Dell answers the iPod shuffle with: A cigarette lighter form factor, and a hoodwink on capacity

news.com: "The DJ Ditty weighs 1.29 ounces and has 512MB of storage, which the company claims can hold as many as 220 songs. The device, which has a 1-inch screen for managing playlists, starts at $99. The 512MB version of Apple Computer's iPod Shuffle also costs $99, although Apple rates its storage at 120 songs; a 1GB version sells for $129 and holds 240 songs, according to the company's Web site."

This Dell device has a display and the shuffle doesn't, THAT should've been Dell's big legitimate feature to boast about. So why then, did Dell choose to essentially mislead its customers about a 512MB capacity being able to hold 220 songs? Thier fine print on the site shows that they are basing this capacity on a "64kbps WMA encoding with average song length of 4 min." Most 'Plays for Sure' WMA download services, such as Napster, encode at 128kpbs. Lame move by Dell. They've got the display, a tuner, and a choice of multiple colors for the same $99, this should've come across to potential customers as a nice alternative to the shuffle. But they couldn't resist trying to take it up one more notch by misleading buyers on capacity, and in turn making a bad impression. I'm afraid Dell is going to have to innovate to beat the iPod, lying probably won't do the trick.

(Notes on illustration: not actual size, but correct relative proportions, fictional flame added in order to mock Dell)