MP3 players are to become more useful with new capabilities

GristyMcFisty used our news submit to tell us
that Koreas major manufacturers of MP3 players are working towards re-tasking
these devices. In a move to provide more functionality, next year the
addition of a hard disk and Microsoft's Portable Media Center
operating system will bring much more functionality to these popular
players.

The basic concept is that the new product will be fitted with a large-capacity hard disk drive and Microsoft's Portable Media Center operating system, offering video, MP3 music, photos and other digital media content. Samsung Electronics, a major home appliance and handset maker, said it would unveil its multimedia player at 2004 CES, at a trade show in Las Vegas early next year. The new model will adopt 20-gigabyte memory, Samsung officials said. Top MP3 player maker iRiver Co. also said it would roll out a similar model in the domestic market in the first quarter of next year. Samsung and iRiver already have launched HDD-type MP3 player models, posing a challenge to Apple"s bipod, which has long monopolized the HDD-type MP3 player market. Manufacturers are now focusing on the potential of mainstream HDD-type MP3 players as multimedia-oriented devices. They support a variety of file formats including OGG, a file type that is free from license disputes. And its large memory capacity, if combined with new digital services such as satellite digital broadcasting, is expected to reshape the way people enjoy music and entertainment.

This is good news for the consumer that is
faced with increased costs due to corporations such as Microsoft demanding
royalties on FAT and governmental levies on MP3 players. Now at least we are
going to see increased versatility and functionality with these new devices. Go
here to read the full article.

Source: Korea herald