28 Nov 08 Cowon iAudio 7 16GB

Although it’s not an iPod, Cowon is no stranger to MP3 players. They have been manufacturing music devices for years.

The Cowon iAudio 7 includes 16GB of integrated flash memory and touts a 60 hour battery life. It is also one of the most versatile MP3 players on the market supporting a slew of formats including ASF, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, MPEG2 audio as well as the usual MP3, WMA and WMV. However, the Cowon iAudio7 does not support any AAC formats. It has a 1.3-inch screen, which is a little small, but its large storage capacity and battery life make up for this shortcoming. It also has a FM radio tuner and voice recorder. The iAudio7’s most unique feature is the diagonal, touch-sensitive navigation pad.

Critics like the versatility of the Cowon iAudio7, and while it will support video files, the screen is just too small to really get any use from the feature. Additionally, with a 95dB signal-to-noise ratio, the sound is excellent.

Although the Cowon iAudio7 is a little bulker than some from the competition, its versatility and durability make it a good choice for those looking to break away from the shackles of Apple.

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