MP3 mini jukeboxes

Overview: Price: £139 (4GB model), £169 (6GB model) Website: www.apple.com Size (WxHxD): 51x91x13mm Weight: 104g File formats: WAV, AAC, AIFF, Audible, MP3 Battery life: 18 hours Storage capacity: 4GB or 6GB Plus points: Timeless design, great software, improved battery life Minus points: A bit stingy on the supplied accessories

Apple iPod Mini

In a bid to stay ahead of its increasing competition, the ubiquitous iPod mini has undergone a revamp of late. Now there are two different models to choose from - the original 4GB version (1,000 songs) and the updated 6GB (1,500 songs), the latter of which sees it leapfrogging the likes of the Creative Zen Micro and the Rio Carbon for storage capacity. There's also been a welcome price cut for the 4GB model, now a snip at under £140. There was however only ever one facet of Apple's all-conquering device that really needed sorting out - the battery life. Gladly, there has been a significant improvement here as the previous paltry offering of eight hours has been upped to a far more respectable 18 (when playing 128kbps AAC files - less with higher res formats such as the near-CD quality Apple Lossless).

Other than its looks, what continues to set the iPod apart from the competition is the interface of the player and overall ease of use of its music management software. The iPod mini's click-wheel is quite simply a brilliant invention, and even the most techno-phobic should be able master iTunes in a matter of minutes (and of course, it's fully compatible with both Windows PC and Apple Mac computers). Comfort-wise, the famed white headphones can still be torture on the ears, so with the cash you've saved from the price cut you might want to splash out on something better. Accessories are a bit on the thin side too - for instance it would have been useful to have a charger with the unit (rather than having to rely on your computer's USB 2.0 connection). But if you're thinking of indulging in any necessary extras, the iPod mini has by far the biggest selection of any of its competitors.

In addition, the iTunes shop has one of the largest download selections available and if you already have a Windows-based music collection, iTunes can convert your WMA files into AAC for playback on the iPod (though it's a pity that it still needs to do this).

Apple has been swift to up its game in an increasingly competitive market, and for now the iPod mini remains at the top of the mini jukebox tree. If you're not interested in peripheral extras like voice recording or an on-board radio, then there's really no need to look anywhere else.

Overview: Price: £200 Website: www.sony.co.uk Size (WxHxD): 90x62.1x14.8mm Weight: 110g File formats: ATRAC3Plus, MP3 Battery life: Approx 30 hours Storage capacity: 20GB Plus points: Amazingly small design, excellent battery life Minus points: SonicStage software leaves a lot to be desired, volume output is a bit on the quiet side

Sony NW-HD3 Network Walkman

After rightly receiving a barrage of criticism for its lack of MP3 support, and no doubt panicking at its lowly sales figures for the HD1, Sony has grudgingly decided release a hard disk player that will play this popular format, alongside its proprietary ATRAC. The HD3 is basically an updated and redesigned HD1, including all of the features that made its predecessor so appealing - a 20GB hard drive (that's around 5,000 MP3 tracks, much larger than anything else here - it's the HD3's tiny size that qualifies it for the mini player tag), excellent sound quality, a ludicrously small, stylish body and an iPod-trampling 30 hours of battery life.

However, MP3 compatibility aside, some of the problems that plagued its predecessor still remain, notably Sony's SonicStage file transfer software that is still as glitchy and unreliable as ever. If Sony is to ever compete effectively with Apple and iTunes, then this is surely an area that needs special attention.

Furthermore, the player itself has a couple of niggles, one of which being the volume output which is frustatingly quiet apparently due to a sound restriction being imposed on Sony's European models. In addition, there's no method of creating playlists on the player - this has to be done via SonicStage first, which is a hassle. Also, the HD3's interface isn't quite as intuitive as it could be - the shuffle function for instance is mind-bogglingly confusing and scrolling through menus can be laborious (hopefully the forthcoming HD5 will solve some of these minor nuisances).

There's no doubt though that the HD3 is a real brute of a music player, and if you're not interested in fancy extras that some other players offer and solely want to listen to an entire collection of MP3s (or ATRACs for that matter), then this is definitely one to consider.

Overview: Price: £140 Website: www.creative.com Size (WxHxD): 51x84x19mm Weight: 108g File formats: WAV, WMA, MP3, ADPCM, WMA DRM Battery life: Digital playback - 12 hours, Radio - 16 hours Capacity: 5GB Plus points: Good music management software, sound quality is decent Minus points: Control system is fiddly

Creative's latest effort is available in a variety of bold colours, (the 'sick-green' model's a bit much though) and all feature a fancy blue back light. This gives the Zen Micro a certain visual charm, if not quite scaling the stylistic heights of Apple or Sony. However, there's more in the way of features - in addition to 5GB of storage, the Zen Micro sports a personal organiser, an FM radio and a built-in microphone. Although the radio and microphone are functional at best, they do help make the Zen Micro a versatile little unit.

As with most Creative products, sound quality is extremely good, with a full, rounded sound, and the bundled software makes transferring songs to and from the player a breeze. Also in its favour is that it's the only player here compatible with the recently launched 'Napster to Go' service, where for a monthly subscription fee you can download as many MP3s as you like from a fairly healthy selection of tunes.

However, the control system, so often the Achilles heel of portable audio players, lets the Zen Micro down badly. Creative has opted for a pressure sensitive pad that, even with the sensitivity turned to low and with the most delicate of touches, is still fiddly and over-responsive, leaving you hurtling uncontrollably through menu screens. It's a real shame, as this really does hinder the enjoyment of an otherwise excellent player.

Nevertheless, if you're looking to avoid joining the ever-growing hoards of iPod mini owners, or prefer to keep your music files in WMA format, at £140 the Zen Micro is an affordable and credible alternative.

Overview: Price: £130 Website: www.philips.com Size (WxHxD): 54.3x84.5x18.3mm Weight: 93g File formats: WMA, MP3 Battery life: 10 hours Capacity: 2GB Plus points: Good on-board FM radio, generous accessories Minus points: Poor interface, not particularly well specced for the price, looks and feels dated

Philips GoGear HDD070

With its white and chrome styling throughout, Philips' now ageing player bears a certain similarity to Apple's iPod. However, the resemblance is only marginal, as a rather chunky body (definitely not credit card sized as Philips claim) and plastic finish ultimately make it look more portable razor than designer jukebox.

Indeed, with a capacity of only 2GB, it's a surprise that the unit isn't slimmer, although it is pretty light - weighing only 93 grams. Philips promises only ten hours playback from a single charge, which is a little disappointing, and this fact, along with its limited storage capacity make the player feel a bit underpowered in the face of its competitors.

The interface is fairly standard stuff, giving the choice of music playback through artist, playlist, album or genre. There's also an onboard FM radio that offers good reception for up to ten preset stations. The white backlit screen gives a clear display but unfortunately this is let down badly by a terribly slow, unresponsive touch pad control that makes you cry out for something more intuitive. Sound quality is impressive however, especially with its Dynamic Bass Boost setting applied, and the supplied headphones are surprisingly decent too. Also in its favour is the ability to play WMA files along with MP3s.

With a bit more oomph the GoGear might have been one to consider (and Philips is promising an update later this year), but as it stands there are other players here that will give you much more for your cash.

Overview: Price: £179 Website: www.iriver.com Size (WxHxD): 54.6x95.5x15mm Weight: 96g File formats: WMA, MP3, Audible Battery life: 12 hours Capacity: 5GB Plus points: Colour screen, tons of features, excellent sound quality Minus points: Mediocre battery life, screen is too small for viewing photos properly

iRiver H10

Having built up quite a reputation in the portable audio market of late, iRiver's latest effort bears all the hallmarks of another smart little unit. With a 5GB capacity, this slim little player's main draw is a 1.5 inch 260,000 colour screen, designed for storing up to 50,000 stored digital photos that can be viewed whilst playing your MP3 or WMA music files. The ability to do this is a unique feature in this category that manages to set the H10 apart from its mini jukebox peers - only the more expensive and powerful 30GB or 60GB iPod Photo has successfully ventured into this territory before. However, what undermines this feature on the H10 is the fact that the screen is far too small to display photos with anything resembling detail, which is bizzare considering that this is surely what the colour screen is primarily there for.

Nevertheless, the H10 is packed with an exhaustive list of other additions including a voice recorder, an FM tuner, a text viewer, an alarm and a stopwatch. The control pad strongly references the one used in Creative's Zen Touch player - not necessarily a bad thing, as navigating around the H10 is quick and unfussy while not being too sensitive. The removable battery is estimated to last for 12 hours, but realistically it's more like ten at the most, with the colour screen an obvious drain on resources (a solution being the option to buy an extra battery). Sound quality is excellent, ably aided by a pair of bundled Sennheiser MX400 headphones and a graphic equalizer that really does alter the sound for a change. The iRiver Plus software is decent, if a little slow, and helpfully there's the ability to drag and drop your music files onto the player via Windows Explorer.

Overall, this player is easily the most versatile of the bunch, so if you're looking for a unit that offers more than just music playback and your budget won't quite stretch to an iPod Photo, then this is a viable alternative.

Overview: Price: £130 Website: www.rioaudio.com Size (WxHxD): 64x84x15mm Weight: 90g File formats: WMA, MP3, Audible Battery life: 20 hours Capacity: 5GB Plus points: Extremely portable, great sound quality Minus points: Control system not quite at iPod levels

Rio Carbon

Rio is an old hand in the MP3 jukebox market and the Carbon's aluminium looks are probably there to entice back those punters who've since deserted them for Apple's sleeker products. However, first impressions of this squat device are not overwhelming - it looks a little like a steam-rollered iPod. But this wafer-thin design means it fits perfectly in a pocket, making it the most portable of all the players here. Another plus is a battery that will last for 20 hours, and that charges through the USB lead or through the supplied AC adaptor.

The player has a bright clear display and a navigation pad that lights up in red (useful for those dark journeys). However, browsing through songs on the Rio isn't as pleasing an experience as with a click-wheel, and another small quibble is the volume control that is positioned to favour right-handers - with this reviewer being a lefty, it makes the player not quite as comfortable to hold as it should be. Managing your music files can be done either through Rio's Music Manager, (a functional, yet unexciting piece of software), or through Windows Media Player. And like the iRiver its got a neat drag and drop feature via Windows Explorer that makes transferring files to the Rio extremely easy indeed.

But the Rio's biggest strength is the sound quality (especially with songs recorded in lossless format), which is far more impressive than most other devices, including the iPod mini. And unlike other players, you don't need to go round the houses to adjust the EQ level to get the desired sound as it's already satisfyingly loud and full. All in all, the Rio is a really strong contender - definitely giving the iPod mini a run for its money. And if total portability is a must, then this is the one to go for.