The small, sleek Clix 2nd Generation from iRiver has pretty much everything you'd want in a flash-based media player, starting with a beautiful, easy-to-read display and good controls.

The 1.9-ounce, 4GB shipping model I tested costs $200. The device plays MP3, OGG, and WMA song files; and it's compatible with eMusic, Napster, Sony, Urge, and Yahoo online services. It also supports files saved in WMV or MPEG format for video playback.

Video looks crisp and bright on the 2.2-inch, active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display. The Clix 2nd Generation can play and record FM radio, too, and it can handle voice recordings.

The entire front panel functions as a directional pad. By clicking up-down or left-right, you can quickly navigate the menus and make selections.

In the PC World Test Center's audio tests, the Clix fared poorly at handling harmonic distortion and cross-talk; our test of the latter measure assesses whether sound from one channel leaks into the other. In informal testing, I got reasonably clean sound through the accompanying earbuds.

The Clix 2nd Generation is a fine player, with a great display and intuitive controls. Its storage space can't match that of a hard-disk-based player; but if you're looking for a light, portable, flash-based device, it makes an excellent choice.

-- Erik Larkin