Shanling Q1 is a 1950s-inspired music player with modern hi-fi audio smarts

There’s a whiff of 6th-gen iPod nano about Shanling Q1 (£68), but – sorry, Jony Ive – Apple’s tiny portable music player never looked this cool. Eschewing minimalist tech, the Q1 instead draws inspiration from the 1950s, with a playful design that’s all smooth round edges, chrome-like accents, physical buttons, and gorgeous colours. But what of the music bit? Well, it reportedly does the business there too. It’ll happily play high-res audio files, which can be loaded via a micro SD card. The wee device has Bluetooth support as well, so it can pair with headphones, act as a Bluetooth amp for your phone, or even become a Bluetooth transmitter for an ancient PC. Meanwhile, digital USB output should please audiophiles, while the 21-hour battery life is almost enough to get through half a Pink Floyd guitar solo.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.