Sanyo says: I can sing a rainbow

These MP3 players could double as drumsticks for the wealthy, spatulas for doctors who need to check tonsils in an emergency on a long-haul flight or splints for wounded fingers. Like colourful little twigs fallen from an electric tree, they're Sanyo's newest entry into the competitive world of flash-based MP3 players. There are two models to choose from, both named with the snappy panache of an engine-part manufacturer: the DMP-M700 (1GB) and the DMP-M600 (512MB).

If you pick the 1GB player, you're stuck with just two colours to choose from, but opt for the 512MB version and there are five magnificent shades of consumer-electronic brilliance to decide between. The vital stats on these cute treasures? 16 by 87 by 16mm and a fighting-fit 23g. Word on the street is this warmonger can go for ten hours without a recharge.

Sanyo has commanded an unremarkable presence in the MP3 player world to date -- it will be interesting to see how these multicoloured warriors fare in the trenches of Dixons.