Olympus MP3 player gets down to business

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By Douglas F. Gray

(IDG) -- You don't usually think of an MP3 player as a business tool, but Olympus America hopes it can change that perception.

On Friday, the company unveiled a combined digital voice recorder and MP3 audio player that it hopes will be attractive to business users.

The DM-1 can store up to 22 hours of recorded voice, or more than one hour of music in the MP3 or Windows Media Audio (WMA) formats, Olympus says in a statement.

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The files are stored on a 64MB SmartMedia card, which is included in the unit's price tag of $349. The card can be upgraded to 128MB for an additional charge, the company says.

The MP3 player has a built-in audio signal processor from SRS Labs and features a five-setting equalizer. The player also includes MusicMatch jukebox software, Olympus says. In addition to the SmartMedia port, the player also includes a USB interface for connecting to a PC.

The voice recorder allows users to store up to 199 voice messages in each of three folders, to help keep them organized. Olympus uses the .DSS (Digital Speech Standard) format to store files, which are 12 to 20 times smaller than standard .wav files, the company says.

The DM-1 will be available this month, the company says. The price tag of $349 includes the DSS player software, a USB cable, a carrying case, a belt clip, and headphones, Olympus says.