Olympus bringing m:robe to America

We always figured that Olympus would torture us and reserve their new m:robe line of portable media players for the homeland (i.e., Japan), but there's some encouraging news that they're going to introduce it over here. Pages for the m:robe 100 (pictured at right), their new 5GB MP3 player, and the m:robe MR-500i, their new 20GB MP3 player/digital photo viewer/1.3 megapixel digital camera with a 3.7-inch touchscreen, have turned up on OlympusAmerica.com, and it sounds like both will be coming out here early next year.

[Thanks, Alexander]

Read - Olympus m:robe 100
Read - Olympus m:robe MR-500i

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

I want the MR-500i. I can't wait to see how far it is out of my price range.

[crawford @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

In the realm of product naming, I normally don't ask too many questions. But what on earth is an "m:robe"?

[Ryan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

$499 US according to the website for one of these babies -- but the question needs to be asked, can we play any video on them, and/or when are we gonna see a hack so we can?

[scott @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

$499. it's already listed on clubMac:

http://www.clubmac.com/clubmac/shop/detail.asp?dpno=654775

it does look pretty friggin' cool...

[efmpm @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

The MR-500i is shipping this week. Some stores should have them in the next few days.

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

Am I the only one that wants an MR-500i with the M:robe 100 interface? That thing looks freakin' wicked. And you know that the touchscreen on the 500i is adding something to that $500 price tag (quite a bit, I'm sure, given the size of it).

The 500i is too expensive for a 20GB device and tries to do too many things. 20GB isn't enough for all you're supposed to be able to do with it, but it's still $500. I just want to play mp3's, but I've got way more than 5GB worth (actually 21GB right now)... but damn, that 100 model looks like the iPod's evil little brother who's been locked up in the attic for the past 13 years.

[Rick @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

The 500i doesn't play video, at least according to the Olympus website. It plays MP3 audio and has a built-in 1.3 MP camera, but no video playback. The 640x480 colour screen is largely for viewing pictures. What a bloody shame.

Even without video playback, I would have considered it as a portable photo storage unit for holding picts from my digicam on the road, but it has no memory card slots! Compare this to the excellent Epson P-2000, which is twice as heavy and larger but is a digital photographer's dream.

[Joey Geraci @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

yea, I think that the 100 model could give the ipod mini a run for its money, in that it beat it on capacity, size (believe it, check the specs), and included cradle, and matches it on battery life, price, and convenient touchpad control. bye bye ipod mini

[pixelzombie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

last time i checked they were usb only, which pales in comparison to firewire...

[Insomniass @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

For $500 bucks it should have the capability of playing video but unfortunately it doesn't. For $300 more, you can have so much more...mp3 & video playback/record...AND Wifi internet...plus MORE.
YES!!! Finally, it's a hard-drive PDA :)

http://www.archos.com/products/overview/pma_400.html

Me want one. :))