recording equipment news

[Niko Besnier]

The following is from the _Yomiuri Shinbun_ a few weeks ago:

	Sharp Corp. will put out the MD-MT50, a new type of portable minidisk
player with a recording function, on the market March 15.
	The product is the nation's [Japan's] first minidisk player recorder whose
body can hold both a rechargeable battery and an AA battery.
	The MD-MT50 has a maximum recording time of 4.5 hours and a playing time
of 6.5 hours with a rechargeable battery [and slightly less with an AA
battery].
	Various types of optional mikes are available to meet varying needs. . . .
	Price:  JPY35,000.  Optional mikes range 7,800-10,000.

Is it possible that this little animal is going to revolutionize our
work?  Making it possible to digitize recordings in one easy step?  Making
the task of finding data on a disk very simple?  My friends in Japan who
listen to music 25 hours a day swear by the MD player for sound quality.

Stand by, I'm buying one next time I'm in Tokyo in June, and will try it
out in the field in Tonga almost immediately.  At this price, you can't go
wrong.

Niko Besnier