Cowon iAudio U3

Cowon’s iAudio U3 is a huge improvement over the iAudio 5 (reviewed in our May 2005 issue). The U3 is $40 more expensive, but it’s made of a considerably higher-grade plastic and now includes a 20-hour rechargeable battery. With its 262,000-color, 1.2-inch screen, the U3 can display JPEG images and MPEG-4 videos. It also sounds good, thanks to the 3D Surround setting. The iPod nano offers 1GB more storage for an additional $10, but we think the U3’s extra features (including an FM tuner and a voice recorder), lighter weight, and stellar performance justify the premium.