Dell unveils MP3 player

[Steven]

Dell unveils MP3 player

Last modified: October 27, 2003, 6:49 AM PST

By Ed Frauenheim

Staff Writer, CNET News.com

update Continuing its push into consumer electronics, Dell on Monday introduced a disk-drive-based MP3 player and details of a partnership with music download company Musicmatch.

The Dell Digital Jukebox music player, or "Dell DJ," and accompanying software will be available through Dell's online music store starting Tuesday, according to the company. Dell says that the device, which comes with a capacity of either 15GB or 20GB, can play music continually for up to 16 hours.

The software, called "Dell Jukebox software powered by Musicmatch," provides a graphical interface between a computer and the Dell DJ device, as well as access to Musicmatch Downloads, a service selling songs for 99 cents.

The product is entering a crowded market. Consumers have a choice of a wide range of portable digital music players, which use data storage technologies including silicon chip-based flash memory. Also on Monday, Flash-maker Lexar Media announced a flash-based MP3 player called JumpDrive Music.

Meanwhile, Apple Computer has been working with a variety of other companies to boost the number of add-ons that attach to its iPod player. A version of the iPod sells with 40GB and has a 10,000 song capacity.

In announcing its device, Dell seemed to take a swipe at Apple. "Carrying around thousands of songs on one small device is a nifty idea, but not if you have to recharge it every few hours," said John Hamlin, senior vice president and general manager of Round Rock, Texas-based Dell's U.S. consumer business.

According to Apple's Web site, the iPod can play for eight hours when fully charged.

Dell's 15GB MP3 player will sell for $249, while the 20GB version will sell for $329, according to the company.

The Dell DJ is part of a broader effort by computer makers to succeed in the consumer-electronics market. Dell also plans to start selling LCD TVs.

The Dell MP3 device also shows the growing role disk drives are playing in portable music players and in consumer electronics more generally. Hitachi Global Storage Technologies is supplying the 1.8-inch diameter drives in the Dell DJ, marking a major customer win for Hitachi. Hitachi announced the 1.8-inch drive earlier this year and began shipping it to customers in July.

"Dell is our most significant and earliest customer to adopt this (drive) in high volumes," said Bill Healy, Hitachi's senior vice president of consumer and commercial hard-disk drives.

http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-5097266.ht...ml?tag=nefd_top

[g33kb0y]

Dell Digital Music Store

[MxxCon]

while this player is nice, seems like good old Iriver iHP-120 is better.

[Tiger.Girl]

pathetic ipod rip :rolleyes:

[hoyablue]

Okay, someone has to tell little Mike that MS is not a good role model for strategies....

[PureEdit]

I will be keeping my iPod, this thing looks like complete dell crap, just like I expected :p

[ahfunaki]

I think it looks kinda cool...

and $70 cheaper for the 20GB...

[MxxCon]

ipod have long surpassed by other players.

stop gripping to an inferior technology

[Ritalin]

ah i thought a software mp3 player...

looks kinda cool, but ipod just kicks its butt :p

Ritalin

[xp1ode]

looks pretty good, but no FM tuner, i must have radio and so far the MD's are achieving that. This dell mp3 player is pretty cheap tho for 15gb only 249, better than the ipod for that price. Ipods look good and all but im just tired of seeing them everywhere, is time for something different. The phillips one looks good also, i like the design, i forgot the name of it tho..

[dougkinzinger]

Hear Ye, all ye Dell bashers:

Wait until you hear that the Dell model will be able to transfer files without a third-party driver -- unlike the inferior iPod.

:D

[PureEdit]

Hear Ye, all ye Dell bashers:

Wait until you hear that the Dell model will be able to transfer files without a third-party driver -- unlike the inferior iPod.

:D

I have never had to use any drivers with my iPod, so I don't know what the big deal is :p

You are smoking some serious crack if you like this over an iPod...

[hoyablue]

Usability-wise, the iPod wins clearly... I have friends who have never heard of the iPod just randomly start using mine and mastering the controls in seconds. What is even more impressive is that the design, although simple, is asthetically pleasing...

Its your choice... you can buy decent clothes at WalMart for 9$, or go to Giorgio Armani and pay 240$ for a shirt that essentially does the same thing: cover your body and the shirt might be more "in fashion".

[enigma-penguin Veteran]

yeah i was gonna get an ipod.... dells grasping at straws here

[dougkinzinger]

I have never had to use any drivers with my iPod, so I don't know what the big deal is :p

You are smoking some serious crack if you like this over an iPod...

Dude--hence the " :D " ?? Easy there.

[aldo]

Eh? I thought you just plugged it in and could drag MP3s (and AACs) to it via the entry in My Computer...

[hoyablue]

aldo, you can... it was apparently a joke (that you need drivers).