Thanks to the phenomenal influence of Apple, design is everything in the world of MP3 players. Here are the slickest looking models to cross our desks lately.
Apple fans are often derided for their superficiality -- the naysayers reckon that the Cupertino cult are hung up on on their pet products' prettiness. The seductively smooth lines and showy touchscreens, they claim, are blinding people to functionality and performance problems that lurk beneath the polished surfaces. iPods are viewed as honeytraps, seducing buyers with their looks only to betray them down the track.
Like James Bond and his girl du jour, however, we just can't get enough. The iPod form factor has become iconic, its clickwheel design and palm-pleasing layout copied by rival companies desperate for a piece of Apple's runaway success. These facsimiles rarely measure up to the real deal, but manufacturers are starting to get smarter, creating players with completely different looks in order to avoid unflattering comparisons.
Our current non-iPod crushes include the iRiver Clix 2 -- a square device free from cluttering buttons -- and Samsung's YP-S5, which offers a slide-out speaker that shifts into place with satisfying smoothness.
Of course, we couldn't have a style-focused MP3 roundup without including at least one Apple product. The Touch is particularly pretty, its bouncy scrolling motion and Cover Flow browsing making for a very satisfying experience. The Nano is also worthy of inclusion for its tapered edges, revamped colours and wafer-thin profile.
For speakers that make as much of a statement as the player, Griffin's Evolve set is the goods.
Apple iPod Touch
If the Touch is the player that you want, that you really, really want, you've probably got one already. Fence-sitters should stay there until next year when third-party apps or version 2.0 comes out.
iRiver Clix (2nd generation) 
The 2nd gen iRiver Clix offers the perfect blend of hot design, desirable features, and stellar sound quality. If you're looking for an alternative to the iPod Nano, this device should top the list.
Apple iPod Nano (3rd generation)
Honey, I shrunk the iPod! The new nano has all the features of its big brother, the Classic, but in a smaller package with fewer gigabytes.
Griffin Evolve iPod speaker
The Griffin Evolve is a brilliant idea and nice enough to use. Sound quality's very average, but overall it's a lovely little system with lots of potential applications.
Samsung YP-S5 (2GB)
The S5 takes Samsung's touch-button, speaker-enabled K5 and slims it down. We like it, but what's with the mutant earphones?
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Kriwolf
28/04/2008 01:51 AM
Bah Samsung YP-P2 looks better than the YP-S5 and its not up there =0
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