Samsung Player Sports MP3, Diamonds

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

March 16, 2005, 2:18 PM

If bling is your thing, then Samsung has the MP3 player for you. The electronics maker showed off its latest creation this past week at CeBIT, the European technology fair. Encrusted with 12 diamond studs, the audio player will hold up to 1 gigabyte of music and also features an FM tuner.

Samsung told reporters that it expects the player to be available at a price below $1,000. While the player may not appeal to most consumers, it does continue a general trend of high-class customizations to popular electronics products.

HP recently customized an iPod for Sean 'P Diddy' Combs for the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards last August. the iPod, diamonds and all, was valued at $16,000. A gold-plated and diamond encrusted Samsung cell phone by a South Korean designer last month garnered bids of over $54,000, making it the world's most expensive cellphone.

However Joe Wilcox, senior analyst at Jupiter Research, says its par for the course in today's culture. "Should anyone be surprised that people with money freely spend on lavish high-tech gear the same as clothes, jewelry or autos? All these items share one thing in common -- they are meant to be seen and so draw attention to the owner."

"Prestige is a premium some people are will to pay for," Wilcox added. "Of course, in places like here in Washington, where driving and talking on a cell phone is illegal, a diamond studded mobile could draw enough attention for a traffic ticket."