Lexar LDP-600 (256MB, Silver)

Summary: First off, if your LDP-600 has firmware version 1.02 (or less than 1.07), download the new firmware upgrade from the LDP-600 product page at Lexar.com. It makes the SD slot much more useful and easier to use. It also allows the player to resume to the last song it was playing before it was shut off, including the precise time index. The firmware upgrade is a cinch to install and I highly recommend it if you have a lower version.

Without the firmware upgrade, the LDP-600 was a very sub-par mp3 player except for its valuable SD slot. The firmware upgrade is a major improvement, although the basic hardware design and persisting stability issues prevent the LDP-600 from being a stellar player. The player's exterior seems well-constructed and solid, but probably not very scratch resistant.

The FM features can be pretty finicky and the player is very sensitive to antenna placement. Headphones are the best antenna; the LDP-600 CANNOT effectively broadcast without either headphones or the provided antenna plugged in.

I consider the LDP-600 (with firmware 1.07 or higher) a solid 7 out of 10.

Lexar is supposed to release the LDP-800 sometime this summer. It's more expensive but has a better feature set (USB 2.0; can play OGG files; in-line audio recording), and includes an SD slot. It also has a different interface judging from the product photos. The Lexar LDP-200 has also been released but it is available at only a handful of websites right now; it is just a basic mp3 player but relies entirely on its SD slot for storage.