German iPod clone

DAPreview.net: Review / Medion MD 95200 Review Last week, one of the special offers at Aldi Markets in Northern Germany was for a new 20gb DAP, the MD 95200. The player is distributed by Medion, like most consumer electronics at Aldi. It was kind of a surprise since there was no word of the device before it went on sale and because there isn't much information about it on the web or anywhere else.

Probably the first thing you notice about the Medion Jukebox is that it looks a lot like an Apple iPod that's been dressed in black. The touch-wheel controller has been a signature element of the iPod, and only the iPod, as Apple is usually agressive in protecting their patented design. We're not sure how this one snuck in under the radar, or if there's any issue with the design in the limited area where it's being sold.

It turns out that the similiarities are more than skin deep. The Medion Jukebox shares the same chipset and software used in the iPod, made by PortalPlayer (as stated in a recent REVIEW at the German news website Heise.de). However, while the iPod is expensive (325 Euro), the Medion Jukebox has a price tag of only 199 Euro, making it one of the cheapest devices available in Europe with a 20gb, 1.8-inch hard drive. It also comes with an impressive 36-month warranty.

As you might expect, the limited number of units were sold out quickly, and about the only place to get it now is on eBay.de where the price is higher (eBay listings: LINK).

Besides the new player, we've learned that Medion also plans to open an online music store (www.medionmusic.com), like the iTunes Music Store for iPods. The device supports WMA DRM type files to facilitate secure downloading.