iRiver B30 music and video player

iRiver was an early innovator in portable music players, but it’s recently fallen by the wayside in favour of the all-conquering iPod and players from Creative and Sandisk, among others.

The new iRiver B30 is an impressive return to form, though, at least as far as looks go.

The player, which is available in 8GB and 16GB versions, is smaller than an iPod Touch but shaped similarly, and has a nice, smooth matt plastic backing.

The screen isn’t touch-sensitive, though – instead the four-way control pad beneath the screen is used to go through the menus.

These touch-sensitive pads – there are no physical buttons – can often be a hassle, but this one was surprisingly good, and the menus are laid out well.

The sharp screen helps too. In addition to music and video, the B30 can receive both FM and digital radio, and while digital radio is a drain on the battery, that capability makes this a very versatile device for listening on the move.