The new Gateway(TM) DMP-X20 Digital Jukebox gives music lovers a fun and affordable new way to take their entire digital music library with them wherever they go.

Priced at only $299.99 (1) — $100 less than the 20GB Apple iPod — the Gateway DMP-X20 Digital Jukebox includes unique features like a built-in FM tuner, digital voice recorder and large 2.5 inch display.

The new Digital Jukebox was launched today at the Gateway(R) store in New York City, where chairman and CEO Ted Waitt revealed the company’s dramatic retail transformation and unveiled 14 new products for businesses and consumers.

“Until now, consumers were forced to pay a premium for a high-capacity ultra-thin digital jukebox,” said Matt Milne, senior vice president and general manager of consumer solutions, Gateway, Inc. “The affordable price and abundance of features makes this a great holiday gift idea for music lovers of all ages.”

The Gateway DMP-X20’s large 20GB(2) of storage capacity can house 5,000 MP3 songs — so an entire collection of great music can always be on hand. The new Gateway digital music jukebox is so thin and light it can be taken virtually anywhere; it measures only 3.9 x 2.6 x 0.83 (HxDxW) and weighs just 7.7 ounces. And while the size is small, the sound quality is big. The Gateway DMP-X20 delivers clean, crisp high-fidelity sound that will impress the most discerning audiophile.

The built-in FM tuner and digital voice recorder set the Gateway DMP-X20 apart from the competition. The FM tuner with 12 user-selectable presets lets music lovers quickly tune into their favorite radio stations on the go. The built-in digital voice recorder is a handy tool for recording meetings, lectures or making personal reminders.

The Gateway Digital Jukebox is simple to use, yet has several innovative features. It boasts the industry’s largest display in its class — the easy- to-read 2.5-inch display stylishly presents MP3 and other data with an indigo blue backlight. The intuitive scroll navigation makes accessing and managing content quick and easy. Music can be browsed by album, artist, genre, track or playlist, and modes such as shuffle and repeat personalize the music mix. Plus, music lovers can customize their listening experience with the five-band equalizer with six modes (five pre-set and one user-programmable).

The Gateway(TM) DMP-X20 Digital Jukebox is so versatile that it can also be used to transport photos, presentations and other types of electronic data. The lightning-fast USB 2.0 interface allows transfers as fast as a song per second — so the jukebox can be fully loaded with music in about an hour. Transferring downloaded MP3 and Windows Media Audio files from services like Napster is a snap, since the Gateway jukebox is compatible with existing and next-generation Windows Media DRMs.

Additionally, the Gateway DMP-X20 Digital Jukebox can store and play hundreds of hours of spoken word content from Audible.com, so Gateway customers can choose from Audible’s collection of 20,000 popular audio books, audio editions of leading newspapers and magazines, and public radio shows for convenient on-the-go listening. The Gateway DMP-X20 Digital Jukebox comes with a free one-month membership to Audible, giving customers any one audio book from Audible’s collection of 6,000, and any two one-month subscriptions from Audible’s subscription center — a $60 value.

After filling their Gateway jukebox with music and other content, Gateway customers have maximum listening time ahead of them, since the battery delivers more than 10 hours of play time on a single charge. The remote control, which comes standard with the Gateway DMP-X20, gives music lovers one-handed access to their jukebox while it is placed in a pocket, purse or bag. The new Gateway DMP-X20 Digital Jukebox comes with stereo earphones, USB 2.0 cable, RCA cable, AC adapter, case and a helpful Quick Start guide.

The Gateway DMP-X20 Digital Jukebox is priced at $299.99 (1), and Gateway is taking pre-orders for the product now online, by phone and in Gateway(R) stores. The jukebox will be available nationwide on Nov. 26.

Direct Connect USB 2.0 MP3 Players

Also today, Gateway further expands its line of USB 2.0 MP3 players with three new affordable, small USB 2.0 Digital Music Players ranging from 64 to 256MB. Each device is actually four products in one: a digital audio player, digital voice recorder, FM radio tuner, and a portable data storage drive. These new devices build on Gateway’s previous generation of digital audio players with the new FM radio tuner functionality, while still allowing users to listen to MP3 or WMA files, transport photos or any other data and record voice messages.

The new Gateway USB 2.0 Digital Music Players are so small, they can be connected to a keychain, or worn around the neck. They measure just 3.3×1.5x 0.6 inches (LxWxH) and weigh only 1.7 oz with the battery installed. The easy- to-read, backlit display is now larger and can show four lines of MP3 or other data. Like the first generation players, these new Gateway Digital Music Players are plug and play compatible with Windows XP and connect directly to a PC via their built-in USB 2.0 connection for fast and easy music or file transfers.

The three new USB Digital Music Players are also available now through all of Gateway’s sales channels. The new players are priced as follows: 64MB(2) Gateway(TM) DMP-110: $79.99(1); 128MB(2) Gateway(TM) DMP-210: $99.99(1); and 256MB(2) Gateway(TM) DMP-310: $149.99(1). They all come with comfort-fit ear clip stereo earphones, a carrying case with belt clip, a neck strap, a USB extension cable and one “AAA” alkaline battery which provides up to 12 hours of battery life.