• On TV.com: Sexy summer bodies photo gallery
May 25, 2007 1:08 PM PDT

iRiver X20: Available here, you say?

by Jasmine France

A shout out to you lovely readers: You are really quite useful, you know that? As much as I'd like to take all the credit for finding the iRiver X20 on sale in the States, the props belong to a vigilant reader who astutely pointed out that the player is available here and inquired whether we had plans to review it. My reply: I hope so.

The X20 looks freakin' sweet (and I bet it has the sound quality to match). Generally, I don't review products that aren't "officially available" in the U.S.--namely because the companies don't really have good reason to make review units available if the product isn't on sale here. But you can bet I'm trying my darndest to get my hands on an X20. As far as I'm concerned, if you can buy it here, it's review-worthy. But enough about that; how about some player details?

The iRiver X20 is a flash player, available with up to 8GB, that includes a microSD card slot for memory expansion. The front of the device features a 260,000 color LCD, which will come in handy for viewing photos (JPEG) and watching video (MPEG-4, AVI and WMV). To the right of the 2.2-inch screen is a five-way tactile control pad, which also comprises a mechnical scroll ring to assist with speedy navigation. Like all iRiver players, the X20 is packed with features such as an FM tuner and a built-in mic for voice recording. It also supports a nice array of audio formats including MP3, WMA, and OGG. No word on DRM support, though I'm guessing there is none at this point as that's not really a sought-after feature in Asia.

As for usability, our colleagues at CNET Asia assert that the "learning curve for the X20 is gentle, and it is certainly on par with the iRiver D-Click's ease of use." This player is slightly larger than the second-gen Clix at 3.9x1.9x0.6-inches.

For more than five years, Jasmine France has covered a variety of tech products for CNET--from scanners to keyboards to GPS devices--but she's happiest where she is now: sitting atop a pile of MP3 players, "testing" every music service known to man, and jamming a variety of earbuds in every shape and color into her absurdly small ears. E-mail Jasmine.
Recent posts from Crave
Poll: Why don't you have an iPod or MP3 player?
Oppo's affordabe high-end Blu-ray player is here
iPhone 3GS jailbreak, 'purplera1n,' hits Web
Apple patents point to haptics, fingerprints, RFID
Friday Poll: We the ppl--imagining a digital 1776
Gadgettes 144: The Childhood Nostalgia Episode
Duet D8 is no iPhone clone
Rocking out with stereo Bluetooth
Add a Comment (Log in or register) (3 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
Similiar to the Insignia Video
by ssjmichael May 26, 2007 10:33 PM PDT
The player really reminds me of the Insignia Video from Best Buy. Nearly same feature set, microSD support, screen size, and even some design elements. Good luck on getting a review sample Jasmine, I'm sure they'll be nice enough to give you one. I have a feeling it will come to the US eventually. The S10 for instance was thought to be an asian exclusive but showed up at iriver America recently.

-Michael
DAPreview.net
Reply to this comment
Ditto what Michael said...
by Wolfie2k5 May 28, 2007 6:37 AM PDT
Funny thing about devices that are "exclusive" to a region AND happen to be made well - they wind up everywhere anyway. Another good example of that would be the Motorola A1200 which was originally designed for the Asian market. Launched in November 2005, a year later it was the #2 search item on pricegrabber.com behind a black RAZR.

When there's a will, there's a way.
Reply to this comment
iRiver Clix 2 or iRiver X20 -> any opinions?
by Euro-Pro October 12, 2007 1:35 AM PDT
I've heard good things about the Clix2 8GB
http://www.warehouse123.com/ProductInfo.php?pid=IRIU208G-BLK

Has anyone compared the Clix2 8GB to the x20? I'm currently trying to decide between these 2. My main concern is SQ, thanks!
Reply to this comment
(3 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
advertisement

About Crave

The name says it all. Crave is our blog about gorgeous gadgets and other crushworthy stuff. If you would like to contact Crave with a tip or comment, please write to: crave@cnet.com

Add this feed to your online news reader

Crave topics

Making sense of Windows 7 upgrades

faq The basics and the fine print on Microsoft's options for those eyeing the next operating system from Redmond.
• Full Windows 7 coverage

Road Trip 2009: Big Sky Country

CNET News reporter Daniel Terdiman takes his car full of gadgets to the Rockies and the Great Plains in search of tech, science, nature, and more.
• America's Fortress: Cheyenne Mountain

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right