Date Published: 10/30/2006
MP3 players are everywhere these days, and the only people who don't sing their praises are the ones who don't own one yet. Apple continues to dominate the market, but there are many fine alternatives to the iPod family of players. If you are shopping for a new MP3 player, here are a few to consider.
Panasonic SV-MP020A
With the SV-MP020A, Panasonic has packed a lot of MP3 player into a tiny blue package. This diminutive unit has an MSRP around $100, 2GB of internal Flash memory for holding MP3 and WMA music files, and Panasonic's D.sound technology restores musical details lost during the digital audio compression process. The SV-MP020A also includes five preset equalization curves and a bass boost, so you can tune the sound exactly as you want it.
The SV-MP020A uses a standard AA battery that will last up to an astonishing 75 hours of playback time, so on the rare occasions that the power gets low, a replacement battery won't be hard to find. If blue isn't your color, the SV-MP020A also comes in white as model SV-MP020W, and pink and white versions with 1GB of memory are available as well.
 Panasonic SV-MP020A |
RCA LYRA RD2763
A member of RCA's LYRA lineup, the RD2763 has a few surprises you won't find in many other MP3 players. For starters, this conservatively styled but attractive blue player comes with an FM transmitter that lets you play your MP3 and WMA music over your car's stereo system. Plug the transmitter into your car's power outlet, connect it to the RD2763 and tune the radio to an unused station, and you're good to go.
The RD2763 has an MSRP about $180, but it can't play video or display pictures. It does have a detailed eight-line LCD display, however, that makes navigating your music folders a painless process. Combine that with a 5GB hard drive and a speedy USB 2.0 port, as well as the FM transmitter, and the RCA LYRA RD2763 is a handy, easy-to-use MP3 player.
SanDisk Sansa e270
The well-known digital memory manufacturer SanDisk has a winner on its hands with the Sansa e270. This stylish MP3 player boasts 6GB of Flash memory, and you can increase it even further by inserting micro-Flash cards into the e270's expansion slot. If for some reason you get tired of listening to your MP3 and WMA digital audio files, the e270 has an FM tuner for an added listening option.
In addition to the great audio, this player, with an MSRP around $220, sports a lovely 1-4/5-inch color screen that can show video clips and pictures. SanDisk's Sansa e270 is loaded with features, and if the memory or price isn't right for you, there are also models in the Sansa line with 2GB, 4GB and 8GB of memory.
The Creative Zen V Plus may be one small MP3 player but it is socked with cool features. Not only can you listen to music on the Zen V, but you can watch videos and view pictures. Also, there is an FM tuner and voice recorder in this tiny package.The screen is large and bright for its size and the playback controls are located directly underneath it. All other controls and jacks are located along the sides.
One of the neat extras is the special jack built into the side of this MP3 player. With this jack you can record music directly from a CD player. The microphone for other recordings is located along the top, making speak directly into it. Coming in 1, 2, 4 and 8 GB the Creative Zen V Plus is a small electronic waiting wow.
