Kingston player takes on Apple's iPod
updated 12:20 pm EDT, Wed August 2, 2006
Kingston takes on Apple
Kingston Technology today entered the personal media player market as it unveiled the K-PEX 100 personal media player that offers support for audio, video, photo viewing, multi-region FM radio, and video games. The new players stand to compete with Apple's video-capable fifth-generation iPod, which also plays audio and video but cannot play video games or FM radio. The new Kingston player features 1GB and 2GB capacities with a miniSD slot for easy transfer of video, music, and photos from digital cameras and other peripherals. The device ships with a USB 2.0 cable, USB host cable, line-in cable, earphones, a transcoder software CD, a protective cover, a lanyard, a user manual, and a quick-start guide for $130 (1GB) or $180 (2GB).
The new player boasts a super-slim, lightweight design with a high resolution 2-inch color LCD. Measuring 3.7 x 1.8 x .57-inches and weighing 2.2 ounces, the new K-PEX Personal Media Player supports MP3, WMA, OGG and WAV audio; MPEG 1&2, AVI, WMV and ASF video, JPEG image formats, and TXT documents.
Kingston has also announced that it will ship the first 4,000 2GB players with a free miniSD card.
"K-PEX allows us to leverage our reputation in the memory business while maximizing established relationships with NAND suppliers which ultimately results in a high quality, multi-functional multimedia player for consumers," said Jean Wong, Flash product manager, Kingston. "By adding an expandable card slot to the K-PEX, we offer today's consumer a high quality product with the flexibility to expand media libraries at an affordable price."
that's nothin'
08/02, 12:45pm reply
my Tapwave Zodiac has support for audio, video, photo viewing and video games. it also runs most Palm OS software. look at how well THAT company did, and they didn't take on the iPod....
stainboy
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2005
Take on iPod..?
08/02, 12:59pm reply
I find it humorous that the MacNN editors feel the need to invent news, where there are none - Kingston, nowhere, claims to be taking on the iPod. It's just another PMP, and not even a good one.
Apparently, according to MacNN 'editors' anything capable of playing media *must* be 'taking on' the iPod these days - would be nice if there actually was some intelligence in editing these snippets -- but I guess that would be asking too much.
ZinkDifferent
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2005
..music needs lossless...
08/02, 12:59pm reply
...codec options if you ask me, so with only several GB as options the iPod has this easily beat from my perspective...
I don't know what OGG or other options are about or out there but the compined ease of use, audiophile (?) quality, capacity & visibiliity make the iPod seem the only 'top of mind' choice I know of...
bobolicious
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2002
ugly
08/02, 03:07pm reply
Sega wants their design back... Man, that thing is ugly as h***. What a waste of plastic. I guess they're targetting rich 10-year-olds with this design...
WiseWeasel
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Joined: Apr 1999
Atari's Mp3 player?
08/02, 03:19pm reply
Do a Google image search for Atari Lynx, and that was 20 years ago.
mouseketter
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2004
weird
08/02, 03:30pm reply
At least it isn't yet another iPod rip-off.
dpaanlka
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
retro looks
08/02, 06:09pm reply
It's not an announcement, actually. Who else would offer a gizmo like that in a "custom pre-fingered" version for that "greased-up look" and "a full, rich perfume of bakelite" to complete the sensation of video in the palm of your hand?
What's next? The 60 channelTV-Watch that holds an inflatable newsreader?
henk
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2004
Does not Compete...
08/04, 07:16pm reply
A 1 or 2Gb player with clunky support for a collection of annoying extra chips at an extra cost does not place the product in line with the video iPod.
No mention of games at all on Kensington's info page. Extremely doubtful it will compete with any game machine if there are any games - who bets it will be TetrisClone and three others like...
"K-PEX is compatible with PCs running Windows XP, 2000. " This... thingy, without platform support does not place the product in any sort of complete competition with the iPod.
In fact, it doesn't really seem to compete with any product - its quirky dump some of everything in without all of anything places it in a class of its own - and with no focus and bad design decisions who wants to compete with it?
chulitomio
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Joined: May 2004