iriver X20 Previewed

Apple may not have a widescreen iPod, the iPhone is more than that. It’s the “more” that causes disgruntlement among consumers pining for one; the phone extras and Cingular contract are not attractive to all. Until Apple releases their version, options are available to the on-the-go viewer. For those who desire a movie in their pocket, the upcoming 4GB iriver X20 may satiate the lust for portable entertainment.

C|Net Asia recently got their hands on a preproduction unit and offer a glimpse of what we should expect. The unit sports a 2.2-inch screen that delivers crisp images. iriver has also implemented a scroll wheel, and adapted the menu to it by setting them in a circle rather than list form. The X20 uses microSD cards, I guess they’re “micro” to let you know how small everything is. A tactic I’ve often found odd with portable video devices. No matter how clean the picture is, the screen is still 2.2 inches. You’d have to balance it on your nose to get some semblance of home theater quality, which would be followed by a blinding migraine.

Overall the X20 looks to be a very capable portable video media device, even with the awkward and small scroll wheel. Look for the iriver X20 sometime later in 2007.