iRiver has been around for close to a year now. It remains in obscurity because iPod can afford massive advertising. I’m selling my ipod and getting an iriver because I don’t want to pay for the stupid dock, so I can hook my player up to the stereo, a voicerecorder, FM radio player, and have to pay an extra $50 just to have my battery replaced. iRiver comes with all of this and the battery is user replaceable. Here’s some specs:
# Plays over 600 hours of digital music*
# Up to 16 hours of battery life
# Supports MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV and OGG music files
# Ultra-fast USB 2.0 transfers (up to 40 times faster than USB 1.0)
# Integrated FM tuner
# Backlit remote control with 4-line display
# Built-in voice recorder
# Intuitive music navigation
# Real-time MP3 encoding (no PC required)
# 20GB of internal storage
# Store or transfer files of any type
# Extra-large, 8-line, backlit LCD
# Rechargeable Lithium Polymer battery
# Optical input and output
# Upgradeable to future formats and features
It comes with:
# Backlit remote control with 4-line display
# iRiver earphones
# Carrying case
# Installation software CD
# AC adapter
# USB 2.0 cable
# Line-in cable
# External microphone
# Printed user manual
The only downside is the user interface which has a learning curve which I don’t mind.