Both Sony Electronics and Samsung have introduced several new MP3 players in their ongoing campaign to catch up to Apple Computer in the digital music race.
Sony unveiled a new line of flash-based devices called the Walkman Bean, available in 512 and 1 GB models. The devices are shaped like a bean, and support MP3, WMA, WAV and Sony’s proprietary ATRAC technologies. They also feature a pop-up USB jack to connect directly to computers for music transfer. They will be available in October. The 512 MB model is offered in white or blue for $130, while the 1 GB model comes in pink or black for $180.
Meanwhile, Samsung introduced six new models for its Yepp MP3 player line, and announced plans to roll out an additional 10 next year. The company now has 12 different MP3 models available. The company’s goal is to sell 5 million units by the end of the year.
