Gizmodo’s Wackiest Gadgets of 2002

In the early 2000s, there were severe initiatives to discover the following technological breakthrough that would realize success the CD. Just one of people was the DataPlay, a miniaturized edition of a CD with a 32mm diameter. Why use DataPlay alternatively of CD? For a single, it could shop more than just music—artist interviews, tunes video clips, and pre-recorded tracks could be accessed when connected to a Laptop. It was also lovely small, or as The New York Occasions place it, “about the sizing of the ing in the center of a CD.”

Soon after successful the CES Greatest of Display award in 2001, the DataPlay was unveiled in 2002 and was promptly backed by artists and recording studios due to its demanding digital rights administration program. Britney Spears’ album Britney and re-releases from ‘N Sync, Pink, Usher, OutKast, Sarah McLachlan, and Brooks & Dunn were being bundled in the very first batch of DataPlay discs.

In the conclude, DataPlay failed and is now an all-but-neglected format. It was as well costly, pressured house owners to purchase new music players, and locked down written content in a way prospects weren’t utilised to at the time. It also arrived through the growth of digital media.

Gizmodo experienced a sensation DataPlay wouldn’t be profitable:

Let us see, they’ll price tag extra than CDs, be tough to duplicate, sound about the same as CDs, and need a total new participant (of which only one is accessible, the iRiver IDP-100, pictured at correct). Sure to be a substantial hit.