PDD Briefs

By TWICE Staff -- TWICE, 7/17/2006

P2P Still Winning

Port Washington, N.Y. — More people are downloading music legally, but more are also downloaded music illegally, an NPD Group survey of Internet-connected households found.

Ten percent of Internet-enabled households (6.9 million) downloaded at least one music file from a peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing service in April, up from 9 percent (6.2 million) in April 2005, the NPD Group found. That month, 5 percent of Internet households paid for at least one music download, up from 4 percent in April 2005.

The percentage of American adults buying a CD in April fell slightly to less than 10 percent.

People interested in urban music were more likely to burn and download music, NPD found. Hip-hop and R&B music accounted for 19 percent of physical CD sales in April but 38 percent of burned songs, 49 percent of illegal P2P sharing, and 30 percent of paid downloads.

MP3 Players Get Transmitters

Indianapolis — Thomson is shipping a trio of slimmed-down HDD-based MP3 players included the company's first two with built-in FM transmitter to play tunes through a home or car radio.

The three 4GB and 6GB devices, already available at $139-$169, support Windows Media Player 11 and Media Transfer Protocol (MPT) compatibility with Windows XP. They're 2.7 ounces each and feature business-card height and width.

The two $169 6GB models incorporate FM transmitter and are thought by RCA to be the first pure MP3 players with that capability, following the launch of an LG MP3-cellphone and hybrid MP3/satellite-radio headphone stereos.

All three feature 1.5-inch negative-LCD display, MP3 and protected WMA playback, Audible audio book compatibility, subscription-service compatibility, and 100 free downloads from eMusic.com.

Archos Trims MP3 Size

Denver — Archos has begun shipping its smaller HDD MP3 player, the 4GB Archos 104 at 3.6 inches by 1.7 inches by 0.5 inches. The 2.8-ounce device features photo viewer, OLED 1.5-inch color screen, up to 14-hours of battery life, Windows Media Player 10, and playback of MP3, WAV, WMA, protected WMA music, and podcasts.

It's available in metallic gray, black or pink at a suggested $159.