Seattle, Oct 28: Microsoft said on Monday that it would launch software for a new portable media device to be launched next year that will allow users to listen to music and watch movies on the road. Portable Media Center, Microsoft's answer to Apple Computer's iPod digital music player, will be able to play MP3 files as well as audio and video content recorded in Microsoft's own digital format. The devices, which will run Microsoft software but be designed and built by various manufacturers, including Tatung, AboCom Systems, Creative Technology, Sanyo Electric, and Samsung Electronics, are set to hit store shelves during the second half of 2004, Microsoft said.
The world's largest software maker said that its device will allow users to listen to "thousands of hours of music, watch digitally recorded TV shows or home movies, and store and view digital photo albums”.
Frank Barbieri, product manager for Microsoft's embedded software group, said that the Portable Media Center devices will be designed to be easy to operate and transfer files from a personal computer. Bureau Report