Creative Labs Launches Nomad Portable MP3 PlayersNOMADWorld web site also launched with product info, music to download, and MP3 resources
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| The NOMAD in the docking station |
April 15, 1999
Creative Technology
Ltd. (Nasdaq: CREAF) introduced
its highly-anticipated Creative NOMAD line of portable digital
audio players at the 1999 Spring Internet World convention in
Los Angeles. Leveraging its more than 20 years of expertise in
industry-leading digital audio technology, the Creative NOMAD
portable players offer consumers a new way to download, transport
and playback digital audio. Creative NOMAD players are offered
in a solid-state, highly compact, magnesium case - designed to
offer Internet audio and music enthusiasts a high-quality portable
experience for digital music and audio.
Creative NOMAD's advanced features include voice recording, an
FM Tuner, an LCD screen with scrolling text to view artist name
and song title and rechargeable batteries. Creative NOMAD portable
players are available in two versions, a 64MB and a 32MB version.
Weighing in at under 2.5 ounces, both versions of the Creative
NOMAD offer support for the popular MP3 (MPEG 1, layer 3) audio
compression standard and deliver skip-free playback. The 64MB
model offers additional media for up to two hours of near CD-quality
music or up to four hours of voice recording or spoken word audio.
Using the Creative Digital Audio Center, Creative NOMAD
users may also convert their CD collections into MP3 files for
their own personal use, giving them the ultimate in personal audio
content customization. Leveraging its core competence in PC audio
from semiconductors to hardware and software development, Creative
is focused on offering a complete solution for the digital audio
experience.
"Our goal at Creative, is to continue leveraging our expertise
to offer solutions for portable digital audio and to make the
experience accessible to consumers worldwide," said Hock
Leow, vice president of the multimedia division at Creative.
"As we move forward with future products, we intend to support
all popular formats for playing back Internet music and digital
audio. Today that format is MP3 and there is an abundance of
support from Internet audio and music enthusiasts. With the introduction
of the Creative NOMAD line, we are raising the bar for portable
digital audio players as well as generating acceptance and understanding
of a revolutionary new way to download digital music and audio
from the Internet."
Features
The compact, sleek Creative NOMAD is smaller than a deck of cards
and available in a high-tech design with a unique magnesium casing.
Both versions of the Creative NOMAD come equipped with an AC
power adapter and two rechargeable nickel metal hydride AAA batteries.
The NOMAD players can playback 8 to 10 hours of continuous music
and audio. Both versions include 32MB of onboard flash memory,
offering up to 60 minutes of high-quality audio storage and playback.
A 32MB flash memory upgrade card is included with the 64MB version
of the Creative NOMAD, doubling the capacity of current players
on the market today. Also included with both models are high-quality,
compact earphones and a parallel port connector cable. Additional
features include:
- FM Tuner - a feature consumers have demanded since
the first day a portable digital audio player hit the market.
- Creative NOMAD desktop docking station - allows users
to simply slip the Creative NOMAD into a desktop cradle, download
their customized content and go - eliminating the need to connect
and disconnect the player to a parallel port - an inconvenience
found in first-generation players.
- Voice recording - a unique feature found in both versions
of the Creative NOMAD which allows users to record up to four
hours of voice-quality audio with 64MB of memory and upload voice
recordings to the PC for storage and archiving. This feature
makes the Creative NOMAD the ultimate solution for mobile warriors,
journalists or anyone who needs a convenient method for recording.
- Accessories -Creative also plans to make available
additional accessories: 32MB flash memory upgrade card, a car
adapter kit, carrying case and headsets.
- NOMAD Manager software - lets users easily
download MP3 files to the player in a matter of seconds.
- The Creative Digital Audio Center - allows users
to encode, decode and archive MP3 files, as well as convert an
unlimited number of CD tracks from personal CD collections
and catalog them according to preference
- Compilation CDs - bundled with the Creative NOMAD, these CDs will include more than 100 free MP3 songs from
a variety of genres provided by Creative's content partners GoodNoise
Corporation, MP3.com, Audio Explosion, Inc., songs.com, SINC Recordings, www.BigHeavyWorld.com and a host
of spoken-word and news audio content and software from Audible,
Inc. and audiohighway.com.
- Environmental Audio - for users who own a Sound Blaster®
Live! or Sound Blaster Live! Value, their digital audio listening
experience can be greatly enhanced by applying Creative's Environmental
Audio effects. These Environmental Audio enhanced files can be
downloaded to the Creative NOMAD players. With Environmental Audio,
users can interactively enrich their listening experience and
recreate almost any real or imaginary acoustical setting - from
a concert stadium to an intimate jazz club.
Destination NOMADWorld
Creative has established NOMADWorld.com as an online
destination devoted to enhancing the digital audio experience
for Creative NOMAD users, Internet audio listeners and music enthusiasts.
In collaboration with a number of leading partners, NOMADWorld
offers a mix of regularly refreshed, programming to address a variety of interests. Featured for the
introduction, NOMADWorld is previewing THEY MIGHT
BE GIANTS with an exclusive track from their as yet unreleased
album, provided in partnership with GoodNoise. For more information,
please visit www.NOMADWorld.com.
"With NOMADWorld, we intend to provide not just content
but technologies, tools, accessories and tips that will transform
the experience of enjoying and creating Internet Music,"
said Sim Wong Hoo, Chairman and CEO of Creative. "Through
Creative's own hugely popular Creative Zone web site, the
global Sound Blaster community has provided us with keen insights
into how on-line music culture is evolving. Leveraging this knowledge
and our audio expertise, we have created NOMADWorld as
a unique place for customers to share the Internet audio phenomenon
with us."
Industry Support
Creative supports the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) and its Standard Digital Music Initiative (SDMI). The company
has been an active member of SDMI since its inception in December
1998. Creative is working with SDMI to help develop and implement
the recommendations of SDMI and create a standard for digital
audio distribution that is acceptable to the recording industry
as well as the PC industry and Internet community.
Creative's overall focus is to satisfy current consumer demand
and today MP3 is the hands down favorite. As new formats are
introduced to the market, Creative will evaluate and consider
them for use in future players.
Pricing and Availability
The 64MB version ofCreative NOMAD will begin shipping
this quarter for an estimated U.S. retail price of $249.99. The
32MB version will be available for $169.99 on the Creative
Zone at: www.soundblaster.com.
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