Kenwood GD50 and GD55

Kenwood this morning wrapped up its week with the launch of two basic Media Keg players that offer the same features with a different style depending on tastes. The GD55 (left) is designed for a subtle, professional look with a mirror finish that subtly hides the four-line OLED display; in exchange, the GD50 is based on a more youthful and also more scratch-resistant solid color. Either player reflects Kenwood's emphasis on absolute audio quality and ships bundled with in-canal earbuds rather than the over-the-ear models that often come with players in the class.

Music format support extends to just MP3 and WMA but is not tied to any particular software. While programs like Windows Media Player can be used to load the new Media Kegs quickly or with protected music from online stores, users can drag and drop songs on to the device, Kenwood says. Both players also serve as mass storage when connected through USB. Battery life is rated at 21 hours when MP3s, but drops to 16 hours for WMA tracks.

Both variants are set to ship in early October with either 1GB (M1GD50 and M1GD55) or 2GB (M2GD50 and M2GD55) of flash memory, three different color trims each, and prices of $104 and $130 respectively. Kenwood will likely keep the players to Japan but offers the interface for the new Media Kegs in English and several other languages. [via Impress]

By Electronista Staff