size of a PSP screen cut down the middle and flipped on its side. Does the iPod have background noise? YES. Does the M6SL? YES. BG noise level on the M6 is 12. BG noise level on the iPod is 30. And before you pull out some gay statistic to defend yourself, 87% of statistics are made up on the mark. And name points as to HOW it is a rip-off of the ipod? There are many things the Mini can do that the iPod cannot. So its shaped rectangularily and its thin. I dont see you calling Mastercard and Visa rip-off's of an iPod. Also, as of June 07, there have been major price drops. The Miniplayer M6SL edition, which is the M6 cut in half (thinness) 8GB only costs 160 American. Quite frankly, What would I Do with 30GB of space? I cannot put high quality audio, so there is no point. On the Meizu, i can only fit 100 songs. (1.3 mbps bit rate) On the ipod, i am forced to put over 1000 songs. (Low Bitrate) So I see no point in a huge ammount of space. I am not putting every song i can download off the internet onto my music player. I am taking songs i actually like, ripped at super high quality on 99.9 and 100% lossless onto my music player. I do not want a song on my player that when it starts playing, i will take out the player and press SKIP. There is no point of putting something into a music player just to waste space.

[Sh4Dow @ Jan 8th 2008 12:05AM]

Please head to MeizuMe.com, a forum fan-site with actual input from the people at meizu. The only thing i respect about apple is its ability to advertise a complete piece of shit and sell it to all the people of the world completely overpriced. The Meizu M6 miniplayer's outer shell is a design taking the best of all players, not just ipod. I see no similiarity of the Meizu to the Ipod. If u drop the ipod, it breaks. If you drop the Meizu, it breaks. That is the only similarity i can see between the two. iPod supports Mp3, WMA and Itunes music. Apple Lossless is impossible, for iTunes does not utilize the technology required to make completely lossless CD Ripping. EAC (Exact Audio Copy), however, does. By Default, when ripping music, it stops ripping around every 5 minutes to let the DVD/CD Driver cool down, so it does not damage the CD and get a low quality rip near the end. with a 1.3mbps bit rate in a FLAC audio file, the sound quality is rich and clean, compared to the apple Ipod. Also, on the M6, Background noise is low, and before anybody uses what i said to defame the player, ALL MP3 PLAYERS have Background noise. There is not a single mp3 player without background noise unless you lug extra peripherals that plug into the player. Ipod has a higher background noise rate than the Meizu. So by far, Everything is better, except for advertismetn. Meizu is a small company, Apple is a commercial beast. as i said before, Apple can sell a piece of shit for a high price and people would buy it. Do not be brainwashed technology friends! There are many other choice such as Creative, iRiver, Sony, MEIZU, Sandisk Sansa, and Samsung! Just because you see lots of people carrying around Ipods does not mean that it's good! However, the itouch and iphone are both good PDA devices, but for media? Throw it in the trash. If you're that desperate to watch video on a bigger screen, get a PSP or a portable DVD player...