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CNET editors' rating:
3.5 stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 4 reviews
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Product summary
The good: Ultracompact; encased in light and durable magnesium; easy to use; decent-quality images; high coolness factor; convenient plug-in design.
The bad: Measly 128MB memory capacity; slow transfer rates due to USB 1.1; lacks zoom and flash features; no tone controls or playlist support; audio output could be louder.
The bottom line: While the Key019's coolness factor may appeal to the must-have gadget crowd, photo and music enthusiasts will find it lacks certain features they've come to expect in many of today's portable convergence devices.
Specifications: Resolution: 2 megapixels; Device type: Digital AV recorder; Dimensions (WxDxH): 1.3 in x 0.9 in x 3.8 in; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 09/30/2004
- Released on: 07/01/2004
Housed in an attractive and ultradurable black-magnesium casing, the Key019 weighs a mere 2.1 ounces and measures just 1.26 by 0.89 by 3.80 inches. On the front of the unit is a microphone for recording sound during video capture, as well as a silver bezel that surrounds the fixed-focus lens and rotates to select between the three modes of operation. A silver shutter button sits atop the device, right next to a tiny keychain/lanyard connector. Around back, you'll find a very small (0.38 by 0.5 inch) digital viewfinder, two LEDs indicating power and memory-capacity status, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Delete button for sending unwanted files to the trash bin. Removing a plastic end cap at the bottom of the Key019 reveals a USB connector used to transfer multimedia files to your PC and to charge the unit. You can plug the Key019 directly into a USB port or go with the included USB extender cable.
The Key019 features a half-inch CMOS sensor capable of 2-megapixel resolution and has 128MB of flash memory for storing video, photo, and audio files. As a digital camcorder, the Key019 records up to 25 minutes of MPEG-4 video with sound, but it doesn't have zoom or special-effects capabilities. Likewise, the 2-megapixel digital camera captures up to 200 still images in JPEG format but, lacking a zoom or flash, is just a point-and-shoot (and a less sophisticated one than those found in many cell phones). However, the Key019's simplicity makes it one of the most user-friendly multifunction devices around and one that is best suited to spur-of-the-moment recording.
In MP3 mode, the unit is controlled using the included earbud headset with integrated line-in controls for play/pause, volume, and forward/backward song selection. The line-in remote also accepts other headphones, so you can sub in your favorite pair. With the headset plugged in, the viewfinder becomes a microdisplay for all three modes, allowing you to view video, stills, and audio track numbers. Unfortunately, the player doesn't support MP3 playlists, so you'll have to scan through the tracks to select specific song titles, and there are no tone controls to adjust bass or treble response. Also a bummer is that the Key019 won't play protected WMAs, so you can forget about listening to tunes purchased from Napster and the like.
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- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 4 reviews
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