Rio Carbon (5GB)

Upside: The Carbon is the first player on the market to utilize Seagate's new 5GB mini hard drive, which means the Rio boasts one more gigabyte than the iPod Mini but manages to pack everything into a body that's shorter and slimmer than its Apple counterpart's. Rio also one-ups the iPod with its rated battery life of 20 hours, which is more than twice that of the Mini. Similar in shape to the Rio Nitrus, the Carbon features improved navigation controls with cool, red backlighting and a durable and attractive metallic casing. In fact, the Carbon's polished backside reminds us of the iPod's. Rio has a solid reputation when it comes to sound quality, and like the Mini, the Carbon is compatible with AA (Audible files). The Mac- and Windows-compatible device includes a voice recorder--which can't be found on any iPod model.

Downside: Southpaws have to deal with the right-handed jog wheel. The Rio also comes in only one color, but Carbon fans are likely to prefer substance over style.



Outlook: Rio is one of the first places to go if you're not an iPod fan. The Carbon's innovative and stylish design, intuitive interface, and extra gigabyte of memory give it a competitive edge over the iPod Mini--especially for those who prefer to purchase WMA files. Check back for our full review to find out if the Rio Carbon will be a force to reckon with.