Philips Audio Key Ring

From the outside, the Philips Audio Key Ring looks like yet another keyring USB storage device. Sure enough, remove the cap and plug it into a PC and that's exactly how it behaves.

Plug the provided headphones into the unit though, and it's also an MP3 player. The version on review has 64Mb of memory, which is enough for an hour's worth of music, although there is also a 128Mb version available.

This might not compare favourably with the latest hard disk players such as the iPod but for a short journey, it is fine. It's also more suited for sports, as it has no moving parts to get damaged.

Battery life isn't bad, either. It charges from the USB port and has a claimed battery life of six hours. If that's not enough, a separate battery pack, which takes an AA battery, can be plugged in as well.

The Audio Key Ring is well designed and comes with a neck strap that has built-in controls. It's a horrible shade of grey but is certainly useful. A set of headphones is provided in the box but is the standard affair for this kind of product, and gives a slightly tinny sound.

It might be slightly more expensive than standalone USB storage but it's a great product for the occasional MP3 user.

Contact: Philips 0870 900 9070
www.philips-digital.com

See also:

Oracom ORC-200M

USB storage and MP3 player in one device.  07 Jan 2004

MSI Mega Stick 128Mb

Carry your music round with you with this MP3 player.  05 Dec 2003

Creative MuVo NX

This MP3 player could be worth a look if you'd prefer an alternative to the Apple iPod.  03 Dec 2003

Creative Muvo NX

A winning formula with some extra features.  06 Nov 2003

MSI Mega Stick

Impressive features at the right price.  30 Oct 2003

Oracom ORC-200

A reasonably priced MP3 player.  23 Oct 2003

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