For some people, the more a device can do, the better it is. For example, Creative Technology's Zen Micro can do more than just play songs. And a swivel screen adds more capabilities to Gateway's M275 laptop.

Meanwhile, Kanguru Solutions, which last year released the versatile Slim FC-RW all-in-one portable DVD player, CD recorder, and flash card reader, goes the opposite direction with the Zipper Pro, a portable 20GB USB hard drive that handles storage only.

Zen Micro

Introduced last November, Creative Technology's Zen Micro portable digital audio player's versatile features could appeal to some. In addition to playing MP3 files, it can serve as a voice recorder and a radio. However, when I recently tried the player, I found it difficult to use: The keys didn't appear to function, and the manual was not helpful. I finally figured out that the keys are not very sensitive, and that I had to keep pressing down to get a response.

After I figured out how to use the keys, the Zen Micro ran like a gem. MP3 files sounded crisp with Shure headphones; the FM radio gave me clear access to local jazz music; and the battery just kept running. The company claims it runs for up to 12 hours; an additional battery can be plugged in once the main battery runs out of juice.

The Zen Micro can download digital music from services supporting Microsoft's Windows Media Player 10. These include Microsoft MSN Music, Musicmatch, and Napster, said Lara Vacante, a Creative Technology spokesperson. The Zen Micro doesn't work with Apple's ITunes Music Store, which uses Apple's proprietary digital rights management format.

Measuring 2 by 3.3 by 0.7 inches, the Zen Micro is easy to hold. It's small and light enough to take to work every day, though it isn't as small as Apple's IPod Mini. It comes with a one-year warranty that becomes void by "normal wear and tear" and "undue physical ... stress," so think twice before taking it for a jog.

The Zen Micro is available in ten colors with capacities of 4GB ($179), 5GB ($229), and 6GB ($249). An additional battery costs $40.

In August, Creative plans to start selling the Zen Micro Photo, an MP3 player with an Organic Light-Emitting Diode display that will display 262,000 colors. This is something users are looking forward to, Vacante said. I am too.

Swivel the Screen

It's not thin and quick, but the Gateway M275 laptop running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition offers great versatility. Its coolest feature is a 14.1-inch swivel screen, which can rotate 180 degrees and cover the keyboard to turn the notebook into a Tablet PC. In this configuration, with the digitizer pen as a mouse, I used the M275 as a personal DVD player, a gaming PC, a note pad, and a TV. While watching a baseball game on it, I was able to swivel the screen 180 degrees to let someone sitting opposite me take a look at the action.

In my tests, the eight-cell lithium-ion battery ran for 2.5 hours on a single charge, which is somewhat less than the 4 hours Gateway claims it should last. The machine felt heavy as notebooks go--the touch screen's protective glass covering probably contributed to its weight--but it could be a good home PC replacement. Configured with Intel's 1.8-GHz Pentium M 745, a 60GB hard drive, 512MB DDR SDRAM, a memory card reader, an integrated wireless 802.11b/g card, and a CD-RW/DVD combination drive, the M275XL costs $1699.

Kanguru Zippers It Up

Need a 20-GB portable storage device that fits in a shirt pocket? Look at the tough Zipper Pro USB-based hard drive from Kanguru Solutions, a division of Interactive Media. Similar to IBM's Microdrive, it weighs 1.4 ounces and is 1.1 inches wide. Its exterior alloy enclosure can take small hits, according to the company. The $200 Zipper Pro is compatible with Mac OS X and multiple Windows versions, according to the company.

Agam Shah is an editor with the IDG News Service, based in San Francisco. Questions or comments? Write to Agam Shah.