e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

[Cassandra]

Bad news for Odyssey 1000 sales? Both the 20 GB Gateway DMP-X20 and the 20 GB Dell Digital Jukebox (DJ) are cheaper than the $349 price of the much heftier 20 GB Odyssey 1000.

Both the Dell and the Gateway players are closer in size to the iPod being that they are both based on a 1.8" HD.

Both the Dell and the Gateway players are compatible with the legal download services using the Microsoft WMA DRM, whereas the Ody 1000 is not (supposedly a firmware upgrade will correct this "soon").

It seems that the much bulkier Ody 1000 is not even remotely competitive in the current market at its price of $349. Who would pay $50 extra for an overly bulky player that does not work with the legal download services? Is the the much criticize VoiceNav feature enough to get consumers to pay an extra $50 for a bulky player that does not play music downloaded from legal music sites?

IMO, it seems like the price of the Odyssey 1000 will have to be drastically reduced (unless of course, there is no inventory).