Smaller, Faster and Sexier: iRiver iGP-100

Round And Round

iRiver has gone for a strange shape. Round with a sort of eyelet on top, the iGP looks a bit like a big medallion. It's rather unusual, but not ugly. But it is bigger than the Creative MuVo² and the Rio Nitrus . It doesn't weigh too much - 100 grams with the battery. The top has a nice transparent plastic cover, but the back is not so smooth. I leave you to decide on the colors - metallic gray and pale blue. However, on the whole, it looks good, but is still not on par with the iPod, which also happens to cost a lot more.

Convenience

The shape does a lot for ergonomics. The iGP feels good to hold and the controls are logically organized. Two multi-direction dials make browsing easy and the direct access to the equalizer, volume and radio controls is convenient. And while we're at it, we should mention that here is a manufacturer who has realized that at such a pricepoint, the device deserves no less than an embedded FM tuner, the reception of which is adequate if the station is powerful enough.

But the main argument in the iGP's ergonomic favor is its LCD screen, which is very big, taking up most of space on the front side of the player. The display is not overly attractive, but it is clear, and the blue backlighting is very efficient. You can browse at the top of the screen during playback, a helpful feature for choosing your next track.