The Creative Zen Micro MP3 boasts 5GB of storage for the same price as the 4GB iPod Mini, which works out to a couple hundred more songs that can squeeze onto the Micro's Seagate drive. It supports MP3, WMA (including protected WMAs from download services such as Musicmatch or Napster), and WAV files but on the other hand it is difficult to use iTunes with it without first converting the files to MP3s.

In addition to the MP3 player itself, the package includes earbuds, a polished, white wall-wart power adapter, a USB 2.0 cable, a stylized belt clip and stand, a pouch, and an installation CD. For an extra $20, you can add a wired remote control. Since the Creative Zen MP3 player does not have its own dedicated volume buttons (because it has a touchpad interface), we recommend this wired remote control option because it is not only well-designed and useful, it also has dedicated volume buttons.

A bit of the touchpad now that we mention it: the sensitivity of the touchpad interface can be set to three levels. The default setting is a bit unsettling as you may find yourself up two levels with just one press. It might take some testing to see what level of touch sensitivity you are comfortable with.

The raised lines on the metal surface guide your fingers to the right places and the blue backlit legends not only are a great help, they add to the overall chic-ness of this cool gadget.

Using the included Zen Explorer software, you can syncronize with Outlook and access your Contacts, To-do lists and Calendar through the player while on the move. The tweaking and setting takes some time but once the syncing process is completed, you can access most of your Outlook data by selecting "Extras" in the player's main menu.

Although in its default setting the Micro's main menu includes choices such as Music Library, Now Playing, Play Mode, FM Radio, Extras, and System, you can easily customize the top menu with personal links such as All Tracks, Microphone, Artists, and DJ features (such as Album of the Day, Most Popular, and Rarely Heard). The Options button pops up additional choices such as Remove Song, Add To Playlist, Save Playlist, and even Volume. It also allows you to create your own play lists and set as many as 10 bookmarks.

The Zen Micro is about the size of a small mobile phone measuring 51 x 84 x 19mm (WxDxH) and weighing 108g. This makes it slightly heavier and fatter than the iPod Mini, but the weight is due to the extra battery.

According to Creative, the "first 35,000 units (worldwide) will ship with an extra battery." If you don't get one of these limited-edition models, an additional power cell will cost you $40.

The Creative Zen Micro MP3 should be high on your list, particularly if you use Windows Media-based download services and you value extra features.