14 DAY TRIAL // Along the way, Sony has been struggling to offer customers an iPod alternative worthy to take the MP3 throne, but it hasn't come near yet. Last summer the whole iPod killer scenario and Sony made its entry into the portable MP3 player space with the introduction of the Vaio pocket music player, which the manufacturer had announced in spring. The firm's iPod killer came with a 40 GByte harddrive and a QVGA-resolution color display (320 x 240 pixels).
Sony president Kunitake Ando announced the company's wish to offer customers an MP3 player more powerful and more competitive than the iPod. Considering Apple's success with the iPod is its ease of use, Sony has created the personal stereo market with the Walkman, after all - the company must "develop software that makes use of our products more intuitive and simple".
On top of that, Sony is adopting the MP3 music file format, after trying in vain to promote its own ATRAC 3 format (developed for MiniDisc) compression system. it now looks like Sony is planning to add the MP3 format to its MiniDisc product line.
Sony will launch a new version of its network jukebox in March in Japan, the company says. The device is designed to replicate many of the digital music functions offered by personal computers, such as a music library, CD ripping and the ability to purchase music from online services.
The NAS-A10 contains a 40GB hard drive, a CD drive, AM and FM radio and a MemoryStick slot. Users can add music to the hard drive-based library from CDs or downloads from the 'Any Music' service in Japan and also by connecting the unit with the company's Network Walkman or NetMD Mini Disc players.
The NAS-A10 will go on sale on March 15 in Japan and will cost around $598.
