The iPod has almost single-handedly put MP3 technology into the minds of the general public. Apple's incredibly popular digital media player has sold by the bucket load. If you are in doubt, just venture on a bus, train or tube for the telltale sign of those distinctive white earphones.

Now, the highly anticipated iPod Mini has arrived on UK shores and, if you thought the iPod couldn't get any cooler, think again.

It's smaller than its popular older brother and as such, contains a smaller 4Gb hard disk. Although this won't accommodate most people's entire digital music collection, it's enough for about 65 hours of music.

The look of the iPod remains the same: pocket-size design, LCD screen and ingenious navigation system. The biggest change is the clickable scroll wheel, which replaces the touch-sensitive design found in the last model. It also comes in five colours (gold, silver, pink, blue and green) to suit the fashion conscious.

The Mini supports MP3, WAV and AAC audio files. Music is organised using the supplied iTunes software but transferring audio may prove difficult for owners of older computers as the Mini only supports FireWire and USB 2 (both cables are included).

The familiar docking station, which keeps the device upright when transferring or charging, is an optional extra. Another downside is the eight-hour battery life, which is paltry when compared to MiniDisc and other MP3 players we've seen.

There are other criticisms, such as the split-second gap between songs. This is fine for most albums, but for continuous albums that don't have a break between tracks, this becomes very annoying. Apple has had long enough to sort this out.

Unlike other portable media players, the Mini doesn't feature a radio, has no recording capabilities and can't play WMA files.

Nevertheless, the intuitive menu system remains with a few new features. As well as the usual options of browsing by artist, album, song or playlist, the 'On the Go' function allows you to create your own playlist without using a computer.

Sound quality is excellent and the earphones supplied will suit most. It comes with a belt clip for using on the move, and you can even buy a special iPod armband for using it when exercising. There's an in-line remote and an additional mains charger for powering up the Mini quicker than using FireWire or USB 2.

Priced at £179, the iPod Mini is certainly a desirable product. For existing iPod owners, however, it's probably not worth changing over and those looking for a pocket music player may want to seek out other options from iRiver, Rio and Creative before making a decision.

Contact: Apple 0800 039 1010
www.apple.com

Also consider:
Cowon Systems iAudio M3. Around the same size as the Mini but a lot more expensive.