The Mega Screen is a grown-up variation of the MP3 player, supporting voice recording and photo viewing as well as the expected music playback. Like other MP3 players, it also functions as a storage device for just about any data you'd like to take with you, boasting a significant 2GB capacity.

Product images typically make the unit appear larger than it actually is, so we included a familiar comparison item. The Mega Screen is actually much thinner than the incendiary device next to it, and barely taller.

The tiny hole on the right-hand side is a microphone opening; the hole below it, a reset button; and the flap below that, the USB port cover. The Mega Screen uses a unique USB cable similar to other small devices, but with a slightly different connector shape.

The player includes a fairly good set of headphones, an audio cable, a data cable, and a software CD. That software includes Windows 9x drivers, a video converter, and a photo converter. Video and photos are shrunk to a custom 180x180 pixel format.

Audio playback and voice recording quality are good, and FM reception is clear with adequate strength. Travelers can record notes, listen to music, and tune into the local news in style. On the other hand, photo and video viewing limitations mean that a gift recipient will likely only keep a few of these on the Mega Screen, and use it mostly for audio functions.

Voice recording quality is startlingly good given the size of the microphone opening, and all recordings are compressed to .mp3 format in real-time.

Unfortunately the Mega Screen appears to be stuck in USB 1.1 transfer mode, with speeds approaching the 12 megabit per second limit. This does not affect its functionality as a recorder or player, but it will take a long, long time to transfer the drive’s entire capacity.