I2Go shows off MP3 player that can 'read' and record emails

I2Go has come up with an MP3 player that lets you listen to your email and record responses as MP3 files.

The Ego MP3 player drew a lot of attention at the Consumer Electronics Show despite its price tag - $189 without memory and $649 with 340Mb.

The product is hailed as a portable MP3 player that can be connected to your in-car stereo system and lets you play tracks through hi-fi speakers.

Email is downloaded from your computer using Ego's MP3 agent software and is turned into audio format so you can listen to it on the move or in your car. Users can record their replies orally and files are stored so that they can be uploaded when you get back to your PC.

The Ego will play MP3 files that are attached to email messages automatically.

The Ego is much bigger than other MP3 players on the market. It's around the size of a Palm Pilot, but twice as thick. But at five ounces, it isn't as heavy as it looks.

To boost the capabilities of the Ego, I2Go is now offering flash firmware upgrades for the player which are downloadable from the Web.