Hot wired: Personal audio players

Sanyo's DMP-M600 player.

Tiny, shockproof and convenient, portable MP3 devices have been around for a while but the gangbuster success of Apple's iPod seems to have made it this year's must-have lifestyle accessory.

Good-value entertainment for introverts they can be, but still they are not cheap. There's a car for sale on my street for the same price as Sanyo's DMP-M600 player, which at $200 is a budget model.

At just 23g it is so light that I reckon its in-ear headphones weigh more than the player. It will run for 10 hours on MP3 playback, recharges in two hours via USB, has 512MB of flash memory, uses Music FileMaster software for downloading and needs Windows XP or 2000 Pro.

A single line LCD window along one side, with the main push-button controls above, means you operate it as if you are rolling a cigarette - the M600 is little bigger than a cigarette and about as long.

The USB cable plug and hold switch are in the bottom while at the top are the in-ear headphone socket, neck cord tie point and a teeny microphone. It comes with a neck cord but is easily tucked into clothing. There's plenty of (fashionably white) headphone cable to reach even to (now unfashionable) cargo pants pockets.

The three main operating functions are music file playback (MP3 or WMA), FM radio and voice recording - two quality options mean you can digitally record up to 35 hours of your own voice. Two of the four buttons control volume, while a combination of the main toggle switch and mode button let you move around the menu with ease and only some confusion.

Sound quality is not a strength, but four EQ setting options and a bass boost allow for a little sound tweaking and the choice of seven display colours and LCD contrast make it visually versatile. A great kid's gift if you don't want to buy a car with that $200.