Portable digital audio players like the Apple iPod exist thanks to file compression technology such as MP3. Just like music, digital video can be compacted and squeezed down into manageable files that are perfect for handheld devices.

Creative's Zen Portable Media Center takes advantage of this. It's based on Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center Edition operating system and, to that end, can store and play recorded television, digital photos, music and video.

Because of the inclusion of a 3.8in screen, it's a lot bigger (and heavier) than most portable media players. This means it's too bulky to stick in your pocket, but it does allow for a bigger battery to be used. This lasts for about 20 hours when playing music and five when watching video.

If you've ever used Windows XP Media Center Edition you'll recognise the simple menu system and the portable version is just as user-friendly.

Everything is stored in 'My Pictures', 'My TV', 'My Music, or 'My Videos' depending on what the media is. Once attached to a PC, you can choose to add music and video automatically or manually. And because it uses USB 2, the transfer process is very quick.

The player supports many popular file formats, such as WMV, WMA, MP3 and JPG. Its 20Gb hard disk can store around 30 hours of acceptable-quality video and about 5,000 near-CD quality tunes.

As well as being able to view and listen to media on the player, you can also attach it to a TV or home stereo. Four preset buttons can be configured to shortcut to your favourite TV shows, movies or songs.

Just like the PC version, you can use Portable Media Center to rate your music. This is achieved by adding stars to tunes. You can then browse your music library based on what you like most, as well as by artist and album. You can also create 'portable playlists', from your favourite songs, building a collection that you can quickly access at a later date.

Provided you've downloaded it, album artwork will also pop up when you play music. Alternatively, you can create a photo slide show from your images while listening to music.

Inevitably, devices such as this are the next step in portable digital media and, in time, will be the norm. However, at present, we're unconvinced that people will actually want to sit on a bus or train and watch last night's Eastenders, especially when it costs £370 for the privilege.

Contact: Creative (no UK number)
www.creative.com

Also consider
Archos Video AV320. Not as slick as the Creative but has most of the same features.