Note that this is NOT a “best of” list: there are simply too many MP3 players available for any one critic, or even legion of critics, to rate them all. So instead, I’ve randomly selected five mp3 digital media players that will surely appeal to audio or video enthusiasts.
Cowon D2
Cowon
Cowon’s sales in North America may be modest, but this Korean company sure knows how to keep its customers happy. The Cowon D2 is a compact MP3 digital media player with a sleek design and tons of high-end features, such as a lovely, touch-sensitive 2.5-inch LCD screen, video playback, an internal micro for voice recording, and an FM tuner. More importantly, the sound and video playback quality is exceptional. The D2 comes with a handy stylus and goes easy on the batteries.
iPod touch (2nd generation)
Apple
A bit pricey, but with so many cutting-edge features, you can’t go wrong with the iPod touch. This MP3 digital media player sports a shiny, stainless steel back, and has every feature you could think of: aside of listening to music, you can watch movies, check your email, browse the Internet, play your favorite games, check out podcasts, and download new media clips from iTunes. Audio quality is average, but for gamers and music-listeners on the go it does the job just fine. And while you will need iTunes software to use some of its features, the second-generation iPod Touch is definitely years ahead of the competition.
P3
Samsung
Courtesy of Samsung, the P3 portable MP3 digital multimedia player is a great piece of technology. Samsung’s MP3 player looks great, with a sleek, die-cast metal case and a gorgeous 3-inch, full-color touch-screen. Available in 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB models, the P3 has a boatload of features, including a personal voice recorder, an FM radio tuner, and Bluetooth connectivity. The P3 has a gorgeous, fun interface and supports a wide variety of media formats.
SM010A
Saty Develop Co.
Courtesy of Hong-Kong-based Saty, the SM010A MP3 digital media player is probably the craziest gadget ever made, packing strange features such as a flashlight, a pest and mosquito repellent (with high-pitched sounds) and an alcohol breath analyser. If the battery runs out, you can power it up by pulling on a string on the left side. The SM010A can also be powered by USB. Of course, since it’s an MP3 digital media player, it also plays mp3 and mp4 files and has a radio.
Sansa Clip
SanDisk
Sure, Wi-Fi, touch-screens, laptop-like storage capacities, movie and video support, and so on are great features, but what if all you need is a device that can play music? After all, that’s what an MP3 digital media player is for, right? Well, if that’s what you’re looking for, you can’t go wrong with Sandisk’s Sansa Clip. The Clip doesn’t take up a lot of room, goes easy on the batteries, offers good sound quality, and has an FM tuner. Available in 8 GB format, it also gives you a power-saving OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display. The Sansa Clip was ranked as the top MP3 player of 2008 by anti-iPod website www.anythingbutipod.com.