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Japanese elctronics companies develop music store-connected HiFi equipment

Written by Petteri Pyyny @ 21 Oct 2003 3:24 User comments (2)

Four Japanese major consumer electronics, Sony, Sharp, Pioneer and Kenwood, have developed a prototype of an A/V equipment that's directly connected to a online music store, with no need for PCs in between. Companies have set up a joint venture, called Any Music, to develop the concept.
Devices are supposed to become available in Japan by the early next year and they include a small LCD screen for navigation and an Ethernet port for Net connections. Music purchased from a Japanese online store LabelGate, can be copied from the stereo equipment to portable devices, minidiscs and other storage media,

Companies have no plans to launch the devices overseas, but according to Any Music CEO, their target is to create the system as a worldwide standard for seamless Net integration for home entertainment equipment.

Source: Yahoo!

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2 user comments

122.10.2003 12:19

So, I get to (try to) slog thru thousands of songs via a couple buttons and "a small LCD screen for navigation" to find what I want? The idea is um... okay but the user interface sounds BAD. It is obvious why they want to take the PC out of the set-up. Perhaps they could add a conveniently located credit card reader right on the front of these home entertainment devices too!

222.10.2003 12:57

Just another way for corporations to get into our pockets...eh??

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