If you’re in the market for an iPod nano alternative and would rather stay away from the Microsoft Zune, this latest offering from iRiver is a viable and fashionable option. The all new iRiver E50 MP3 player takes on the tried and true candybar style form factor, but the choice of materials is a little better than the standard cheap plastic fare.

Instead of some crappy plastic, the iRiver E50 gets wrapped up in a beautiful brushed metal finish instead. This textured finish definitely adds a touch of class to an otherwise standard MP3 player. Measuring just 7mm thick, the E50 will easily slip into your pocket. I just hope that the edges aren’t so sharp (they are metal, after all) that they’d slice into your thigh.

Not surprising, this player will support a range of different audio formats, so you can probably toss everything from MP3 to WMA at this thing. When you get tired of your own collection, you can hop on over to the integrated FM radio instead. I love my iPod nano, but why can’t Apple include FM radio in their iPods. Everyone else does.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use the 1.8-inch color display on the iRiver E50 for video watching as there is no mention of movie support. That’s a shame. At least you get a solid 52 hours of battery life, so you can keep the music pumping for more than two days straight. Look for it in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB flavors.