Panasonic DVD-LS90 9-Inch Portable DVD Player
Built for a purpose, and it exceeds at it
Once I came to terms with my requirements for a portable DVD player, it made the purchase decision very easy for me.  Your needs may be different, but here is my review. (Like many others, I looked at many units before purchasing.)      1) Battery Life - a player is dead-weight on an airplane if the batteries are dry.  The LS90 advertises the longest battery life on the market and it delivers on it.  4.5 Hours.  A blank screen is not entertaining.    2) Durability - a portable player will be bumped around on a plane and a car, this is inevitable.  This one has survived several trips, including some very bumpy flights and car rides.  Other players would have skipped or broke. LS90 chugs away.    3) Ability to play multiple formats - again, a portable DVD player is worthless if it will not play your disk.  Looking at a blank screen is not my version of entertainment.  This one plays everything that I can throw at it.    4) Sound - The internal speakers provide the quality that I  expected - adequate for its design. I do prefer headsets, and it excels at that.     5) Picture - Yes, with a portable DVD player I can keep outside elements from intruding my personal space.  So far, it has not been viewed to be rude, but rather \\"trendy\\" behavior. A side-by-side comparison of the LS90's with their competion does have the competition show a sharper and brigter picture (Toshiba), but they also advertise a 2 hour battery life.  Once I took the player home and started using it, I found the picture quality to be very enjoyable.      Bottom line - I bought this unit to be entertained while traveling.  A blank screen is boring.  The LS90 delivers 4.5 hours on a charge, and enables me to escape my longest flights.  If I had a sterile environment that rides on a cushion of air with unlimited power, then maybe I would select a different unit(perhaps a 50\\" plasma w/DVD?). My world has bumps, space and weight constraints, no AC power, and unpredictable delays between flights.  The LS90keeps me entertained and I award it my highest rating - 5 stars.    *********************************************************  Updated June 2006.  After 6 months of moderate use in very bumpy environments, it has held up perfectly.  I have learned how to tweak the screen through its customizable display options to make the picture very bright and clear.  I also use it in the car so that my [...] is entertained when we take long trips.  It is perfect, a life saver.  Flawless performance.  I am impressed with Panasonic.  They will get a lot more of my business.         Copyright 2005 SFG