iriver U20 (4GB)

Print

Email

Bookmark

Share

Truly, iriver scored a win when it came up with the D-Click interface, arguably the most innovative DAP design move since the iPod scroll wheel. In fact, it was the U10's excellent user interface--combined with a host of complementing features--that pushed it to be the highest-rated MP3 player on CNET.

Now, the U20 is set to overtake the throne. It's not an outstanding improvement over its predecessor, but it's certainly a step in the right direction. Coming in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB capacities at US$149.99 (S$228.49), US$199.99 (S$304.66), and US$249.99 (S$380.83) respectively, the new U20 is set to give competing flash memory players a run for the money. It's simply the best flash player on the market in terms of overall quality.

Editors' note:

The price and availability of the iriver U20 in this review are based on information from the US. iriver was not able to confirm the price and availability of the U20 in the Asia-Pacific region at press time.

Design
It's hard to say whether the design of the U20 is an improvement over the previous iteration, though it's certainly just as good. The new U20 is wider (81.3mm), shorter (45.7mm), and thinner (12.7mm) than the old one, which means it could accommodate a noticeably larger screen. However, for some reason, iriver went with the same 2.2-inch screen--it's a bit disappointing, to be honest. That said, it's a gorgeous AMOLED screen, with lovely color saturation and crisp text in a pleasant font. And you still have the option of setting the background to any photo or going with the daily color schemes, which now have a light hibiscus print.

The display is just nice to look at, especially when you're on the playback screen, which shows album art and a plethora of information: Album, artist, track, time elapsed and remaining, upcoming track name, star rating, time, and battery level. Also, in keeping with the D-Click interface, which allows you to navigate menus by pressing on the sides of the screen itself, the display offers contextual icons on each screen.

	The new U20's design doesn't differ much from the original.

The U20 also features a variety of dedicated keys around its seam. And a seam it is: It looks like you could almost detach the face of the player from the back. This raises some concerns about durability, but it does make the U20 easy to get a grip on. The top edge houses volume buttons, while a power button and programmable hot key sit on the right spine. The requisite hold switch can be found on the bottom. The U20 also features a standard mini-USB port and headphone jack. Rather inconveniently, all of the labels for the various buttons and ports are printed on the back of the player, meaning you'll constantly be flipping it over until you commit the functions to memory. Still, there's no denying that the U20 is supremely easy to use and quite easy on the eyes as well.

Features
You'd be hard pressed to find a feature the iriver U20 doesn't have. Essentially, all that's missing is wireless connectivity (which is still an alpha function, really) and line-in recording. That's where this player's limitations end, though--the U20 is packed with useful extras. You get a voice recorder and an FM tuner with autoscan and seemingly limitless presets (FM recording is also possible). There's a calendar and an alarm clock, as well as support for Flash games. Our test unit came with several titles already loaded, but keep in mind you can't listen to music while you play these games; They have their own built-in sound. If you need to keep your eyes busy, the iriver U20 delivers in that area, too. You can view text, JPEG photos, or slide shows while listening to music.

Next page »