The MP3 Players

Apple Computer Inc announced a recycling program for iPod, its famous portable music player. Customer may hand in their old iPod to Apple’s 100 retail stores in the U.S.

Apple will offer a 10 percents of discount on new iPod for those who drop off their old iPod, iPod mini and iPod Photo at the same day. The company will then process the environmentally friendly disposal.

Apple has just agreed to a settlement over complaints on batteries failure in iPods this Thursday.

{ via BetaNews }

The settlement potentially covers an estimated 2 million consumers who bought a first, second, or third generation iPod on or before May 31, 2004. For consumers who experienced battery failure with previous-generation iPods, Apple will offer the $50 store credit or $25 in cash. Customers who have paid Apple to repair their iPod battery within two years of purchasing the device are eligible for a $50 cash refund. Apple charges $99 for such repairs.

The consumers began lodging complaints after word of the allegedly faulty batteries spread.

{ via Reuters; CNET News }

The HP-branded iPod mini will be available in a silver color only. The retail price for 4GB version and 6GB version will be US$199 and US$249 respectively. Together with this debut, HP also unveil new HP Printable Tattoos for the iPod mini. All these will be available to consumers in the U.S. and Canada online at hpshopping.com starting June 5, and shortly thereafter at major retailers.

HP is the only OEM partner with Apple that is allowed to sell the iPod product line and is only allowed to sell it in the U.S.

{ via The Mac Observer } { where to buy? }

Kenwood introduces M1GA3 MP3 Player, 1GB versions of their MP3 player line that they introduced in Japan earlier this year.

The Kenwood players are believed that were OEMed from Creative (DMP FX120). Kenwood just has a really big brand and is able to string a high audio quality story around this rather average mp3 player in Japan. Another theory would be that they further developed the Creative DMP FX120 to make it better.

The new Kenwood M1GA3 comes in white, blue and light blue. The features include:

• MP3 and WMA file support
• USB 2.0
• 32 hours battery life
• FM-Tuner

{ via I4U News }

The 70nm process is one step ahead of the existing 90nm process, leading to smaller, faster and less expensive memory chips. Samsung’s 70nm 4GB NAND flash writes data at the speed of 16 MB per second, a 50% improvement over the 90nm 2GB NAND flash.

8GB NAND flash memory is also going be released this summer from both Samsung and Toshiba, but Samsung still leads in process technology. Toshiba stated it will begin producing 8Gb NAND flash memory this summer, their 4Gb NAND flash memory was released earlier last year.

{ via Newratings.com; MobileMag }