Yet another digital technology

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I just stumbled across an article about the forthcoming DataPlay format - like a minidisc only much smaller - discs about the size of a 10p piece. Seems to me that the New York Times’ article is a little over-hostile. It is concentrating on the fact that when you copy MP3s onto the disc “your MP3s first need to be converted to the secure CK format (DataPlay’s proprietary content storage format) before being sent to the player. Files in these formats can’t be transferred off the DataPlay disks nor played with any other media players except the included iRiver FuturePlayer”

Interestingly, the format allows you to record MP3 music directly onto the discs (up to 11 hours worth on each disc) and/or just plug your computer into a player’s USB port and record up to 500Mb of data per disc directly into the player.

I don’t know why I never heard of this before but now that I have I really want to have a look at one. Details are surprisingly hard to come by, even on the format’s own website.

It is unclear to me, for example, whether the discs are write once or write many times - if they are the former I would be much less interested…loan settlement againstloans alabamahome 100 garanteed loanand loans 20 80 rateshome loans las vegas accessday america loan pay advance1st commerce loanalaska alaska loans truck auto insurance Map

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1. I just read your item on DataPlay and want to offer to answer any questions you have regarding DataPlay devices, blank media or prerecorded music.

   Here’s some basics to get you and your readers started:

   * The iRiver IDP-100 is now available in the US at Best Buy, CompUSA and J & R Electronics. It is also available on the Web at Amazon.com and jandr.com. Other Web sites selling this product are found on the DataPlay.com Website.

   * The Classic DataPlay Device is now available at Circuit City in the US.

   * Imation-brand blank media is available in 3-packs (1.5 GB total!) for only $29.99 at all locations selling hardware, including the Internet.

   * In October, BMG and Zomba music will be releasing DataPlay “albums” on DataPlay. The DataPlay versions are designed to a) allow additional content you can’t get on CD and b)leave you extra blank space on the disk for recording your own data (maybe a picture of you at the concert, guitar tabs, etc). This is something NO OTHER TECHNOLOGY will allow you to do with prerecorded. Artists that have already been announced include Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana, Avril Lavigne, Pink, Usher, OutKast, Sarah MacLachlan, Adema, Joe, R. Kelly, Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, *N Sync, Aaron Carter and Britney Spears. UMG music and EMI music are working on clearances to release the names of their selected artists.

   * Another benefit to the DataPlay prerecorded is that it is very quick and easy to move the music file to your PC and record onto another DataPlay disk. For the first time, music companies are giving end-users explicit permission to make digital copies of their music.

   * Imation’s blank media is 500MB per disk (250MB per side). It is write once, write many. You can use it until it is full. The technology is the same high quality as DVD, so you don’t have to worry about the music or photos losing its quality over time. The plastic cartridge means no more scratches. This blank media is more appropriately compared as a “cure” to small-format flash media, which is low in capacity, high in price, and wears out after repeated use. Further, flash is inconvenient in that you must constantly go to the PC to move files on and off. Current pricing for Imation media is 2 cents per MB, whereas flash costs around 50 cents per MB.

   *The capacity is wonderful for a portable device. I have personally put 6 albums worth of my own MP3s onto one DataPlay disk.

   * There are no capacity limits with DataPlay like there are with hard drives.

   * The players I have tested are completely skip-proof. I can bash the player on my desk and never lose a beat.

   * A $15 off-the-shelf cassette adapter gets the player into your car.

   Jacquie Hart
   Business Development and Product Line Manager,
   DataPlay Programs
   Imation
   Oakdale, MN 55128
   jdhart@imation.com

   Comment by Jacquie Hart — 3 September, 2002 @ 20:03

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