An American based company, SongPro, has announced it will release a device, this fall, which will allow Nintendo's GameBoy Advance to play digital media, including using its display to view images.
According to SongPro, the project has Nintendo's full support and will allow Pocket game users all over the world to pick up their handheld, and by simply plugging-in a SongPro Personal Music Device turn it into an entertainment system featuring powerful multimedia and digital music players.
The Deals
The company has taken the effort so seriously that it has hired a new chief executive, Jon Richmond, who is responsible for creating an operational model for the project. The module offered will play both MP3 and WMA files but will also utilise a propriatory format, SongPro Audio, or SPA, allowing the use of the GameBoy's screen for the display of lyrics and images.
Some hope of free content may also be derived from Richmond's comments which claim that the screen will also be used for advertising.
Certainly the record companies, the artists and their management have responded very favorably to this he said.
Richmond has achieved a deal with digital media company, RioPort which, according to him, will guarantee users access to thousands of files from all five major labels from day one.
Expansion plans for the device include offering slide-shows and other image based products.
Product Features
The new device, which will retail at under US$99, will feature:
-Easy to use player controls to play your Windows Media-formatted files, or MP3 files
-Use music files from your own library or download tracks from the Internet or music subscription services.
-Plays SongPro enhanced audio files with visuals that can be viewed on the display screen
-Displays Lyrics, Album Covers and Read-along text or other content such as SongPro Story Books or View Master programs
-Download existing music libraries files through your PC or Mac via USB connection or direct to the device through kiosks systems
-Removable storage, two MMC/SD card slots- expandable up to 512 megabytes or to 10 hours of music.