Microsoft recently announced some major enhancements to the Zune and associated online service and software. These changes are known as the Spring update, or Zune 2.5, and should be available now.

Microsoft specifically said Zune owners will now have access through the Zune Marketplace more video download offerings, including programming from Comedy Central, FUNimation Entertainment, MTV, NBC Universal, Nickelodeon, Starz Media (including Manga Entertainment), Turner Broadcasting, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and VH1 that consumers can sync to their device. These new offerings mean Zune owners will be able to choose from more than 800 episodes of select television shows.

Other features added to the Zune 2.5 update include Zune Card personal playlists which can be shared with other Zune owners (in particular this feature works with the monthly Zune Pass), automatic updates on what Zune Card friends are listening to, artist and album reviews, auto playlists, new collection organization and gapless playback.

(Photo Credit: Microsoft)

A company by the name of Mvix recently unveiled its own version of a portable media player. It is known as the Mvix MV-2500U and you'll find it at a starting price of around $150.

The MV-2500U does not have a hard drive immediately included in it for storage of media files - you can either buy it with one of several different hard drive storage sizes installed or get it empty and put in your own 2.5-inch hard drive. Either way this media player lacks a viewing screen. It is instead designed to be connected to a television or home theater projector so you can enjoy videos, music, movies and photos via your home entertainment system.

Mvix's MV-2500U is a rather small device - about the size of a PDA. It can work like a USB 2.0 drive when connected to a PC. Features include an ergronomically designed remote control, HD video output up to 1080i and support for a wide variety of file formats. It should be available shortly.

(Photo Credit: MvixUSA)

How would you like to listen to your favorite digital music from something which looks like a Lego brick? This new imported MP3 player - the HOMADE MP3 i-Player - fits this desire if you so have it for around $45.

The HOMADE MP3 i-Player, for sale via importer Brando Workshop, looks literally like a large Lego block. It is available in five colors, including blue, yellow, red, white and green. Storage of MP3 and WMA music files is handled via a microSD memory card slot, which supports up to 2GB of potential storage.

This particular MP3 player works with Windows-based computers only, connecting to a host PC via a USB connection. This USB connection is also what charges the player. It also includes earphones and a strap of some sort. [via]

Samsung has unveiled the S2 Pebble and S3 Slim to compete with Apple's iPod shuffle and iPod nano. These Samsung MP3 players combine style and features to try and draw in buyers. The Samsung S2 and S3 are the company's latest MP3 players and are worth checking out for their great looks, if nothing else. For more details on these new players, check out this first look.

Jensen recently brought to light two new rather interesting iPod speaker systems which also let you enjoy HD Radio. These are known as the JiMS-525 and JiMS-525A.

These new Jensen iPod systems are essentially the same, though we'll focus on the JiMS-525A as it is the step up model. This particular system, like similar products, lets you dock and charge your iPods and iPhones while at the same time playing music from these players through the system speakers. It also lets you enjoy HD Radio, which is essentially extra FM radio stations which offer clearer sounds and more listening choices when accessed through special radios. You can even bookmark, or, as Apple calls it, iTunes Tagging, HD Radio music you hear for later purchasing through iTunes if you so choose.

Other features of the JiMS-525A include an audio-line in jack for connecting other portable audio devices, video out for watching iPod videos on an external television, a remote control and built-in alarm clock. You should be able to find at least one of these two Jensen systems in stores now. [via]

Here's a relatively new MP3 player sure to please both kids and Disney loving adults. The Mickey MP3 Mplayer is on sale through Disney Shopping for around $70.

The Disney Mickey MP3 Mplayer was first sighted in overseas markets. It comes to American shores in the form of Mickey's head, colored in one of five color choices. The player itself is not too overly complicated - 1GB of storage is available to hold music you load on there and control of items like volume and navigation is handled by twisting Mickey's ears.

While it's not stated, I assume you'll need a Windows operating system to load music onto it for your kids (or yourself). It comes with its own music management software as well as lanyard-style earphones. The rechargeable battery will get you an estimated nine hours of battery life. [via]

Consider for a moment that not all of the most interesting or cool iPod accessories are readily available in the United States. One particular new iPod dock in particular, at first glance, seems to fit that mold. It is the Goodmans iPod Dock with 7” LCD Display, available from the UK for £89.99 (pounds) plus appropriate international shipping charges if you choose to order one.

What makes the Goodmans iPod Dock with 7” LCD Display interesting is the display. It looks to be a gorgeous seven-inch display built directly into the dock for the purposes of letting you watch your favorite iTunes movies stored on your iPod or viewing those iPod-stored photos from your last vacation. It also has built-in speakers so you can enjoy audio and a remote control for hands-free operation.

Other likable features of this iPod dock with viewing screen include charging of your iPod while it is docked, support for a variety of different iPod models, a media card reader for letting you view digital photos on the screen and USB connectivity. [via]

This particular portable media player might be of interest to those who have nostalgic desires harking back to the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). I can't say where you'll be able to pick up this player since it is only listed at a wholesale Web site, but you some day might stumble across the DPMP-003 and find some old style video game happiness.

The DPMP-003 is unique in that, besides doing your run of the mill portable media player style activities, it also lets you enjoy NES games you download from the Internet. The old Nintendo gaming system's gaming titles have found their way online in the form of data files which can be run and played through a special application called an emulator. This particular PMP happens to have that emulation function for NES games built-in.

You'll find you can play said games by sliding up the DPMP-003's 3-inch color display to reveal gaming controls. This particular device also has other features, including a built-in 1.3-megapixel digital camera, audio file playback for MP3s and the like, MPEG-4 video playback, JPEG photo display and memory capacity upwards of 1GB. It can also support SD/MMC memory cards fo rmore storage. [via]

M3 player manufacturer iriver has begun making available here in the United States its E100 portable media player. You'll find it on sale right now at places like Amazon.com for around $110 for a 4GB model or $160 for an 8GB model.

The iriver E100 is an advanced portable media player which supports a variety of media file formats, including a higher end audio format known as FLAC. It also will handle MP3 and the like. Video such as MPEG-4 can be displayed on its 2.4-inch display along with JPEG images. Entertainment is also available via the built-in FM tuner.

Other features of the E100 include voice recording, ebook functionality and timer recording to record the radio at a preset interval. USB 2.0 is used for high speed file transfers and this player is most likely not compatible with Macs. Here's another one for the Windows camp therefore. [via]

Portable DVD players continue to be a popular type of portable electronics even as iPods and the like blossom in sales. The reason? Most are pretty inexpensive, can be used to entertain your children on long drives and obviously work with all of your existing DVDs without the need to convert them to digital files. Different types of portable DVD players exist, including some which actually have built-in iPod docks so you can view your iPod video on the larger portable DVD player screen. Check out some of the latest and best on the market with our updated Top Portable DVD Players.