JVC Victor just loosed a couple more PlaysForSure DRM capable portable audio players into an abyss of yawning apathy. Both the 1GB XA-C109 and 512MB XA-C59 support MP3/WMA/WAV and PlaysForSure WMA playback, a 1.3-inch display, FM tuner, about 20 hours of music playback, and even the ability to record in WMA stereo via an external mic. Sure, we know that any DAP from JVC is going to sound pretty sweet in a closed, acoustically controlled room. But these pups are portable man, and sound pretty much the same as any comparably priced MP3 player when masked by a smoggy traffic drone. And we're not entirely sure, but the use of the ol' "F1" and "F2" on the controls is a pretty good sign that their designers just gave up in the end.

JVC, Victor XA-C109, XA-C59, Players