When you want your music to go, portable CD/MP3 players offer the most versatility. They handle audio CDs as well as homemade MP3 discs, and, at less than a quarter a pop, a blank CD is still the cheapest 650 Mbytes of storage around. Watch out for players that skimp on skip protection.
SPLURGE
RioVolt SP250
This player is the easiest to use and provides the best vibration protection, which means it won�t skip a beat while you�re jogging. Unlike the others here, the Volt has an FM radio and reads Windows Media Audio files. It also comes with a thumb-sized remote, which has a reach of about 3 feet. The LCD shows a volume meter and the current song title or FM frequency. The AC adapter doubles as a battery recharger.
$180, www.riohome.com.
BEST BUY
Sony CD Walkman D-CJ506CK
The Sony CD Walkman comes with a cassette adapter, so you can play tunes in the car. And its especially lightweight body — 7.4 ounces — is sturdy, making it ideal for hardcore workouts. The tiny LCD shows either the MP3 directory or the song name and lyrics (when available). Two levels of bass enhancement can really get your sinuses rattling. The only drawback? There�s no built-in battery charger.
$120, www.sony.com.
OVERRATED
Samsung CD Yepp MCD-SM60
Although simple to operate, this player skipped within 30 seconds of jogging with a CD. (Performance was somewhat better with an MP3 disc.) With its overly sensitive controls, you�re forced to move forward or back through the disc one song or directory at a time, and there�s just a single level of bass enhancement. That said, the Samsung is the only device tested that would play copyright-protected media.
$100, www.samsungusa.com.
PLAY
Boys Will Be Girls
Gettin� Jiggly Wit It
Arcade Aerobics
Schooled in Design
Machinimania!
Drilling Into The Core
Built for Sound
Hit Machine
As Heard on TV
DAVID "BROON" BROWN Swayzak
Earth Angels
A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry
reviews
Fetish
Rough Riders
Light and Loaded
Sharper Imagery
Easy on the Eyes
