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Top 10 Audio Players

New Apple IPods take the top two spots on our chart of large-capacity audio players; but among midcapacity models, the Rio Carbon holds off a determined challenge from Apple's new IPod Mini.

Dan Sommer

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Apple IPod Photo PCW Rating: 4.5PCW Rating: 4.5PCW Rating: 4.5

Last Rated: April 12, 2004

1. Apple IPod Photo

30GB of internal storage, ITunes software, AAC, AIF, Apple Lossless, Audible, BMP, GIF, JPEG, MP3, TIFF, WAV formats, 4.1 by 2.4 by 0.6 inches, 5.9 ounces,

Bottom Line: This elegant player gives you all the advantages of an IPod, and it lets you tote your favorite pictures, too.

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Apple IPod PCW Rating: 4.5PCW Rating: 4.5PCW Rating: 4.5

Last Rated: April 12, 2005

2. Apple IPod

20GB of internal storage, ITunes software, AAC, AIF, Apple Lossless, Audible, MP3, WAV formats, 4.1 by 2.4 by 0.6 inches, 5.6 ounces,

Bottom Line: This unit is also a portable hard drive. It has intuitive menus and simplifies playlist creation. Battery life could be better, however.

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IRiver H320 PCW Rating: 4.0PCW Rating: 4.0PCW Rating: 4.0

Last Rated: April 12, 2005

3. IRiver H320

20GB of internal storage, Windows Media Player software, ASF, JPEG, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, WMA formats, 4.1 by 2.5 by 1.0 inches, 7.3 ounces,

Bottom Line: Great audio, dazzling color display, FM radio, and photo viewing party offset the H320's relative bulkiness.

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Creative Zen Touch PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5

Last Rated: April 12, 2005

4. Creative Zen Touch

20GB of internal storage, Creative MediaSource, Creative Media Explorer software, MP3, WAV, WMA formats, 2.7 by 4.1 by 0.9 inches, 7.0 ounces,

Bottom Line: A well-made MP3 player, the Zen Touch nonetheless lacks several features that might have helped it rival the IPod.

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Archos Gmini XS200 PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5

Last Rated: April 12, 2005

5. Archos Gmini XS200

20GB of internal storage, ArcLibrary software, JPEG, MP3, WAV, WMA formats, 2.9 by 2.3 by 0.7 inches, 4.3 ounces,

Bottom Line: This ultracompact, no-frills unit has great sound, lets you create playlists on the go, and permits photo storage.

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Rio Carbon PCW Rating: 4.5PCW Rating: 4.5PCW Rating: 4.5

Last Rated: April 12, 2005

 BEST BUY!

6. Rio Carbon

5GB of internal storage, Rio Music Manager software, Audible, MP3, WMA formats, 3.3 by 2.5 by 0.6 inches, 3.2 ounces,

Bottom Line: This sleek, ultracompact MP3 player combines a terrific, innovative design with a simple interface and a low price.

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Apple IPod Mini PCW Rating: 4.5PCW Rating: 4.5PCW Rating: 4.5

Last Rated: March 25, 2005

7. Apple IPod Mini

6GB of internal storage, ITunes software, AAC, AIF, Apple Lossless, Audible, MP3, WAV formats, 3.6 by 2.0 by 0.5 inches, 3.6 ounces,

Bottom Line: Available in spring colors, the Mini is flashier than the bigger iPods. Its battery life is even longer than the first Mini's.

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Dell Pocket DJ PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5

Last Rated: April 12, 2005

8. Dell Pocket DJ

5GB of internal storage, Musicmatch software, MP3, WAV, WMA formats, 3.5 by 2.1 by 0.5 inches, 4.4 ounces,

Bottom Line: The scroll dial and Home and Back buttons support speedy navigation. Offers more capacity than the 4GB IPod Mini for the same price.

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IRiver H10 PCW Rating: 4.0PCW Rating: 4.0PCW Rating: 4.0

Last Rated: April 12, 2005

9. IRiver H10

5GB of internal storage, Windows Media Player software, ASF, JPEG, MP3, WMA formats, 3.8 by 2.2 by 0.6 inches, 3.4 ounces,

Bottom Line: Versatile player sports a friendly interface on its color screen, making it a lower-capacity competitor to Apple's IPod Photo.

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Creative Zen Micro PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5PCW Rating: 3.5

Last Rated: March 25, 2005

10. Creative Zen Micro

5GB of internal storage, Creative MediaSource, Creative Media Explorer software, MP3, WAV, WMA formats, 3.3 by 2.0 by 0.7 inches, 3.8 ounces,

Bottom Line: Despite some rough edges, this highly portable player is a solid choice. Includes FM radio recording and playback.

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