I recently purchased the Diamond Rio 500 just because I'm a "new gadget freak." Upon opening it i immediately loved it. It's tiny enough to conceal and simply looks really "cool," for lack of a better word. The software was easy enough to install, although the instructions are extremely vague. I had to try a couple of times before I even got the USB driver installed.The software is very easy to use and the USB connection allows for extremely fast music transfer.The 2 downfalls of the Rio 500, however, are, of course, the lousy ear buds, and the poor battery life. If you don't intend on changing the music often, then the battery life is just fine. However, if you like to have a little variety now and then, plan on purchasing a lot of AA's.I recommend this unit to anyone who always wants music with them but doesn't want the burden of having to carry around all their cd's or tapes in those big, clumsy cases.