Apple's iPod is almost synonymous with the hard disk-drive MP3 player, and with good reason: it got there first, looks hip and delivers quality sound. But it is no longer alone. Competitors challenging its default status have emerged and multiplied like optical mouses. Samsung now makes them. So too do Aiwa, Rio and iRiver. Another contender is Singapore-based Creative Labs, responsible for one of the most coolly named products since, well, the iPod. One is tempted to dismiss the Zen Touch as just another clone. Its earphones are grey rather than white - a plus perhaps in the light of reports of robbers who target consumers wearing white ones. Otherwise, at a glance you could easily mistake the Zen Touch for an iPod because the newcomer's body has a similar minimal, silvery look. However, the Zen Touch may actually outshine its rival. Just look at the battery life of Creative's machine - 24 hours against a max of about 12 for the iPod. Then there is its main innovation - touch-sensitive navigation. Beginners might be easily baffled. What, no wheel? But you soon discover that you just stroke the shallow gulley which runs down the centre of the device to flit from song to song. This manoeuvre requires co-ordination, which means you can easily shoot past the song you want. Nonetheless, once you learn the knack, this feature allows you to select songs quickly. The Zen Touch's memory is impressive too. The device packs 20GB of hard disk-drive space, or 10,000 songs. Although some iPod models trump this capacity, the Zen Touch should satisfy all but the most fanatical music lovers who hose songs onto their hard drive all day long. The only serious grumbles are the leather case, which has no plastic window, and the lack of Mac-compatibility. But if the Zen Touch proves more or less glitch-free - unlike the leader in the field - it deserves to grab an ample share of the market. Zen Touch 20GB MP3 Player Specifications Price: About $2,000 Pros: Pin-sharp sound, long battery life, large capacity and slick interface Cons: Not Mac-compatible; carry case covers the screen
