Philips goes for records with new audio jukeboxes

By Bernard Cole
iApplianceWeb
(01/20/04, 11:59:49 PM EDT)

Eindhoven,The Netherlands -- Philips Electronics is hoping to take so-called consumer-oriented "audio jukeboxes" to new levels of audio quality, record and play time, and portability.

Its new hard disk offerings include what the company claims are the smallest micro audio jukebox (hdd060) and the world's lightest recording audio jukebox (hdd120).

Featuring a 1.5 GB (375 MP3 tracks) storage capacity, the hdd060 is 1.8 cm thick, weighs about 95 grams and is the same size as a standard credit card. To review track information, users are provided with a 2-bit grey, 128 x 96 pixel LCD screen. It is also capable of data file storage, making it useful as a portable external drive as well.

It features SuperPlayT, which allows a user to at a button's touch play music quickly without first having to select playlists or individual tracks. By selecting a category, such as 'Albums' or 'Artist,' and then pressing the 'Play' button, the user can listen to all the music that is stored under these top-level music library categories.

Users easily can access their computer through USB 1.1 connectivity in order to transfer their favorite MP3 and WMA songs. Available next month, the hdd060 will have a suggested retail price of $199.99.

Going for the lightest recording jukebox title, the hdd120 features a 20 GB storage capacity, capable of holding more than 5,000 MP3s and 10,000 WMA songs. To take advantage of downloads from a PC, the hdd120 operates through a high-speed USB 2.0 connection.

It has a recording feature allowing a user to record voice memos via the built-in microphone. Direct MP3 recording easily can be completed through the internal MP3 encoder, enabling the device to record audio tracks from its microphone input, analog line-input or digital-optical line input. It can be used as everything from a voice recorder with extremely long recording times, to a high-quality portable digital audio recorder for live-session music recording and DJ dance track mixing. In between, it allows users to enjoy audio tracks from virtually any source imaginable.

The hdd120 features a super-slim design and an extended battery life providing more than 10 hours of playback time. Available in February, the hdd120 will have a suggested retail price of $349.

Both units feature the Philips' SuperScroll navigation interface enables fast and precise navigation to the exact recording on the disk. Its keys have two-level functionality: holding down either the 'up' or 'down' button activates a scroll accelerator that allows super-fast navigation through the list of stored songs. The user also can find tracks through any preset category: Playlists, Artists, Albums, Genres, All tracks and, with the hdd120, Recordings.

Each of the portable hard disk audio jukebox incorporate a Digital Music Manager, a PC based software program that allows users to easily manage and transfer their music from their PC. For the hdd120, there is an additional feature called EQ Link, which enables users to change the equalizer settings and even rename the presets to suit their own listening preferences. The user can link these new equalizer settings to be activated with specific genre

For more on these products, go to www.phillips.com. 

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