Toshiba’s Portable DVD Player Will Go Far

TOY BOX

Portable DVD players fascinate me because I keep wondering if they’re a product in search of a market or not.

A friend I consider to be the early adopter in my circle says he’d rather just use his Apple laptop to watch movies when traveling. That makes sense to anyone worried about all the gear he or she has to carry.

But for others, portable players make sense. I did buy one last Christmas for my 16-year-old so she could watch movies in her room, after all.

So if you feel a need for a portable player, take a look at the Toshiba SD-P2700.

The nearly 9-inch screen is bigger than I’ve seen on others, picture quality is excellent, and the battery is powerful enough to get you through most any film.

It also has a memory card slot so you can view still photos. It also plays music files. In all, it’s a very versatile, albeit slightly expensive product.

Any suggestions for gadgets we should try? Send them to toybox@prweek.com

Price $499.99

Available at Best Buy, Costco, Sears

Specs Plays DVDs, CDs, MP3, WMA, and JPEG files; has memory card slot, 8.9 inch screen, 3.5 hour battery

John N. Frank writes Toy Box. He is the Chicago-based Midwest bureau chief for PRWeek.

Copyright Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Aug 22, 2005