want more than what the Apple iPod Shuffle has to offer—an LCD screen, for instance—will be pleased with Sony’s $99.95 Psyc Network Walkman NWE105 512MB flash-memory player.

The circular NW-E105 may not be as beautiful or as slim as the iPod Shuffle, but measuring 2.2 inches in diameter and weighing just 1.6 ounces, the player slips easily into any pocket. Like the Shuffle, it lacks an FM tuner or recording options.

To get songs onto the NW-E105, you must use Sony’s SonicStage software, which will convert unprotected WMA files into Sony’s ATRAC3 format. The player natively supports MP3 files, but you can’t play protected WMA files from online services such as Musicmatch and Napster.

The NW-E105 produced crisp sound with clear highs and lows, as well as plenty of bass.We were able to squeeze out an impressive 35.6 hours of battery life in our tests.