By Richard Menta 3/29/06

RCA is the creator and owner of the MP3 codec and released one of the first portable players back in 1999. They were also the first to incorporate MP3 into their lines of stereo receivers, DVD players and other electronic products. Despite the fact that I always could find their MP3-flavored products in the local department store, I rarely see them in the wild.

Fortunately for us the company has not let my observations curtail their activities. Lest we live in an iPod-only world it is good to see the likes of Archos, Creative, iRiver, RCA and even the much maligned Sony keep trying.