iRiver Clix

The iRiver Clix is a fairly straightforward media player. Its physical dimensions are 2.7 x 1.8 x 0.6 inches and it weighs a feather-light 2.5 ounces. The chassis sports a sleek black front bezel with silver sides and back. The front face plate is actually a four-way rocker button, almost resembling a touch screen. Other controls are neatly laid out on the sides of the player. Connectors and interfaces are also found on the sides: the Clix has the standard issue USB 2.0 port, a proprietary connector for the optional Clix cradle, stereo headphones, and battery charger. The Clix utilizes flash storage to store data, music, and videos. The player is available in 512 Mb, 1 Gb, and 2 Gb options.

For audio file support, the Clix supports MP3 and Microsoft WMA up to a maximum of 320 Kbps bitrate, and Ogg Vorbis files up to Q10 encoding quality. For video, the Clix can play MPEG-4 SP (Simple Profile) files up to a maximum of 15 frames-per-second, and Macromedia Flash movies. For pictures, non-progressive JPEG files can be viewed. A handy additional feature is the built-in FM tuner with the standard frequency range of 87.5 – 108.0 Mhz. The unit uses the earphone cable was an antenna. Also, the Clix can play simple Flash-based programs, commonly games.

On the output side, the display on the Clix is a bright, little 2.2 inch LCD screen. For a low resolution of 320 x 240 pixels, it's surprisingly sharp, and it can display up to 262,000 vivid colors. The audio output features 10 built-in equalizer settings with the ability to store customized EQ settings. The Clix also supports SRS WOW surround sound.

The Clix also integrates support for an upcoming online music joint venture between Microsoft and MTV. Called the Urge service, it aims to provide similar services to the Apple iTunes Music Store. When playing a song that the user doesn't own yet, the Clix provides a way to mark a song for purchase, and the next time the Clix is hooked up to a PC with Internet access, it automatically downloads the necessary “rights” to own the song.