iRiver puts a new Spinn on the user interface

(Credit: iRiver)

As if to prove that it's not even close to backing out of the MP3 player market, iRiver debuted a whopping 12 new MP3 players at this year's CES. The company also introduced a sweet-looking, multifunctional home entertainment system as well as three E-Dictionary products and two GPS devices. Naturally, not all of the gadgets are available in the U.S., but it's still an impressive feat given the relatively small size of the company.

Watch the iRiver Spinn video on CNET TV.

It was hard to narrow it down, but I think my favorite is the Spinn, which is still under development and--sadly--may not make it to the States. This compact media player features a unique spinning hinge that lets you "flip" pages on the screen (a la the iPhone) and otherwise easily navigate the device using just one hand. If nothing else, you've gotta hand it to iRiver for its ability to think up innovative interfaces. And actually, the overall design of the Spinn is quite attractive. It's sleek and slim with a mostly brushed-silver finish, and the 3.2-inch WQVGA screen (featuring a 480x272 pixel resolution) looks nice. In addition to music, video, and photo support, this player will offer a built-in FM tuner, voice recording, a text viewer and dictionary, support for Flash games, and the ability to receive DMB content (in the regions where it is available). The Spinn will even have integrated stereo Bluetooth functionality for those who prefer to do their listening sans wires. As iRiver is undecided on whether this player will make it to the U.S. market, there's no pricing at this time, but we do know that it's set to come in three capacities: 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB.

(Credit: iRiver)