1. Half Map, Half Radio
The voice-prompted Jensen Rock-n-Road GPS navigator with optional XM mini-tuner ($30) guides you smoothly through detailed street grids, while the 8GB memory stores thousands of audio files. $800;
2. Light and Loaded
Jays’ Tic-Tac-size q-Jays dish up sound twice as rich as those cheapies you got with your player, but they’re also comfy enough for long-haul listening. $179;
3. Fills and Filters
Creative’s Aurvana X-Fi Noise-Canceling Headphones strip away the drone of a jet engine but can also restore (some of) the depth compressed out of MP3s. $300;
4. Little Big Screen
SanDisk’s 4GB, eraser-size Sansa Clip isn’t the only music player that fastens to your shirt collar or backpack strap, but it’s the best we’ve seen that doesn’t eighty-six the display. $80;
5. Audio + Radio
Combine your satellite radio and music player with the pocket-friendly 2GB Sirius Stiletto 2. A TiVo-like feature lets you record or rewind broadcasts. $330 (plus $142 subscription);
6. Take Everything
Apple’s brawniest model to date, the 160-gig iPod Classic lets you bring along your entire music collection. And dozens of movies. And all your high-res photos from the trip. $349;
7. Decked-Out Dash
Sat-radio ready? USB port? iPod integration? MP3s, WMAs, AACs? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Alpine’s intuitive iDA-X300 stereo outfits your ride with any music format, unless it’s on a CD. $200;
8. Wireless Sports Star
Athletes: RCA’s 1GB Jet Stream has all the stopwatch and step-and calorie-counting functions you need, plus a set of Kleer wireless earphones, which beat Bluetooth on fidelity. $140;
9. Low Overhead
Sony’s reasonably priced MDR-AS100W headphones have a
superlight band that keeps the full-sounding buds from popping out during workouts. $99;
10. At Your Fingertips
Brilliant sound, Bluetooth syncing, and a vivid three-inch touch-screen make Samsung’s 4GB P2 multimedia player one of the most impressive pocket theaters we’ve seen. $229;
11. Party in a Suitcase
Though it’s only one inch thick, the Altec Lansing SoundBlade’s flat-panel drivers push out impressively full sound. Plus, it connects to almost any device via Bluetooth or a jack. $130;