German storage and audio company TrekStor first caught our attention with the Vibez, a unique-looking MP3 player installed with the now swiftly fading, micro hard-drive memory. Soon after, a crop of flash players appeared for sale on CNET under the musical i.Beat family name. Among these generally basic and nondescript devices, a single, sleek, Nano-like model stands out: the i.Beat Pink, a portable audio device created in partnership with pop star Pink. The player comes in 1GB ($110) and 2GB ($140) and features a Pink signature etching on the back and several preloaded pictures of the pop star. Other than for these items, however, there's no real compelling reason to chose the i.Beat Pink over the many other competing options on the market.
At 3.2-inches tall by 1.4-inches wide by 0.3-inch thick, the i.Beat Pink is certainly compact, and its shiny metallic backside and clear-coated face give it an overall sleek look, not unlike that of the first-generation Nano. Like the original Nano, the i.Beat Pink comes in two color options, only here you choose between black or pink (naturally). We're happy to see that TrekStor decided to dedicate half of the front of the device to the screen, which measures an ample 1.7-inches diagonally. Below the screen is the almost completely smooth control pad, consisting of a play/pause key, four directional arrows, a record key, and a center selector, which offers the only texture on the face of the player--in the form of four tiny raised sensors. The overall effect takes some getting used to, given the lack of tactile feedback, but the controls are responsive and fairly intuitive.
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