All that would be plenty of rad-ness for one doo-dad, but the U10 isn’t done blowing your socks off. It also sports a built-in microphone so you can record memos, dictate angry letters to the editor, or sketch your next hit single on the go. There’s a built-in FM tuner, real-time clock and timer-controlled recording function. There’s also a demidozen Macromedia Flash Lite games (including Sudoku, the numerical crossword game that’s sweeping the globe).

With 512 MB of internal storage, you can carry about a workday’s worth of CD-quality MP3 tracks (encoded at 128kps) or 16 hours of WMA tracks (at 64kbps). The U10 plays MPEG-4 Simple Profile (SP) files up to 320×240 pixels in size (encoded at a maximum of 384kbps and 15 frames per second, with audio encoded in MP3 up to 128kbps), and you can convert video with a free, downloadable utility called iRiverter.

Transfer files by super-fast USB 2.0, choose between 10 EQ settings (along with a user-defined setting), and enjoy SRS WOW virtual surround sound for a 3-D soundscape and superior bass. The U10’s internal, rechargeable lithium-polymer battery provides up to 28 hours of playback, and recharges when connected to your PC via the included USB cable.

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