I am really glad I bought this model. Make sure you follow the instructions and first reset to factory default before attempting to do anything else, or the player menus won't show automatically when you plug in a USB or card. My reason for buying was to take home made videos to show my mother in her care home, so the battery life of just over two hours is ok for an average visit, or I could use the mains. I carry the player in my rucksack and it isn't so heavy that I can't also carry my digital SLR, plus other items. The supplied carry pack is very roomy and takes all the cables, remote, and room left for USBs. The only downside is that the screen view cannot be narrowed, so jpgs will be stretched. The only way round this is to create a second set of wider jpgs using a custom crop tool in photoshop. However, another plus is that mpeg movies download very quickly from a USB. The player automatically detects a USB or card the moment it is plugged in, and immediately shows them as a list on screen. Considering all the functions and media options one gets with this player, it would seem a better buy than most if it only had a longer battery life. Yet with a mains adaptor, plus car lighter adaptor, that shouldn't be a problem for many people.