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iPod Alternatives: Page 2 of 14

I put some hands-on time with eight iPod alternatives to see how they measure up against Apple's market leaders in design, usability, and price. While you can't absolutely compare all the media players against similar iPods because of the difference in features and price, I've done my best to pit each player against the iPod model it is most likely to be compared against.

In most cases, despite some extra features, the competitors don't quite make it to the finish line -- but I did find a few surprises.

The iPod Shuffle is aimed at the more active and cost-conscious consumer. With a small design that allows you to clip it onto your clothing, the Shuffle is a nice player to bring along on a jog. But without a screen, the Shuffle is sometimes unwieldy and, for anyone who wants to skip to a certain song, may not be the best choice.

iRiver S10
When you first open the box, you immediately think to yourself: "This is it?" The iRiver S10 is so small, I couldn't help but think it would easily get lost in my pocket or on my cluttered desk. But it's that small design that not only makes this player unique, but a worthy competitor to the iPod Shuffle as well.



iRiver S10

Besides its size, iRiver's decision to place an OLED display on the face of the player is a welcome addition. The screen is bright and maneuvering through the menu is simple. Similar to the iRiver Clix, the S10's faceplate is clickable and moves up, down, left and right. These movements not only control the menu, but it makes navigating the S10's menu easy.