Another quibble. The manual doesn't give enough guidance on how to rip CD audio. Trust me, it's not self-explanatory for most people. Also, although the manual explains that the Rome's Menu button displays internal flash memory info, it doesn't do squat. The website reveals that the button is built in for future versions. So, the Menu button is there just for show.

When you jack in with the standard earbuds, the Rome actually sounds pretty good. Four equalizer presets truly give the compressed music an added dimension. The Rome's sublime trait, though, is the fact that it can be inserted and played in almost any tape deck, including my car's. No more cheesy cassette adapters with a wire dangling out towards that MP3 player in your lap. And the sound, however degraded by the analog tape mechanism (there isn't actual tape), is certainly respectable.

The Nomad II from Creative sounds better, though. In a side by side comparison of the same 160 kbps track, EQs set at normal, using excellent Nomad headphones where applicable, both in the Lab and the "Lab away from Lab" (my car), the newly released Nomad was truer to the original song. And the 32MB version Nomad II, which sports removable media (and a changeable battery) costs $50 less than the overpriced Rome.

Furthermore, you're supposed to be able to navigate the player using the controls on your stereo but I experienced irrational cuts to random track locations. Pressing Auto-Reverse just to see what would happen, I was welcomed by an earlier part of the track I'd been listening to.

I've got to hand it to Unitech. The Rome (Roam, perhaps?) is so retro, so smart. The fatal flaw here is that it's way overpriced and perhaps a little delicate. My advice? Pick up a Nomad II, wait for the next "improved" version of the Rome, or check out the upcoming Flashtrax from Smartdisk. It's much akin to the Rome except it has media slots. Just don't buy the Rome.

Summary: An MP3 player with both an original design and double barelled functionality. It looks and sounds good, but is flawed in many ways.

Pros: Cool retro design allows for playback in most cassette decks; good quality sound.

Cons: Limited to 32MB of onboard storage space; parallel port interface-- why not go USB?; shiny and cool, but very delicate; no LCD, just a flashing green light; expensive.

Company: Unitech
Telephone: 800.999.2734
Price: $249.95
Availability: Now
Category: Digital Audio
Platform: Windows
Specs: 2.5 by 4 by .45 inches, 2.2 oz., 32MB of onboard memory, single 1.2 V rechargeable Ni-MH battery, 246 kbps parallel port transfer cable, software bundle