At the rate that MP3 players are shrinking, you might wonder if you should just skip a generation and wait for the implant-sized models that they'll inject into your earlobe. However, if you can't wait, the Panasonic SV-SD75 e-Wear SD Audio Player -- which the company is touting as fashion item -- is about the same size as a four-pack of AAA batteries. But beware: This little player comes with a bit of Big Brother as well.
The acronym SD stands for Secure Digital. The tiny SD memory cards used by the SV-SD75 are hardly larger than a thumbnail, yet they store 64M of tunes. They also live up to the secure in the format's name. Music is stored in an encrypted format on the cards, with the bundled RealJukebox software taking care of format-switching duties. You have to check out music to copy it to an SD card, as the SV-SD75 complies with the Secure Digital Music Initiative. We had no problems copying MP3 files that we'd recorded ourselves or downloaded from the Internet, but the fine print in the documentation states that Panasonic can change functionality as SDMI rules evolve.
The legal issues may make you leery, but at least you'll never have to think twice about bringing this player along with you--it's small enough to fit in the tightest pocket. Panasonic includes an armband, a belt clip, and a neck lanyard as well. The SV-SD75 comes with earphones that attach to your ears with a creepy, claw-like action. They sound much better than ear-bud style headphones, and they're very portable, but we couldn't get used to the odd feel.
The controls are very straightforward. A three-position dial lets you switch between Normal, Mode Change, and Hold settings. Forward, Reverse, and Play buttons are used for navigation, and up and down buttons control volume. The LCD screen is reversed, with the background appearing in black. It looks cool, but it would benefit from back lighting.
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