Personal audio player: iPod Nano

Despite increasing competition, the recently updated iPod Nano remains the most elegantly designed, fun-to-use audio player. The Nano is a marvel of miniaturization at roughly 1.5 in. wide, 3.5 in. high, less than a third of an inch thick and weighing well under 2 oz. Navigating with the iPod's oft-imitated click-wheel is intuitive, and sound quality is top rate.

The Nano ranges in price from around US$143 to $249, and its storage capacity now ranges from 2GB to 8GB (gone is the original 1GB model). Another notable change is the gorgeous new burnished aluminum case, which comes in a variety of colors. The still smallish 1.5-in. display is brighter than before, and battery life is longer -- Apple claims 24 hours between charges.

It might not be the most feature-complete audio player out there, but for sheer sex appeal, nothing can touch the iPod Nano.

Honorable mention: If you're looking for a few more features in a music player, SanDisk's Sansa e200 series ($99 - $250) is worth a look. The Sansa e200s are tiny, highly competent and far more attractive than any other non-iPod audio devices we've seen.