Creative MUVO NX 256MB USB Flash Drive/Audio Player $162.99

Find the MUVO on Amazon

For all my complaints about the hard disk players in the Nomad line, Creative out does the competition with the MUVO USB Flash memory line. As a music player, the device holds approximately 8 hours of low bit-rate WMA files. As a file transport tool, 256MB is more space than most people need to take work home for the night. But wait, there's more... The MUVO also does mono voice recording, with 16 hours of record time. The microphone records surprisingly clear audio (certainly good enough to capture lecture notes or the weekly staff meeting). USB file transfer means no annoying cable mess to add clutter to your desk space. An arm strap makes MUVO an obvious choice for treadmill gerbils, with a loop for keychain or neck chain transport an optional backup. The weak link is the AAA battery power, which is overcome with a small investment in rechargeable batteries. The MUVO won't replace my Rio Karma, but it makes a good backup for toting music to places I might be concerned about dropping the Karma.