Alright, I *really* didn't see this coming.
I imagine a product like this would really, really piss off Sony. This LSI, however, o­nly mentions the playback of ATRAC3plus files o­n CDs, rather than those from a flash memory or hard drive.
The next logical step for Toshiba is to get rights to produce Hi-MD products, and they've got themselves a superior piece of hardware to any of Sony's "ATRAC3plus o­nly" devices. I'm pretty sure that if Hi-MDs supported MP3 playback, the world would be a much better place.

Toshiba Corporation announced o­n the 12th the development of a o­ne-chip LSI, dubbed the "TC94A60MFG," capable of decoding ATRAC3plus and MP3 format audio files recorded o­n a CD-R/RW. The plan to begin mass production before the end of the year, with a monthly output of o­ne million units. Sample shipments will begin in August, and the price of a sample is 2,000 yen.

This is the world's first LSI that supports the decoding of both MP3 and ATRAC CDs. "ATRAC CDs," as they're known, are CD-R/RW discs recorded in Sony's audio software such as "SonicStage" using the ATRAC3plus audio compression format. Since the TC94A60MFG contains RF amp, digital servo, and memory all in o­ne chip, development of a CD player supporting both MP3 and ATRAC CDs should be simple.

Furthermore, processes typically carried out by a microcontroller, such as disc analysis, tag information, song names, and playback data management, are integrated into the DSP. Sound position controllers such as equalizers can also be included; all of this is aimed at making an efficient system.

Also, since this uses SiP (System In Package) technology to supply both an audio CD playback and compressed format decoder in o­ne chip, products such as those that already support MP3, WMA and such can be converted by simply exchanging the decoding chip.

Toshiba has said that the company will, in response to consumer needs, commercialize products that can support medias other than CD, as well as those that support more formats beyond just MP3, WMA, and ATRAC3plus.



Inspired by:
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20040712/toshiba.htm

Press Release:
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2004_07/pr_j1201.htm