A portable music player that promises better sound fidelity than MP3s is set to launch on Kickstarter with backing from veteran rocker Neil Young.
The PonoPlayer will be available for order on the crowdfunding site starting March 15, according to a leaked release purported to be from Young’s PonoMusic.
The company did not immediately respond to inquiries but it posted an article on Facebook that refers to the leaked release.
Backers of the Kickstarter campaign will be able to order the player at a discount from the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of US$399. The shipping date has not been announced.
The player is billed as offering “studio master-quality digital music at the highest audio fidelity possible” from major and independent record labels. Observers have said it may prompt Apple to consider improving the sound quality on MP3s offered on its popular iTunes music service.
The device has an unusual triangular form factor and an LCD touch screen. It has 128GB of memory and can store 1,000 to 2,000 high-resolution music albums, according to the leaked release.
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