MediaREADY's BLINGPLAYER brings swagger to music

MediaREADY late yesterday introduced the BLINGPLAYER. The company claims the new jukebox is as much a fashion statement as a functional player: the main body is studded in crystals, and hangs around the neck by a stylized chain with dogtags. The device itself is also more advanced than other players in the class, with a 1.8-inch screen and support for MPEG-4 video as well as more conventional MP3 and WAV music tracks. An FM tuner and voice recorder are also part of the package.

A single version of the player with 2GB of flash memory is due to ship in April for $199; the company adds that the player will be available at clothiers and jewelers as well as electronics shops.