iRiver iMP-350 SlimX review

The SlimX is no thicker than a deck of playing cards and scarcely wider than a CD. Besides its impressive design, it has great antiskip protection; a nice in-line remote with a backit, full-function LCD; and long battery life. Oh, and the price is nice, too. The SlimX is no thicker than a deck of playing cards and scarcely wider than a CD. Besides its impressive design, it has great antiskip protection; a nice in-line remote with a backit, full-function LCD; and long battery life. Oh, and the price is nice, too.

Slim and sturdy
The first thing that you'll notice about the aptly named SlimX iMP-350 is that it is indeed quite slim, with a completely metal top. A few buttons on the side of the unit control most functions, but don't let their scarcity fool you into thinking that the SlimX skimps on features. Each button is actually multifunctional: hold one down instead of pressing it quickly, and it performs an altogether different function.

The SlimX played every test CD we threw at it: audio CDs as well as data CDs filled with folders of MP3s, WMAs, and ASF files. We practically juggled the SlimX, but it never stuttered, thanks to eight minutes of antiskip protection. Serious joggers should probably go with a , but the SlimX would probably be up to athletic endeavors if only the included carrying case had a belt clip. The SlimX also lacks a display, but that didn't bother us. Why? Because the player comes with an excellent remote.

Stunning remote control
The remote won us over instantly, with its backlit graphical display, three multifunction jog dials, and sturdy clip. The small screen has all of the necessary information, helping you navigate through folders on your MP3 CDs and displaying a moving slider when you adjust volume. One jog dial controls volume, EQ, and programming FM presets; the second handles menu navigation, fast forward/rewind, and toggling between FM presets; a third switches between CD and radio and navigates +10 or -10 songs, a great option for dealing with 150-song MP3 CDs. Holding down the Menu button brings up a nifty tabbed interface that might be hard for the farsighted to read, but most people will appreciate the way it lets you choose from General, Display, Timer, Control, Mode, and User EQ in a hassle-free way. Interestingly, the General function offers users a choice of 35 languages--everything from Afrikaans to Ukranian.

As with some other portable audio devices, the SlimX sports an in-line remote, meaning that it's built into the headphone wire. But since the headphones plug into the remote, you can swap in a high-end pair if the unimpressive included ear buds don't do it for you.