CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 08/02/2005
- Released on: 05/05/2005
The Gateway 6GB MP3 Photo Jukebox's intuitive button design and logical menu structure make the device wonderfully straightforward to use. The front panel's five-way keypad enables you to rapidly navigate menu levels and scroll long lists, but occasionally when we intended to enter one command, such as right, the sensitive keypad registered a different command, such as enter. Next track, previous track, play/pause, and menu--which consists of up, down, left, right, and enter--buttons round out the front panel. On the top panel, you'll find a headphone jack and the requisite hold switch. The panel on the right side hosts a volume up/down button.
The unit can be charged over a USB connection or via the included AC adapter. In informal testing, the AC adapter fully recharged a depleted battery in approximately 1 hour. From a fully charged battery, we got 8.6 hours of playback; you can expect shorter battery life if you view photos. The lithium-ion rechargeable battery is removable, and given the device's mediocre battery life, you might want to pick up an extra battery ($19.99, available from Gateway.com) before heading out on a long road trip. The unit comes with a soft fabric carrying pouch, and an armband is available for $19.99.
The 6GB MP3 Photo Jukebox is Gateway's answer to Apple's comparably priced 6GB iPod Mini. Although iPods are the only portable players that support music files purchased from the iTunes Music Store, the Gateway 6GB MP3 Photo Jukebox's compatibility with DRM WMA files, including subscription-based downloads from services such as Napster To Go and Rhapsody to Go, certainly gives you lower-cost music-sourcing options. In addition to DRM WMA files, the unit is compatible with nonprotected WMAs, as well as MP3s. The player's 6GB capacity is enough to store more than 1,000 songs, plus 1GB worth of digital photos. Like the 4GB MP3 Photo Jukebox, the new model doesn't offer an especially broad assortment of features aside from music and photo playback. The iRiver H10 6GB, for instance, includes FM playback and voice recording, which you won't get here.Photo slide-show options are limited. To create a photo slide show, you essentially use the player's controls to select a folder of images you've previously transferred to the player; all the images located in the folder are automatically added to the slide show. Images located in other folders can't be added to the slide show. You can preconfigure musical accompaniment for slide shows and set a few other options, such as the slide show's name and the time interval for which each photo is displayed. JPEG is the only displayable photo format; interlaced JPEGs aren't supported.
Like most other portable-audio players, the 6GB MP3 Photo Jukebox can be used to store and transport data files. You'll need to travel with the Gateway's main USB cable, since the charger plugs into the cable rather than the device itself. Another USB cable that's included with the player enables transferring files directly from a compatible digital camera or a USB memory card reader.
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