By Richard Menta 2/28/06

We have been hit with an interesting spate of PMP announcements over the last couple of weeks, mildly unusual because such product introductions usually wait for the late spring to catch the summer market when going portable is most enjoyed. What makes them interesting is that while Apple has sold a ton of their video-enabled iPods, they don't dominate the personal media player market as much as they do the audio market. The Sony PSP is the number one PMP right now, both in units sold and in performance. Oh yeah, and it plays games too.

The point is that the fifth generation stimulated the market for portable units that offer video playback without completely taking it over. Most notable about the iPod is that is did not include a widescreen display, choosing instead to use a screen with a standard television aspect ratio. That leaves a little more room for competitors who can offer more.