MP3 players

Cowon iAudio 7 (4GB)

chewz — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 10:07:44 +0000

The good: The Cowon iAudio 7 is one of the most versatile MP3 players available. It plays music, video, and photos; has unbeatable sound quality; records line-in, voice, and FM; supports OGG and FLAC file formats, plus DRM-protected WMA; works in MTP and MSC connection modes for use on both Mac and PC; and has an unmatched rechargeable battery life.

The bad: As tiny as the iAudio 7 is, it’s still about three times the width of an iPod Nano. The reflective, glossy plastic found on the front and back of the player is prone to smudges and glare. There’s a learning curve to the Swing Touch interface, and we would like to have seen support for Audible audiobooks, as well as a memory expansion slot.

The bottom line: The Cowon iAudio 7 beats the industry heavyweight iPod Nano in price, features, battery life, and sound quality. The user interface could use some refinement, but all-in-all this is a very impressive MP3 player.

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Creative Zen Micro Photo (8GB, red)

chewz — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:48:34 +0000

Creative Zen Micro Photo (8GB, red)

The good: The Creative Zen Micro Photo features a bright, colorful OLED that’s viewable from any angle, and it’s available in a choice of 10 body colors. This MP3 player also includes useful extra features such as a user-replaceable battery, a voice recorder, a photo viewer, an FM tuner, and an onboard calendar and task manager that syncs with Microsoft Outlook. The Zen Micro Photo is also out-of-the-box compatible with Janus (Windows Media DRM 10) and offers excellent sound quality.

The bad: Unfortunately, the Creative Zen Micro Photo doesn’t let you listen to music and browse photos simultaneously, and album art is not supported at this time. The touch pad on this device can take some getting used to.

The bottom line: The Creative Zen Micro Photo is an excellent full-featured MP3 player and, for its size, a decent photo viewer; it just doesn’t combine the two effectively.
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iRiver Clix (4GB, second generation)

chewz — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:34:39 +0000

iRiver Clix (4GB, second generation)

The good: The next generation iRiver Clix is even sleeker and slimmer than its predecessor, but offers the same unique and intuitive interface and stellar audio quality. This player comes packed with extras such as an FM radio; a voice recorder; an alarm clock; support for subscription content as well as OGG and Audible files; and photo, video, and text viewing. The Clix includes SRS Wow sound effects, it has good battery life, and it’s priced competitively.

The bad: There’s no cradle or line-in recording options for the new Clix yet, and iRiver doesn’t offer an easy way to get video content for the device.

The bottom line: The iRiver Clix offers the perfect blend of hot design, desirable features, and stellar sound quality. If you’re looking for an alternative to the iPod Nano, this device should top the list.

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Hercules Mobile DJ MP3

chewz — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:22:19 +0000

Hercules Mobile DJ MP3

The good: The Hercules Mobile DJ MP3 is an inexpensive, well-conceived, wireless digital DJ package that’s perfect for parties.

The bad: This is a budget product with budget construction. The three black plastic sliders pull right off. We would have preferred hardware control over EQ and filtering.

The bottom line: The Hercules Mobile DJ MP3 gives you an affordable, fun, and effortless way to wirelessly DJ music playing from your computer.

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Creative to launch Zen Stone Plus

chewz — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:01:33 +0000

(Credit: Creative Labs)

Bless Creative’s soul for offering me some relief from my parched existence in the iPhone desert. Tomorrow, the company will officially announce yet another MP3 player for its already impressive Zen line. The latest family member is an enhancement to the ultrabasic Zen Stone and carries Creative’s signature Plus at the end of its name. The Zen Stone Plus looks almost identical to its slightly older sibling, but with one important difference: a small, round OLED screen which sits to the left of the control pad. Sure, it’s tiny and only displays in one color (blue, on a black background), but this minor addition allows for some desirable extras. The player comes loaded with an FM tuner, a voice recorder, an equalizer, a clock, and even a stopwatch.
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MP3 player Buying Guide: What are my choices?

chewz — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 09:48:03 +0000

Every month, manufacturers unleash even more MP3 players to an increasingly confused public. Not only do these devices have wildly divergent features, but ongoing format wars mean the MP3 player you choose dictates where you can buy your digital music. These devices are anything but one-size-fits-all.

First, there’s the question of design. A player can have every feature in the world, but if the design doesn’t match your lifestyle or if the interface is impenetrable, you still won’t enjoy it. You’ll want to look closely at performance; sound quality and battery life can make or break a player, especially if you travel a lot or have the so-called golden ears of an audiophile.

Before you start checking out specific models, you should have a basic understanding of the types of MP3 players available. Note: all types of players mentioned below can play other formats besides MP3, such as WMA, ATRAC3, OGG, or AAC, but we still refer to them as MP3 players.

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RCA Pearl (1GB, blue)

chewz — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 09:24:55 +0000

Plug-in-style MP3 players–that is, those with the USB interface built right in–have been enjoying a bit of a renaissance lately, as evidenced by the recent release of the SanDisk Sansa Express. RCA has now joined the trend with the Pearl, one of three players in the company’s new Gem Line. Like the Express, the Pearl is also aimed squarely at the budget-conscious, with 1GB and 2GB versions retailing for $39 and $48, respectively. The RCA offers decent sound quality, so it could give the SanDisk a run for its money–if not for the bulbous design, funky menu structure, and disposable battery.

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