The big question: Can the Zune HD compete with the iPod Touch? I get the sense that Microsoft isn't trying to, exactly.

The Zune HD is not a simple curved rectangle with a screen, like the iPod Touch, but a resolutely industrial, luxurious, angular and slim design. From the angled back to the visible screws to the long and thin home button, the Zune HD is a look all ...

The newest iPod Nano is incontrovertibly a step up from last year's model, crammed with new features including a video camera. But can the Nano stay the same cool little player while simultaneously invading the Flip-cam market?

Unfortunately, that larger screen comes with a caveat: The click wheel is even smaller than earlier Nanos. If you found the previous Nano's click wheel slightly thinner and harder to hit than you prefer, this will be even worse. If you had no problems ...

The Gadget: The Cool-er, a lower (compared to the Kindle) priced eBook reader that lacks built-in wireless functionality and a hardware keyboard, but adds music, an SD card slot and PDF/MP3 support. But of course, the lower price is the big draw.

. It succeeds in looking like an iPod and being available in a lot of colors, but fails in usability and design. The only thing going for it is that it works as an eBook reader if reading is the most important part of the package (which it is, to many ...

Zero buttons. That's as minimalist as it gets.

, the button position on the headphone cord becomes really difficult to use unless you're sitting still. It also limits your choice of headphones to the ones Apple gives you, or new shuffle-specific ones made by other manufacturers

Sandisk's Sansa Clip has been the preferred cheap mp3 player for audiophiles for awhile now, and the Clip+ improves on the original in price, design, capacity and features. Basically, this is the best trash mp3 player around.

) SlotRadio cards. The clip on the back is no longer removable, and the headphone jack has been moved to the right side of the player, away from the miniUSB port. Oh, and the control pad is now square instead of circular. That's pretty much it for new ...

We all know iPods have taken over the world, but the Cowon S9 looked like the perfect alternative to the iPod touch for those of you who hate Apple, so I ordered one in.

happened. I have no doubt that somewhere along the line I was doing something wrong (though it's hard to fathom given the dragging and dropping), but no one could spot it. That's disconcerting

The Gadget: Archos 5, the touchscreen "internet media tablet" with HD video viewing, game support and web surfing, is poised to take on the comparatively puny-in-screen, puny-in-storage iPod touch.

But despite its better look, the menu system is a pain to navigate. Certain options are lumped in categories where they don't fit, and there's an entire menu devoted to selling accessories and software function add-ons. Archos is known to sell ...

The Gadget: The iHome iH12, which is an iPod dock, alarm clock, AM/FM radio and stereo speakers all in one compact black box. The BR means it's black and it comes with a remote.

The Gadget: Cowon's A3 portable music player, which supports about as many codecs as its bigger, beefier brother, the Q5W. The difference is the A3 can fit much easier into your pants.

The iPod touch, Apple's gimped iPhone that's just for music, sounds fantastic for people who want all of the iPhone's music and video features and none of its calling ones. PC Mag got their hands on one a bit early and found that it's just as good as ...