Dell DJ Digital Jukebox debuted

Dell today introduced the Dell Digital Jukebox (Dell DJ) music player and announced details of a partnership with Musicmatch.

Both the Dell DJ and Dell Jukebox powered by Musicmatch software will be available through the Dell Music Store (www.dell4me.com/music) starting Tuesday, Oct. 28.

“Carrying around thousands of songs on one small device is a nifty idea, but not if you have to recharge it every few hours,” said John Hamlin, senior vice-president and general manager of Dell’s U.S. Consumer business. “The Dell DJ packs terrific battery life and tons of features into a small, sleek package for a great price.”

Dell Digital Jukebox

The 7.6-ounce Dell DJ comes with a choice of 15GB or 20GB capacities ($249 and $329, respectively) and features industry leader Hitachi’s Travelstar hard drive.

A built-in rechargeable lithium-polymer battery provides up to 16 hours⁴ of continuous music playback, enough for a round-trip flight from New York to London. The included USB 2.0 cable connects the device to desktop or notebook computers and can charge the battery in lieu of the standard slim-line AC adapter. A 2-inch backlit LCD display serves up file information while users browse with a front-mounted scroll barrel for true one-handed operation.

“We heard two things loud and clear from consumers when it came to digital music players: flash memory is too limited and hard drive players are either too expensive or stripped down to hit attractive price points,” Hamlin said. “With the Dell DJ, our customers no longer have to choose between what they can afford and what they really want.”

In addition to high-fidelity playback of MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio) files, the Dell DJ serves as a digital voice recorder or a way to back up critical data. Each unit is backed by Dell’s around-the-clock toll-free technical support and a one-year Advanced Exchange Service.

Dell Jukebox software powered by Musicmatch

The Dell Music Store also features Dell Jukebox software powered by Musicmatch, which provides a simple graphical interface between the computer and Dell DJ and access to Musicmatch Downloads. This no-subscription service allows users to legally download their choice of more than 250,000 songs for only 99 cents each and most albums for $9.99. Musicmatch plans to offer more than 500,000 tracks by the end of the year.

“Offering consumers a convenient, legal way to purchase music online is important to both Dell and Musicmatch,” said Bob Ohlweiler, Musicmatch senior vice president of business development. “We’ve developed one of the easiest ways to find and purchase music, and now we’re excited to see it combined with a high-quality portable music player at an incredible value.”

The Dell Jukebox also enables access to Musicmatch Radio and the ArtistMATCH^T  feature, which compares customers’ musical tastes to other users to recommend new artists. The Dell Jukebox software is tested and qualified on Dell notebooks and desktops and works seamlessly with both the DJ and many other digital music players.

For more information on the Dell DJ or Dell Jukebox software, visit www.dell4me.com/music.

Key technical features of the Dell Digital Jukebox (Dell DJ) include: