The introduction of the Dell DJ MP3 Jukebox coincides with Dells move to new pastures outside of its core PC retail business which is highly commoditised, this has already seen the selling of PC peripherals LCD TV's and even other brands of MP3 player.

But the big move is the Dell DJ, which comes in 2 flavours the 15gb version and the direct Ipod competitor the Dell DJ 20gb, now its not got quite the style and panache of the Ipod but its no bad looker, with its two tone silver shell and backlit blue LCD display and buttons, perhaps it looks a bit too simple yet fails to match the clean lines of the Ipod.

In terms of features it's no Iriver either, it does what it says on the tin play MP3 and it make a good job of it to with a good clean sound without any hiss or distortion and a good helping of bass even with the standard issue headphones. There is no FM tuner and no Bluetooth or Ethernet connection, files are transferred by USB through the mini USB jack on top of the unit using the supplied Music match software.

Music match is a god programme as reviewed in our software section, but here it is just bloat and by no means the ideal partner for this device, dell would have done far better to have delivered a slimmed down drag and drop style interface with limited music library integration.

The Ipod's Achilles heel was always battery life, the Dell DJ boasts a 16 hour replay time from its Lithium-Polymer battery plus it can be charged from the supplied AC charger or via the USB connection which is ideal for those who like LP need to use a device at home and work but don't want to buy 2 chargers.

When using the Dell DJ you get a distinct feeling of DeJaVu especially from the user interface which is not surprising as Creative have supplied much of the software and some of the components for the Dell DJ, this is no bad thing as you get an easy to use menu system which allows for building of play list on the fly and a navigation structure that is quick to work with. Plus the Dell DJ comes with a good size and easy to operate by touch remote control, which is considerably better than the meagre Ipod offering.

So why are Dell so confident that the DJ Mp3 Jukebox will do well in a very crowded MP3 market, the simple answer is sheer market position, Dell can produce units at a very competitive price and the DJ 15gb version is currently retailing for only $199 and the 20gb at $279, which is very well priced compared to the Ipod at $339 for the 20gb Apple music player.

While the Dell DJ  is not pushing the boundaries of technology it is a very competent MP3 player with the key features and a good dose of style at a price which makes a good deal, so expect a shake up in the MP3 price structure when it hits our shores this summer.

Check out the full range of MP3 players on offer on Lordpercy.com

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