Though better known for its quality PCs than multimedia devices, Dell is diving into the crowded consumer electronics arena. The company is entering the red-hot digital music market with the Dell Digital Jukebox, its first portable player, and while the device doesn't break any new ground, it is a solid first effort.

The Digital Jukebox comes with either a 15GB hard drive for $249 (direct) or a 20GB drive for $329. Dell offers a $30 instant-rebate at the time of purchase for the 20GB model, dropping its price to $299. A 20GB Apple iPod, by comparison, costs $399. The Digital Jukeboxes measure 4.1 by 2.7 by 0.9 inches and weigh 7.6 ounces, making them slightly larger and heavier than current iPods, which are 4.1 by 2.4 by 0.7 inches and 6.2 ounces. Both Dell models support MP3, WAV, and WMA playback. The 20GB model also comes with a wired remote and a sturdy leather case.

The player has a clear, functional interface that's simple but not, like the iPod's, a pleasure to use. A vivid blue backlight helps when using the device in dark rooms. The front of the Digital Jukebox features a jog dial, Menu and Back buttons, and three playback buttons (Rewind/Skip, Play/Pause, and Fast Forward/Skip). On the player's left side you'll find Power, Volume Control, and Record buttons. The headphone outlet and hold buttons are on top as is the mini-USB 2.0 connection. The buttons feel somewhat stiff during use, a far cry from the hypersensitive iPod controls: somewhere in the middle of the two would be perfect. As with the e.Digital Odyssey 1000, the Digital Jukebox includes a voice recorder, but Dell's device lacks the Odyssey's FM tuner. (The iPod integrates neither, though a $50 Belkin option supports voice recording.) The Digital Jukebox has eight preset equalizer settings (the iPod has 22) and customizable equalizer controls. You can also use the player as an external hard drive for storage.

Users can create song lists on the player itself, although the process is tedious (you need to load songs into your Selected Songs list from which you can then make a playlist). One other complaint: When you choose to play a song from the middle of an album, the Digital Jukebox plays only that song. It doesn't continue with the rest of the list as does the iPod. We do like the ability to delete songs from the player, a feature the iPod lacks, but the deleted tunes reappear when you next sync with a computer.

Battery life is impressive—we got about 16 hours of continuous play. The 30GB Apple iPod (recently tested in our "Let the Music Play" story) lasted only around 9 hours.

The Digital Jukebox works with the included MusicMatch Jukebox Plus 8.1, which you must install prior to syncing. Even though we already had a copy loaded on our test machine, it was replaced by the Dell branded version. To coincide with the release of the Digital Jukebox, Dell is also starting an online music store, a rebranding of MusicMatch's store. The store will launch with over 200,000 songs selling for $.99 each and will have over 500,000 by the end of the year. Eventually it will also feature exclusive content. Stay tuned for an upcoming First Looks on pay-as-you-go music services, which will include the MusicMatch service.

While less elegant than the Apple iPod, Dell's Digital Jukebox is generally easy to use, works well, and delivers great sound. We don't know how much of a splash it will make in such a crowded field (that will soon see the release of the Samsung/Napster joint venture as well), but Dell is certainly putting forth a good, affordable first effort.