Now that Bill Gates' situation is sorted out, tech journalists can get back to obsessing over whether Microsoft is developing its own version of the iPod.
The latest rumors of the mythical mPod appeared recently in a Reuters report, with unnamed sources saying Microsoft is showing the device to music companies. I'd argue that Microsoft has already developed an iPod challenger, and it's been on sale for a couple of weeks at Best Buy and Amazon.com for about $200.
If you squint, you'll even see the Windows logo on the box.
Creative's Zen PMC
The device is called the Clix. It's a matchbox-sized digital-music player that looks like the top half of a standard iPod. And just like an iPod, it has a bright color screen that displays album covers when music is playing. It also displays photos, records speech, receives FM radio and plays videos and simple video games.
On the inside, Clix has 2 gigabytes of storage and up to 25 hours of battery life ? about 80 percent more than the iPod nano.
Technically, Clix is made by iRiver, a South Korean electronics company with U.S. headquarters in Vancouver, Wash.
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