iAudio X5 (Part II): Box Clever

So, it arrived. I was fairly surprised at how heavy the package was - this sturdy, deep, grey box with the "talent" displayed prominently in the window - until it dawned on me that half the weight would be taken up by a hefty instruction manual in fifteen languages. I wasn't wrong. It is worthy packaging, though; the box, the plastic window, and the false bottom lifted to reveal all the necessary kit: USB connector, adapter, line in/out cable, and the, somewhat maligned, so-called "dongle" needed to connect all these to the player itself (and it is small enough to give you the nagging suspicion: "I'm going to lose that"). But, what a player... Let me tell you that the pictures do it absolutely no justice at all. For a start, they give no real indication of just how svelte this little baby is. The galleries are replete with photos of a thing of massive proportions; even the perspective of it sitting in a palm only seems to conjure up images of gigantic hands. It's not until you see this thing for real that you get to appreciate what a cutie it really is. It weighs about the same as an apple (the fruit, the fruit, already) - no, a pack of cards, because that is about all the room in takes up in the palm of your hand. It is not smooth - not like an ipod, or a Creative or a Philips. Do they call it "brushed alluminium"? Whatever they call it, it feels safe in your hands, cold and gun-metal black. The controls are stout, giving a solid quiet "clik", and the joystick seems like no trouble at all. Ingenious, really, having barely any room taken up with controls; just allowing the aesthetics of the player some space - it matters that the iAudio logo is raised and sharp and angular on the front. They have done good with the look and packaging, those people at Cowon Industries. It is recommended that it is plugged in and fully charged before use, which is a good thing because I found I was curiously apprehensive about firing it up and beginning to use it. I plugged it into the timer and set it to charge in the night. Screen looks bright and clear...