Dell released details Monday about its previously announced Dell Digital Jukebox music player and its new download service, both of which will be available Tuesday.
As first reported by IDG News Service, the Dell DJ music player will come with a 15GB hard drive. A second version with a 20GB hard drive will also be available. Hitachi's 1.8-inch Travelstar hard drive will be used in the new music players, Dell said.
The 15GB version will be priced at $249, while the 20GB version will cost $329 when it goes on sale Tuesday through Dell's Web site. The Dell DJ weighs 7.6 ounces and will play music continuously for 16 hours, according to Dell.
Apple Computer was one of the first companies to release a music player with a hard drive, and the first to enjoy widespread success with the device. Apple's IPod music players come in 10GB, 20GB, and 40GB versions, and weigh less than the Dell DJ. Prices start at $299 for the 10GB version.
Finding a Format
Dell's music download service will come through a partnership with MusicMatch, which offers 250,000 songs for $0.99 each, or complete albums from artists such as Dido and 50 Cent for $9.99 or higher.
Songs will be available in the MP3 or WMA (Windows Media Audio) format. A version of Apple's ITunes service for Windows users launched earlier this month, but it allows Windows users to download songs only in the M4P format, also known as AAC (advanced audio coding). The .M4P file extension was developed by Apple as DRM (digital rights management) technology for ITunes, and songs created in that file format will not play on portable devices other than the IPod.
The MusicMatch service uses the DRM technology within the WMA format to limit the number of copies of a song that can be ripped to a CD or transferred to portable music players that support the WMA format.
Both the IPod and the Dell DJ will play the MP3 files that users have assembled by ripping their CD collections or downloading songs from file-sharing sites.
Dell also plans to release its first digital LCD televisions on Tuesday. The Round Rock, Texas, company has aggressively entered the consumer electronics market along with Apple, Gateway, and Hewlett-Packard, as the companies look for alternate sources of revenue outside the PC market.
