Haier Ibiza Rhapsody

For most people, the name Haier probably conjures images of refrigerators, dishwashers, and microwave ovens that is, if you've heard the name at all. So when received Haier's Ibiza, the company's first portable media player, the concept is simple.

The Ibiza uses Wi-Fi to connect to the Rhapsody online music service to stream or grab your Rhapsody music. The device also has a 30GB hard drive, so it can be used as a traditional portable media player. (You do need to connect to your computer to load none Rhapsody files on the player.)

Oh, and it plays video (there's an AOL video tie in, too) and displays photos on a screen identical in size to the iPod's. On top of that, there's FM radio, a Web browser, Bluetooth functionality, and an awesome navigation pad (virtually identical to the one in the new Zune player).

Pretty impressive. It's not all good, however: The interface can be slow at times, and if you're streaming music (versus playing a download), the tracks can take some time to cue. Nor is the Ibiza likely to win any beauty contests.

But if you want access to your Rhapsody account on the go, you should give this player a try. On the flip side, if you're not a Rhapsody fan, there's no reason to buy this device over a Zune or an iPod.

The Ibiza is part of a new class of PMPs that's emerging the subscription service based device. Slacker is releasing a portable player designed to work specifically with its subscription Internet radio service, and earlier in the year, SanDisk released the Sansa Connect, which has a strong Yahoo.

Music tie in. But the Ibiza doesn't work only with Rhapsody like, say, the iriver Click Rhapsody or the Samsung P2 do. (These devices load limited content every time you connect the player to your PC via USB.)

The Ibiza lets you take Rhapsody with you complete with artist bios and all your account's channels without your ever having to touch a computer. This is something no other player currently does.

The Ibiza's design isn't one of its strong points taking cues from other popular players, the Ibiza features an iPod esque screen (2.5 inches, 320 by 240 pixels) and a Zune like touch sensitive control pad.

The body of the player is virtually covered with buttons volume and power on the sides, a Wi-Fi status indicator button on the top panel, and four navigation buttons on the front in addition to the touch pad.

The lower panel features mini USB and proprietary connections (Haier claims that speaker docks are on the way). The Ibiza isn't exactly ugly, but it's not as graceful as an iPod or a Zune.