Apple has unveiled a portable digital music device that is the size of a deck of cards, but holds 1,000 digitally recorded songs.
The MP3 player, called iPod, works only on Macs running Apple's proprietary operating systems and iTunes 2, its music software.
The device is expected to be available on November 1 and costs £260 (STG).
Analysts expect the iPod to sell well among the seven million users already equipped with Macintoshes compatible with the device.
Mr Rob Enderle, an analyst with the Giga Information Group, said: "People aren't willing to buy a new personal computer but they are willing to buy things to accessorise it."
The sleek, 6.5oz gadget is the first portable music player that transfers files via FireWire - a faster cable than the Universal Serial Bus cables commonly used for many digital devices.
Apple chief executive, Mr Steve Jobs, said a CD's worth of music would take five to 10 seconds to download to the player, as opposed to five hours needed via USB.
The device, which runs on Mac OS 9.2.1 and Mac OS X Version 10.1, boasts a battery life of 10 hours and has a 5 gigabyte hard drive.
IPod is Apple's first consumer electronics gadget. Until now Apple had introduced only software products to make its Macs the hub for digital music, video and pictures.
PA