iRiver H320 20GB Digital Music Player with Color Display

The reviewer just before me should have read the manual a third time! You most certainly can browse by artist, album or genre; if he/she can't, there's something wrong. (Press the blue "NAVI" button, and you should see four icons for "FILE / ARTIST / ALBUM / GENRE.")This player, for the cost of a 20GB iPod or less (and far less than the iPod Photo), allows you to use a file tree structure (including drag-n-drop from Windows); browse by artist, album or genre; use playlists; store and display photos (though, unlike the iPod photo, not while listening to music); get great FM reception; record voice or FM (and can break FM recording into separate MP3s for each song); use great audio options; read text files using the built-in .TXT document reader (store your to-do list or phone book on your player!); and it has an astounding battery life (I normally charge it once a week or less, though I probably listen less than most people), not to mention the full-color LCD screen.Some people have also commented that the case doesn't allow you to access the buttons. They must have an older version, because my case has a cut-out for the buttons; the only things you can't access with it on are the two USB ports (and why would you need a protective case while it's connected to the computer anyway?). One problem with the case, though, is that the clip is screwed together, so as it swivels (which happens as you're wearing it), it can unscrew and the player can fall off (having dropped it several times while in the case, this is not a major problem, i.e. it doesn't hurt the player, but it is annoying).The UI is a bit clunky, that's true-some of the buttons do different things in different menus. But it took me about three days to completely figure out the whole thing (and that's only a few hours a day; I don't listen while I'm at work or asleep!), with the exception of playlists, which I didn't add until a few weeks later (but took only a few hours to figure out). In any case, the player itself is so great that it's worth figuring out.The only thing I haven't done yet is download music from online music services. Right now I have about 180 CDs burned as 64Kbps .wmas (since that's "CD quality" and obviously a track can never be of better quality than its source, so why waste space by increasing the bitrate?) and a handful of 128Kbps and 192Kbps MP3s, for a total of 3GB; and a few dozen 1024×768 photos. Total usage is around 4.5 GB including the player's files.One thing that I had to get help on (hint: misticriver.net's forums are far better than iRiver's tech support) was the player's not recognizing ID3 tags when browsing by artist/album/genre or when using playlists-it just skipped certain files. In any case, the issue is that the player can't support filenames over 52 characters (except in File Tree format). You can download a utility (TDT, Tag Database Tool) to use to transfer files to the player, which will also truncate the names as it does so (so for example, the file "02 - Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of - U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind.wma" becomes "02 Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of.wma"). TDT also can make playlists, though WinAmp is perfectly adequate for the job.In any case, using TDT solved my last remaining problem (actually, I had to both use it to put files on the player, then let iRiver's software sync the database), and it now works perfectly.I know this isn't a very complete review, but I just wanted to (1) correct some incorrect things in other people's reviews and (2) share some things I wish I'd known before I started using the player. People below have already done a great job of raving about features.Oh, and in my area there's been a rash of muggings of iPod users because iPods are in such demand. Another reason to buy a different player!

I bought both the H320 and the 30G Zen Xtra planning to return one. Each has good and bad points but I kept the H320.The key question to answer in choosing between the 2 has nothing to do with the players. The key criteria is you, the owner. Are you smarter than your computer? If so, the H320 is the one for you. Otherwise, go with the Zen.The Zen is downright Apple-esque in its control. It copies the music for you. If you find dragging and dropping a chore, then the Zen is right for you.But the Zen is not simple to use either. I installed the software, plugged the Zen into my computer, and couldn't figure out how to get music onto the Zen. I read the documentation repeatedely and still couldn't figure it out. I went to Creative's website customer support and finally found an article under "Advanced Topics" that finally explained to me how to transfer music to the Zen.Other than usability, the H320 beats the Zen Xtra into the ground in terms of sound quality and features.The sound is unbelievably awesome on the H320. Now that I can carry most of my music with me, I am rediscovering music. Stuff I haven't listened to in years is beautiful again, and I'm finding a texture and fullness to the music which I never heard before. I notice notes in the music which I had missed completely before. On loud airplanes I use Aiwa noise-dampening head phones; I never have to push the volume past 15 and the sound is still amazing.When I first got the Zen I thought its sound quality was great. But then I put the same music on the Zen and on the H320 and started the same music at the same time. I listened through the Aiwa head phones on the Zen, then pluged them into the H320, and then back again. The difference was astounding. Each is great. But side-by-side the H320 beats Zen hands-down. Note that the Zen EAX sound feature is nothing but a gimmick and a dumb one at that. I simply can't imagine any reason why I would want to listen to music as if the band were in my bathroom.The H320 beats the Zen on sound quality even with a variety of music: rock, electronica, classical, folk. The only thing which didn't sound better on the H320 was a Beatles album that was digitally remastered.The voice recorder on the H320 works great. The color screen on the H320 makes the Zen screen look like carbon paper. Battery life on the H320 is good.I thought the gap between tracks on the H3320 would spoil the whole thing but it doesn't. In the few places where I've noticed it, it isn't a big problem.The H320 has some warts:- The provided case is simply ugly.- The user interface is excessively complex. It must have been put together by two monkeys, a gorilla, and a Borg, each working separately from the others. But once you get used to the fact that there are at least 3 separate menu systems and two separate USB ports (WTF???), it gets easier.- The random shuffle feature is about as random as the sunrise.- The database-building tool provided with the H320 simply doesn't run. Don't even bother installing it. I use tdd but I hear iRiverium is good too.If you buy an iRiver product, be sure to check out misticriver.net.Having said all that, I've had the H320 for a month and I simply love it.