Cowon iAudio X5
Photograph: Marc SimonWith a feature set that should make hardcore gadget freaks giddy, Cowon's sleek-looking iAudio X5 looks remarkably impressive on paper--and it's pretty solid in hand, too. But despite fresh features like video playback, FM radio, voice memo recording, and support for geek-cred audio codecs like Ogg Vorbis, this unit feels just a tad like a work in progress.
For example, although I liked the tactile feedback of the unit's mini-joystick input while I browsed music files, the player's distinctly old-school file structure (complete with a ROOT folder) will annoy anyone who's accustomed to making musical selections by album, artist, or song.
Cowon includes several multimedia apps with the X5. JetAudio lets you rip your own CDs, convert existing audio files to new formats, and render video in a file format viewable on the player; JetShell is a Windows Explorer-like app that transfers files to the X5. Both work fine, but the sight of either one's confusing, densely packed interface is likely to send iTunes fans into convulsions.
At this writing, the X5 does not support any online music service--downloads or subscription services--a deficiency that could be serious enough to kill the player's appeal for some potential buyers. However, Cowon says that a firmware update, due by the time you read this, should remedy that problem.
With its elegant-looking case design, wealth of useful features, and wide range of supported formats, the iAudio is sure to tempt. After a little fine-tuning by the vendor, this player could very quickly become a favorite.
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