Gateway Launches Photo MP3 Player

MP3 Photo Jukebox features 1.6-inch color LCD and 4GB of storage.

Agam Shah, IDG News Service

Following Apple's launch of iPod Photo earlier in the week, Gateway is announcing its own MP3 player with digital photo display capabilities, the Gateway MP3 Photo Jukebox.

The MP3 player's 1.6-inch color TFT-LCD can display digital photos stored on the 4GB hard drive, said John Schindler, manager of convergence products with the Poway, California-based company. It is Gateway's first MP3 player with a color screen, he said.

Living Color

The color screen is a good feature for users who want to carry photos with their digital music collections and useful for travelers who run out of storage space in their digital cameras, Schindler said. A USB 2.0 outlet allows the MP3 player to pull images from digital cameras.

Similar to the way color displays have helped users navigate cell phones, color displays on MP3 players give users a "better way" to navigate their music libraries and view information about songs, Schindler said. "Compared to black and white displays, bright color displays are easier to look at. It is easier on the eyes and more appealing to users," he said.

Color displays also make accessing and managing content quick and easy, Schindler said. Music on Gateway's new MP3 player can be browsed by album, artist, genre, track, or playlist, according to the company.

Player Features

The player supports Microsoft's Windows Media Player 10 secure music format. Digital music download services from Napster, Microsoft's MSN Music, MusicMatch, MusicNow, and Wal-Mart Stores use the Windows Media Player 10 format to distribute media files with digital rights management. Full access to Napster's library of 700,000 songs costs $14.95 per month.

The device measures 3.8 inches by 2.3 inches by 0.7 inches and weighs 28 grams.

The $250 MP3 Photo Jukebox will start shipping mid-November, and comes with a power adapter, headphones, and a soft cover bag, according to the company.