After a few delays and a lot of grassroots hype, the Slacker Portable Internet radio is finally available. Starting at $200 for the 2GB model, this ambitious music-only device features a 4-inch wide screen, built-in Wi-Fi, and an excellent Web service ...

Informative 4-inch screen ; Innovative concept

Limited storage ; Buggy navigation interface

Even with all the bugs, it's hard not to love the Slacker independent approach to things. It doesn't do video at all, but this is an ambitious player. Slacker's Web-based music service is great and accurately matches your musical tastes to tunes you ...

The amazing Zen X-Fi has great sound, features, headphones, and storage options--and for a nice price, too.

Nice features, sound, earbuds, and price ; Networking and streaming capabilities

Plastic body feels cheap, but durable ; Small screen for video and photos

Minor issues like the chat malfunctions can't take the shine off of the Creative X-Fi. It's an outstanding digital music player that rises to the top with ease. The masses may continue to think iPod first when they need a new MP3 player--but the X-Fi ...

A low price, a deep feature list, and an ultracompact design make the Sansa Fuze a very worthy Nano competitor.

Slim, compact design ; Expandable memory

Video playback isn't crisp

The Fuze is a worthy competitor to the Nano--and an even better choice if you're looking for a flash player with expandable memory, an FM tuner, and a lower price tag

On the outside, SanDisk's flash-based Sansa Fuze MP3 player looks like the iPod Nano; on the inside, however, it packs a lot more functionality.

Slim, compact design ; Expandable memory

Video playback isn't crisp

The Fuze is a worthy competitor to the Nano--and an even better choice if you're looking for a flash player with expandable memory, an FM tuner, and a lower price tag

Samsung's YP-P2 multimedia player is the Whopper Jr. to the Apple iPod Touch's Whopper. The YP-P2 looks like a slightly smaller and skinnier version of Apple's flagship MP3 player; and like the Touch, it provides a touch screen for navigation.

Sharp and cinematic 16:9 screen Several customizable sound settings

Touch screen smudges easily

The YP-P2's wide aspect ratio and superb screen support great viewing, while excellent audio quality and an abundance of equalizer options are major draws for serious sound buffs. It's a somewhat pricey option for anyone seeking a better overall ...

With its cream-colored plastic casing and minimalist controls (the entire area beneath the 2.4-inch display is a four-way mechanical rocker with a small center button), iRiver's E100 resembles a slightly overweight Apple Nano--or maybe a small early ...

Versatile media player Competitive price

Mediocre audio Unintuitive interface

iRiver makes some slick and stylish portable music and media players, but the E100 isn't at the top of the list. Between its unprepossessing industrial design, ho-hum audio, and difficult user interface, I didn't find much to recommend it

Though I've previously pledged my allegiance to iPod, I'm always on the lookout for hot products, and I had high hopes for SanDisk's Sansa View.

Easy-to-use raised click wheel Very clear sound and vibrant screen

Unintuitive menu navigation Can only be charged via USB

Despite my qualms regarding its internal menus, the Sansa View is a well-rounded portable player with an attractive design, good color quality, and clear sound

Sony's NWZ-A818 flash-based MP3 player holds up to 8GB of music and video with superb audio quality--without requiringany advanced adjustments. Built with style and function in mind, the NWZ-A818 competes directly with Apple's iPod Nano.

High quality headphones come bundled Small and incredibly sleek design

Proprietary connection for PC hookup No expandable memory slot

Overall, the 8GB Sony NWZ-A818 delivers impressive sound quality through its excellent (though strangely short) supplied earbuds. Navigation is intuitive, and the battery life is long. Customers looking for an alternative to Apple's iPod Nano should ...

The iPod Touch's beautiful design, useful apps, touch screen, and built-in Wi-Fi outweigh minor audio-quality issues.

Includes a Web browser and Wi-Fi ; Beautiful design, easy to operate

Expensive ; Dark videos can be difficult to see

The iPod Touch is beautifully designed and incredibly fun to use. It still suffers from some performance hiccups, but I'd gladly recommend it to anyone looking for a mobile video player, a portable Web browser, or a high-class way to cart around the ...

Equipped with Bluetooth and a 3-inch touch screen, the YP-P2 shines at video and delivers top-notch, tweakable sound.

Sharp and cinematic 16:9 screen ; Several customizable sound settings

Touch screen smudges easily

The YP-P2's wide aspect ratio and superb screen support great viewing, while excellent audio quality and an abundance of equalizer options are major draws for serious sound buffs. It's a somewhat pricey option for anyone seeking a better overall ...