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Product summary
The COBY MP-C441 is a 128 MB, flash player.Compared to other flash MP3 players on the market, it is very inexpensive at around $25.
Specifications: Device type: Digital player ; Flash memory installed: 128 MB ; Digital player supported digital audio standards: MP3 , WMA ; See full specs
Price range: $25.95 check prices
CNET product brief
Description: The COBY MP-C441 is a 128 MB, flash player.Compared to other flash MP3 players on the market, it is very inexpensive at around $25.
Pros: None noted, given available product data.
Cons: Comes with 128 MB storage.This is not out of line with the product's price, but is smaller than the average MP3 player on the market today.
Suitability: Suited for those who want to store a goodly amount of songs.
Value: Given its very inexpensive price, this MP3 player has good features for the money.
Suggestions: Audiophiles may wish to buy aftermarket headphones for better sound reproduction.
CNET's Product Briefs are generated by a software tool that combines product specifications with knowledge of our editorial experts. They do not reflect hands-on assessment or labs testing. For more information about how we create Product Briefs, contact us.
CNET editors' buying advice
We have not reviewed this product but here is CNET's buying advice on MP3 players. This content was chosen based on the features included with this model of mp3 player.
Audio formats
The first format or codec to gain widespread acceptance was MP3, but there are now a variety of players on the market that support AAC, WMA, OGG, and other formats. This table will help you sort out the alphabet soup and determine which codecs you need in an MP3 player.
| AA | Audible, the format used by Audible.com, is designed for spoken audio content such as audiobooks and talk radio programs, including NPR. Many portable music players support AA. |
| AAC | Advanced Audio Coding, developed by Dolby Laboratories and best known as the format used in iPods. Apple and Real use their own DRM (digital rights management) technology to secure AAC downloads for iTunes and Real Rhapsody. The iPod is the solitary player that accepts copy-protected AAC files and only those from iTunes Music Store. |
| ATRAC3 | ATRAC3 and ATRAC3plus are lossy compression formats used by Sony and its squadron of Network Walkman MP3 and MiniDisc players. It is an efficient format that sounds better than MP3 at the same bit rates. This format is akin to WMA and AAC but is generally known as a dark horse, as it is used by only Sony-branded players. Music downloaded or streamed from Sony's Connect music store are ATRAC3 files. |
| FLAC | Free Lossless Audio Codec, an open-source format that uses a clever algorithm to preserve every 1 and 0 found in the uncompressed file. Though not widely implemented, lossless formats such as FLAC are popular with audiophiles who disdain "lossy" formats (MP3, WMA, and so on) that further compress files. |
| MP3 | Motion Pictures Experts Group Layer 3 is such a mouthful, it's no wonder the abbreviation has taken over. In fact, MP3 is the Kleenex of digital music--so common, it's become shorthand for all portable players whether they use this format, though nearly all do. The eMusic online music store and most file-sharing networks use MP3 |
| MP3Pro | The latest from Thomson/RCA (the company that licenses MP3 to manufacturers and developers), MP3Pro sounds better than MP3 at the same bit rate. However, it hasn't been widely adopted by manufacturers other than RCA |
| OGG | Ogg Vorbis is the underdog of this group. It sounds great, and because it is open source, there are no licensing fees when it's used to encode or play music--a fact that probably makes developers of other codecs a bit nervous. Although it's not as widespread as AAC, MP3, or WMA in players or online music services, OGG could gain traction as consumers grow more sophisticated in their digital audio usage and developers look for ways to cut down on licensing costs. |
| WAV/AIFF | This is uncompressed audio, like what you'd find on a standard audio CD. For the most part, WAVs are found on Windows machines, while AIFFs live on Macs. |
| WMA | Windows Media Audio, Microsoft's format, sounds better than MP3 at the same bit rate. Some WMA files include copy protection, but others do not (if you left the "Copy protect music" box checked under the Options menu in Windows Media Player you've been ripping copy-protected WMAs). Most players support WMA, and online music stores such as Napster, Yahoo Music, and Wal-Mart use secure WMA. |
Voice recording
Some MP3 players have a small internal microphone for recording the spoken word. These are acceptable for documenting a lecture, a meeting, or a conversation but unsuitable for high-quality music recording. The sampling rate is typically low, and the recordings are mono. The upside is that you can usually record several hours of memos, then upload the files to your PC for attaching to e-mail or archiving.
See more Voice recorder products
WMA format
Windows Media Audio, Microsoft's format, sounds better than MP3 at the same bit rate. Some WMA files include copy protection, but others do not. Most non-iPod players support WMA, and some online music stores still use the secure WMA format (although the trend is changing toward sales of MP3 files).
MP3 format
Motion Pictures Experts Group Layer 3 is such a mouthful, it's no wonder the abbreviation has taken over. In fact, MP3 is the Kleenex of digital music--so common, it's become shorthand for all portable players whether they use this format or not, though nearly all do. After a long and frustrating war between competing file formats, most online music stores are now selling their music downloads as MP3 files, including Amazon, eMusic, Rhapsody, and Napster.
See more MP3 products
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Where to buy
COBY MP-C441 Flash MP3 Player (128MB):
$25.95
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$25.95 | Yes |
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