iMuz Portable Media Players

Every other new gadget seems to be trying to cash in on the popularity of the iPod by adding the "i" at the beginning of the name and this latest PMP from South Korea is unabashed with this marketing ploy.

The iMuz line of personal media players caters to different age group, with the flagship iMuz MX1 (pictured) targeting the young and hip techies with its tiny size and trendy design. Measuring just about 45 millimeters (around 1.7 inches), they are so small you can use it as a keychain. But beyond the stylish usage, the iMuz MX1 comes with a 1.5-inch TFT LCD screen, a built-in FM radio, voice recorder, and even an e-book reader (making it ideal for people with eyes like a hawk). The iMuz MX1 has a USB slot and is even compatible with Windows 2000 (who uses that these days?). This tiny PMP comes in two versions: the $31 2GB and $40 4GB.

Next on the list is the iMuz MX5, which measures about three inches long as well as a 3-inch, 240x400 LCD screen. It also has all the features you can find with the MX1 aside from the TV output and a 30-frame movie player. The iMuz MX5 can also store up to 16GB worth of data.

Finally, we have the iMuz MX3 Plus. Bearing almost the same features of other iMuz models, the MX3+ is a few differences away from being called an iPod Touch copycat with its wheel-like controller.

Although it is highly unlikely that it would hit the American or European stores any time soon, it is nice to see how other countries develop the years-old device such as the PMP.