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MP3 is how the Internet does music. MP3's ability to compress really large music files to a fraction of their size while maintaining near CD quality has made this compression format extremely popular on the Internet. And since most MP3 files are free, it's pretty easy to find the songs you want to hear. In fact for many songs, the Internet is the only place you'll find them. That's because many of today's up and coming contemporary artists haven't the connections to get big recording label attention. So the Internet is proving itself as an alternative way to bring their music to listeners everywhere.

Software to create and play MP3 files is either free or very inexpensive. To play MP3 files, all one needs is a good sound card (all Macs already have sound built in ) and a good set of speakers. But what if you want to bring the music with you? Initially, you had a limited choice of MP3 players from which to choose but that's quickly changing. The new eGo player from i2Go, is one of the newer next generation portable MP3 players to offer many of the desired features found in today's portable CD and cassette players.

For starters, the eGo comes with 32 megabytes of skip free flash memory that doesn't forget even if the two AA batteries wear out. You can buy a model with no memory for less if you already have a Compact Flash memory card. eGo accepts Compact Flash II cards which are available in up to a 96 megabyte size as of this column as well as IBM Microdrives in 170 and 340 megabyte sizes. The eGo sports a USB connection for fast music file transfers from your computer. Once you load the eGo with music files, you have some choices on how to listen. The eGo has a small built-in speaker that's a bit tinny but useful as a quick check to make sure you've loaded the correct selections. You can listen with the included earphones or use the car stereo adaptor. Shaped like an ordinary audio cassette, you simply insert the adapter into your car's tape player. Now you can play back your MP3 files over the car's stereo system. An optional docking station lets you play your MP3 files on your home stereo.

Other features include the E-Cargo expansion bay that lets you increase memory capacity to hold even more music, a bracket for easy vehicle mounting, external DC power port for use in car or home, and a built-in microphone. The microphone makes the eGo an ideal recorder for those important items you need to remember. The eGo's controls let you play, fast forward, rewind, skip, bookmark and stop. The buttons also control its equalizer and view eGo's status on a high contrast liquid crystal display.

The Interact button lets you access the eGo's other features that include e-mail2GO which enables users to listen to email messages as MP3 files, MP3Mail that plays MP3 files attached to email messages and MP3Chat that enables recording of voice responses to email and chat messages to be sent as MP3 files.

The eGo comes in three colors (black, clear and blue), comes with a CD crammed with player and other utility software you'll need and starts at $189 with no memory, $219 with 32 megs and goes up depending on other options. Check with i2Go for more details.

i2Go, Inc.
www.i2go.com
(770) 481-0098

Recordable DVD is here

Better known as DVD-RAM, these recordable drives let you read, write and erase data to special recordable DVD disks. Panasonic has introduces two new SCSI models. The LF-D102U is External ($799), the LF-D103U ($699) is internal and either will work on both Windows and Macintosh computers. The drives come packaged with Windows software. Mac owners will have to get third party software to make them work with their computers. These drives also read CD-ROM disks at 20X speed so you won't lose your investment of CD titles you may already own. And since many reference titles such as Microsoft Encarta and entertainment products are now available in DVD format, you might want to consider one of these drives when buying a new computer. And given DVD's greater multiple gigabyte capacity, recordables such as these make an excellent backup device.

Panasonic
www.panasonic.com/storage