Looking like an enamelled cigarette case, or for non-smokers like an undersized bar of Ritter Sport chocolate, LG's Soul Digital is uncharacteristically angular for an MP3 player. All the controls are positioned around the edges of the device, together with sockets for a USB connection to your PC and a specialist jack which runs to a remote control, as well as plug-in-the-ear headphones.

The idea of a remote control on something as small as an MP3 player may seem like overkill, but the idea is to put the player in your pocket and to clip the control to a breast pocket, lapel or neckband. The remote has a small, back-lit LCD display and simple plastichrome controls. It feels cheap and plastic, as does the optional AA battery holder which clips incongruously to the side of the Soul Digital to augment the internal rechargeable battery pack.

Software support for the Soul Digital is a bit basic. There's MP3 Explorer Express which, as its name suggests, is modelled on Windows Explorer. You can drag and drop MP3 files from your hard drive to your player with this, but little else. There's no conversion software supplied with the device, which restricts you to MP3s from the Internet or to buying third-party software.

This lack of full software is the biggest let down in this machine, though its single 32MB Multimedia card also limits its effectiveness. You really need to budget for something like eJay MP3 Station Plus and an extra 32MB.