Hmmm, Ipod, Zune, Creative, Iriver and so on and forth. Silly gagdgets for silly housewives. I have an Acer n311 handheld and it plays ALL audio formats, ALL video formats, it has built in WI-FI for the millions of FREE hot-spots around the planet. I can read ebooks, I can play simple games, I can write notes, documents and more. I can use my Skype, MSN yahoo account to chat and even talk to people and I'm sure I missed something important ALL that for less than 400 USD. Go handheld go!!

Very smart way to go vietorisz. I've tried iPod and Sandisk but they seem to be very expensive and the sound quality just isn't there amongst other things. I have an old $50 walkman that sounds way better then these new memory card units.

This unit looks a lot like the Archos and I don't see an expansion slot for a memory stick. The Sandisk 6GB goes for $180 the screen is smaller but it allows an expansion card, again the sound quality is POOR.

I've got to believe if these units were not pretty no one would buy them but I just might be wrong we seem to dumb down as a society these days unfortunately. Look people buy Xbox’s and P3's for thousands of dollars how bright is that?

Well it is a neat little device. Although I find it to be too small in storage space. When those other device build a device that can hold a mass amount of variable data formats then i will have a more in depth look at them. At the moment I am happy with my Ipod. If i wanted a device with mass storage that can do different things at the moment i would go with a pda phone.

can your acer hold 30-80 gigs of data and be used also as a usb HD? if you were a DJ can you hold all your music collection on your acer... ipods may not have wi-fi and messaging... but its not meant for it.. at least not yet.. yes a PDA does alot.. but its limited.. i mean i bet you my laptop is better than your pda.. you can't compare hamburgers to steak..

this mp3 plaer is okay at top but hows the battery life? and 4gb isn't really that much...

well yes I forgot to mention, my pda is very slim and can work as a USB host as well so capacity is almost unlimited. lets stick to comparing gadgets that fit into a pocket. Does your laptop?

i have a 30gb ipod video and i have filled 20gb with music that listen to everyday all day. you cant beat that.the iriver looks sleeker and if they ever came out with a 30gb or higher i would consider getting one but until now way!

i have a 30gb ipod video and i have filled 20gb with music that listen to everyday all day. you cant beat that.the iriver looks sleeker and if they ever came out with a 30gb or higher i would consider getting one but until now way!

LOL...

well I have a BRAIN and replaced my current external laptop case with a $40 multimedia external hdd case which plays my mp3's for a total cost of like $100 including the drive! PLUS it has card readers so you can transfer your camera pics to it...So nee-ner nee-ner nee-ner

pmsl.. ok I'm lying I haven't got this yet..lol

But it is a cool concept. I don't know if the screen will show pics.. and it wont play videos.. but it can store any digital data that I need. I normally just use my 'pocket' drive to take movies... ahem.. I mean files (lol) or music over to a friend's house. But if I get this case it can also function as an mp3 player for me as well. And at only $40 (since I have the drive already) this really is a CHEAP and easy solution.

They come in 1.8" and 2.5" models. The 1.8" ones also have a voice recorder and FM tuner. All 3 models are $40.

Geeks also have a case that appears to be solely for the purpose of hooking up to external media devices that can play all sorts of video formats as well as a multitude of audio formats... but only if hooked to something.

None of these are as 'sleek' as an iPod or Zune or will play movies on an itty bitty screen. And the mp3 cases are either only mp3 (in the 2.5" case) or mp3 and/or wma (in the 1.8") but at $40 it's a good first step forward.

I actually think that we will see more cases like this coming to market and eventually they will have video screen that will rival Apple (et. al.) and allow many more format options to boot. While this sort of solution may not work for those who want to go out and DRM infested music/video files it certainly would appeal to many people like me who have uninfected files and don't care whose logo is stamped on the box.

here's some links for those who want a look:

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=GP-MED25-S&cat=CAS

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=UK-KX-707&cat=CAS

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=VP-3620B&cat=CAS

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=VP-3620S&cat=CAS


peace!

Oh yeah...

and they will all fit in your pocket. lol

I'm not sure about what everyone else personally prefers but i actually use the 20g dell dj. I know dell quit making em but for anyone who was/is afraid of dropping or rough handling, the things can take a beating. My sister dropped a crowbar dropped on , it was knocked off bleachers by careless wrestlers and Ive dropped it a few times myself.Then take into account the fact that you don't have to use music match to load things onto it and it plays nearly all types of files. Its a shame that the i pod beat it out.

staying on the topic of I-River, i picked up their 20GB H320 about 2 years ago for $217 from best buy, and am still loving it... sure its a brick, but it has a full color screen that was playing video (after the warranty-disrupting mod) over 2 years ago! its been dropped and bounced around like crazy, and still performs like it did the day i got it... just wanted to give the I-River support, they are a company that truly gives the consumer what they want, rather than feeding the consumer what it thinks they should get... mmmmmmm, applesauce...

Yeah! I still have the Dell DJ and that thing is incredible. I've dropped it down stairs onto tile, dropped it from a suburban onto concrete and it still plays perfectly. and the software for it was great.
RIP dell dj