iRiver digs deep, looks inward to focus on user interface design

So iRiver seems to be taking that old "can't judge a DAP by its cover" adage to heart and has announced the new company focus will be on their audio players' innards rather than just the external design. Joon Yang, CEO of iRiver's parent company Reigncom, said that its competitors have started to keep pace in terms of exterior design, so the company is looking to devote more effort towards the user interface to differentiate itself from the (many, many) other MP3 player manufacturers out there. The fruits of this new directive can already be witnessed in their new
U10 player, which features a new "D-Click" navigation system via the touchscreen — the player's front panel can be depressed in four control areas, whose functions change depending on the current menu. The appropriate functions are displayed on the screen itself to clearly indicate what each control button does at any given position within the menu hierarchy. Yang said this type of UI contains the core concept behind future iRiver products.