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Average user rating:
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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4.0 stars
"Best-sounding player/video, easy to use, & no DRM :)"
Pros: Basically an open platform, i.e. not designed for DRM controls. Easy to handle files, great video & sound. Light and an easy pocket size especially for 30G capacity. Pretty sturdy. Menu system easy to use and well designed.
Cons: Since ipod has so-far easiest fastest user interface patented/locked up, this is next best thing. But if you organize your files well you won't have to look at and tinker with it so often to have it playing the tunes you feel like at the moment.
Summary: Only reason it's not 5 stars is the good user interface (which is only because ipod has patent on the fast-to-use interface)... Sound is superior (use decent quality headphones or earbuds, please) and it plays .wma's, .mp3's, and .avi videos just great... good screen resolution & motion on videos, by the way. Comes with conversion software or you can use freeware to convert to these formats. You can mount the device via USB to your pc like a regular drive to move files around. Since no requirement to use DRM software for populating the device with your songs & videos, if you are ripping from your own non-DRM downloads or CD's you won't ever be affected by arbitrary business-driven changes to DRM policies by music content owners... Most people are unaware of that angle - they just use iTunes and ipods because it's what everyone else uses... DUH!... So you have more freedom if you avoid iPod or other DRM-content controlled vendor product strategies. I paid for the content, I should have rights to use it on my own devices forever, not subject to someone else's business changes. Anyway, this thing is great. Very easy to use. Fonts a bit small for older eyes even after I set them to be a tad larger... Ok but wish there was a larger one. I listen to trance, progressive and alt rock mostly, but a sprinkling of newage, classical, old rock, ethnic remix dance music, regular world music, and fusion jazz as well. This player handles all flawlessly with great bass, midranges and high tones accurate. The only drawback is that it doesn't recognize video files on the memory stick - have to put those in the main memory area... so most of my huge music collection is on the memory stick in folders by type of content... so I have 16 G of videos and some music on the main memory, and another almost 16G of music on the stick. You can use the screen with the supplied stylus (has a string) or with your fingernail - tap or drag like a mouse... the only con with this is that you have to go thru 3 menu levels to change music folders. You can however organize everything easily by mounting it via USB to your PC and using windows explorer file utility (I have a win machine, not a mac) to make or change folders, move files around, etc. And it has some bookmark and playlist features as well which I haven't much used yet. I got an aftermarket "armor" rubbery sleeve for it (yes available & I recommend it for any expensive device), and be sure to use the little screen protector that comes with the product.
Updated on Dec 23, 2008PS: Fabulous battery life, better than its competitors, even playing a lot of videos. Recharges quickly. Files transfer speed is average - neither very fast nor terribly slow. Also check out the multimedia (larger size, screen & capacity) Cowon, equally well rated for sound, video quality and flexibility by users at forums.
Updated on Dec 23, 2008PPS - jetaudio is Cowon's conversion software (it does other stuff too). User friendly to figure out, can convert .flv's as well as other formats. Or use any freeware to convert to avi, wma or mp3.
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