Video Now XP

Experience interactive video system with three-inch backlit screen, video and volume controls, directional pad, and speaker

Portable PVD player for watching shows and interactive gaming. Watch many of your favorite shows, celebrities, and music videos and play games and interactive features. Plays all VideoNow personal video discs. Directional pad for interactive features and gaming.

Here is a brief overview of the evolution of personal video players:

• 1970s - Early personal video players like the Sony Betamax and VHS players emerge. These allowed people to watch prerecorded videotapes at home for the first time. However, they were large, heavy, and expensive.
• Early 1980s - Portable video players like the Sony Watchman are introduced. These had small black and white screens and allowed people to watch videos on the go. However, they were still quite heavy and offered limited battery life.
• Late 1980s - The introduction of the Sony Walkman paved the way for portable video. It showed there was demand for watching videos away from home.
• Early 1990s - Full color LCD screens become affordable and lightweight enough to incorporate into handheld devices. This allows the development of the first portable media players with larger screens and the ability to play longer videos.
• Mid 1990s - Personal media player and recorder devices like the Apple Newton and various MP3 players hit the market. They can store and play digital audio and video files loaded from computers.
• Late 1990s - True pocket-sized video players emerge, like the Diamond Rio PMP300. They have tiny hard drives that can hold several hours of digital video.
• Early 2000s - Apple introduces the iPod, which can play lengthy videos on its small screen. Other competing video players also emerge to play various proprietary and open video formats.
• Mid 2000s - Playback of higher quality digital video becomes possible with better screens and more storage. Longer battery life also improves the watchability of handheld video players.
• Late 2000s - Smartphones largely displace dedicated portable video players. With cellular data and WiFi, videos can be streamed on phones too.

Early bulky analog players paved the way for smaller digital devices with longer playback and more features. This evolution ultimately led to video capabilities being incorporated into multipurpose mobile devices.