'Portable' CD player puts MP3 into a spin
Listen carefully
During the transition period between technology formats, such from CDs to MP3s, consumers inevitably go through a period where they want 'all in one' players'. So, one designer has developed a concept MP3-cum-CD player that promises to play MP3 and traditional CDs, but in a way that’s anything but traditional.
The DMP looks fairly normal at first. It’s supports MP3 files, has a USB port, headphone jack, keypads for play/skip/volume adjustments and so on. It also has a built in microphone and circular LCD display.
At first the DMP looks just like any other MP3 player, but then...
But the player can also play CDs by splitting into a V shape. This creates enough room for a standard CD to be popped into the device and played as though it were some form of CD player with its casing missing.
...its split personality is revealed
It's not exactly clear whether you could put the DWP into your pocket while out and about, as a rapidly rotating disc without any protection to its underside is likely to result in multiple scratches to its under-surface. Not to mention to your hands, things in your pocket...need we go on?
DWP is still a concept at this stage, but we should give its designer full marks for originality.
COMMENTS
errr.... part 2
damn it, I'm a fool, yes ok, Constant linear velocity does mean it spins at 500 rpm over the shorter centre track and 200 rpm over the longer outer tracks (in order to cover the same distance per second) picking my self up off the floor in shame :( It did seem like it was a bit too torsionally twisted.. and yes 500 rpm is only 8rps... but still hardly any momentum whith such a light disc. Not likly to be dangerous bit youd have to rip on a table and go later. and who would want to wait an hour to rip at 1x speed... unless it did rip at 50x at 10,000 rpm then it would be dangerous, (and would no-doubt be mains powered!)
Nobody remembers Back to the future 2?
This is just the player what a girl used in the film. The player was mounted on her wrist with the cd spinning almost freely. This is just the thing to have that good old retro future feeling. (if the ever going to sell it with a wrist mount band)
ps: If they ever have an 'upload mp3 cd' feature, this could be used to change the contents of the memory on the go by loading up a cd full of mp3-s. The same could be used for dvd-s and smallscreen mp4 players to transfer new content without using a computer.
More RPM crap/pedantry
Late to this but couldn't help read a list of almost 100 comments ;-)
I'm quite amazed that no-one has picked up on a couple of posters here, namely Luke and Marcelo Rodrigue. RPM is a measure of Angular Velocity, so if the rpm changes then so has the angular velocity - 1 rpm = PI rad/min after all.
As the first poster, there is nothing there to indicate that they are referring to that fact that audio CDs are read at CLV rather than CAV. It has either been assumed that the reader knew this (and could therefore decode the writing) or that the author had read the figures somewhere and not questioned that a rigid body could act like a fluid.
Case design
Someone mentioned that the case splitting in two doesn't actually make more room for the CD to fit.
But surely it does create a much more stable device that can be placed flat on a table. Otherwise it would tip sideways and damage the disc edges.
I don't really think it's designed to play CDs while in a pocket. Even then, since when does a CD have a razor-sharp edge? Nobody could possibly be injured by this.
