About damn time. It was starting to get rediculous. I think they should use the ATRAC format like Apple uses the AAC format... sparingly.

yeah when i saw that crap on the package i thought 'what the fuck would i want that for?" then i saw the price tag, and quickly ran in the other direction....

I agree, I would never want a MiniDisc player when mp3 players are so cheap.

Another case were a large corporation makes something not because it should or that its great for the consumer but because they want to have something they can have exclusive rights (and profits) over if it hits big. It's also another case were doing so turns out to be a stupid mistake as a company finally realizes and admits it when their shareholders say, "show me the money" and they can't.

-ATRAC format was the main reason why I didn't purchase a Sony portable Player.
I’ am happy that this came and bit you in the Ass!!!!
-Greed is a hell of a thing.

Well I guess I'm the only one defending Sony here. First off, I don't think ATRAC is THAT bad. I was using Sony minidisc portable players and recorders YEARS before portable mp3 players became popular. So I don't see why Sony should be blamed for using ATRAC on their minidiscs. They did blunder, however, by trying to incorporate their ATRAC format into the portable devices, instead of going with mp3. I remember I bought one from Sony a few years ago, and was very disappointed that I had to convert all my mp3s to ATRAC in order to play. But all in all, my personal belief is that Sony is an EXCELLENT company, making some of the best electronic devices on the market today, and just because they don't sell very many mp3s players is no reason to have that much anamocity against them.

I have been using Sony products before minidisc went to USB recording/transfer process. I still use the longer preferred method via home stereoand the USB Sonic Stage v2.3, I sometimes object to the process of tranferring MP3's to ATRAC; but, I have become accustomed to the process. Hopefully, Sony will not abandoned the minidisc format; but, enhance its ability.

I'm not necessarily saying that it's bad for everybody, people just have their preferences and their own opinions. I just used my portable CD player before mp3 players became more popular. If you have to convert, I'd just as well keep what I was used to, and since most people had very limited CD players (some still do), it was easier for me. But I was very happy when they started having MP3-CD players.

i have a question about minidisks, when exactly did they come out??

in the movie "last action hero" with arnold sch..... (lol) he has a minidisk player in his car. hm.

i had a minidisk player. it lasted approx. 4 days. after that it wouldnt burn anything. i quickly got my money back, and payed 100 dollars more and got a 20 gig rca lyra...

hey, thinkin about investin in a new hdd mp3 player. whats cheap? im lookin for somthing that has about 5 gigs and is not made by apple :).

according to Sony's website (who invented MD), they finished developing it in 1991. It did not get popular until, I'd say maybe 96 or 97. Back then I saw many DJs using them, cause they were easy to record mixes, and were much better than tapes.
http://www.sony.net/Fun/SH/1-21/h4.html

Ken Kutaragi stated that Sony has been in splinter groups for a while and that he and others have been upset that the audio department refused to us MP3. I don't mind atrac for their music store but give us other options. Now i can finally buy a couple of their mp3 players (flash and harddrive).

The US CEO also stated that Sony is no longer cool in japan and europe but still is in the US. The Truth from the head of a giant corporation? Hell has frozen over.

everyone likes ipod for some screwed up reason, i wouldnt buy an ipod if it were 5 dollars. i dont want CRapple making any money off of me