Apple's re-scheduling of the worldwide launch of its iPod Mini player - from April to July - has hit us really hard here in the music-mad UK.
Thousands of Brits who'd hoped to parade their fashionable pink and blue players through the streets of Italian and Greek resorts this summer are clearly going to be disappointed.
They can, of course, invest in a US-sourced iPod Mini via eBay (current price is well over £200), but if bought direct from the States buyers run the risk of customs adding a hefty surcharge to the purchase.
So maybe it is time for Plan B - which means ignoring the iPod mini all together and shopping for players that are available now.
Sure, buyers will be passing up on a design classic, but there are better value MP3 players out there which scoop the iPod mini both in terms of features and battery life. They might not be quite as iconic as their Apple rival, but many still look pretty cool. Here are a few suggestions
What's good: Will confuse your friends as its white finish makes it look like an iPod, yet it is just over half the Apple player's size. Sound quality is excellent for an MP3 player and it is compatible with Windows Media Audio (WMA) files. Storage is 1.5Gb, much less than the iPod mini, but given the price is actually not bad value. Battery life is a reasonable ten hours.
What's bad: Slow-ish transfer of tracks as it only has a USB 1.0 connector, software is much more complex than it needs to be and annoyingly you can't create a play list of tracks on the player.
Verdict: Good iPod mini substitute, especially given its competitive price.
What's good Best in its class for battery life (around 16 hours) and its USB 2.0 connection means you can fill the player up very quickly.
What's bad: Small screen. Reasonable software, but it won't let you create playlists on the player. You pay £30 more for the same amount of storage (1.5Gigabytes) as on the Philips HDD060.
Verdict: Well-equipped player, but not great value.
What's good: Same storage as the iPod mini (4 Gb, or around 1500 tunes) but sells for £20 less. Excellent battery life too, at around 14 hours, and it is compatible with WMA files as well as MP3.
What's bad: Software isn't as intuitive as it should be. Jury is out on its rather podgy square design.
Verdict: The iPod mini's most direct competitor. If design isn't a key buying issue it is well worth considering.
What's good: Not so much a rival to the iPod mini, but rather its big brother. The M3 is thinner and lighter than the fully fledged iPod yet holds the same amount of tunes (20Gb). Great line up of features including direct recording on to the player, WNA compatibility and an integrated FM radio. It is £20 cheaper than the 20 Gig iPod too.
What's bad Screen on the remote (there isn't one on the player) is a tad tricky to use as it is so small. Software unavailable for test at time of review.
Verdict: Great design and features. Quality product.
Creative Jukebox Zen NX Extra: £300
What's good: Huge storage capacity of 60 Gb for a price that's normally the preserve of players with just a third of that capacity. Excellent array of features, including WMA compatibility and direct recording from CDs. It has good battery life too.
What's bad: Only anoraks really need all that storage. The screen and jog dial aren't as good as some rivals. The software isn't perfect. Verdict: You can't argue with it in terms of value. Design and software let it down though.
Philips HDD120 £300 What's good: Trumps the iPod in the design stakes, is thin and very light and has battery life of around fourteen hours.
What's bad: Software is rather clunky and tricky to use. Cycling through the library on the player to find a track takes an age too. Around £300 for a 20Gigabyte player now seems a little steep.
Verdict: Still our favourite non-Apple player. Would be a no-brainer were it a few pounds cheaper.
What's good: Looks amazing and is wonderfully compact. iTunes software is very simple to use. Neat screen on the player and the jog dial makes finding tracks a cinch. Sound quality is at least the equal of most of its rivals. Four Gigabytes for £200 is actually reasonable value for money.
What's bad: Battery life (eight hours is stated, but in reality it is less than this) is a real issue as is its lack of support for WMA files. Short on accessories too.
Verdict: If you love the design it is worth the wait. If not try elsewhere.
