Dell jumps into low-cost flash MP3 market with DJ Ditty

[kdwhite]

http://www.tomshardware.com/hardnews/20 ... 71029.html

Taking its first serious steps into the flash memory device market, Dell is introducing its first flash memory MP3 player, the "DJ Ditty," capable of storing 512 Mb of songs. Weighing 1.29 ounces and selling for $99 USD, the pocket lighter-sized DJ Ditty will compete with Apple's iPod Shuffle in both price and size, and complements Dell's existing line of Dell DJ hard drive players.

Dell's pocket lighter-sized DJ Ditty MP3 Player (Courtesy Dell Computer)
Dell's pocket lighter-sized DJ Ditty MP3 Player (Courtesy Dell Computer)
Dell spokesperson Liem Nguyen told Tom's Hardware Guide consumers will be able to use the player as an emergency storage device. "Users can drag their files into the player, just like another hard drive," says Nguyen. The DJ Ditty has two features that the iPod Shuffle does not: a small built-in LCD screen and an FM tuner. The built-in lithium battery is promised to last up to 14 hours of continuous use, and a removable cap exposes a USB 2.0 connector.

When asked if future models will have more memory, Nguyen doesn't believe it's likely. Unlike the iPod Shuffle which comes in 512 Mb or 1 Gb models, Dell plans to stick with 512 Mb for now. "If customers want to store more than 20 CDs worth of songs, they should consider one of our hard-drive players," says Nguyen.

A 30-day trial subscription to Napster-to-Go is included, though customers may also choose other MP3 services such as Yahoo! Musicmatch or Audible audio books. To accommodate digital rights management with these services, DJ Ditty supports Windows DRM.

The advertising campaign for the DJ Ditty and associated Web site harks back to the company's famously hip "Dell Dude" a few years back. The Web site contains humorous instructional videos called "Ditty-Os" that not only teach users how to use their players, but will show off dance moves performed by hip-hop stars. "It's a word-of-mouth campaign and, with the tongue-in-cheek videos, we think it's pretty funny," says Nguyen.

DJ Ditty is immediately available, and includes earbuds, extra color caps, and a lanyard.