PUBLISHED 04/01/2006
Apple iPod Nano // 1GB, $150; 2GB, $200; 4GB, $250
The ubiquitous iPod Nano has more space than your grandmother's purse and is the most stylish player on the market, but unlike the rest of the players in this group, it doesn't include a voice recorder or a radio tuner. The navigation wheel is easy to use while running, and the color screen's clarity is the best in this review, making it an excellent photo viewer. But the coolest thing about the iPod Nano is iTunes, the most elegant way to manage your music.
Estimated Battery Life: 14 hours
Weight: 1.5 oz
Contact: www.apple.com
Creative Zen Nano Plus // 512MB, $80; 1GB, $110
This player is stacked--it comes with an armband, an FM tuner, and a built-in microphone for quick notes to self. Running off a AAA battery and weighing in at little more than two ounces, the Zen Nano Plus supports most of the major music formats and works with popular download services like MSN Music, so you're sure to get the music you want. The small screen isn't the easiest to read, and the player relies on a rocker switch to navigate through songs, making it tricky to control on the run.
Estimated Battery Life: 18 hours
Weight: 2.2 oz
Contact: www.us.creative.com
Philips PSA232 // 512MB, $120
Although it's no longer paired up with Nike, the Philips PSA232 is still built with a runner in mind. In addition to easy on-the-run navigation from song to song, it boasts the only talking stopwatch of the bunch and comes with an elastic armband, an FM tuner, and a memory expansion slot that gives you the ability to add even more songs. Our quibble is that the battery life is feeble (it uses a AAA battery) compared with other standard battery-powered units and its cover--designed to protect the insides from sweat--is annoying to open and close.
Estimated Battery Life: 15 hours
Weight: 2.65 oz
Contact: www.philips.com
