MP3 jukeboxes

The battery has finally been given a boost, now offering up to 12 hours continuous play instead of eight, though it's still beaten by many of its rivals. Sound quality using AAC format is decent if not spectacular, though there's the option to upgrade it using Apple Lossless format, which offers near-CD quality, but takes up much more memory. You can also of course upgrade the infamous mugger magnet headphones to something a bit more comfortable. The popular shuffle feature is now easier to access. On the old model you had to jump through the menus to get it, but now you can toggle it on or off with a single button push on the main menu. Using iTunes couldn't be simpler, though there are still a few noticeable exceptions from the iTunes shop, especially on the indie side (no Radiohead for instance).

The iPod now has the broadest range of accessories available for any MP3 player, from external speakers, to covers, to microphones and much more, which goes some way to making up for the lack of onboard extras, but it still won't play WMA files. Now that it's dropped its price to a competitive level however, it's still the one to beat.

Among the extras there's a built-in FM radio which offers decent if not exceptional reception. You can fast search for channels and save up to 24 as presets. And if you hear something you like, you can record in real time direct to the M3L's hard drive. Sound quality is particularly good, with plenty of deep bass and good overall imaging. There's a five-band graphic equaliser which includes five presets and full manual adjustment, plus the 20GB hard drive has room for up to 5,000 tracks in MP3 format.

Unusually, the M3L allows you to record without the need for a PC, direct from a CD player, which can come in handy, though there's a notable drop in sound and volume quality. It can also be used as a voice recorder for taking notes with its built-in microphone. Copying files by cutting and pasting into the supplied JetAudio jukebox was easy enough but we found organising the playlists a little more complicated than it needed to be. But with a bit of patience this is definitely a player worth considering, especially if you like to play with your gadgets.

Creative has added a shuffle button, though it's not as easy to reach as the new iPod's, and it's a bit on the slow side when it comes to changing between tracks. There are however eight graphic presets plus a four-band graphic equaliser, an FM radio, and it comes with Creative's MediaSource software, which rivals iTunes for ease of use.

Sound quality is good, though it doesn't seem to go as loud as some other players, and you'll probably want to upgrade the headphones before too long.

It doesn't have its own file management software such as Apple's iTunes or Creative's MediaSource, but it's easy to transfer MP3 files Windows Media Player. There's a built-in FM radio and voice recorder (which also records radio, and you can connect and external microphone) and like the iPod (with Mac if not PC), you can charge it via the USB 2.0 connection on your computer. Sound quality is good, though as usual it's advisable to lose the supplied headphones and unlike, for instance, the iPod and others, it plays LOUD, with for once more volume than you'll ever need.

However, it's defiantly sticking to Sony's own ATRAC format, which debuted with the MiniDisc player. Technically, it's meant to be better quality than the most popular format, MP3, but this player has no ability to play MP3 or WMA, let alone the Apple-friendly AAC, and as such seems to be digging a hole for itself. But wait. It will convert from MP3 or WMA using the supplied SonicStage software, though with a loss of some quality. Sound quality with tracks burned direct from CD however, is exceptionally good, especially with a decent set of headphones. It's a pain about the three-times-only limit for transferring tracks from computer to Walkman though.

It's designed to be used with the Sony Connect online music store, which isn't as cheap as some, but does offer some alternative that iTunes can't, notably Radiohead. Strangely, it can only be charged using the supplied docking station, which doesn't help if you want to recharge on the move. However, only a fool would write Sony off at this early stage, and sure enough, we've just heard that there's a new NW-HD3 which is MP3-compatible, which will at least make this promising little player a possibility for everyone.

It comes with a choice of USB2.0 or Ethernet connections and tracks are easy to transfer using Windows Media Player. The supplied headphones are Sennheiser MX300s - nice to include a name brand, but it's a shame our sample didn't come with any onboard controls.

Sound-wise though it's pretty good, with no shortage of bass available and clear, consistent higher frequencies. There are two EQ options too, standard bass and treble boost plus a five-band graphic equalizer which comes with several presets or can be customized. There were also one or two irritating menu niggles, such as not being able to jump to the next track if you've selected a single track to play (you need to select all tracks or an album), but these aside, the Karma is a very fine and versatile player.

Samsung has created a player specifically (though not exclusively) aimed at the service, and a very nice one it is too. It's long, but thin, with a slick-looking crushed chrome fascia. The central four-way control button is easy to use as is the menu, which is very similar to the iPod's. The sound quality is particularly impressive, though you'll need to replace the supplied headphones to get the most out of it. The integration with Napster worked very well, eventually - it took us a few goes to get it connected, but once we got there it was fine.

Extra features include an FM radio tuner (not a great one though, as it happens) and a voice recorder, for which it has a dedicated button - very handy for catching those unexpected soundbites or making some quick voice notes. Overall, it's an attractive little player, though the Napster association has the potential to put off as many people as it attracts.

As might be expected, Philips' own headphones are actually quite good and comfortable, delivering a decent quality of sound. But the bundled software seems a bit rudimentary by modern standards - fine for copying files but you'll need to use another program for burning CDs, which you can then copy over. However, it was one of the first players to include a voice recorder (how long before Apple twigs that this is a handy onboard addition?) which is particularly sensitive even without the addition of an external microphone. Usefully, the HDD120 can also record direct from a stereo into MP3 format, which could come in handy for 'borrowing' tracks while visiting friends for instance.

Overall, this has some good features but is let down by some clunky design issues - the next version could well be something though.