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Can't live without your multimedia entertainment center? You don't haveto strap a stereo on your back to keep it handy. Simply slip Flipster into yourpocket.

Flipster, a portable multimedia device, plays your digital audio andvideo files, shows off digital pictures, and plays voice recordings and videogames. It won't weigh you down: Flipster is about the same size as a deck ofcards.

The device is scheduled to ship later in April priced in severalconfigurations starting at $399. And it's a gadget-lover's dream, according toBob Fullerton, the director of product marketing forPoGoProducts, the company behind Flipster.

Running Windows CE, it features a clamshell design that flips open toreveal a 2.5-inch TFT color display. Flipster plays MPEG-4 videos and MP3 andWMA audio files, and it displays standard image file formats. It can connect toyour PC via USB and comes with software that lets you drag and drop files to bedownloaded to the device.

Storage Space

But just how many space-hogging audio and video files can it store?Flipster will come in two versions: one with 64MB of internal flash memory, andone featuring 128MB. The 64MB version will cost $399, while the 128MB versionwill run $449. If you need more storage, Flipster also includes an expansionslot for MMC or SD (Secure Digital) cards.

Flipster's storage capacity can't compete with that oftheiPod, Apple's popular new MP3 player, which stores 5GB, or thatof the Archos Jukebox, an MP3 player that offers as much as 20GB of storage.The iPod costs $399, while theArchosJukebox currently costs $307 for the 20GB version.

The capability to add storage cards will help Flipster compete,Fullerton says. SD cards are available in up to 512 MB capacity, with a 1GBcard expected by the end of the year, he says.

Business Uses

Flipster has an advantage in its additional features, Fullerton says.The device plays videos as well as audio, and includes a voice memo capabilitythat lets users record and listen to voice messages. These features make it auseful tool for business professionals, who could use the device to show salesvideos to potential clients, he says.

"It's like a Windows-based handheld PC, without a lot of the complicatedfeatures. It's for people who don't need all the organizer features that thosedevices offer," Fullerton says. "It's easier to use."

Flipster also includes an expansion connector, which will allow morefeatures to be offered in the future, Fullerton says. Accessories indevelopment include a digital camera, a TV tuner, and a wireless Internetconnection. In addition, because the device is based on the Windows CEoperating system, its software should be upgradable in the future. As Fullertonsays, "Flipster will get better with age."

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