I have an Akai mp3 player. Its' product number is AJSC-6024-0B0 and it's just about OK . It looks like the model in the picture but is black. There is no ability to rewind or move forward in files, it's too quiet and when you connect it your PC with Win XP it shows as an external drive. If you have a card reader built into your PC, you may as well just take the card out of the player and put into your PC's card reader. If you search Google for the product number, you find NOTHING. That gives you some idea of how successful this thing was and how much it's supported with firmware upgrades and so on.

Even a pretty basic mobile phone does a better job of playing mp3 files these days. Mine does, allegedly, record voice memos though I've never tried. The display's well back lit and not too small. That might be the best part of the unit. It's light, runs off one AAA battery, looks alright. I don't know the maximun size of SD card it will take is. I'll update this if I find it out.

If this newer model uses the same firmware/software as my AJSC-6024-0B0 (bought from Staples in Hull) ... they share the same case and visible hardware, don't touch it or make sure, if you DO buy one, you know where the receipt and guarantee are. Actually, that last advice applies to just about everything these days.

KEEP THE RECEIPT in the original box with the original packaging. Try and play with it in the shop and run through every menu.

I now use a CnMemory USB MP3 DVR player / recorder bought from Morgan Computer Company (see their web site) for about £40. It has 1gb internal memory which holds about 1,000 minutes of music (roughly 1Mb / minute) at the lowest ripping / encoding resolution. It takes 1 AAA battery and never gives me a moment's trouble. If 1gb isn't enough for you, get a Creative Zen. My friends in the business (I work at places that stage gadget trade fairs) tell me once they're sold, they never see them again (they don't come back to be repaired).

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