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Suppliers Target Portable MP3/Video Niches

LAS VEGAS —

MP3 and MP3/video players had a great
growth run until A/V-playing cellphones
became ubiquitous, but because dedicated
portable media players still account
for billions of dollars in sales,
suppliers here at International CES continue
to launch new models.

For the January through September
2011 period, MP3 and MP3/video players
accounted for $3.8 billion of factory-
level sales, down 6 percent from the
year-ago period, Consumer Electronics
Association statistics show. Unit sales
of 22 million were down by 9 percent.

Here at CES, Sony is launching its
first Android-based Walkman-brand
MP3/video players to use the Android
OS to download apps. HiFiMan is continuing
to stake out its high-end niche
in MP3 players, and Coby and Naxa are
launching new MP3/video players with
touchscreens.

Singapore’s Bluetree is launching an
audio-only player.

Here’s what dealers will find at the show:

Bluetree Electronics:

The Singapore company,
which specializes in portable electronics, is launching
the Kube2, a small curve-shaped device intended to tap
into still-existing demand for standalone MP3 players,
the company said. Details were unavailable.

Coby:

The company is launching three new MP3/video
players, all with color LCD touchscreens, integrated FM
tuner, and rechargeable lithium-polymer batteries. The
MP800 features a 1.44-inch touchscreen.
The MP820 features a 1.8-inch LCD
touchscreen and embedded memory
capable of storing 2,000 songs, 4,000
photos or 24 hours of video. A MiniSD
card slow allows for memory expansion.
It supports ID3 tags and LRC for synchronized
display of lyrics. A world clock
and calendar apps are included.

The MP823 offers the same features
but has a 2-inch color LCD touchscreen.

HiFiMan:

The designer and manufacturer
of headphones, high-end MP3
players and a USB DAC is coming to
CES with its latest MP3 player, the audiophile-
oriented HM-601 Slim.

It ships in January at a suggested
$199 for the 4GB version and $249 for
8GB version. An SD card slot allows for
the addition of memory cards with up to
32GB of storage.

The company’s MP3 players play
back high-resolution lossless-music downloads, and
they’re designed with high-end DACs to pass through
that quality to listeners. The portables play most music
formats, including MP3, WAV, FLAC, APE, AAC, OGG,
WMV and the like. They also support gapless playback.

A high/low gain switch enables the HM-601 to drive
both high efficiency in-ear headphones and most fullsize
headphones. It features 8GB embedded memory,
SD card slot
for cards up to
32GB, a line
output and USB
port. The battery
lasts hone to 10
hours.

Frequency response
is said
to be 20Hz to
20kHz with 0.09
percent distortion,
and it delivers a 92dB signal-to-noise
ratio. Unlike the HM-602, the HM-601 cannot
work as a soundcard.

Naxa Electronics:

Two new MP3/video
players, each available in 4GB and 8GB versions,
are the NMZ1822A with a 2.5-inch
touchscreen and NMZ2419 with a 3-inch
touchscreen, both available in a variety of
bright colors.

Both feature voice recorder, built-in FM PLL
digital radio, built-in digital camera, MicroSD
card slot for memory expansion, USB input
and built-in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

The 4GB versions will retail for a suggested
$29 and $39, respectively. They ship in mid-
January.

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